Monday, February 21, 2011

Beer Bread

One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2011 was to try one new recipe a week. Not gonna lie, that hasn't been happening. I did really great in January and then notta in February. Well, today I restarted menu planning and I AM going to try some new recipes. I had been trying to find new main menu items and I realized that just isn't going to work. So, I am going to add breads, desserts, drinks, whatever it takes to meet my goal. Since I tried about two new recipes a week in January, I am TECHNICALLY, not behind, YET.

I would like to share some of the recipes I liked, starting with Beer Bread. I love using Food.Com to find recipes. It is nice to have so many options right there, instead of just relying on what is in the local Church cookbook.

This Beer Bread Recipe was added to the sight by Gerald Norman and its recipe number is 73440 (just in case my link doesn't work. We really liked this bread. It was fast, super easy and it tastes great. I have tried it with different beers and there really is a difference in flavor. I highly suggest trying it out.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Ahhh Sports

At the beginning of February, I was very excited. Superbowl Sunday brought an end to football for yet another year.

Growing up, I was never a huge fan of sports. We watched, because my father and eventually brother followed, but Mom didn't so neither did the girls. We really did watch the Superbowl for the ads. In High School, I REALLY didn't like sports, although I did play my Freshman and Sophomore years, because that is what you do in Hicktown, USA.

Anyway, once in college, still didn't really care for sports, but I was dating Farmerstone and he LOVES sports. Football Season for both College and the NFL are a big deal, at least that is what I am lead to believe. I stuck firm to my attitude of not caring, but eventually got sucked into the football mania. First, I was told I had to pick a NFL team. In our circle of friends their were fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, and the Miami Dolphins. I went with the Detroit Lions. They SUCKED, like worst ever, and I thought they could use a fan. Their QB was rather good looking. Their color was a pretty blue and, if I had to wear something related to a team, I didn't want to have to wear a nasty color. That is honestly how I picked them. It was very thought out and researched based. At about the same time Farmer took me to see a Nebraska game. We watched Penn State play Nebraska at home. I remember Farmer telling me that it was a big deal because Joe Pa would be leaving Penn soon. Man, he was so wrong! Yes, I was fully sucked in.

I was horrified when a few years later, I realized I knew what the Crimson Tide was and I knew the names of the Texas schools and their teams. I had somehow, by osmosis I think, learned the NFL teams, plays, positions, penalties, and, horror or horrors, the names of players. Worst of all, starting last year I VOLUNTARILY have been watching FOX Sports on Sundays. HOW EMBARRASSING is that! I have informed-ish opinions on football subjects. (Insert horrified, full body shiver right there!) Somehow, though, I really don't watch many of the games. You can get all the important stuff from the TV and internet or your husband can DVR the game and flip through it in about an hour. NICE! Soooooo, I am actually happy it is over and I am already kind of dreading the start of the next go around. I already know I am going to learn more and possibly even care more. Yikes!

Now, I must suffer through Basketball. The Sucky 16, the Egotistical 8 and the . . . I won't type what I call the final 4. I will not get sucked into Basketball. However, I do know the rules, positions, plays. It wouldn't be that hard to learn the teams and players.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Saturday, February 19, 2011

My Reality

I have accepted my reality. I am not a crafty blogger. Really, at the moment, I am not much of a blogger at all. There is no reason for me to try to be. I have this problem with my Diary too. I keep thinking of all the other people who might read it some day and I freeze, because I don't want to write the wrong thing. Alas, I have moved on. I am not going to worry about this blog. I will be here when I have time and I won't when I don't. I will write about things I want to, craft or farm or family related and that is final. I will not worry about the rest of the people in the great unknown. I can't or I will never ever get anything on here.

It is time for me to figure out who I am. I am going to use this Blog to find that out. Or at least keep track of all of me to see if I can figure it out!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cattle

Since I STILL don't have any pictures taken of any projects I have completed, I will have to talk about some things that have been on my mind.

I am married to a Farmer, shocking, I know, as the name kind of gives it away. However, I was raised a Rancher. One might not think so, but there IS a difference. Watching my husband and father-in-law dink around with their little cow/calf herd and their feeder calves drives me CRAZY! I can't say a thing about how they grow their corn or beans, because I don't know anything about it. Oh, but the cattle I know and they are oh so doing it wrong. Of course, I have no say in the matter and have to keep my big mouth shut at all appropriate times. But, someday, they will be mine :)

As we head out of January and head into February, March and Spring, I start thinking about calving season. I miss it. If anyone tells my father that, I will deny it and denounce you as insane! I miss the cute little calves, I am a girly girl after-all. I kinda miss calves in the bathtub, on the floor of the bathroom in front of the heater or in front of the heater in the hallway. Babies worth money always won the warmest spots in the house! I even enjoy the memory of waking up one morning to a little black calf standing in our bedroom. My sister's and I horrified that it might poop on our clothes that were scattered on our floor.

I don't necessarily miss chasing a stupid cow around a pasture for an hour at 2 am, but it didn't hurt me, as my parents reminded me. I know how to use pulling chains, have seen a few c-sections and have witnessed the birth of quite a few calves. I wasn't overly fond of carrying buckets of water or feed and didn't always enjoy the daily chores, but I did like the bottle calves we always seemed to collect every year.

I honestly didn't think I was learning a whole lot while I was out there. I never considered myself much of a rancher's daughter. I did animal judging in FFA, but that is what everyone did. I didn't actually KNOW anything about it or have any opinions on it, right? Oh, oh so wrong. I have opinions on everything. The uppity Rancher's daughter in me laughs or cringes at these Farmer's attempts at raising cows. Of course, they are doing a perfectly decent job and it is working just fine for them, but it isn't the way it is suppose to be done. It isn't the way my Daddy did it!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Update

I can't even tell you how many times I have said to myself, "I need to update my blog." It didn't happen. My #1 excuse being I am pregnant and tired. Why did I think it would be a good idea to get preggers and have a 3 and a 2 year old? Oh yeah, it was because Wa was still a baby when I was pregnant with Kiki and I was perfectly capable of taking a nap and sleeping in whenever I felt the need. Neither child will oblige me this time around. I have started several projects and still need to take some pictures to share some I have finished. I have even already tried 4 or so new recipes that I want to share. I have already read 3 books this year too, which I should blab on and on about :) Tomorrow, I usually find myself saying Tomorrow. This time, this year, I am going to make this a priority. Not top or #1, but somewhere high enough to make this worth it.

I have been doing somethings on the computer. I have become a blog hunter and stalker. Looking for people to read and to steal ideas from. I am having a great time doing that. I LOVE other people's blogs. Jealousy!!

Monday, January 10, 2011

2011

2011 is already proving to be a busy year. The projects are piling up and life is already kicking my butt. That is alright. This year I am not making a to-do list. I won't get it done and I will be disappointed in myself. Why do that? I am taking it one project at a time, with the hope of making some homemade gifts this year instead of buying SO many. I do need to make a baby quilt for my sister. Of, course her little boy is due March 3rd and I haven't even picked out a pattern. Yikes! I also need to make a baby quilt for myself as Baby Farmer Stone #3 is due on June 13th. There is actually a lot I need to do connected with Baby #3, but I have a feeling it is going to be VERY last minute!

I do have some New Year's Resolutions for 2011 that I would like to put down for myself.

1. Everyone has to use their words. (Wa has a speech delay and we need to do more at home to help him.)

2. Be a local tourist. (There are plenty of local options for us to visit and see without traveling far and spending more money then we should.)

3. Try a new recipe each week. (We need a little more variety and a few new options in our house. It won't kill anyone to try something new, either eating it or making it.)

4. Read at least 24 books this year. (Any length of book and in any genre works, except Board Books and anything with Curious George!)

As always there is a weight loss goal, but I am pregnant so it can't really start until after June. There might actually be more, but at this very second Kiki is freaking out because Wall-E is over. It is a real tragedy and it must be fixed!

Here is to a New Year!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Here we go again

So, it is January of 2011 and I can not even pretend that I kept up my blog for 2010. In fact it was rather pathetic. From the crafts I wanted to get done, well I finished NONE. No baby quilts, the Quiet Books are not even close to being finished and there were no hand stitched cards for Christmas. That is really a fantastic record. 0-4 I am so very proud of myself! This year WILL be better.

I have a new list of to do's and the old one is still in play. I still have to add the projects I finished in 2010 because some of them I am very proud of. I really will finish something and post about it. I have to or I might as well delete this blog.