Getting ready for the 4th...

Isn't this a beautiful front porch!! It is not mine, but I hope ours will look similar when we are done with our renovations. In the meantime I can only dream.

I found this image too ...I love how simple it is.

Today I am thinking about the 4th, I love this holiday!! Casual out door entertaining with family friends and yummy food. This year we are celebrating it  at my parents cottage( lol, my mom thinks it's funny that I call it that) with my sisters family. It is within walking distance to the school where they have the fireworks display and ice cream social. We have gone every year for as long as I can remember. It is a tradition that is so special to my kids.

Tomato, basil, mozzarella salad

Menu for this years celebration... this is what I came up with:
Crock Pot pulled pork sliders http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/detail.aspx
Hot dogs for the kids
Pasta salad...my recipe
Amazing coleslaw...need to get recipe from my friend
or
Tomato, fresh basil and mozzarella salad
Home made potato chips http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/homemade-potato-chips-recipe/index.html
Corn on the cob
Watermelon wedges

Mini apple pies
Homemade ice cream

Iced Tea
Fresh lemonade

This may change a little depending on what my sister is making, but it sounds sooo good right now!

Family farm, jumping fish, and Worlds of fun...

I can't believe that it is almost the 4th of July. This last month has been a blur. We have spent some part of everyday at my family farm for the last 28 days. A lifetime of stuff to sort, pack and move. A house, two barns, multiple out buildings and sheds all had to be loaded into two trailers. Seven tractors, two combines, multiple plows, a forklift, two grain trucks, 6 pick-ups, two boats and a lawnmower all had to be taken to a neighbors farm. As of yesterday we were done...well as done as we could be. Around two o-clock the levee broke and water started pouring in, by four water was over the roads. Now we wait. Wait to see how high the water gets and if they will be able to return.

Packing up the barn

My dad and uncle watching the water rise

The flooding has brought in all of these Asian Carp. They were originally brought over from China in the early 70's and now have over populated the river. When they get scared they jump. Boat moters and other loud sound get them flying out of the water. When I took this, my son had been beating on a metal pole...crazy!

These are Asian Carp. They Jump when the hear loud noises

On Sunday we went to Worlds of Fun and it was...uh...fun...NOT! Well, it was for my family. I can handle about 4 hours and then I'm done. My husband and kids, on the other hand LOVE going there. They also like to go when the park opens and stay till it closes. This was my husbands employee appreciation party...hence the matching t-shirts. We had a good time for the most part, it was just sooo hot. My kids had a great time and that was the important thing. 

Funnel cake...YUM!

Aiden, Brandon, Luke and Miranda

The hat store...

Hanging out on the farm and a little more packing...

I think we are on day 15 now of sorting, packing and moving my parents. So many memories and so much stuff. As my sister and I were taping up about the 100th box, we were discussing how we felt guilty about our kids missing summer activities that we had planned for them. Her oldest son over heard this and was quick to say how much fun he had been having coming to the farm. My sisters reply was "really?" He explained that they have been having a blast hanging out with their cousins everyday. We started talking about all the fun we had as a kid on the farm with all of our cousins. We just wish it was under different circumstances that we were spending so much time down there.

What little boy doesn't love to throw rocks

Cousins having fun

Water is rising fast

Aiden was sooo tired his cousin had to carry him home

Luke walking Charlie

Water over all of the farm land . These are fields that usually have soy beans planted in them.

Here are a few pictures that I took of my daughter while we were down there. She will graduate from cosmetology school in August and has started a beauty blog and facebook page for her business. She wanted a few new pictures to put on her blog. These are some that I liked, I'm sure she will have a different opinion.

                     

Thanks for moving with me!!

I decided to move my address to reflect my name, so if you are here thanks for following me!! This is my old blog. I have several post that I couldn't get to move, if you want to look.

 Here is the link...

http://acharmedlife08.blogspot.com/

June 17th, 2011 Aiden the Destoyer...Mimi Rose and Oliver

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Mimi Rose, Oliver and Aiden the destroyer

This is what I walked in on  today. I was cleaning the kitchen and Aiden had been so quiet...well this is why. He decided to paint himself with the new paints he had gotten from grandmas house.

Meet Mimi Rose and Oliver, our new babies. We got them at Kids day about two weeks ago. They were so skinny and unhealthy that i wanted to make sure they were all right before I posted anything.

June 13th, 2011 A Story of a Family Farm.....

Monday, June 13, 2011

A Story of a Family Farm

It's Monday morning, I have spent my last week packing up my parents house.They live in an area that is part of a controlled flooding. They were told to evacuate and that they had about two weeks to get out before the water reached their home. 45 years of belongings, and a barn have been loaded into two 40 foot trailers to be stored until they know what they are going to do. Seven tractors, grain trucks and many other pieces of equipment have been taken to neighbors in the hills It has been a sad and busy week for all of us and I am so blessed to have an amazing family who have come to help. It is never a situation of calling people, they all just show up and ask what to do.

This is a picture of  my dad, his sister and brother. There are four of them left out of six siblings. They all live within a half hour of the farm. I have never known a family  as close as they are, they are always there to help each other no matter what the situation. All six of them were born and raised on this farm. The farm was purchased in 1850 by my Great, great, grand father. It has been passed down to each generation to farm. It's been a sad couple of weeks for them, but they all still have a smile on their face.

My dad and his sister and brother

While I was down there I took some pictures of the things that have been around for many years. I thought they were interesting and they have many memories attached.

This is an old house barn that sits on the property. It has seen it's day. My sister and cousins spent many summers playing in the top of that barn.

                               These are just a few other pictures that I thought were interesting.

Of course my kids have had a blast playing with all their cousins everyday, they come home exhausted and filthy dirty from playing so hard.

My older son got them all up in the tree and yelled for me to come see them. I was thankful no one fell out!!

My Aiden, the little man of many faces. He loves having his picture taken.

I have no idea how he did this, but he couldn't get himself undone from the pole. I was glad daddy was there because I couldn't stop laughing!

 Well, I am off to the farm again to pack so more. One good thing that has come out of this is that we have gotten rid of so much stuff that they didn't need anymore and I have found a few treasures for myself.

Have a happy day!!

June 9th Pasta Salad

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Pasta Salad

I have posted this recipe before, but I have to feed a large group tonight and thought it would be the perfect  dinner for a hot summer night. Every time I make this simple pasta salad  people go crazy for it and ask for the recipe. It is sooo easy, but good.



This is what you need:
The salad:
1 box dry penne or rotini pasta
1 can "small" black olives
1 container grape size tomatoes
1 cup of fresh mushrooms washed and sliced
1 green pepper diced into bite size cubes...you can also use a combination of red yellow and green...I only had green on hand.

The dressing:
1 seven seasonings kit...comes with measuring bottle and season packet
Olive oil...extra virgin lite
salad vinegar
Use the directions on packet to make dressing

1 cup of FRESH Parmesan cheese
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Fresh cracked sea salt to taste
OPTIONAL...1/4 cup of Italian salad dressing if you want more flavor

Cook pasta, drain, rinse and let cool. Mix salad dressing using directions on package. Add black olives, tomatoes, chopped peppers and mushrooms. Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan  cheese

and fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.

                    YUM!! If you wanted to make this a meal you can add slices of grilled chicken.