Changing Colors

Sunday Jon, I and the boys headed up north to see the family. Since I picked all my cherry tomatoes last week I wanted to make some thing with them. So I found a recipe from Pinterest to make Salsa. I brought over all the ingredients to my mom's house to make a couple of batches of salsa. My mom had to get use to me taking a ton of photos through the process of making the salsa. I also found a recipe to make dry ranch mix. So we ended up making that too. I have not make the ranch dressing yet but maybe this weekend. I got these cute small mason jars from Wal-Mart. I think we figure out that they hold about 2 cups of what ever you want in them. The salsa turned out really yummy. We wanted it more spicy so we kept adding more and more seeds from the jalapeno to the salsa.

Fall is upon us right now. The leaves are changing right before our eyes. The weather has cooled down to where we do not need the AC unit anymore. This is the best time of the year. Well I think. Some of the leaves have started to fall in the yard. I decided to pick one up to take a photo and Shooter came over and thought it was something for him. It was cute. Jon laughed when I showed him the photo of Shooter. Hank wanted nothing to do with the leaf that I found he was too busy thinking that someone was walking along the fence. He thought that he should be barking up a storm.

Jon and I went for a walk with the boys for the first time in a couple of months since I broke my foot. It was nice to get out and to walk again. We took a short walk but that was fine by me. The weather has been messing with my foot lately. It is still stiff and I feel like I should be better already. Hopefully soon I will be. Of course on our walk the boys ended up seeing a rabbit in someone's yard along the path. They were baying up a storm and we saw a lady go to her sliding glass door to see what was going on. It was kind of embarrassing since she thought that we were doing something to our dogs. Oh well. At least that lady knows what a baying Beagle sounds like now.

Our garden is at its end. Still have not removed the corn stalks yet but I am still afraid to pull it out since there is a big grasshopper living there. Jon finally got to see the big bug. Our pepper plants are really producing a lot of produce this year. We have about 15-17 peppers still growing. I was shocked. I cannot wait to pull them and have them later in the year.

Jon ended up pulling some of our garlic that we are trying to grow in the garen. Shooter and hand really wanted some of it. Jon is busy getting ready for hunting season. So he is practicing in the back yard. Only two more weeks until bow season. I really hope that Jon gets something this year. It would be really nice to have more meat in our freezer. 

Saturday I got up right after Jon left for work. I went to the grocery store. I was a busy bee around the house. I was excited that I did not have to clean the house. Which I usually do on Saturday. I really like cleaning during the week instead of cleaning all day on Saturday. I gave Shooter and Hank a Busy Bone in the morning. They loved it. Before I could get it outside for them to chew on they were jumping all over me trying to get the package. Silly puppies! 

I made cinnamon pull apart bread. It was nice to not worry about cleaning all day and to get back into baking or cooking on the weekends. this was a very long process to make these but it was worth it. They taste sooooo good. Jon loved them. I just wish I could get them out of the loaf pan. I think that I did not grease the pan enough. Jon LOVES the bread that I made. He keeps eating it like a snack. 

After Jon got home from work we headed to the local archery range near our house. He needs to practice since hunting season is a couple a weeks away. YEAH! Jon did really well. There was someone on the 30 yard spot that he wanted to shoot from but someone was already there. We headed home after a half hour to start on dinner. We roasted a chicken in the oven. Well the whole time the chicken was cooking the smoke detectors were going off. For a hour! Well I think it was longer than that. Hank was so scared from the loudness that I ended having to hold him to calm him down. Jon is busy working on one of the bike that we have in the garage. Hope everyone had a great week like we did. What did you do?

*Meals This Week*
-Homemade Salsa
-Homemade Dry Ranch Mix
-Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps
-Lasagna Rolls
-Grilled Pork Chops w/ Baked Potato
-Breakfast Cups
-Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

A New Week with New Adventures

Sunday Jon and I went out to the farm. Shooter and Hank stayed home. This was the first year that I was able to hunt with the boys. I was really nervous for some reason! I had no clue what I was doing in the field. But I got the hankg of it and it was a lot of fun! We ended up putting Jon's tree stand up as well when we were out there. I love this farm! I did end up getting a squirrel but it is so thickly out there that we could not find it... I was the only one who got anything out in the field. YEAH for me!

Jon taught our neighbor how to weld this week. Here is his creation. It was fun to set some one learn something for the first time. I remember when jon taught me to weld. It was a lot of fun! We ended up having fish tacos for dinner. They were so good. I think that I have found a new recipe that I love! Surpirsing since I do not eat fish that often!

I had to clean the second bedroom again this week. It started to get out of control again. So I cleaned it up again and now it looks great. I still have more to put away but it is better than it looks in this photo. Now all we need to do is get another tiwn bed and a frame for the day bed and we will be set.

The house was a mess when I came home this week. The dogs throw up twice that I had to bring out the spot bot to clean it. I alwasys come home to surprises... Silly dogs. They keep me on my toes all the time. I tried a new recipe that was really good. I think that we needed alittle more chicken and broccoli in the dish and it would be perfect.

Jon and I went through the garden planning for next year and seeing what actually took and what did not. We got carrots and one garlic clove. I was surprised that we got any garlic this year. Last year we planted garlic and nothing came up. Later that night Jon was working on his bike and ended up cutting his finger. Thank goodness for the first aid kit!

Friday night Jon and I made Lasanga Cups for dinner. I did not know that it was going to be a long process to make them but they turned out aweome.  They were got good. Jon helped me throughtout the whole process of them. I think he had no clue like me how involved htey were. Will have to make these again on the weekend and freeze them for later in the week. 

Saturday morning I got up early right after Jon left for work to clean out the garden. I ended up having an eventful morning. I had a spider that must have crawled up my pants and was on nylon thigh. I freaked out and ran into the house. Shooter and Hank were very concered and helped me get rid of the spider. Hank was trying to eat it after I shook it out of my pants. After that I went back into the yard to pull the corn stalks out and I found this grasshopper. I was done after that. I did not want anything to do with the garden anymore. Jon can pull the corn out this week.

It was a great weekend. I wish it did not have to end. Had a great time hanging out with friends on Saturday night. Sunday will be busy. Heading up North to see the family. What did you do this weekend? Anything exciting? Off to spend time with hubby and the boys!

*Meals this Week*

-Baja Fish Tacos with Fresh Pico De Gillo

-Homemade Pizza

-Chicken Broccoli Supreme

-Lasagna Cups

A Short Week from Work

Monday was a busy day. It was Labor day and we got back fro Yorkville around 3ish in the afternoon. I was busy running around cleaning, unpacking, and tyring to get ready for work on Tuesday. I ended up blanching my green beans that I got form the garden and freezing them. Hopefully this time they will not be mushy like last time. I forgot to blanch them so the starch ruined them. 

My little man's birthday was the fifth. Hank ended up getting a package from Grandma. She sent him doggie treats. He loves them. I made some Tacos one night for dinner and followed by the next night BBQ Chicken Roll ups. I have been obsessed with an internet site called Pinterest. I love it! I have found some neat recipes on there. I have one planned for later in the week. It has cooled off here in IL. I wish summer was always in the 70's. It would be so much more pleasant being outside. Only bad thing with the cooler wheather is my foot is a little more achy than normal. Not sure which I would rather have a swollen foot in the summer or an achy foot in the winter. 

The other night we went over to our neighbor's house for Fish Taco's. I was not too sure about it at first since I am not a big fan of fish but once I tasted one I wanted more. Jon wants me to make then sometime again. I think that I can manage that. I think that i ended up having 3 or 4 taco's. Jon has been so busy with the boat that he has not worked on his motorcycle. Thursday he worked on his bike and made a new fender. I had him make a recipe tonight in the corkc pot. It was called Santa Fe Chicken. It was so yummy! Jon was so full after wards that he kept sighing. I guess that was a good thing.

Saturday morning Jon and I woke up to fog. It was pretty neat to see. I had to run out of bed after Jon left for work to take photos. The boys thought I was nuts but I wanted to capture it. We had our neighbor's kids over Friday night. They love hanging out at our house for some reason. But it was fun!

Jon has a side job on this bike making it a hard tail. I cannot wait to see what he does. I hope the customer likes it! Tomorrow Jon, his Uncle and I are headed up to the farm to put up our tree stand and hunt squrril. This should be interesting since I now have my hunting license. Maybe I will get something... Well calling it a night. Have to get up early in the morning. Wish me luck.

*Meals this Week*

-Taco's
-BBQ Chicken Roll Ups
-Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
-Baja Fish Tacos with Fresh Pico De Gallo
-Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta
-Buttered Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes and Peas

Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day weekend! Jon finished the boat on time. I still cannot believe that this is our boat. It looks like a brand new boat. I cannot wait to get on it this weekend! Just hope that the boys like it and do not ruin it. 

While headed to Yorkville I took some photos of all the farm land that is 15 minutes away from Jon  and I. I love living in the country. It is just so peaceful. 

We went to a pig roast in Yorkville this weekend. This is my first pig roast ever. It was really really good! They had tractor rides which Jon and I par took in. I love the country. I wish that Jon, the boys and I could find somewhere like that to live. I love the simple life. 

Christina and Jeff came out as well. (They were the ones who invited us.) They worked on their boat a a little to make sure everything was good for the next day. We lit lanterns that they were suppose to have at their wedding but could not do it where they had the reception. It was neat to see then take off. The kids loved it. 

We went fishing early on Sunday. This was the first time that I have been out on our boat all year. It was a blast. The boys and I were really impressed with Jon's work. It was a good birthday for Hank to be on the boat. I cannot believe that he is three already! I think that he enjoyed the boat more than Jon and I did. 

It was a great weekend spending time with hubby and great friends. I could not ask for more! Hope everyone had a great weekend. What fun activities did you par take in this weekend? Time to spend more time with hubby and the boys. Till next week!

A week of building a boat

Well its been a long week but happy the weekend is here. Jon is almost finished with the boat. It looks like it has always been there. I cannot believe how handy Jon is. I took the boys to the vet Saturday morning. They sort of did well. Shooter and Hank did not want to get their shots at all. They were a pain. After Shooter was done he was walking around the room like he was missing a foot. It was actually kind of funny. I was so hungry I made angel pasta with peas and cherry tomatoes. I was so good! I will have to make this again. I made some new recipes this week for dinner. Some where great and some were not. Oh well. I like trying new recipes. I am ready for this weekend to actually get on the water with our new boat.

*Meals this week*
-Homemade Pizza
-Easy Parmesan Chicken Fingers
-BBQ Toasted Patty Melts
-Southwest Chicken Chili Mac
-Capellini Caprese
-Grilled Cheese with Fries
-Buttered Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes and Peas

While I have been gone...

It's been a long week and a half since I posted last. Jon and I have been so busy with the boat and getting it ready for this weekend. I cannot even remember what happened but here are some of the photos that I took over the last week. Hope you enjoy.