Yogurt Parfaits w/Homemade Granola

Today, I thought I would share a recent find that I discovered for my kiddos! I've been trying to find different things to make them for a healthy breakfast.  They like yogurt, that's always a plus and fruit.  In the winter I will buy frozen, I find it better than some of the imported or icky tasting fruit out there.  I try to buy things in season mostly.  Anyway, my son has decided he doesn't like oatmeal but my DD likes it.  What to do?  I try not to fix different things for each of them so I found this little beauty and thought he would love it.  It's very healthy with only a minimal amount of sweetness and I find that it really gets you through the morning.  Do watch the sugar content on the yogurt that you purchase some of them are loaded with sugar. He doesn't realize of course that it's oatmeal too, shh!! we won't tell him.


Yogurt Parfaits w/Homemade Granola

If you want to make the homemade granola click here.  It's Ellie Krieger's version and I liked the fact that it gave me lots of energy for the day, also I omitted the raisins and added chopped dates, craisins and dried cherries at the end.

For the recipe to the lemon yogurt and fruit sauce click here.  Remember this is just the fruit part, scroll down the page.

Alternatives for serving

Granola with milk
Experiment with yogurts and fruit if you don't like vanilla or yogurt try other flavorings
Granola with fresh fruit and or milk
dry as a snack

Here's a link to my more recipes from Colleen's Kitchen!  Check it out!

Have a good weekend, 

Carey

P.S> Stay tuned I haven't forgotten about the mantle makeover!

More Valentine's Decorations!

Good morning, I have more pictures of my home.  I hope you're not getting tired of seeing the it! LOL!

These are my little white cake stands in my kitchen that I just added some of those little heart doilies you can find at almost any paper supply store or craft store too.  The table cloth was a recent ebay find.  It has the most delicate little pattern that is so pretty and clean looking.

My little dough board on my stovetop, just added some doilies and red silk roses to it.

This little wall decoration I've had for while has some Vintage looking Valentines on it.  I don't even remember where I got it.  I have one for St. Patrick's Day too.

I cut this out of a magazine and put it in an old frame years ago. 

My husband and I have begun to talk remodeling with our new home.  I know a lot of people out there would wonder what could you do? Your home is perfectly modern and has so much space.  Well, ladies if you're reading this you already are with me in thinking I can make it look older like it's been here for 100 years.  I would love to start changing out light fixtures minor, then painting my bathrooms and hallway upstairs.  We want to maybe finish another part of our basement and make a laundry room out of it, I have an idea I will share more about next week that I would love your opinions on.   But our big project will be building a barn/big garage for my hubby this spring so he has a place to work on vehicles and do his own projects.   Right now all of his things are shoved to one side of our garage and he can't find a thing.  Every time he is home he can never find anything. 

Speaking of my DH his retirement ceremony is less than a month away and on March 5th he can come home to live.  We've been seeing him every other weekend since September and the separation has been difficult on all of us.  All of my other military wives reading this my heart goes out to you, I understand what it's like to have him be away.  I have only the highest respect for my fellow sisters and I just pray that your husbands, fathers, sons return home safely. 

Have a great day and remember to count your blessings!

Carey

Valentine's Decor

Good morning, the sun is shining friends and that is a good thing! Here's a few little places I have changed and tweaked for Valentine's Day.  I always change my little tree that is currently in my dining room.  Then this sewing machine is close to my entryway.

This little heart fabric is a fat quarter from Jo Ann's a few years ago.  The little prim heart in trencher with tallow berries and courting candle complete the look.   I try to implement the rules of three or odds when I decorate.

ornaments up close that I have collected over the years a little heart with I love you message, a set of heart molds and cookie cutters, little angels with hearts, waxy hearts that are made from antique molds

Have a lovely Wednesday!  Be back soon with some more Valentine pictures and my mantle makeover.

Carey

Lil' Blue Bird Sing me a Song about Spring!

Here's what I saw this morning when I peeked out my kitchen window.  Isn't he cute?

He's pretty plump someone around here has been feeding him well, LOL!

Look his friends decided to join him!

Have a great day, stay warm inside and dream of spring!

Carey

White Goodies to beat those Winter Blues Away!

Today I thought I would share some of my newest little treasures with you one that I bought and some that my aunt gave me.  First, the little cake stand is just another in my newest obsession with all things white and clean looking.  I'm loving the fact that I can use them dual purpose to decorate and display my beloved desserts you all know how fond I am of baking goodies.  I'll show you some more of the decorating with them soon.

I have been mildly obsessed with finding a white cake stand like one I saw on Sugar Pie Farmhouse for a little while.  Well, here it is ... and the best part it didn't even break the bank.  If you want to know more check out the link.

Let me first say that the next treasure is interesting since I don't drink tea but I just love it anyway because it came from my aunt.  I guess I'm all set if I have someone come over who is a tea drinker.

It's a tea cozy!  You want to know a funny story between my DD and I when she saw these.  I told her what they were called and she said, You have a scone cozy too, I guess you like all things cozy, huh Mom? LOL! Gotta love what comes out of the mouths of babes.

Hope you have a terrific Monday! I'll leave you some more white goodies ideas too.

Carey

Lemon Tea Cakes

This is a recipe I came across in this itty bitty cookbook that I shared about yesterday.  It's so cute! I can see myself making more of them.  These turned out great my kids ate them right up! I put a little less sugar in the frosting and it was more of a glaze.  I was thinking if I use these for the baby shower I will make mini ones in a pretty flower pan and maybe add fresh fruit to the top of it, what do you think?? Good idea?  Of course I don't want to compete with the cake.

Check out Colleen's swap!

Lemon Tea Cakes

2 cup pastry or cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks unbeaten
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup milk
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten


Sift flour once measure, add baking soda and salt and sift three more times. *( I admit I just sifted once)  Work butter with a spoon till creamy.  Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one a time, beating until well blended.  Add flour, alternately with lemon juice and milk, until smooth after each addition.  *(End with flour)  Fold in egg whites.  Bake in small greased muffin cups in moderate oven a@ 375 for 20 minutes.  Makes 30 small cakes.  * (I only got 14) Frost with orange butter.

Orange butter frosting

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Cups confectioners sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp orange extract
a few drops of lemon extract

Work butter until soft.  Add sugar gradually, beating well thinning with milk until right consistency to spread.  Add orange rind and flavoring.  Makes enough to frost 2 eight inch layers.

Happy baking,  Have a great weekend!

Carey

A New Treasure and Fresh Flowers to Perk you Up!

Good afternoon friends, I know it's been gloomy lately.  As I peruse my favorite blogging sites things have quieted a little bit.  It's kinda hard after the non stop madness of the holidays.  I have found myself in a bit of a funk.  I may take my beloved snowmen down soon.  I just find myself yearning for Spring really early this year.  I can't wait to be able to walk outside again.  My dog really likes her walks.  We've had a few weeks with no sun and big sigh...more rain in the forecast.  My kids got a second snow day or should I say freezing rain day.  We woke up to icy roads, ugh!

Now for the cheery part! I bought some of these yesterday when I was out and they really cheered things up.  I never buy myself flowers but I got these marked down and for 2.50 I think they're a bargain!  I got my Aunt some too, she has to stay in a lot in the winter.  Maybe, I will continue to look for little things like this to put on my counter until we have real flowers outside.  I saw green apples on someone else's blog that I thought was a great edible centerpiece.

Speaking of my Aunt Princess, she gave me these to look through.  Oh my ladies the vintage treasures! My heart skips a bit looking through these old recipes.  Some of them are by my mother in her own handwriting and others by my aunt, family members and her friends.  I picked out a few and they look like they must be winners due to the worn look on them.  The little Baking Powder book is so sweet, copyright 1933.  I'm going to try these little lemon tea cakes today.   We will be having a shower for my niece in March and I'd like to give them a try to see how well they would work.  I just love lemon anything! I'll post the recipe later.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

This wasn't tilted when I took it don't know why this happened?

Have a good day, make it a good one!

Carey

I've Been Tagged!

Hello bloggers! Here's some fun bloggin' things that help us to get to know each other a little better.

I've followed the rules and tagged 5 other bloggers. You need five questions with 5 answers and to tag 5 other bloggers. Check to see if you are one of them below!

Question # 1.  Where were you 10 years ago?

1.  Chilhowee, MO
 I know, I know where is that?? It's a little bit south and west of Kansas City, MO Population 329 I'm not kidding either!

2.  working as a teacher

3.  enjoying my sweet baby girl Christina, turning 1 at the time

4.  Just got our first computer

5.  Married to my Air Force sweety!

Question # 2   What's on your To Do List today?

1. Go to post office

2. Get paperwork for return label printed off

3. Go to library

4.  Go to School to submit my Substitute paperwork

5.  Clean bathrooms

Question # 3 What snacks do you enjoy?

1.  Popcorn

2.  Chocolate

3.  fresh in season fruit like Strawberries

4.  Chips n salsa

5.  almonds or nuts

Question # 4 What are 5 places you have lived?

1.  Indiana

2.  Texas

3.  South Dakota

4.  Illnois

5.  North Dakota

Question # 5  Name 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire

1.  Donate money to my church and local community

2.  Buy a large lot of land  and build our dream house

3.  Go on a trip around the world for a year

4.  Buy a house for my mother and father in law

5.  Put my kids through college

Here's who I tagged!

1. Willow Bend Prims

2.  Melanie at http://murrayhillmercentile.blogspot.com/

3.  Sherri at Here Goes My Life

4.  Janene at Primitive Lifestyle

5.  Colleen at And Baby makes five

Have a great day!

Carey

Beginning to wish for a little of this....

Really not much going oh here just enjoying the long weekend with my family, and doing a little wishing for Spring.  I know it's early but I can't wait to see some new green growth after all this cold dreary weather we've been having.  I know it's been rainy and super foggy here with little to no sun.  Sure could use just a few little glimpse of spring, maybe in a few months.  Ah...the promise of Spring!

How about you?  Are you getting anxious yet?

Carey

Decorating Challenges!

Good morning blogging friends! As many of you know we bought our home in September and buying curtains etc. has been a bit of a challenge.  I needed something for my french doors.  I wanted something that would allow light during the day but give us privacy at night that was easy to close.  Emphasizing the easy part!!! I had some roman style shades that my friend and I made for my other base house but it was difficult to put up and down every night.  I was constantly fluffing etc.  Then there was an issue with the size, every country style website or place that sold primitive curtains didn't have the right size.  My window is exactly 65 1/2 inches long.  Why oh why do manufacturers not make curtains for this?  I'll never know but everything was 63 or 72 inches long.  Custom work is expensive and unlike a lot of you I don't sew. Even though my rods are magnetic and I can move them up and down I just wanted it to cover the window part.  So this is what I came up with on a budget.  These are tab style curtains that I bought at good ole' Walmart.  They are a deep red color.  I knew there would be no matching the prairie curtains and I couldn't find a reasonable off white substitute.  I also bought these black clips so I could custom size them.  I may eventually hem them at the right length but for now I just slide them back and forth.  Couldn't be an easier than that? I spent a few dollars for 2 pkgs. of the clips and the curtains came in a package with a pair of curtains for about $ 14.  Yeah! I love a good deal.  If you have those ugly vertical blinds I think these are a great solution. 

Before
with the dark blue roll up style shades

After

Normally these tabs don't really show due to the light angle in this picture they do this time.

Have a great day!

Carey

Snow Day and a little Creativity

My kids finally got their snow day on Friday.  They were so excited! I thought I would share some pictures of the snow we got and how pretty it looked.  My daughter has been bugging me to share some of her hobbies with you and she loves Webkinz.  She has been collecting them for a little over a year and she has quite a few.  My son collects them too.  They don't just play with them on the computer, we have weddings and parties for them.  She makes videos and sets up all the props, stage etc.  I'm not sure what she will be when she grows up but she sure loves creating and making things.  I try to encourage her all that I can, I think that this is just an important part of being a parent.  When you think about it your kids they are the most important accomplishment that you can have in your life.  It's not about how much money you make or how successful your career is but the life long love from your child that matters most.

So here's some pictures, bear with me and gather your kiddos around the computer they might enjoy them too! My daughter took all these pictures too.

Chill and his son Chilly

I didn't know she put them in the snow, I told her not to do this!

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings for you and your family,

Carey

Looking for a little Winter Cheer?

Need a little inspiration today, I found a great link to beat the January blahs with a whole array of decorating styles and ideas.  Perfect for a chilly snowy day inside!

Check it out and see who is listed

Enjoy!

Carey

Yummy Taco Soup will Warm You Up

Here's a quick recipe for some Taco Soup for Fix It and Forget It  One of the things I love about this cookbook is it calls for few ingredients, and the ease of throwing things together.  I also love that there are 2-3 three of the same recipes on a page.  They are each slightly different.  For example there were 4 different taco soups.  If you don't like one you can try another! It's so easy and I love to brown up a bunch of meat ahead of time stash it in the frig to pull out and dump into the crockpot.  My whole family loves this recipe minus my son he's kinda picky.  I like to serve it with sour cream, cheddar cheese and fritos!

My mother in law found these sweet Holly dishes on clearance at Kroger for a really low price!!!  I couldn't get over how pretty they were for the price.  They say Holiday Time on the bottom and they are dishwasher and microwave safe.  I don't think they say Christmas at all.  Isn't she the sweetest?

Stop by Colleen's Blog for more recipes!

Taco Soup with Pinto Beans

serves 10-12

1lb. ground beef

1 large onion

3 14 oz. cans pinto beans

1 14 oz. can tomates with green chilies

1 can chopped tomotoes

15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Taco Seasoning

15 1/4 oz. can corn, drained

1.  Brown beef and onions in skillet.  Drain.

2.  Combine all ingredients in slow cooker

3.  Cover.  Cook on low for 4 hours or until ingredients are heated through.

** I make a few substitutions to meet my families needs.  I don't put as many cans of beans and I like the Fiesta corn in mine.

Enjoy!

Carey