Think Happy Thoughts

I know, I know, I've been missing again...summer is rough to sit inside and blog on the computer when I can be doing something else like weeding the garden, chasing Miss May around the backyard, playing with Miss May in the sandbox or any other outdoor activity.

Sometimes I wish that I could just do a video blog and be done with it...but I don't think that would work for me either :D

So for now you are going to have to deal with sporadic posts here and there with not a lot of content to them :] Just how I roll!

Sporadic?! Spontaneous?!Nope!

I have an 18 month wild beast of a daughter. I think about posting but then I decide that going to bed sounds MUCH better. So today I have been thinking about humanity.

I have the most amazing friend! Miss A is a beautiful, amazing, kind, giving and a million other adjectives I could use to describe her.

This woman has been through a lot. She moved to Idaho from California for a man. He turned out to be different than was originally thought. She moved in with a friend and now her job is running out. But yet this woman still seems to be optimistic.

There are certain people I believe that would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. Miss A is this type of person. We help her out and she gives us whatever she can. And what blows my mind are people that I thought would do that and they don't. Whatever happened to just being nice to people for karma's sake?! I feel so much better when I am nice to people and help people out. Luckily I have people....

In particular family. I have been blessed with the most amazing family! After Erik was laid off we struggled to make bills and although he thankfully got his job back we are still trying to catch up on everything we accumulated.

My parents know that we have no extra money and yet they still invite us to go with them. They recently took us to Twin Falls and paid for everything! Not that Erik and I expected that or that we went wild and asked for everything we could. They paid for gas and lunch and the rest of our day was just filled with FAMILY! We went to Shoshone Falls and had a great time. I hope that Kady will remember our family outings. It is important to me that she knows who her family is.

It amazes me that when you have exceptional family you don't really need to go on trips or buy things to do. I am just as happy sitting under my parents Gazebo with great friends and some home cooked meals just shooting the breeze.

Which brings me to my current project. Things I appreciate. I have decided to take one thing a day that I appreciate in my life. I have lots of things I appreciate but I think if I focus on one a day I will be able to be thankful for people that provide me these things.

So today's Appreciation is:

I appreciate that Erik works so that I can stay home and raise our daughter. He does so well at providing for us. We never go without and occasionally I even get to buy ice cream :]] So Thank you Erik for being disciplined and working 5 12hour shifts in a week!

Catching Up! Part II

Next I made a casserole that I so decided to name Expiration Casserole. It originally came from a cheesy potato side dish recipe but I made the decision to make it into a casserole. I just added a few things and changed the quantities.

So I don't know about everyone else, but my fridge is the epitome of things that are getting close to expiring. Usually things like sour cream, cottage cheese and milk. And I ALWAYS have ground beef, soup and cheese on hand at all times! So I added them all together and put this dish together. I really didn't have big aspirations for this dish but it turned out way yummy and cheesy!

What you Need:

6 cups of frozen hashbrowns
2 lbs. ground beef
2 tbsp. Chopped Onions
2 cans of cheddar cheese soup
1 cup of cottage cheese
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup of shredded cheese
1/2 cup French's Fried Onions


I started by measuring out 6 cups of frozen shredded hashbrowns. I figured this way they could defrost a little bit.

Next I browned my beef with 2 tbsps of dried chopped onions. You could use a fresh onion I would do probably a whole onion for 2 lbs of meat. I just wanted the onion flavor and I always have dried spices on hand.

While the ground beef was browning I started mixing the "sauce" for lack of a better word.
This is the 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup, milk, cottage cheese and sour cream. If you don't like cottage cheese you can just use more sour cream. I mixed this altogether and it honestly looks like deviled egg filing haha!

After the beef is browned I added the hashbrowns to make them a little crunchy!

Next mix the ground beef mixture into the soup mixture. I promise it tastes MUCH better than it looks :]

Make sure to grease a 9x13 baking dish really well. Then pour the mixture into the baking dish.


I added shredded cheese on top of this.

Then I added French's Fried Onions for a crunchy topping. I found Cheddar flavored ones :]

And Viola! Delicious Comfort food !!

Catching Up!

HI!!! I feel like I've been sick for weeks! I am pretty sure in hindsight that I had a sinus infection. I am starting to feel better but I still have MAJOR congestion. And to make matters worse poor Miss May caught it too :(

Sick kids have got to be the worse! At least toddlers. They can't tell you what is wrong and there is nothing you can give them besides baby chest rub and a humidifier. It's pretty lame!

So lets get to the important stuff :]

First, I took a dog food box and made it into a diaper station :D

I took the dog food box and cut off the flaps.
I cut strips to cover the corners. I mod podged the box then placed the paper and mod podged all over it. Then I cut pieces for the sides.

To do the handles I just cut an "x" where the handle was and folded it under. Then I applied mod podge and held until it was staying in place.

Next I cut out pieces of felt and hot glued them to the inside of the box.

Yay! For a place to store about 25 diapers, a box of wipes and a roll of doggy bags!! It was a pretty long process to do one side and let it dry then do the next side but I love it :D

MIA ... But Im back!

So I just wanted to let you know I am not missing in action...I am just swamped. We took a trip to Shoshone Falls and I have been trying to catch up laundry and dishes ever since! I did manage to get my garden planted and watered today, which was quite the accomplishment. Considering everything and I mean EVERYTHING I planted Miss May dug up to "help" me with the garden.

Hopefully I will get back in the swing of crafting, cooking and posting!! I will try and sit down and upload all my pictures!

Until tomorrow!

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Another One Bites the Dust!

Made another bow holder :] Dudes I am going to be a professional if I keep this bow holder business up! I am working on a jewelry holder too :]
I went Rhinestone happy!! This is the first project I have actually used loose rhinestones instead of the rhinestones with the adhesive already on the back ha. I think it turned out dang stinkin' cute!! I also made my own flowers with paper and silk. They turned out good too!
Oh my gosh I almost forgot my necklace came today too!! Today is shaping up to be the best day eva....well aside from like my marriage and the birth of my child....but a new necklace!! Yay!! I will take pictures of it tomorrow when I actually can spend some time on my crazy hair.

I used this spray wax product that is suppose to make your hair look like you just took a leisurely swim in the ocean...all beachy and piecy and you know what? I think it makes my hair look like I haven't washed it in 3 months! What is up with you, hair and hair product.I wish that my hair would just do what I envision in my head. That would make life so much easier!

Yesterday we had a local man come over and rototill our garden plot. I am hoping to get to that this coming weekend and finally plant something. Everything I have been told by "professional" gardeners I think that I can only plant lame things like peas, carrots and onions. I have a TON of sproutlets waiting to go in the ground! But, alas, I don't want them to die in our awesome Idalaska climate.

Have any of you watched The Voice? I think I may be addicted...I like it better than American Idol. I know that seemed like a completely random outburst, but it what I am watching while I post :]

Well bed time for this mama!!