Rise n' Shine!

Get up, get up, get out of bed.....

wake up now you sleepy heads!
Rise n' Shine, it's time for breakfast!

I love breakfast food.  It is ironic that I say this since I don't eat it as frequently as I should, at least not during the weekdays.  I fill myself with my two cups of coffee each morning and am usually fine with that until lunch.  Unhealthy?  I know, I know.  I don't know what it is about the weekdays and rushing around that has me skipping the most important meal of the day, but it is a bad routine that I have going and it is something that I am changing.

I also love to make breakfast on the weekends when the kids and my husband are all  home and we are together.  My husband makes great breakfast meals too and I loooove when he cooks. 

There is just something about a man flipping pancakes for his kids...lol!

There is also something to be said about waking up to the smell of breakfast cooking.  Pancakes and bacon cooking one floor below can make the sleepiest teen rise from her slumber quicker than a pail of water, at least in my house it can!

 Sometimes we have a "Backwards Night" at our house and we serve breakfast for dinner.

This is my children's favorite type of dinner, they love it. I have to say I do too, it is easy to prepare and easy to eat. 

Our gals (the chickens) are laying about 4 eggs a day even now in the cold weather, so it looks like we'll be using them up in what ever I decide to make for this weekend's breakfast.  My husband is quite proud of his chicks, and I have to say that there is definately a difference in fresh eggs.  The shells are harder, and the yolk is much brighter than store bought, and something about them just tastes better. 

Well they are just HENHOUSE FRESH!

Freshly laid eggs from our "girls"....all washed and ready to be used.

Occasionally I like to have a bowl of cereal too. 

It's a quick and easy breakfast, and I am rediscovering some of my favorites,

frosted mini wheats is one of them.

Granola is another one of my favorites, served with milk or as a parfait with strawberry yogurt with fresh fruit on the side.  It tastes especially good served in the good dishes, lol. 

French toast, my all time favorite, I have to use texas toast to make it though. 

The thick slices taste better.

Another favorite, corn cakes.  I serve with a pat of butter and swirl syrup and honey on top.

Oatmeal muffins, easy to take and go.....eating on the run?  My teen daughter is usually running out the door each morning, these are a great alternative to the junk teens want to eat.

I was thinking about the days when mothers made these fresh breakfasts each and everyday for their families.  They would rise with the sun and have it all ready to go when their families decended the stairs.  My grandmother had 8 children and raised her family this way.  She lived to cook and care for them and everyone else too.  I am not sure this could happen every day of the week in my house, so I just stick to aiming for the weekends for now, lol.  There was a reason everyone thought grandma was a superwoman!

At the breakfast table we are able to reconnect after a busy week, between sports, school clubs, homework and traffic during the week.  There is at least the weekend when we can all sit around the table enjoy good food and catch up before our day begins. 

If you haven't tried corn cakes before, they are too easy.  Pick up a box of jiffy corn muffin mix and the recipe is on the side of the box.  They are inexpensive to make too.  If you like cornbread, these are similar...only better and not as dry.

My son loves to make these with me, the little pieces pop in the pan, like magic.....

and he cracks up.

I am working on changing my eating habits to a more healthier version (I dare not say that I am dieting, since my altar ego will sabotage my efforts by eating a whole box of chocolate, yes it does happen!).  The healthy part entails making sure that I am eating three meals a day....no more skipping breakfast.  I don't eat pancakes and bacon every day but I am making the time to take care of myself, something that alot of mothers put off because they are so busy tending to their families, and sooner or later it catches up with you. We get so caught up in putting everyone but ourselves first!  I am now acknowledging that it is important that I do this so that I can take even better care of my family. 

***Be sure to take good care of yourself for your family!***

So I have been sitting down each morning after my kids have left for school with breakfast and my coffee, I catch up on my mail and browse through my recipe books, gearing myself up for the day.

 

I can't get rid of the coffee though....don't think I'll ever be able to do that, ha!

Oh, I'm so scary without my morning coffee.....lol.

I even talk to it.....I say hello "friend" each morning....

and my kids think I'm nuts for sure...

but they know it takes the monster away, and I stop growling.  He,he,he!

What about you?  What is your favorite breakfast food? 

What do you make for your family? Care to share?

Take care of yourself now, ya hear?

Dee

There will be years for

cleaning and cooking......

for children grow up

when you're not looking.

I have been working on finishing up my son's big boy room.  It seems like only yesterday that we were making a nursery for him.  He is three now and the crib is gone and a big boy bed stands in it's place. 

Washing dishes the other day, my mind began to wander, as minds often do when dishes are washed.  I still cannot believe that 2010 is here, life is just moving so fast these days.  Is it just me or does each year fly by progressively faster and faster? 

Anywhoooo....my son decided that he wanted to play with me right then and there instead of waiting for me to finish doing dishes.  Ugh, three year old's can be so pushy, lol!  At first I was reluctant, I have so much to catch up on.  After thinking about how quickly the year had flown by, who was I kidding?  I knew that time wasn't going to wait for any man, not me and not my son, so I left those dishes, yup, right there in that sink.  Half washed dishes could wait, but my son would not.

 When he came back into the kitchen to ask one more time he didn't see me there at the sink....I was hiding.  He ran around the island calling my name and when he almost made it all the way around I jumped out from the pantry...BOO!  Laughing hysterically it turned into tickle time.  Tickle time turned into lego time and about an hour later we had all the matchbox cars spread from one end of the room to the next.

I looked around and we were sitting in a child's pile of toys!  It is so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day things, lists are made, calendars filled and priorities carried out.  This post is just because....because time moves by much too quickly and then we blink and our children grow.....

I want to remember our children's home....

the things that say children live here....

Blocks in the family room say children live here.....

My son makes me a mean playdoh "pa-s-getti meatballs",

I eat at his cafe at least once a week, lol. 

Books all over the house, even in the bathroom!

The kitchen table is often covered in crayons....

Even from the outside you can tell children live here..

Little overalls hanging on the line to dry in the warmer months....

After playing it was time for a craft....my son loves doing crafts. 

When it's time for mommy to paint signs, my son paints too. 

I could tell you what happened but you can just tell for yourself by the pictures.....

 

LOL.....what a blessing children are....

even when they (and every thing around them)

are blue from head to toe! 

I am off to build a castle by the fire now,

the vacuming can wait too!

Take care,

Dee

I need your help blogging friends!

I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner but I need your help!

Well not me exactly but a good friend of my daughter's....there is a young man she is friends with and he is trying to win a scholarship for college. They are running out of time and I am sure once you read this young man's story you will understand why we are all working tirelessly to vote for him.

**This is now closed, thank you to all of you who voted for our friend, I appreciate your help and the time you took!**

Bobby is a Semifinalist of the High School Football Awards.....a big accomplishment so far. You can read his full story on the link below and there is a video that you can watch too. This sweet young man has overcome some tragic obstacles in his life and is working on a great future, he wants to become a police officer or teacher.

My daughter has spent countless days voting for him with a group of friends and family, I am so proud of her dedication to helping her friend out. My middle daughter has also been running home from school to vote for him as well.  Please take the time to vote for him, it would mean so much to me. You can vote as many times as you like! Of course the more votes the better! Once you go to the link you can click on stories, images, video to get an idea of who this young man is. Just click on the red VOTE button, you will have to put in a verification code and it will tell you if it went through or not. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my time than helping a deserving young man out with his future!  Thanks!

Take Care,

Dee

Where in the world has the Country gone???

Ok ladies, put your big gal Britches on....I am about to put a grievance on my blog for the first time ever, in fact, I'm also about to do a second post within a week for the first time ever, lol. 

Truth be told, I try not to be the complaining type, however, there are a few things that I really can say I indulge in as a momma.  My magazines happen to be one of them.   It is a matter of fact that I have a slight addiction to particular magazines.......alot of them I keep for years.  Not just to collect dust or because I have a hard time letting go but I simply love reading them, over, and over, and over again.....at least the old version, the real COUNTRY LIVING! 

I have a nice collection of Country Living, Country Home and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion.  Several years of magazines accumulated into their designated magazine cabinet.  Yes they have a home here, just because their old doesn't mean they are no good anymore, geesh!  Sadly the later two on my collection list have gone out of print and so I really rely on those past issues for inspiration.  It is such a shame since they were my favorites and I felt that I always got what I paid for with them.  Yes, they are an expensive addiction when you add it all up! 

On any rainy day  you can see me- rummaging through that cabinet, sometimes for a particular issue, sometimes a particular season, and sometimes just rummaging.  I am a hoarder of magazines, there I confessed, ya'll know it now.

Well, why the reason for the post you ask?  I am going to set forth a complaint right here on this blog of mine.  Let me state my case.....I picked up the most recent issue of Country Living at the store yesterday, since my other favs are still out of print (yes I still look for them, just in case they came to their senses and realized how they are missed).  I got that magazine home, made a cup of tea and sat down in front of the warm fire all ready to read.....and well that is when it all happened.....SHEER DISAPPOINTMENT! 

I should have known what to expect from that mod looking lamp on the cover, ugh, but nom  I kept the faith and poured into it.  Once I made it through all the advertisements???!!!!!  Upon opening each page, I eagerly looked for that inspiring country image that once graced their pages, but to no avail.  Page after page I flipped  faster and faster...but nothing. 

The house that the couple paid $29k for....great deal, cute screen door...country?  Not quite so country, looked more like an ad for Ikea..that crashed into an antique store ad.....that would explain it best.  The 50 finds under $50?  Cute.....some things awfully overpriced and unrealistic for the family budgets that I know (you know us real country folk), and nothing that my bff couldn't find at a craft fair or on ebay or etsy at a fraction of the cost.  

I will try to end a few things on a better note if I am to stick to turning over a new leaf this year.....so here goes:

I did like the out and about article and the idea notebook was cute.  So does that equal up to the amount I paid for this magazine?  ....Um no!  At the risk of sounding cheap what is that like $2 worth, tops?  Now with all of the handcrafted art forms and blogs that are out there pertaining to COUNTRY why hasn't this magazine been inspired to offer up what they are claiming to be?  Who is overseeing this magazine and it's content???  COUNTRY IS COUNTRY people (editors)......if you wanted to change it, change the name to something more like MODERN COUNTRY.....or 1/2 COUNTRY, or NEW COUNTRY...paleeze give us true country gals a little warning would ya?  Ok...(getting off the soapbox now).  Like I said there are very few things I indulge in for myself....and yes at $4+ a magazine, it's an indulgance! 

So I ask you all, am I alone in this grievance of mine? I put a post on a message board of women that I value their opinions, and was not surprised to see several were in agreeance with me.  So what is a girl to do now?  Put a post on her blog and give everyone a place to sign up for this grievance!  Please voice you opinion......leave a comment.  The quality of Country decorating inspiration rests on it!  (ok, I got a lil carried away there annnnd....I need to get a life, I know!)   If we get enough people who are of the same mind to come together here we can let them know!  Speak up!!

Shape up or ship out Country Living!!! 

Wintertime!

Winter is....

Freshly Fallen Snow

Rosey Cheeked Children

Ice Skating

Roaring Fires

Comforting Soups

Sledding 

Knitted Mittens

Bundled Up in Snowsuits

Warm Quilts

Baking

Snuggling

I am so excited for this NEW YEAR.....for changes and for fresh starts!  I am in the process of putting away Christmas now.  I've made the Winter list above in my lil notebook when I was feeling a little blue about our (extended) holiday ending....For some reason, I always have that let down after Christmastime, I guess it's all the preparation and the excitement, and then it all passes.  I now am looking forward to this winter instead,  I became excited once I thought about all of the wonderful things winter has in store for us!

I have begun to make a list of things I would like to change or do in 2010.  I am not one for keeping resolutions, so I will dare not call it that. 

I have quite a few projects that I procrastinated on last year (hmmm, and the year before that).  Perhaps if I actually put them down here on my blog, I will be reminded of what it is that I have set out to do?  Aside from trying to exercise and eating better I have some changes I would like to make and in some cases need to make to the farmhouse!  I guess I don't know until I try so here goes:

--Paint &  Redecorate Bathrooms

--Paint Kitchen

--Paint sitting room

--Paint family room

--Paint and redecorate middle daughter's room

--Paint entryway and stair well (uhhh, not looking forward to that!)

--Go through M.B. closet, hall closet and linen closet

--CRAFT CLOSET (I hope that I stick to this one...
it's SCARY AND I'm pretty sure I'm a hoarder...)

--Go through corner kitchen cabinet

--CLEAN OUT THAT DAG-GONE BARN ALREADY!!

--Clean and polish handrails on stair case

 --Finish Laundry room, counter and new floor

--Post a little bit more often on blog

--Make a realistic schedule for myself and stick to it!

--Get back on track for cutting coupons and planning meals....yes, back!

Uhhhh....who's idea was that?  I think I may have scared myself into waiting til 2011....lol!

{{Procrastinator}}

Maybe ya'll can check in on my list every now and then, hound me a little......you know, crack the whip on me?  How about all of you, what's on your list? 

Please be sure to leave a comment below, I do read each and every one of them and appreciate all of you who take the time to do so!  That actually is one of my real resolutions this year, more of your wonderful comments, he,he,he!

Take Care Now, ya hear?

~Dee~

Happy New Year everyone!

May you find

peace, love, and prosperity

in 2010!!

God bless you all.....

Hugs,

Dee

A Beautiful White Christmas Wish Come True!

I hope that you all had a beautiful Christmas!  We sure did, but phewwwwy! Boy, I am plum tuckered out! I tried to get one more post in before the big day but life got the better of me and the clock ticked on much too quickly. 

The holiday ultimately came and I decided to celebrate with a relaxed state of mind so that I could absorb all that it had to offer with very little stress......I simplified and it was beautiful.  I let go of trying to make things perfect and exact as I had usually stressed about in previous years and instead I focused on only what is important and I really, truly enjoyed myself.  I also had alot of help from my family before hand which of course made that possible. 

Hugs and kisses to them for that!

 

I had a wonderful time surrounded by family and friends.  With all of the work that it takes to celebrate such a joyous occasion I am always surprised at how quickly it is over! 

I did finish up my last minute decorating and have to warn you this post is picture heavy and word heavy even more so than usual! That is what happens when I go weeks in between posts. 

By the way, the beautiful illustrations in this post are Holly Hobbie...a favorite of mine when I was a child.  In fact my Holly Hobbie oven was one of my most favorite-tist (my word) Christmas gifts ever.  I baked many a cake for my daddy in that lil ol' oven!  Oh...and sorry about the pictures...I dislike using a flash but my camera wasn't being too cooperative in the dimly lit rooms. I actually thought I was funny though and broke it all down into chapters in case you get sick of reading and want to come back, clever right? {wink}!

Chapter 1:

Christmas Preparations at the Farmhouse

I finished making snowflakes that are entangled in the garland    on the staircase.  Painted, sanded, distressed and glittered with mica....a handmade country snowflake.

 I ended up with a few days to work on some crafts that I had started, I love to add a few handcrafted items to my decor each year.  Here's a Santa I made, he still needs his boots painted on, but you get the idea.  

Before...

and after.

My daughters and I made jewelry for their friends too, they get so excited and want to join in the gift giving.  We beaded up some necklaces, bracelets and earings and made a card to hold them, their friends all loved their gifts and my girls were so proud of themselves.

We finished up our holiday baking...

This is the recipe (idea) that was published in the Merry Christmas book from Gooseberry Patch...a quicker (if you can believe it) version anyway....so easy to do with little ones...chocolate covered marshmallows....

my son put the M&M touch on top.

CHAPTER 2:  A WHITE CHRISTMAS!

The week before Christmas my neck of the woods was hit with a beautiful snowstorm that washed our landscape in a fresh and sparkly clean blanket of white. 

Two feet of snow to be exact!  It is not too often that we get this type of snow storm here anymore. 

When I was a child there are quite a few that I can recall, tromping through the snow with my brothers and this storm reminded me of those childhood winters.  

It stayed with us long enough to have a

White Christmas....

it was such a wonderful Christmas gift!

The view out our front sitting room windows of the pretty snowfall.....my children were sleeping when the snow began to fall, I awoke early in the morning to this beautiful view and quietly tip-toed downstairs to snap a few pictures while my hubs made a warm fire in the wood stove.

Here is what the kids saw when they awoke the next morning....do you remember how exiciting a snowfall was when you were a child?  I loved that!  Waking up to a white winter wonderland (say that 10x fast)!

 

Here is my hubs shovling us a path to the driveway!  Looks like he's having fun?  Hmmm, Not sure....poor fella, he got a warm mug of coffee and some Christmas Cookies for that!

You just cannot have snow without hot cocoa! Right?

 My little guy didn't last as long as the others and came in for warm cocoa with lots of marshmallows.

and left as Clark Gable with a chocolate mustache!  LOL, soo ca-ute!

Of course, there's always time for snugglin on the couch on a wintery day for a Christmas story!

Soon his sisters and friends followed......and this was the farmhouse winter porch! 
 Covered in snow gear.

The sun set on the paths left in the snow from a fun snow day,
only a few days before Christmas!

CHAPTER 3:  Santa Journeys to the Farmhouse,

in Spite of all the Snow!

Then came Christmas Eve.....Church service after dinner and then just before bed, my children are each given a present to open.  Each year they have to guess what is in the package before them!  Their responses get funnier each year!  Always new P.J.'s!  Same thing each year, but they still guess for fun anyway!

Santa's Sack filled with surprises for Christmas Morning.....



  Then On Christmas Morning.....

the children awoke hubs and I and down the dimly lit stairs we all went.....

The first view of the tree after Santa has visited!  Oh glory, the joy of being a child on Christmas morning! 

Standing in awe for the those first few moments....THE EXCITEMENT!

I have always explained the meaning of Christmas to my children as

Baby Jesus' Birthday Party when they were younger....

I am not sure my son fully understood what that meant in terms of gifts....getting gifts for Jesus' birthday he asked?  Boy was he surprised and pleased! 

He was a pro after those first few pedals!

My middle child, the artist.  Give her something creative and she will be busy for hours....
she's alot like her momma!

 ***********

This is what you get when you drag a teenager out of bed at 7 am.....
even on Christmas morning....

she would be pretty upset if she sees this, he,he! 

Sorry honey, you don't need makeup (maybe a brush, lol, but no makeup).

I think you're beautiful just the way you are!

***********

I know how ridiculously long the post is getting but I had to throw this one in for family members that read my blog. 

Does anyone see my hubs getting into playing with that helicopter? 

Nah, just showing his son the art of flying a toy helicopter, sound effects and all, ha! 

And......

Afterall,
Who doesn't become a child all over again at Christmas?

After gifts, we have a family breakfast with my brother and sister-in-law before our large group of extended family arrives.

Here's the breakfast table all set with the Christmas dishes and a
minature deer in the snow scene centerpiece...
(yes, another minature scene)

My lil man rode his new tricycle around the house all day

until he was exhausted.....

Finally, all tuckered out from the excitement of Christmas, he fell asleep in my arms while I chatted with a few remaining family members Christmas evening before being put to bed. 

And then, as quickly as it all began....

it is over,

until next year.

It was a very nice Christmas we had here at the Farmhouse,

we are blessed beyond measure.  I hope that you and your family made some treasured memories on one of the most important holidays....

Well, it sure was nice of you all to visit me now that everything has settled down!  Hopefully we can have another visit before next year, but if not, I wish you all a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Years! 

May God bless you all in the coming year!

Take care now,

Dee