Hotel Life

Last week I accompanied Chuck on a business trip. Don't get too excited. We stayed near the Cincinnati airport, which is actually in Kentucky! 

Sadly the hotel didn't have breakfast included. After looking at the restaurant menu I decided I would eat in the room. The prices were outrageous, which is to expected. This was my breakfast of champions!

I enjoyed a beautiful view! Ha! 

The room had a very nice desk. I took along all of the school books and was able to get most of this years school planned. Yes!

While I was working on school was able to watch HGTV and Hallmark. Christmas in July! Who doesn't enjoy the Christmas movies. 

The room was nice until you got into the shower. It was super creaky!! You would climb in and everything was fine. As soon as you would move it was creak, creak, creak. I asked Chuck if he noticed anything about the shower and he immediately said, "The creak." Yes! I told him I feared I would end up the room blow us! Seriously, I didn't think that would truly happen, but it did give us a good laugh. 

There was a nice town not about 15 minutes from the hotel. The first day we ran there for a fast food lunch. An hour wasn't enough time and we were in a rush so Chuck wouldn't be late for class. We ended up hitting a grocery store and had lunch in the hotel the rest of the week.

That is except for one day when I ventured off by myself.  While blogging I have interacted with some ladies that have become friends. I was finally able to meet one of those ladies.

Meet Kathy! She no longer blogs, but we have been able to keep up on Facebook. She is just lovely! She has a cute southern accent and we hit it off like we had known each other forever. We talked and talked for about 2 1/2 hours and could have chatted longer. She's super sweet and it was great to connect with a kindred spirit! The highlight of my trip. *smile*

Hotel life meant we dined out every evening. I know to a homemaker that can sound like heaven. Honestly, I was sick of eating out by the time we left. We tried to hit local places. 

This restaurant had the best cheese fries we have ever had. You know so many places put cheese on top and the fries on the bottom are just fries. This place had cheese all through the bowl and big chunks of fresh bacon. Yum!

While we were at the hotel Megan was 40 minutes away living her best life. This is one of the views she enjoyed for the week.

She stayed with a cousin and had the best time fishing and roaming the countryside. She even brought some of the fish she caught home.  Thankfully they were already cleaned! We invited my parents over for dinner and enjoyed a fish fry.

It was a wonderful week. Chuck and I had to reconnect and Megan was able to make life long memories. As great as it was to get away, there is no place like home!

Season of Quiet

I felt a strong urge to step away and quiet my life. Oh, what a joy it has been! Many times I would think of this space and start a post in my head. Each time I would hear that whisper saying, "Now is not the time." For the past couple of weeks when I would think about blogging I felt peace.

 Life has changed tremendously since I typed my first post. I no longer have a little girl by my side and under my feet. Megan is now sixteen. My, how fast it has gone! Many more changes are on the horizon: driving, first job, and finishing school (in two years). That is the joy of life, it's ever moving and changing. As most mothers know, these changes aren't always easy, but how beautiful it is to see your child grow!

The season of quiet has led me to spend more time at home. I am currently working to slowly go through each space. Removing clutter, organizing and making sure each item has it's own place. I've tried doing this in the past, but would rush through it. This time it's a slow and thoughtful process. I imagine you will hear more about this.

 So, what to expect on the blog... lots of cleaning and organizing, DIY projects, gardening, and food storage as I strive to make my home a haven. Of course, there will be plenty of post about our family life. I have missed having a space to document our life, to share my thoughts and projects. I am looking sharing once again.

I'm currently on a business trip with Chuck. I'm spending quiet days in the hotel working on school planning. I know, I lead such an exciting life! *smile*

Overdue Comeback!

I never intended to be away from my little space on the web for so long.  There was so much happening with the pandemic, politics, and bullies that I needed to step away.  I don't know what it is about people that they think it's okay to say whatever they want when they are behind a computer screen. If I don't like some ones content, they way they shop or their beliefs, I move on.  I don't understand why other people don't.  I also had someone, in my everyday life, make a snide comment about something that was on my blog.  (Please don't ask who or what it was regarding, because I'm not telling!)

Now that my negative rant is over *smile* lets move on.  For everyone who sent an email or left a comment for me... Thank you!  I didn't respond to any of them while I was away.  I do have some regret for that.  I know it was rude!  I apologize. 

What have I been up to?  First of all WE ARE DEBT FREE!  If you follow Dave Ramsey we finished Baby Step #2 and have made a small dent in Baby Step #3.  

As Dave says we are.... 

Megan is now a sophomore and still schooling at home.  I won't say we haven't had a few challenges, yet we all still happy with this decision.  

We have the best next door neighbors!  Both next door men are named Andrew.  That doesn't get confusing! 

Only one is a family man.  Their boys are here often.  As soon as the older two see us outside they are asking to come over. 

In March they added twin boys to the mix.  I am their back up babysitter.  Last week week mom met me at the fence as she got out the car and asked me to take one of the twins that had been crying for 45 minutes.  Broke my heart to have to cuddle the little man. 

Seriously, it's nice to have good neighbors.  We often meet at the fence to borrow items or chat.

On November 27th I became a GREAT-aunt.  It's such joy being an aunt!  I was happy to welcome my three nieces to the club. Meet Luke David.

Saying we are all in love in an understatement. I am counting down the days until our family cookie day.  For the cookies?  No, for the baby snuggles!

Here is are some highlights from the past year. We spent a week at our favorite beach spot in Hatteras, NC.  It was the most relaxing vacation I've ever had! My father-in-law and his wife sold their home and moved to Florida. (Megan is not happy about this.  She says he abandoned us. Yikes!) Chucks' company sold off his division and as December he is working for a new company.  The plus is that he works in the same building and does the same job.  We are praying for a smooth transition and that he continues to have a stable job.  He had been with the previous company for over 19 years. 

My everyday life hasn't changed much.  I still love home and look for joy in ordinary.  It's nice to be chatting again.  I will be back soon!

Skillet Lasagna

I made a new recipe and it's a keeper. 

1 lb ground beef

24 oz of spaghetti sauce

16 oz mini lasagna noodles

2 cups of mozarella cheese

Brown and drain ground beef and then add spaghetti sauce.  Allow to heat through. 

Add 1/2 cup of cheese.  Mix and then cover to let the cheese melt. 

Add cooked noodled and stir. Below are the noodles that I used. 

Add remaining cheese on top and cover until melted. 

I served it with garlic toast and a side salad. 

 

This was delicious!  There was plenty of leftover for lunch too.  I really like how vertitable this recipe can be.  You could use ground pork instead of the beef or you could even use both.  The noodles can also be what ever you have on hand. I think the cheese could be reduced or changed out also.  Maybe add cottage cheese to the sauce and mozarella on top.  You could even add ricotta cheese.  So many possibilities. Yum!

Keep on keepin', friends!

Road Trip

 Chuck surprised us by taking a day off work.  We took a road trip to see the sunflowers.  

As we drove further and further into the country I could feel the stress of every day life melting away. 

Sadly, we missed the peak of this field by a few days.  

They had dropped their leaves and the heads were so heavy that they were leaning over.  At first it was disappointing, then I changed my mindset.  I choose to embrace the beauful day and all the beauty around. 

When we left we needed to find some lunch.  We went to the next larger town.  Imagine our surprise when we saw this praying mantis in the middle of town!

Megan loves praying mantis so it was a must that we stop for a photo.  It's named Kokomantis after the down.  Fun!

Megan read about another thing to see... The Worlds Largest Sycamore Stump.  We thought we'd humor her and go since it wasn't far.  I'm really glad that we did as this was impressive. 

The stump was moved to a park in 1916 and is 57 feet around, 18 feet wide, and 12 feet tall.  Amazing! Yes, I know to some this might be simple and maybe considered boring or nerdy.  If you've been around for a while then you know we really are a family that embraces simple. 

We took a different route home and it was just as lovely.  

It might not have been the trip we had envisioned, but none the less, we had a good time exploring the back roads of our beloved Indiana. 

Keep on keepin', friends!

Joy in the Ordinary

Sometimes I wonder why some call this season, "The Lazy Days of Summer." For me it always seems like the it is anything but lazy. Even with all of the current restrictions it has been  a busy season. Thankfully I am starting to see a glimpse of life slowing down.

As always there is housework.  I am thankful that Megan is helpful.  She is becoming quite the little homemaker. 

 

We added a new member to the family.  Meet Link.  We went to the shetter and Megan picked him out for her birthday.  

School started on Monday with our tradition of breakfast.  There was a slight glitch with our new online math.  Once that kink was worked it, it's been smooth sailing.

A front moved through that brought lower temperatures and NO humidity.  We have been out enjoying it since the humidity will return this weekend. 

Oh my, it's been nice!I came out of the shower one morning and Megan had a pie in the oven.  She made it with no recipe.  I think she did a great job for her first solo scratch pie.  She was bummed that it didn't brown.  Don't worry, I told her the secret to making the crust brown. *smile*

BLT sandwiches for a quick Sunday lunch.  We didn't have any large tomatoes.  There are plenty of cherry so those were used instead. 

I'm sorry about the wording in black and blue.  New blogger did not want to cooperate!

Keep on keepin', friends!

Putting up Corn

First off  I'd like to say I never meant to disappear.  We all know that the world has been crazy.  Really, I think we all know, so there is no explaination needed.  I needed a social media break. 

 

 I almost deleted my FB account.  I didn't because I belong to a couple of pantry groups that I would have missed.  Instead I have been using the unfollow button and the 30 day snooze.  I have had all I could take and it has made my life feel more peaceful.  All that to say that I am in a better place mentally and am ready to give this a go again.  

I recently stopped by our local farmers market and put in an order for corn.  I was able to pick it up this week.  There is an aroma that comes from freshly harvested corn that is hard to explain.  It has an earthly, fresh smell that can't be replicated.  

I sat on the front porch with my mom while we shucked the corn.  Thankfully it was a day with lower humidity which made the task enjoyable. 

Once the corn was washed and cut off the cob it was time to get busy.  

You'll notice I didn't say it was cut off after it was blanched.  The reason for that is I tried a different method.  After the corn was bagged in two cup amounts it was time to make the brine.  

It consisted of 3 cups water, 1 Tbs salt, and 2 Tbs of sugar. This is heated until the sugar is disolved.  (This recipe is for 10 cups of corn, so I needed to make a double batch.) A 1/2 cup of brine is added to each bag. 

I had a little over three dozen ears of corn and ended up with 7 bags that have been tucked away in my freezer.  

The instructions say to thaw the corn, drain and then heat.  Since this a new way of putting up corn I will report back later and let you know how it worked out.  

Please say "hello" I know you all are still around!