Red Beans and Rice

Living in Louisiana for several years had some serious advantages. The food is one of the main ones; besides some wonderful friends, of course!

The other day I called my Cajun friend, Tisha, and got her recipe for Red Beans and Rice. True to a good cook, she didn’t have any measurements for the spices, but that’s ok since I rarely follow a recipe word-for-word anyways. These beans turned out so good I told her they were “blog worthy” and I had to share. Here’s the list of ingredients and some steps to follow. (my additions and tips are in red)
Red Beans and Rice
1 small bag of red beans
onion (I used 1/2 of a large one)
Minced garlic (about 2)
Smoked Sausage or Ham (I used 2 links of Andouille sausage and some cubed ham)
salt and pepper
1 cap liquid crab boil (I only had powdered crab boil so I used about 1 tsp)
green onion (I didn’t have any green onions so I used 1/2 of a green bell pepper)
garlic powder
Tony Chachere’s
Worcestershire sauce
Soak the beans overnight with lots of water for at least 12 hours. Dump all of the ingredients in the crock pot seasoning to taste. For everything without a measurement, add a little in the beginning and you can add as it cooks through the day. I sprinkled enough of everything to lightly cover the top of the beans. Half way through cooking, I added some more salt and pepper but everything else seemed to be good. Fill the crock pot with water just enough to barely get to the top of the beans. Set the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. If you feel like it needs thickening, you can either add some spicy Blue Runner beans, mash some of the beans up, or add flour slowly to create a paste then adding directly into the crock pot. Make some Rice, and enjoy!
I hope you try these because they are amazing and feeds us for a long time!!
Thanks Tisha!!

Pantry Makeover

I am so thankful to have my energy back and to be feeling 1000x better! I really did not intend on going this far but I got a little carried away. I really just wanted to clean out the pantry enough to get rid of any expired cans/cereals/etc and to find some appliances for my in-laws garage sale this weekend. I really wish I would have taken a before picture; You could hardly walk in our large walk-in pantry, let alone find anything you wanted. It was bad!!
I still have a little to do since Target didn’t have enough baskets for me but this is good enough for me to be proud of. My first accomplishment in several weeks needs recognition!! Oh the things I get excited about these days…. I have kind of a boring life lol.

Here is a shot looking into the pantry. (I really want a wide angle lens, by the way!)

Notice a few things that I love 1. the baskets. I found the big ones at Target on sale for $8 and the metal mesh and bushel style ones at Hobby Lobby 50% off. Score!! 2. I also stocked up on plastic storage for the cereal and the pop up lid OXO kind for pasta and baking stuff. 3. all of the appliances are unwrapped and lined up nicely on the top shelf. I love being able to easily and quickly access the food processer, griddle, crock pot so easily! 4. My other favorite is out of view but it’s how I organize my spice packs. Ill show a picture below.

Here is the awesome spice rack that is attached to the door. It is so nice and sturdy and the horizontal rods that keep the spices from falling are adjustable for skinny to fat spice bottles. I was able to get rid of tons of spices that we NEVER use (some are were even from our wedding gift spice rack thing. I think if I have not used it in 5 years I don't really need it) and narrow it down to just what fit in the door and a few on the shelf.

As you can see in the picture I have a large Target bag full of cookie cutters that I still need to figure out what to do with. maybe another basket . Remember my “Treats” letters?

*(excuse this HORRIBLE picture above. I couldn’t get a good exposure without the flash. An external speedlight is on my very near wish list!)
Here’s a close up of my cereal just for kicks

And, My pop-up OXO containers for backing stuff and pasta. Avery loves to pick out what shape noodles she wants at meal time. Whatever it takes to get her to eat!!

Here’s a close up of the wire baskets from Hobby Lobby. This is not what I originally had in mind but when I saw these on a display by the check out I HAD to have them! I love that they came in round and rectangle and I love the lace on the edge of the lining along with the bows. The handles on the rectangles are super cute, too!

I used these to organize the kid snacks. Candy, fruit snacks, cookies and cake mixes, nuts and peanut butter/nutella, crackers and pretzels, baking stuff like sprinkles and icings and food colors, etc.

These are the baskets from Target. I have a 3rd with breads in it out of view. I need to get 2 more; 1 for more coffee stuff and other drink mixes.

These are the bushel style baskets I intend for potatoes and onions. I don’t have any at the moment but it will be real cute filled with produce!

I got rid of the huge paper box from Sam’s Club full of plastic silverware that was full of plastic silverware we have accumulated from birthday parties, showers, vacations, and just every day. I had to sacrifice 3 of my large Tupperware but I couldn’t find a better solution at the store. Good enough! Now I can easily find a fork if I need one, or a spoon, or a knife! ahhh bliss lol

Here’s is my solution to all those packets of spices that get tossed around and lost between other things. A clear over-the-door shoe organizer! I’ve actually had this up for a long time but never really talked about it. I feel like a genius for coming up with this one (even though I am sure I am not the first)! lol

I even use one of the slots for clips and twist ties!

Here’s my plastic bag holder and spot for my aprons to hang. nothing real special here, but it’s functional!

And, finally, my open floor!! I hate that I don’t have anywhere else to store my empty china boxes but they are pretty much out of the way, so oh well. Also, that purple bag on the floor is a large insulated bag that is full of smaller ice chest bags and such for bottles. I think I threw about 10 in the garage sale stack, too! I had WAY too many!! lol

I love this video!

Not for any particular reason, I guess, I just love to see my girls so happy! I have been struggling with morning sickness the past few days so this was something to brighten my day. although I am not exactly thrilled that Avery can get in the crib, I really could care less right now lol
My favorite parts:
1. Norah’s bed head. never a disappointment!
2. Avery is naked. she NEVER wears clothes when we are at home. that’s just her. luckily she keeps her panties on and normally in public she is good about staying dressed.
3. when I say in the video that Norah slept too long, Norah gasps as if to say “what?! you can’t ever sleep too long!” That is her, too. she loves her naps and would sleep all afternoon if I let her. I have had to cut her down to 2 hours or she will never go to bed at night and then be up several times during the night.

Baby #3!!

Yep, this is the reason for so few posts lately.
We are so very excited about another addition to our family but we know a few things for sure:
1. This is our last baby. I had always had dreams of having 4 but having them so close together has proven to be harder than I ever anticipated and I am crazier that I ever thought I would be lol. BUT I am sooo very GLAD we have had them all so close together. I want them to be best friends like me and my sisters. I think that is one of the greatest gifts parents can give; sibling love. baby #4 will just have to be a puppy lol
2. with my sister expecting her 3rd baby girl and with my 2 girls, it’s hard to convince me that this one will be a boy. For a while I was really hoping to have a boy but I think that if it’s a girl they will have a bond that can’t be replaced and if it’s a boy I am sure they will have a different kind of bond that is equally as special. I just can’t speak from experience here since I don’t have any brothers. Anyways, I can’t wait to find out what it is and I am truly happy either way.
3. He/she is due June 1. I am glad I will be done before it gets too hot!
4. I am already in maternity clothes. I am only 9 weeks along and my jeans are already very snug. With my first baby, Avery, I was so stubborn and forced myself in my jeans for as long as I possibly could. This time, I am all about the stretchy pants and comfort level. I really could care less. lol
5. I have never had any morning sickness and I still have not had any with this one but I have been much more hormonal! I barely have the energy to get up off my butt everyday but I can’t get away with being lazy anymore. I am lucky to get 5 minutes to close my eyes while Norah naps and Avery “rests.”
6. I am so over being pregnant. I have never been one of those people that just LOVES being pregnant and relishes every minute of it. I have pretty easy pregnancies so I should appreciate it more, but I am extra ready for this one to be over. Mainly because I know that I will finally be able to loose the baby weight and it will be for good! I am an extremely self conscious person so dealing with pregnancy weight gain is hard for me to swallow. 
7. Although on one hand I say I am ready for it to be over, the other part of me is so nervous about the aspect of 3 kids! I wasn’t nervous at all with my first baby and that was a true life changing event. Baby #2 wasn’t scary to me since I felt like I had the baby thing down and I have 2 hands so 1 for each baby. Now, I will have 3 and I am so scared that I will never sleep again and I am worried that I will not have enough hands to go around every day. I keep telling myself it will be find and people do it everyday but I get freaked out. hopefully it’s just the hormones because these feelings didn’t surface till recently.

We find out around Christmas what the baby is so I will be waiting to do any nursery decorating until then.
Please pray with us for a happy healthy baby!

New Venture

I have had a website for my photography for a while now. Up until recently I have just focused on Fine Art (still life, landscape, nature) photography but I have decided that I want to open up to family portraiture, also. I need A LOT of practice and experience still before I can say that I am “good” but I have lots of sessions coming up that I hope to get lots of practice out of! I am doing a newborn shoot very soon (whenever that baby decides to grace us with her presence) and I will get to to my future niece in February, a maternity shoot, a few family shoots, and 2 engagement sessions. I am ecstatic! I love that this is something that I can do from home with my girls and I can be as busy or not busy as I want to be! I hope you check out my website I have made lots of changes and updates over the past few days and I love it even more!
Click here or click on the link on the sidebar on my blog home page.

Fall Headband

Today was a blustery yucky rainy early fall day so it was perfect for a quick sewing project. Actually, I started this a few days ago, but I had to put it on hold because my sewing machine was giving me fits, but I got to finish it today.
I absolutely love the headband craze right now! I thought I would have fun and make one out of some scraps I have laying around. I cut a strip 4.5” wide by 21.25” long.

I actually decided to add a little length to it so I had to make a little 2” tab at the end, but it actually worked out okay because it worked great with the button.

I folded it in half long ways, right sides together and sewed it together.

Turned it back right side out

Closed the open end by folding the raw edged under and sewed it down with a top stitch.

Picked out a button from my button stash and hand stitched it on. Don’t you love the creamy pearl with this fabric? I do! Also, can you see the “tab” I talked about? worked out okay to me! I love it when mistakes turn out for the better

This is where I had to stop. This should have been an hour long project but my buttonhole foot would NOT make a buttonhole!! I eventually gave up and made one by hand with a zig-zag stitch. it’s not perfect, but it works.

Now, for the fabric flowers. I decided to do a ruffled flower out of some scrap satin fabric that I had and some rosette style out of some red to pull out the red in the headband fabric. Here’s a close up:

I decided a didn’t like just one big flower so I made a second one that is slightly smaller. The satin fabric frays really bad, but I don’t seem to mind it much.

I sewed them on and viola! it’s done! Honestly, I can’t decide if I like it. I mean, I like the headband by its self but I don’t know if I am brave enough to wear it. I tend to shy away from “big” or “loud” fashion but hopefully I will get brave and wear it one day this fall.

P.S. I HATE taking pictures of myself but I needed to show it on my head. excuse the cheesy pics!!

My Little Yellow Table

This is another piece of furniture I got out of Jeff’s grandma’s house recently. It is currently being used as an end table in the guest room and needed some TLC. It needed to be sanded down and either restained or painted. Since I have always wanted to do some stenciling on furniture, I thought this would be a great piece to try it out on. Let’s just say, that I had a few “oops” with this project (I seem to have lots of those lol) but I think it turned out ok in the end. Here it is as I got it:

I sanded it down and spray painted the whole thing a soft yellow. The same color as these pots.

Ok, so here was the fun part! I laid out a stencil that I found a the craft store and taped it down, got out some white paint and a roller and went to town. I thought it worked great until I pulled the stencil up and realized that the white paint bled all under the stencil so it looked HORRIBLE!! I was not happy! Since I had used spray paint it’s not like I could just go touch up the smears. ugh!!!!!

 

Turns out you should read the instructions first! ha! I should have sprayed the whole back of the stencil with repositionable spray adhesive first to make sure every square centimeter is tightly up against the surface. Now, I know for next time I stencil a table! ha

After I cooled down and the paint dried I dug through my cabinets and realized I had a quart of yellow paint I had used several weeks ago on some other stuff. It matched pretty darn closely and you couldn’t even tell where I touched up from the original spray!! SCORE!!!

It took about 2 hours of tedious work and I was about cross eyed by the end, but I was able to get the lines all straight.

Thanks to Home Goods, I was able to do this whole project with accessories for just about 50 bucks! Works for me!! I think the yellow looks great next to the soft grey/purple walls, and the ash wood lamp with linen shade and textured frame with baby picture complete the set!