Freezer Meals

 I spent my day off on President's Day doing some freezer meals.  I found all my recipes, made a list of ingredients and went shopping on Saturday.  I have done this a few times now and I have found out it works best for me to do it in the early spring.  That's when things start getting really busy around here and my organizational skills start lacking.  I love being able to grab something out of the freezer before I leave for work and being ready for supper when ever that may be.  It seems to be pretty random now that it stays light later and planting season is just around the corner.  And Jacob started a different job where he will be taking on farming for another person that also owns an implement dealership, so it will only get crazier on the farm!

This is the ONLY way to shred chicken.  I'm telling you, don't mess with anything else if you have a stand mixer.  I cooked the chicken and let it cool slightly before I put it in the mixer.  It literally took me 5 minutes tops to shred 20 lbs. of chicken.

Mound of chicken.  I did a lot of chicken recipes this time around because our beef is rather limited with the price these days.  I have a terrible time spending $5.00/lb for ground beef!

I then made labels for each of the meals that has cooking instructions on them so there is no need to find the recipe again.  This is just a picture of some of the meals.  I did Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast, Crustless Quiche, Egg Muffin Melts, Breakfast Cookies, Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, Cafe Rio Shredded Pork, Chicken Pot Pie, BBQ Spareribs, Chicken Spaghetti, and Meatballs.

Now that the freezer is stocked up, it's time to start spring cleaning!  When the weather starts to get warmer, I always get in that mood to organize and clean every room, closet, nook, & cranny.  I hope everyone else is getting warmer weather now!  We had 78 degrees yesterday :)

Bedroom Makeover

I'm starting you off with a few "BEFORE" pictures.  Yes.  I realize their is a roll of tp on our dresser.  No.  We do not have any Kleenex's in our house.  Yes.  It has been cold season here.  I hope that clears up the tp question for everyone.  If I would have noticed it before I took the pictures, I would have moved it.  If I would have noticed it before I uploaded this picture, I would have edited it out.  So there you have it.

And no.  I don't normally make my bed, but when I do... it looks much better than that.  I promise, Mom!

So our bedroom has been Lamb's Wool ever since Jacob moved in here.  In fact, when we got married, his whole house was this color.  I finally decided on what I wanted, but needed to wait until the paint police (aka my husband) was gone.  He went to a No-Till conference for a few days in January so I tackled the project then.  He was unaware of what was taking place back on the home front.

Trimming is done!  My least favorite part of painting.

Finished.  I used the color Rainwashed by Sherwin Williams.  It's kind of a light blueish/greenish.   It's hard to capture it with a camera.

My husband absolutely loves it when I pack his lunch.  Can you tell?  It is my least favorite thing to do at 6:00 in the morning, but this makes it a little easier.

Bedspread is Lauren Conrad from Kohl's

White vase and plant are both from IKEA.

Ruffle Pillow is also from IKEA.  I absolutely love this chest.  It is from a local dealer here in Kansas.

It has a bird-printed burlap on top that I think just ties this piece all together.

This is the color I used.  It looks more green here than the above pictures, but this is it!

So when said paint police arrived home, it was just after midnight.  He came into the bedroom and went to pull the covers back and noticed the bedspread was different.  He left the room to get a flashlight and at this point I am awake, pretending to be asleep.  I truly didn't think he would notice until in the morning when he got up, so I am now preparing myself for his anti-painting comments.  He comes back in with a flashlight to look at the bedspread and then started shining it around the room.  He claims he smelled fresh paint too.  At this point I am laughing silently to myself and he decides he didn't care if I was "asleep" and flips on the lights.  I couldn't pretend anymore.  He caught me.  He said he really does like it!  He just thinks I like to paint way too much and it drives him crazy.  That's part of my job right?  Driving him crazy.

Valentine's Day

I realize this is a rather delayed post... Valentine's Day was several weeks ago... but better late than never, right?

Jacob surprised me with a trip to Topeka to the Home and Garden Show.  It was really neat and we got tons of ideas for landscaping projects for the future!

 

We ate at Red Robin for supper.  They have the absolute best burgers ever.  I highly recommend it to anyone that hasn't been to one before!

 



While we were in Topeka, he had coerced with Liz and Haley to bring over flowers and leave a few notes and cards on the table.

 



 Haley made these cute signs!  She had put them around the house and I kept finding them!  Thanks Haley!  You did awesome!

 

 

Surpise #2...  On Sunday he took me to pick out a puppy.  He had been wanting a puppy for awhile and I told him 2 dogs were enough... but I guess if he gives me one for Valentine's Day, how can I refuse?  However... then he decided he wanted one too.  So we came home with 2 puppies.

 

Meet Roxy

 

 

Meet Skeeter

 

 

We are working on Roxy not being so shy.  She apparently thinks that if she can't see you, then you can't see her.

 

Trying to get some bonding time in.

 

She would not chew her treat.  She left it hanging out one side of her mouth as long as we were watching.

 

 



 

 

This is what happens when I am at work and the husband is at home setting up a new fax machine.  Love him :)

We have a little picture frame that we I had been leaving him notes on.  He must have gotten the hint a few times when I said it would sure be nice if I wasn't the only one changing the message.

"You insist that I do crazy things like write on this thing...and foot rubs.  I love you b/c of foot rubs"

 

I am so thankful for the man God chose for me.  We are so blessed!  Don't get caught up in what's going on around you and forget about the special people in your life!