Just Another Day in the Life of KiM...

Two days a week my older son goes to Choir before school and rides with friends to school.  Those days my youngest will take the BUS to School.  So this morning we are waiting for the bus to arrive when all of a sudden.  "Mom I want to ride my bike" (Head Tilt) Really?  Your Joking Right?  "Nope I really want to ride my Bike." Me "Seriously you want to ride your bike??" As the bus is turning the corner...UGH

My mind has now woken up and is in full blown panic mode.  

My Brain "Okay yes ride bike, you have just showered and are wearing boot cut jeans and have straight hair....You don't have a bike...can't ride brothers because he took that to school...Can ride scooters...Not sure if they are charged enough to get me there and back....Need H's bike...(we are now starting to walk home from the bus stop)...Where is H's Bike...Oh yes hanging from the 90 foot garage  ceiling...Need Ladder...Big ladder inside because Stupid Smoke Detectors were going off again in the middle of the Night...Little ladder...Standing on little ladder in flip flops please don't let the hooks come out of the ceiling and crash the bike on my head...Get bike down...Ooooh Seat is very high...See if I can find hex keys...ugh Cant find hex keys...time is ticking must leave to bike to school...Hop on bike...Can barely reach pedals...Oooh low ride jeans need to stop and tuck in shirt...Spikes on pedals may just poke through my flip flops...start riding...UGH jeans get snagged in bike....need to ride with feet out to avoid snagging boot cut jeans...cool air feels good we start riding...I am so high up hope I don't fall...Get youngest to school head home...Feel hair getting larger. Go inside look in the mirror...  

UGH Yes I now look like this..."  

Happy Halloween!! ~Kim from TeXas

KiMs Likes/Dislikes these past FEW Weeks...

Pumpkin Race Mobile

OKAY so I have been a sLacKer on the BLOGGING lately but its because we have been sOOOO busy these past few weeks that I am finally coming down from CRaZY.


We have had H birthday, my 40th birthday, our anniversary, Just DrAma, Halloween party, PuMpkin Races, two football games, tons of football practicing, school work and events, and finally Halloween in two days.  

My Birthday Breakfast

I can not wait till November for things to Slow Down....Yeah Right what am I thinking I have some family coming in for Thanksgiving...I have to find out where you get a fresh turkey in this neck of the CountrY.

Love/Hate that I have eaten 30 million cupcakes for my birthday...They just kept 'em coming all week long  YUM!!

Very Happy that I have a week off of BooT CamP!! She has been kicking our Butts and I have been exhausted.

HEB Tortillas

OMG I can't stop eating HEB Tortillas.  UGH Someone stop the madness...Kill the tortilla machine at HEB...this is the only way to get me to stop eating them.


Like that my kids science program at the school is so cool they keep telling me how much fun they are having.

Like that I can go on line at any given moment and know exactly what my kids grades are and see the grade on the test they just took.  SOOO COOOL

Mixed feelings on....Its getting colder here and I feel as if my body has reverted to a southerner because I have been freezing.  UGH my blood has thinned already...It is sad because I miss the warm weather...LuckLy it will be back in the upper 80's by Friday.  YEA.

Love that we are getting more people joining our Card Swapping and we are up to 41 people liking our Facebook page.

Miss my friends Ray, A, L, J and many more.

Applied for a Part Time Job hopefully it works out so I don't go MADD here in my Dwelling.

Don't like that my kids use their bedrooms as a dumping ground and can not put their clothes in the LARGE Hamper I have provided them?  Can someone explain why they can not just drop the clothes two inches more into the basket?  What is it about the Floor that they Like So much?

Like that my new friend C comments on our blog...THANK YOU!!  Feel free to leave your comments or questions for me or Renee'.

Don't like that I think a speaker is out on my IPhone :(

Peanut Butter/Nutella Rice Cake

Peanut Butter/Nutella Banana

I am LOVING Nutella and Peanut butter.  Every time I find someone pinning Nutella I will Pin it.  I love the CombinAtion of the Two. I have been eating them on Rice Cakes.  Because really who just eats rice cakes with nothing on them.  I DON'T like flavored rice cakes YUCK so I just top them.  Then you have bananas...I love chocolate covered bananas.  I also love sliced bananas over a tortilla spread with Peanut butter.  Just add Nutella and WhAL Ahh you have a YUMMY Treat.  I think I may have run out of HEB tortillas so I just stuck the peanut butter/Nutella on the Banana directly and just at that...Probably saved me 100 Calories.   Do you LOVE Nutella tell me what you do with the STUFF.  

I love when Gunner does silly things like lay half under the coffee table and stick his head out the side.  Sorry for the CreePy eye shot took a ton of photos and could not get the FlashY eyes out.




Love my Monthly Box Obsession.  Here is what Gunner Gets Monthly from BarkBox. Such fun Treats.  (Just a note if you click through to BarkBox I will get a credit if you join in my Monthly Box Obsession) This month he really liked the Feelgood treats.  Not so much with the Mustache he pretty much just chews the Stash. I want him to put it in his mouth so I can get a picture of it but he's not having any part of that. I am hesitant to give him the wool snake.  I have envisions of pulling that snake out the other end when he chews it to bits.  (I know many of you have been there that dreaded moment when the stuffing is trying to exit your dog and will not come out.  GOOD TIMES) We have some breath freshener left that one for the Dear H to take care of.  Can always use PooP bags but these are in some FUN Colors.

So thats whats been going on in my NecK of the WooDs.  Do you participate in Monthly Boxes?  Which one is your Favorite that I need to try?

At the End of the DaY I am so Glad that October is almost over so I can RELAX!! ~Kim from TeXas

If you love avocados you will love this little treat!

I love, love, love avocados. I like them in dips, salads, burgers basically anything. Well when hunting on Pinterest one day I saw and pinned this very interesting avocado treat. It is a simple and delicious treat to make anytime.




Ingredients

Ripe avocados
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Franks hot sauce

Directions

1. Take a ripe avocado and cut it in half. Scoop out the pit and throw it out!
2. Score both sides of the avocado with a fork and then apply as much Franks hot sauce as you like. It will seep into the score marks of the avocado so that the entire avocado is spicy.
3. Then, sprinkle parmesean cheese on top and voila!
4. Put in the broiler for about 3-5 minutes. The parmesean cheese will look melted and have a brown toasty look.

5. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve!

These avocados are delicious! You can eat them as a side dish to a meal or just for a snack. Just think of all the healthy fats you will get in your diet from this tasty recipe.

Enjoy and let me know how you like it!

Renee~from Illinois

What KiM WoN or Got for Free This Week...

What Can I Say But WHOOP WHOOP!! I finally won something and for me it was a pretty good something.  On my Facebook page I follow a hand full of people one being Skinnytaste.  A few weeks ago she had a post asking us a question and she would pick three random winners for a Thai Kitchens goodie box.  Well I was so excited about this because I was just talking to my bootcamp instructor about optional types of noodles.  Then the very next day I receive an email saying I was one of the three Random Winners.  YIPEE.  Here is a picture of the fun products I will be trying out over the next few weeks.  Maybe I will even take pictures and blog about the recipes.

BIG HUNK I just like saying that...Well I entered to receive a free BIG HUNK BAR and I was a lucky one who got one in the mail this week.  With all the Halloween candy that is always the same stuff this will be fun NEW kind to try.  In addition to the BIG HUNK BAR I received a coupon for Buy One Get One Free.  Can't wait to use that it would be great for Valentines Day to give to the H.


Seattle's Best Coffee has a good rap with me because I already won two gift cards from them.  (Ooooooh which I forgot to use today when I was at Walmart) But now I get to try this cute free sample of Coffee which they included a coupon for $2.00 off.
Thank you Seattle's Best.

Now as you may or may not know I am not a huge beauty person but again I try for a few of these samples to try out.  La Roche-Posay one in particular because I have a small red patch on my left cheek.  I can not wait to see if this helps reduce the red spot.  It is great to receive the samples then see if it actually works before your try it.  Wish me LUCK!!


This next one from BIOLAGE you had to enter to win one of the samples and as you can see I won the sample.  This one I wanted to try because I feel this TeXas weather is giving my hair a run for its money.  Have any of you tried this before?  What did you think?



I am always up for trying new laundry detergent.  I feel that I have been using the same one for EV er. This one is by a company called Vaska and you have a free sample with a code to purchase some with a $1.00 off.  



Gucci Premiere was one I was excited to try. I do like the glossy mirror paper they printed on it feels wonderful.  But I was disappointed because I for some reason though we were receiving a little glass bottle.  Remember those you would get as samples.  Really??  What was I thinking that would not have made it in the mail. This had a small mesh square that had the scent on it.  I am now wearing it and it smells pretty good.  Not to overpowering.  Will see if anyone notices I smell pretty when they get home today.

Well if you have seen my pictures of my soooo cute compression socks these seem to look a bit Cooler.  It is from Spider Tech the Magic Sports Tape.  I have this great sample sent to me to try and I will be excited to use these on my Shins.  They have been hurting a lot lately because I have been pounding the pavement run/walking a ton.  

Going along with my Asian theme I also received a coupon to try a Tai Pei® single serving appetizer or entree.  Will definitely be using this one because I always see these in the store but never purchase any because I am not sure what they taste like.  Here is my chance.

Well thats all for this week.  Check back in a week or so to see what other fun free/won things I have received.
~Kim from TeXas

Tell me about any of these products you have used or tried before what did you think??

Craft of the Week: Making an Eat sign for the Kitchen

Ok, this is a really easy craft that looks like the metal letters you can buy at all the fancy home decoration stores but are really just paper mâché letters. First, you will need paper mâché letters from your local arts and crafts store. Since I was putting this in my kitchen I decided to follow a Pinterest post from Sugar and Charm that included how to do this spelling out the word eat.

I went to my craft store picked out the three letters for a dollar something a piece, and then picked up a small bottle of black acrylic paint and a pearlized paint and a foam brush.

First, I painted each letter with the black paint and let them dry. Then I took the pearlized paint and brushed it over the top of the black. Keep painting until you get the desired color of silver. It should look like the silver matte metal color.

Are you now asking if that is it? Well, it is! It is just that simple. I hung the letters in my kitchen and I love them. I have had a lot of compliments and people are surprised when I tell them the letters are made of card board.

This is a quick and inexpensive craft to add character to your kitchen or anywhere in your home.

It's a great day for crafting so get busy today and share your results with Kim and I.

Renee~from Illinois

A is for Annoying- this is Why I like OL School

First I need to tell you that when I find a doctor or dentist I like I pretty much stay with them. Since moving into TeXas I am now looking to find all new doctor and dentists.

My first stop dentist. Now I have been a Freak about dentists and ones that have been popping up in strip malls around Illinois before I left.  Why can't you put your practice in a building?  I don't understand?  I feel they are drive through dentists and do fast food type things to your teeth.  Again it is my weird paranoia setting in or Old Age one of the two.  (I am going for Paranoia and not old age)

Renee' had went to a dentist in a strip mall and had a horrific experience that went on for months. Poor Renee!! Had I known she was going to a strip mall dentist I could have just pulled her tooth to begin with. It would have saved her a lot of pain and money and me heckling her. Love u Ray!!

Anyway I received an email from my H about a dentist that one of the guys he works with goes to. It also helped that they were offering movie tickets for the kids cleanings. I called and booked me and the boys.

I get the address and head out to the appointment. While driving I begin to freak out that I forgot to check if it was in a building or a strip mall. Ugh as we pull up I realize it is in a strip mall actually right down from our vet.

Well now what. Visions of Renee's trauma is flashing in my brain. Ugh. I head into the the door and the entry looks nice enough. UGH!!

I forget a lot when our hygienist comes in. She was super nice and very good with the boys.

Well at our OL School dentist we did ole school film shots of our teeth to see cavities. Not here our teeth are on the computer screen. They have a cool wand that scans your tooth. If its green they're good no cavities. If you see red not good cavities. One of my old fillings is breaking down. Ugh Really??

Now I also have two wisdom teeth that I have put off getting pulled because they have to knock you out. I have never been KnoCked OuT so I am not to thrilled to have this done. That will get put off for a while yet.

Now I have an appointment for next week to get this filling fixed. Ugh my strip mall dentist better not mess my mouth up. Otherwise I will never hear the end of it from Renee.

As I was driving home I get a call from the dentists office. My hygienist calls to tell me we forgot to look at my full head scan. Right I forgot that.

They take a scan with this large machine that goes around your whole head to check out all the stuff around your teeth. It helps them see if anything may be problematic with your teeth or nasal area.

Back to the phone call. She looked at my scan and asked me if I slept okay at night. 

Me, yep I sleep like I always have seems to be fine. 
Her,  do you snore at night?
Me, some times (h said all the time when I got home ugh really??). 
Her, do you feel tired during the day? 
Me, yep I was just saying that I can not figure out why I have been so tired lately. 
Her, after looking at your scan you have a HUGE blockage that is probably having you experience sleep apnea.

OMG are you kidding me. 
I'm trying to drive through McDonalds at the same time she is telling me this and I am blocking drive through traffic cause I am not pulling up.  I have my son talking to me saying "aren't we going inside?  Why are we not going inside?" while I am trying to listen to this women on the phone.  Seriously People my car is currently a three ring CirCus!! 

UGH what does this mean. Renee' what does this mean a blockage and sleep apnea??

All I can think of is the movie Hall Pass where the guy is sleeping in the hotel room hooked up to the sleep apnea machine. UGH Really is this what turning 40 means?

This is why I'm annoyed because if I had just my plain OL school dentist with OL school film I would not have to worry about sleep apnea. NOooo I don't want issues. They would not be looking in my head and I would not have to worry about issues. I would be on my merry way snoring (I guess, that's what h says but I don't believe it). But now who knows what will happen. All I can think of is them scraping out my nose. LOL. Ugh

And another thing...Why do all dentists want you to whiten your teeth? I really don't want to lose the enamel on my teeth so 10-15 years from now my teeth are sensitive to cold or hot and thin and whatever else.

My OL school dentist was the same way. The next thing you know I will be doing Botox, lipo suction, hair extensions and who knows what else.

All this because of the head scan. I'm exhausted. BUT am I exhausted because I'm just tired or is it because of my "blockage"??

At the EnD of the DaY ~ this is opening up a can of worms that I may not want open. ~Kim from TeXas

Did you ever go to the doctor for a splinter in your finger then they you leave finding out you have gang green on your feet?  Tell me all about it.  I NEED to know.

Old Age...I mean 40 is setting in FAST!!

I have to share a few quick stories that I hope you will enjoy because I am trying to enjoy them and not freak myself out.

Pretty much I don't really care about getting older...I like birthdays as an excuse to go on trips, receive presents, go out to a nice dinner with friends and family...pretty basic stuff.

Now tomorrow I turn 40 not going on a trip because we just moved :( and I have no one to watch my darling children while I fly off to Vegas.  We ARE going to a nice dinner. Vat of GNOCCHI here I come...LOOK OUT.

That is if I can remember my name by tomorrow...this week I have been going down hill fast.

This week I feel all out of sorts, so much little stuff and I feel like I can not remember anything so I keep adding it to my calendar for fear I may forget.  Poor Gunner I have to get him dog food today and if I forget he will be with out dinner tonight. 

Its official Old Age has set in two days early.  

TODAY I realized that all day YESTERDAY I was wearing two different shoes. (flip flops)  

UGH why is there only one of each shoe in my closet, where is the other I think to myself this morning as I am looking for my other black flip-flop. As I stand staring at the floor perplexed as to where it could have gone? Walk to where I took my shoes off yesterday...Oh great here are their pairs. 

UGH I went to the Dentist, volunteered at the SCHOOL...SERIOUSLY whats next?? I shudder to think. WHAT does this MeaN??

My dentist office called me yesterday to tell me I have some blockage in my head and it may be causing me to have Sleep Apnea.  At this point I don't know what to think...Maybe this has been causing my cloudiness that I think is just normal to feel this way. 

I Don't want a sleep apnea machine like the guy on Hall Pass...I have been exercising 5 days a week I have energy until around 3 o'clock when I want to lay on the couch and stare into space.  UGH...

I have prided myself in not having any ailments but this Head scan and wearing two different shoes ALL DAY is throwing me into a tail spin.  

Shoe Check - same

Clothes Check - Normal on straight

Hair Check - as usual

Oh yes my favorite one yesterday as I was in the chair getting my teeth cleaned...the hygienist says gee what happened to your chin did you scrape it at boot camp.  HA HA HA... NO!! That would be great story because it would be a better story than my GIGANTIC Teen Age ZIT that has decided to not go away and keeps on sprouting back to LIFE.  I keep trying to drown it in my Zit Frying cream but this sucker does not want to go away.  Its probably screaming "I have to make it till FRIDAY ruin her birthday pictures."  UGH Go AWAY crazy Teen Age Acne...I am 40 now aren't you tired of my face yet??

At the EnD of the DaY I wish I was flying off to VeGas to forget about my new ailments...Guess I'll just pop open a bottle of Wine~Kim from TeXas

Leave us a comment and tell me about any of your funny stories before a big birthday so I don't feel alone. 

A is for Annoying ~ The Great Garage Sale

Okay so I apologize because I did not take any pictures.  Which I should have because it would make things so much more enjoyable to read. First Annoyance not so much for me as it is for you...Sorry.

TeXas Garage Sales are a totally different breed then Illinois.  Those of you in the north (like I was) would never think that the way people garage sale in other parts of the country would be any different.  I just assumed that it was a three day thing that started on Thursdays. (Boy was I wrong)

Somewhere along the way someone started making subdivisions with Home Owner Associations and Management Companies that have taken the fun out of Garage Saleing. When we moved down here I was looking up information on the Association we were moving into and I saw they had a garage sale weekend twice a year.  Really?  I am annoyed by this.

Great we move in June and I have to wait till October to get rid of my JunK. We have been piling up the JunK along the wall in the Garage. (A Huge Leaning Tower of JunK)  Insert picture I don't have.

My H had to staple a fishing line with a tennis ball attached to it just so I would not pull our Silver GianT up to far and tap the leaning tower of JunK.  Of course that did not stop me from Tapping it a few times...OOPS.

Now our Association has regulations that you can NOT have a garage sale except for the two days they offer.  Okay fine I can deal with that(annoyed but what eVeR)...I see most subdivisions in the area are pretty much the same.  But I was sad to find out that ours were from 7am till Noon but the others were from 7am till 3pm.  They have 3 more hours to sell their JunK.  UGH Well thats not Fair.  What can one really sell from 7 till Noon?? Annoyed for a while but...

This was not going to work so I had think outside of the Box on this one.  I pull out all my garage saleing expertise and pull out all the stops.

I think I will take up Garage Sale Consulting...Is that a JOB??  I could be sooo good at that.

First The weekend before I sent out an email to a bunch of people I have met or have not met yet but had their emails for a PreSale Friday Night. I need to sell my JunK before the sale even starts.

Second I head to the Internet and post my garage sale on garage sale sites, Craigslist, yard sale sites and a few more. The more you can direct people to your house the better for you to sell your stuff.  Did you know they have Garage Sale Apps that will pin garage sales going on in your neighborhood.  Its pretty COOL. (Yes I am a dork and have two)

Third our subdivision gave us signs...YEAH so I head over to pick them up and WHAP...They don't have arrows, no where to put my information for people to find me.  UGH Really?  What is the PoinT??  They basically say Our subdivision name and that this weekend is our garage sale.  UGH REALLY??? THIS will NOT do!!

Well in KiMs garage saleing book this is NOT going to work.  Think Think Think...AHHH  DUCK TAPE.  Gotta Love Duck Tape...I pull the silver stuff out and get to work...I have two signs one side with pointless writing and the other with nothing.  I NEED Arrows....I go to work on the back side Arrows pointing into my subdivision...second pointing down my street.  I also do the same thing on the front but slightly smaller.  (UGH I took the tape off the signs so I can't take a picture of nothing Sorry)

Ha HA!!  My signs are ready...I think by far this is the best pointer (he he get it pointer arrow) Make sure your signage will get you to your house.

The weekend before I begin getting tables from our neighbors because of course we only have one small black square card table that Really? what is it going to hold, about 10 items.

At times I wonder to my self am I a chronic garage saler because I have a green old navy bag that I fill it with all my garage sale stickers.  I have purposely brought it to TeXas because I knew that I was going to have a garage sale. While we were unpacking my H said "what is this bag of junK can we get rid of it" The HORROR "NO" its my garage sale STUFF.  LOL 

I begin hunting around for my green bag that I have secretly stashed in my CraFting CloSet spill over bedroom.

I now begin the daunting task of pricing items. I am a firm believer of pricing with little stickers and PEOPLE when you are selling things price it so it will SELL.  UGH how many times do you go to a garage sale and people price things so high.  Its one thing to price it higher in anticipation of going down but another to price it and not budge on the price.

I did have a few of those items that I priced higher and if you did not purchase it for that price its okay because I will sell it on eBay or Craigslist.  

My garage becomes a small resale shop and by Wednesday begins to smell like one.  UGH does my house smell like a resale shop?  How do the items know that when they are going to be resold the begin to take on this "resale"shop oder?  Do the things inside your house know "oooh were not going to be sold so we wont let off our "resale"shop oder.  Where does this smell come from....anyway my garage smelled by Wednesday.

Friday Night I had a few people come over and check out what I was selling and make a few purchases.  YIPEE thank you C & T

Saturday Morning I set my Alarm for 5 am but don't actually roll out till 5:30..get my HOT coffee then head into my HOT garage.  I have to get a few more things ready...I received a few more tables Friday Night late because I hate things on the Ground.

Tip #4 put as much stuff as you can on tables and spread out it out so people can see things easily and pick through EVERYthing.  OOOH which leads me to my BEST tip EVER

Tip #5 if you have all those junky toys from McDonalds and random small items that you normally see in a box labeled $.10 each or $.05 each..You need to get HUGE ziploc bags they are usually 13 x 17 sized...I get mine from Aldi. Put all these random toys in the bag and price it for $5.  I Guarantee it will sell.  I had three of those and all of them sold for $5 each.  They are such an easy money maker.

I head out in the Dark of the Night with my Signs to the entrance of the subdivision and park with my blinkers.  Now I pretty much am running like someone is going to jump out of the bushes and ambush me and my COOOL DucK Tape Arrow Signs.  I stick them in and head to our street, put the next doctored arrow sign in the ground and head home.

Open the Garage doors and start pulling things out.  All of a sudden down the DARK street a Car comes Zooming down 900MPH, flies up where the Curb and Street meet.  Lights facing the driveway where I am putting my tables out.  We can not see who is in the car its Dark, the lights are aimed towards us...The next thing we hear "Will he bite?"  HUH?

Oh Yes sorry I had my dog out with me because it was SUPER Dark, I am in a new city and State and I just heard on the news the other night about someone who robbed a garage saler.  "Nope" and I hurry Gunner inside.

Now I don't have 1/2 of the items out of my garage yet and their coming...(the signs are working) here comes another lady.  H and I hurry to get the rest of the stuff outside....then it begins in the DARK swarms of people down our street.

Finally the sun comes out and then UGH every thing starts to get covered with a layer of condensation. REALLY??  I have to go and get paper towels to start mopping up all the DEW as we northerners call it.  My stuff was not wet before it left the Garage.

I had so many people coming in such a short time....I was so excited because the stuff was all selling like hot cakes...BUY BUY BUY...I love it....Less stuff I have to carry to good will.

It was a productive day of selling JUNK and to all the people who purchased my STuFF I am glad it lives on with you.

At the EnD of the DaY call me if you need a Garage Sale Consultant. ~Kim from TeXas

KiMs LiKes/Dislikes about TeXas/Life this WeeK...

I love that I can go to a GINORMOUS Antique market in TeXas and see the Junk Gypsys.

I love that I can go to a GINORMOUS Antique market in TeXas and pick these antlers out for my youngest son.  Who is so Ecstatic about them he carries them up stairs and down every day and sleeps with them next to his bed. Sorry this is the worst picture and lighting EVER.  My sons room is cream color and it looks like its Canary Yellow.  UGH.

Dislike that people can not get it together. "Shamone Lee!! Shamone!" (I Love Rush Hour) 
Shamone Renee' give us a PosT!!  What are you doing up there in Illinois??  Laying by the PooL?  Oh No thats Me!!  

Like that it is in the 70s and my children act like they have never lived in the cold before.  Oh wait its now 90 degrees and super hot.

Don't you LOVE when you are vacuuming away minding your own business then all of a sudden WHAM you bash the vacuum handle against the wall.  It is even better if it takes a chunk of dry wall off. UGH good thing the walls here are not smooth they are Orange Peel texture so you can't really notice the missing dry wall.  HEHE

Dislike that my washing machine was giving me a little trouble today...Please don't fail me now.

Dislike that my dog is going through his teenage years and is turning into a whiny baby.

Like that my youngest accidentally just fell in the pool.

Dislike that I can not figure out what to make for dinner any more...HELP!!

I have decided that I don't like Hummus..I have tried many times but I have finally decided that it will go into my don't like pile. I have some left in my fridge if anyone wants it. :)

I love that my birthday is coming up and I am going to EAT a GINORMOUS bowl of Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce and love every moment of it.

Love that you all who are reading our blog are joining in our monthly card swap.  Keep Joining we would love to have you. If you are interested email us or visit our Facebook page Like Us and Message us.

Like that I can still listen to WLS 890 am from Chicago on my Iphone.  (Yes I am a DorK) lol



I Love Baked Carrots with Olive Oil and Season Salt.

Love that today is FRIDAY!!




I love the beautiful sun sets and random rainbows in the TeXas sky.  While I sit and watch Football Practice every night.

I love that my mom just sent us Beef Jerky from Wisconsin to TeXas for our anniversary.  Nothing says 13 years like Beef Jerky.

Dislike that there is not 30 million meat markets here in TeXas.  I would have though there to be one on every street corner.  I have yet to find one.  Need some local Beef Jerky and to find a fresh Turkey for ThanksGiving.

 













While shopping the GINORMOUS Antique market came across this pencil dispenser.  I am so in need of this to put the 50 million mechanical pencils that I have in it.  Then maybe I can recoup my costs on purchasing all these pencils to fuel my sons pencil addiction.  This one was not for sale but I am looking for a wooden one like this.  If you see one let me know and how much its going for.




Last but not least I enjoyed watching my son put together his Colonist. I love that my CraFt CloSet was helpful with the Felt, streamers and GooGlie EyEs.

At the EnD of the DaY I am having a Lot of FUn here in TeXas.  I will let you know how my garage sale goes this weekend.  That is a Whole other post. ~Kim from TeXas.

What did you like/dislike about your week...any funny stories please share them with us?

KiMs HomeMade Egg DroP SouP

Well yes it got cool here (70s) this past week and again I pulled out the Soup Maker.  This time I was trying to make something that my oldest would eat.  He seems to not eat anything so I was most excited to see if he would eat this.

Egg Drop Soup ~ he loves it when we order it from the Chinese place and how hard could it really be.

It is not hard at ALL it was so easy I will be making it again just so I can figure out how to make it taste like the Chinese place.

First I pulled out my Trusty Rusty (its not really rusty) Soup Maker which I LOVE by the way...have you gotten one yet??

Diced up some Green Onions

Chopped 1/8 teaspoon of Ginger

Added two cans of Chicken Broth

Scrambled two eggs but only used one egg yolk

Took 3/4 of the Chicken Broth and mixed it with Corn Starch to help thicken the soup.

First I sauteed the Onions for about a minute on Medium then added the Chicken Broth and turned it on High

Once it began boiling

I began slowly adding the egg into the mixture to make the long "egg drop" effect

That was it...I put the soup maker on stir for two quick blasts because I did not want to break up the egg.

I was so excited to serve it to him and he liked it...But we both realized that it was missing something.  Not sure what it is so I tried soy sauce in mine and that was NOT it...Mine tasted like a@@ but I kept eating it like it was awesome just so my son would keep eating it. He ended up eating it all.  YIPPEE My son who likes soup!!

If you have any idea what ingredient I am missing to make this more authentic please leave a comment.  I will be making this again and need to figure out what I am missing. 

At the EnD of the DaY ~ I LOVE SOUP ~Kim from TeXas

Don't for get to Leave me a Comment on what ingredient I am missing so I can try again.

KiMs CrAftinG CloseT CreaTion~ HalloWeen Candle StiXs

If you have been following me on Pinterest you will see that I have pinned a few of these items.  I have always wanted to spray paint some candlesticks.  I set off to find the local GoodWill which was proving to be a little more difficult here.  I first stuck GoodWill into my phone and found that it was not too far away.  GREAT I will be there in no time....I pull into this small entrance in a strip mall.  UGH really the sign says that it is just a center to accept the items.  Now those of you who live in Illinois and even Wisconsin (I can speak for because I have seen them) know that the GoodWills are HUGE.  

Now I am thinking well the GoodWill must be somewhere else but hopefully close by because the drop off center is here.  Back to my phone to see if I can actually find the GoodWill.  I finally locate it and head out because it is just north up the street.  Again it is in a strip mall not one of the SUPER SIZED ones in a free standing building.  I head in and am sadly disappointed.  :(  I originally came looking for belts for another project I have been working on and they did not have any.  

I quickly changed gears when I saw these candle sticks for $0.79.  I was scouring the tops of the clothing racks where they had all the house wear stuff.  Found my candle sticks and even found a tin container to try spray painting.

Next Ran to Ace Hardware for the spray paint...Walk into the Ace here and almost walked right back out.  You can not believe, what is GOING ON HERE???  Really??  Where is all the hardware stuff??  When I walked into this Ace it has home decor, clothing, local high school wear, shoes, jewelry, candles, glass wear, furniture....I have stepped into the Twilight ZONE.  After spending 20 minutes distracted by all the stuff, taking pictures of some of the items to Pin to possibly try and make...I finally find the Hardware Store in the back.  UGH that was soooo distracting...Good but Bad because I need to get my Spray paint and head home. Total time SUCK.

My Halloween Spray Painted Candle Sticks

On a recommendation from Renee' (yes she does have some good ideas once in a while) she said to sand the wood to help the paint take hold better.  Annoyed by this because I keep hearing her in my head, I set out to find my sandpaper. UGH.  I just want to get to spray painting the FUN part. 

In this picture you can see two of the candle sticks and kind of see the bright green UGLY tin container behind the paint.  Soon my Pretties you will be transformed into something Wonderful.


I find a box because I am going to be doing this in the grass on my front lawn. Why I have no idea but I figure if I get paint on the lawn my H can mow it.  Then it will disappear because I don't think it will come off the concrete drive. 

First thing I do is try and find a shady spot.  HAHA Then I pull out the Black Glossy spray paint and BLAST away.

 

Next I find my Large Metal UGLY Candle Stick and get the Orange Spray Paint out and begin to BLAST away.  I am also being over come by the fumes and the wind blowing at my box I am spray painting in. 

I have to say I was very happy sitting in the front lawn admiring how they turned out.  Renee' see the sand paper they are sitting on.  All because of you my dear friend.  :)

Next I begin working quickly on this long tin that was an UGLY green color.  I am now going to make it a pretty Cream color.

Now back to the Candle Sticks.  In my workshop (upstairs CrafT CloseT) I now begin Glue Gunning the tops (which I found at Tuesday Morning) to the Candle Sticks that were painted.   

 I was trying to think what to put on the orange candle stick. I was at Target and they had these glitter pumpkins and a few other kinds of Halloween decorations.  I chose the Black Pumpkin Head but I am not feeling it so I may go back and replace it with something else.  But in the mean time Black Glitter Pumpkin head is it.

Here are some final pictures of the Candle sticks.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I did finding and making them.

At the End of the DaY sometimes I think it is more fun looking for the items to CraFt than actually CraFting them.

Have you made a craft with Spray Paint...Share it with us let us know how it turned out.