In Progress Report

  I thought I had better pop in and tell my readers 'Hello' since it has been awhile!  We have been busy with different projects, some are pulling together quite nicely - others not so much!

This cart is getting revamped to become my printer stand.  I have had some spray paint issues and it remains 'in progress'.

Man Cave is now complete!  Just got the light installed on Sunday.  

Nothing like ordering antiques from Ebay and having them arrive broken.  This mug lost it's handle.  Sad day for me....still waiting on a resolution (I think that is the Ebay word).

Bathroom upstairs is 'in progress'.  The toilet is function-able, we have a leak on the facet - haven't had time to get back to see what's wrong for sure.  The shower needs a door.  It's getting closer!

That's pretty much what's going on.  I am trying to get some stuff unpacked into the office so I can start scrap-booking soon.  I hate being so far behind.  I have moved Mr T's toys upstairs which has helped with the living room downstairs being a little less messy.  We are still waiting on our pellet stove to arrive.  That has been a run-around but a stove is on the way now.  Hubs built our floor mantle(?) for the stove to set on it, looks great!

Well, I think that I am off to play 4-Wheeler cowgirl today in the warm 20 degree temps!  Have a Blessed Day!
~C~

A Pantry Revisited

  This week, I finally convinced Hubby to put the extra shelves that we had bought last summer up in the main pantry.  We decided to start with three and see if we want more as time goes on.  I am loving the extra space already!

  Here's the pantry as we started.

First, you send in Mr T to pull out the stuff being stored on the floor.

Second, take a picture of the mess - it's the cool thing to do!

We added the 3 shelves on the right.  The top shelf is 12 inches deep and the other two are 8 inches deep.

Happily filled and organized shelves.

The middle shelf is holding my extra baking supplies that don't fit into my baking cupboard.  The bottom shelf holds a basket with our different cooking mixes.  The right side is filled with containers with various to-go snacks for Mr T.  Needing to get some more labels made.

Bottom left side houses the extra canned goods on the shelf, then the floor is the bottled drinks, basket of chip bags and a few other extras.  Also, we finally got trim installed in the pantry during this process.  

The top half of the left side.  Very top shelf holds some of the extras (haven't gotten them all put up there yet), the middle shelf holds  a box with my extra dressings (Ranch, ketchup and etc), the basket of pudding mix,  olive oil , peanut butter, and vinegar.  The last shelf holds the breakfast items.  

That's the end of the Revisit to the Pantry!  Enjoy!

~C~

The Delay Button

  This winter, the Delay Button has really helped me out around the house.  I thought that fall was a time to get caught up, however that wasn't the case this fall.  I think it all started back in September when the calves started getting sick, continued on thru weaning and having the calves sorted up into extra bunches needing different feed for each bunch, and then the cold snap in December.  It seemed like I just could not get caught up in the house in to save my soul.

  So, I got in in tune with my delay button and it totally saved my life!  I started using the delay button first on the dishwasher.  At the end of the day, I pile everything into the dishwasher and then delay start it for four hours, that way the dishes are cleaned and dry by the time I get up in the AM.  I was starting the dishwasher after I got it loaded but then it was running when I went to bed and since I am a super light sleeper, I could never fall asleep since our dishwasher is a little noisy.  Cleans awesome but it is noisy and an 1+ hours to finish.

  During the cold snap, I started using the delay button on the wash machine, and it totally saved my life!  I was struggling getting time enough to wash a load of clothes, dry them and fold/put away since we were in and out so much.  I don't like to have machines run when I am not home (in case they don't shut off).  When I got up in the AM, I would throw together a load of clothes and set the delayed timer for the time that I thought I would be back to the house for breakfast.  Usually, that was two hours delayed, since I was back in about three hours.  Then I could dry the load of clothes during breakfast.  Laundry would be done for the day (If I stick to one  load of day, that will usually get us by) and I was ready to continue on with feeding for the rest of the day.  This helped a lot since I wasn't trying to wash bedding while Tyson needed to nap and I could fold clothes in the afternoon when I had time.  This also saved me from having Hubby having to do laundry!

  I am a huge fun on the delay button, I think it all started with that wonderful snooze button on the alarm clock! ;)   Well, I hear the washing machine just kicked off, I had better get things in the dryer before my day actually starts!!!

  Have a Blessed Day!
  ~C~

Week Recap

  Well, I did it or at least I am trying to Potty Train Mr T.  It's been a rollercoaster for me and lots of extra laundry.  However I do think that we are the right path, at least I hope so since I just sold all of the extra diapers.  In my mind, it was either do it or well do it!  That has taken up most of my week.  I did manage to get out and check cattle, we seem to be pretty much over the sickness in calves.  Of course, the cooler temps and the little rain that we have received helped immensely. 

  Plans are in the making for getting started to wean the rest of the calves.  We have a couple days of helping neighbors in the upcoming week along with a visit from Mr T's ND Grandma and Grandpa.  It's nearly birthday time!  I can not believe that he is about to turn 3, hence the need to get this Potty Training ordeal accomplished. 

  The rest of my week was spent decluttering.  I have torn apart nearly every closet (in the main floor level) and got rid of lots of stuff.  I thought that I had done a decent job when we moved but I still found things that I no longer want/use/need.  It's a very satisfying feeling to get rid if 'junk'.  I am trying to sell things on online garage sale sites and if that don't work....dumpster time!   I feel like at least when Potty Trainings isn't going the direction that I want, I am still accomplishing something!

  Hopefully one of these days that I get back and track to posting ranching stuff again, in the meantime - bear with me! 

Have a Blessed Day!
~C~

Meal Planning

  I have always been an advocate for meal planning.  It helps keep me a little more on the sane side when it comes to the mad breakfast, lunch and supper rush of the day.  Planning, preparing and serving three meals a day can take a lot to handle even on the days that I am here in the house all day.  The days when I spend most of my time helping the guys....forget getting a decent meal on the table unless I have a previous thought out meal plan.  I have tried to use a spreadsheet (friends - can you imagine,  I would create a spreadsheet?!) but then I would lose it mid-week or Mr T would use it as his 'coloring' paper and it would be toast. 

  I had pinned several things via Pinterest in hopes of creating a board like THIS.  However, the time and effort that it was going to take to make such an elaborate board made me never even want to start.  The other day, I was in a town large enough to house an Office Depot (without a husband or a toddler!) and I thought I was in heaven :).  While, browsing I stumbled across this....

  and decided that it would be a perfect menu planning starter for me.  I think I paid about $12.00 for it and it's a removable sticker.  I decided to purchase a cheap black picture frame and stick the sticker to the glass so that I could move it around to write on the meal planner.   Since this frame come with a white mat, I just spray painted the mat turquoise to go with my kitchen and called it good!

  So far, it's working really great.  I am glad that I spent a little bit of $$$ for the ease of creating my own meal planner.  Oh and yes, we do eat a lot of pancakes around here.  That would be Mr T's favorite food and asks for it nearly every meal.  I try to limit him to just breakfast a couple times a week though!

  Hope that this inspires you in some way today!

  Have a Blessed Day!
~C~

A New Rug

  So far it's only 9AM and I have already had to change clothes....tis the life of a Rancher's wife/daughter.  I had to help load out 75 head of Replacement Heifers this morning and since I was helping Boss Man (who was the official truck driver today), that meant that I got to open the gates and set up the pot (trailer that you haul cattle in when you use a Semi) and load the cattle, then shut the gates.  Let's just say that it can be a messy job! 

  Now, Mr T and I are back home while Boss Man takes the heifers to our land by town.  Hubby left earlier this AM with a pickup and flatbed trailer to start putting in a cross fence on some of our other land up by town.  They have an action packed day planned and it's suppose to be on the warm side.  I plan on staying home and getting some desserts ready for our upcoming branding (not sure when but I want to be prepared!).

  Back to the title of the post....a new rug....and a 'reorganized' entry way.  We finally bought a rug that fit our entry way and it happens to be a customized made rug as well.  We didn't send a lot about $200 and it's a commercial grade rug.  I spent the extra dollars since this rug needs to handle being cleaned almost daily by vacuuming and I like to take my large rugs outside and power wash them once or twice a year.  I plan on this one lasting me a long time! 

"Before" - About August 15, 2012

"After" - May 15, 2013

New basket and a much more 'lived in' look!

Mr T's little cap/coat hook and his chair.

 

  As always, home organization is on going process!!!  Enjoy your day!

 

  ~C~

Spice Organization

  I started this project about 2 months ago.  I really wanted a simpler method of madness for my spice organization and found inspiration thru this POST.  I started out by pulling all of my spices out and getting rid of the outdated ones, then I decided to use baskets to group them together.  I had two baskets the right size on hand and I just finally broke down and got the other two that I needed.  I went with baskets in an upper cabinet due to a 2.5 year old toddler that gets into EVERYTHING!  I eventually would like to move my spices to a drawer but I am guessing that will be a few years down the road so for now....

The spices look like this :)

I used my double-sided adhesive from Stampin' Up to adhere the labels (that I made using my SU label punch and stamp) for easy removal in case I decided to update or change the labels.

Two of the Four categories...Baking and Extra Spices.

The other two....Grilling and Cooking.

Sorry about the bad photo but here is my Spice List that I put on the inside of the cabinet door to keep a ready reference to what I have on hand or need to buy.  I broke this list into my four groups also.  However, I have already realized that I need to add to this list with my Broth bases so it's definitely a work in progress :).

  I do really like my system so far, when I want a basket, I just pull it off of the shelf and grab the spice that I need.  I am sure that I will keep adding to the system as I need to but for now - it works!  I do have room to add another basket if the need arises. 

Hope that you enjoyed an organization post!

Have a Blessed Day!
~C~

A Peak at my Baking Cabinet

  I followed Clean Mama last month on her month long series of Kitchen Cleaning and Tips.  She had a lot of great posts with awesome ideas for me to think about (and I suppose the rest of her readers).  I ended up put my baking cabinet in order even thought I had started work on my spice cabinet but I am awaiting a trip to Walmart to get two more particular style baskets that they sell instore only. 

  Here's what the baking cabinet looks like:

  I put two baskets in here, one houses the handmixer and attachments, the other baskets has all of the food coloring and icing related typed stuff.  I have the powdered sugar, brown sugar, white sugar and flour in their individual containers with my fun new labels on them.  I have two different containers that contain my chocolate chips and other chips.  I am thinking about getting some awesome tea tins (like these) and put the salt, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and cocao in to make an even prettier more useful space for baking. 

  I do feel better everytime I open the door to this cabinet to do some baking and see the organization!

  Have a Blessed Day!
  ~C~

Basket Explosion!

  On our trip to the BHSS, I got to spend a half hour in Target gathering up a few essential items for the home.  I browsed quickly thru the basket storage and bought a couple of cute ones.  When I got home, I started to think that I could really use a few more so I got online, found a good price and free shipping!

They came in sets of 4, so I got every size :)

Top view

  When these baskets arrived, I kinda felt like the crazy basket lady!  However, I already have put some to use in the pantry, baking cabinet, Mr T's toy storage and my desk.  I had previously bought some in turquoise for my laundry room and they also come in a lime green color and white (I think)....they are just fun!  These baskets are plastic which is ideal for me since they will be easy to wash if they are dirty or dusty and seem to be pretty durable.  I am now going to find more uses for my pretty baskets!

  Have a Blessed Day!
  ~C~