Game Night

The other night Scott and I decided to play a few rounds of Yahtzee and had so much fun!

I had forgotten how much I enjoy game night and will be sure to incorporate this into our time we have together when Scott & I aren't working. It turned out I was awesome in round 1 but Scott killed it after the second go around. All I can say is one of us is super competitive and the other is not- I'll let you figure out which is which. In the future we would love to a few people over for a night of fun too, I'll just have to make sure Scott tucks away his desire to win :)

What are some of your favorite ways to spend quality time with your family? Any games that are good for two?

Count Down to Fall

I am so ready for fall! Now that Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving is just around the corner I better get into the Holiday spirit (which shouldn't be so hard)! Actually, I've been preparing for fall for the last few weeks but now that the leaves are finally changing colors and we are in a bit of a cool down, it finally feels like fall!

We started out by getting a new friend - Stanley, our "friendcrow" as we want to be a welcoming house :) But Stanley was a little lonely so shortly after his arrival Stella became part of our family too! I also tried my hand at making a pumpkin wreath for the front door - I think it turned out ok!

Scott and I are blessed to live in maybe one of the most beautiful places to be during the changing of the leaves, unfortunately my camera and phone don't do justice to all of the colors we are surrounded with! This weeks seems to be the peak for the fall foliage, so I will try to capture some pictures this week while I am out and about. 

I've also been careful to try and decorate with things that will carry us into Thanksgiving since I really only like Halloween for an excuse to dress up and eat candy!

Now I just need to make some hot apple cider, plan our fall menu and remember everything I am thankful for!

Trees

When you ask most people where their favorite place in the world, most give an answer of somewhere exotic or far off. My most favorite place is under my parents maple tree in their back yard.

From the first time I saw our house I loves it, but it lacked a big tree in the yard! The house sits on 3 acres of grass that was once a horse pasture so the ground is really fertile except for a few bald spots where the rain washed away the yard. I guess after a year or hinting Scott decided to plant 2 trees for us to watch grow as the years pass. Next to the books Nora gave me for Christmas a few years back, this is just about my favorite present ever.

We are now proud owners of a maple & oak tree! Although the ground is fertile, it is also hard as a rock. Scott wasn't sure he was going to be able to break through enough, but after much perseverance and a lot of encouragement he did it!

I can't wait to watch these grow into tall strong trees. The memories we'll make with these pillars of strength in the background will be priceless. 

Anniversary

A year ago today Scott and I had our first date at a local BBQ place. We were both a little nervous, but when our knees touched under the table I knew there was no looking back. That was the start of an amazing journey.

And what a journey it has been! From our first kiss to traveling across the US to meet my family, it has been a wild ride, but I ride I wouldn't change for anything! There has been a lot of growing and trying new things, laughter and tears, but most of all there has been tons of love.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for us :)

Happy First Anniversary honey, I love you to the moon and back!

Shooting

Guns. I am not the biggest fan in the world. I wasn't raised around them and really just don't understand why people have them other than for hunting. Scott on the other hand is an avid gun enthusiast. He enjoys target shooting and after a little nagging I was invited to go along with him while he sighted in the ones he is going to use for deer season this year.

Shooting was really a lot of fun and I wasn't that bad at aiming! I wasn't a marksman by any means, but I hit the target almost every time and even knocked down a metal gopher target on my first try!

Although it was fun, there is a healthy amount of fear/respect that I have for firearms. Safety was of course our main focus and between Scott and his buddy we were shooting with, I was given a lot of important information. 

While I still don't love the idea of guns and definitely don't want one of my own, I was so glad to be able to shoot one for myself. I look forward to the next time we are able to do it!

Garden

Our garden is officially out of season. It has been for quite some time now, but Scott finally mowed over the remaining tomato plants and weeds.

Honestly I was pretty sad. That garden was a great investment and provided not only us (seen here), but our family and neighbors with lots of fresh produce. I can't wait until next years planting season to arrive. I already have big plans!

County Fair

The Fair.
Corn dogs, funnel cakes, cows, award winning jam, rides, carnies.
The Hickory fair had all those things and more! Scott and I have been talking about the fair for quite some time and somehow it snuck up on us without us noticing!

The fair grounds aren't to far from our house, and that's where the flea market that I love so much (seen here) takes place.  We happened to be talking to friends who casually mentioned the fair and we knew we had to go before it was to late!

Friday night we headed to town for a night of fried foods, bright lights and lots and lots of people. First stop was the animals. I LOVE farm animals and wish we had a cow. They had an area to feed them and of course I jumped at the opportunity! We also watched a demonstration of how they used to cut wood using the power from old tractors, which was pretty cool. Next up, the blue ribbon showing! Did you know people really do enter big tomatoes, or homemade biscuits to see who's is the best in the county?! I thought those days were long gone, so I made Scott look at everything that had been entered with me. Who knows, maybe next year I'll enter something!

After spotting a hunting buddy of Scott's and eating some of the delicious BBQ he was serving up in order to raise money for a local school, we met up with John and Mary (who went to the hunting house with us) for a stroll and some tasty treats!

Now I don't remember ever having a funnel cake, elephant ears - of course- but never a funnel cake so that was the mission of the night. We all settled in and got a different tasty fried thing and boy oh boy was everything good! Between the 4 of us we got a fennel cake with cinnamon & sugar, red velvet funnel cake, fried Oreos and a corn dog.  Yummm!!

We also watched a man being shot out of a cannon. It was pretty intense and not a job that I would want, and piglet racing.

It was a perfect way to spend a warm summer night.

Freezing Corn

Now that we have this HUGE freezer to fill I can take advantage of some of the great deals I've found lately! Our local grocery store had corn on 5/$1 and I had bought a few ears for dinner and discovered it was a great batch!

A few days later I went back, filled my shopping cart (aka Buggy) and asked the cashier not to judge me by the amount of corn I was purchasing. Once home I shucked all the ears on the back deck, broke them in half, boiled for 7 minutes, cooled in an ice bath for 8 (and by ice bath I mean I use the frozen water bottles and packages of hot dogs in place of ice because we didn't have any), let drain on a towel for a for minutes and bagged & labeled.

I am so excited to be eating fresh (well fresh frozen) corn in the winter months! 

Deep Freeze

For a long time now Scott and I have been talking about getting a chest freezer, and after a bunch of research and a 'Yeah God' moment we found one on super sale and snatched it up! Woot for online one day deals and extra online coupons!  Umm hello deal of the year...

Scott wants it to be able to put a big ole deer head (or two) in it, I on the other hand want to use it for our summer harvest (well next years at least) and extreme couponing. Ok, maybe not extreme, but Scott's Aunt is teaching me how to get some good deals.

It is huge! We read that it will run more efficiently if we have it full so right away I filled empty milk jugs with water and froze them. Scott had other ideas and surprised me by coming home with a car full of frozen goodies! We won't be going hungry anytime soon that is for sure!

Finished Product!

I finally got around to finishing the desk & chair I found for the spare bedroom!

At first I wanted to do some wild color since our house is so neutral, but instead I embraced our color pallet and went with a crisp black and white. It also helped that we had a big ole 5 gallon bucket of white left over from the trim in the house. After a quick trip to grab a few cans of black spray paint I was in business!

Sanding the desk and chair ended up being quite the chore. With both sporting thick coats of varnish, my arms got a nice workout. Next time I try to do a project like this I'll invest in a electric sander.

I also updated a little night stand that I've had for years. It started out a lovely pale pink (why I didn't paint it years earlier I'll never know...) but now fits in with the rest of the house!

I absolutely adore how everything turned out! I sit at my new desk and watch the world go by out the window. Scott has his hunting room and now I have my little hideaway too! I love the little details that have been added as the room comes together. On the night stand sits the little turtle Eliza and Lucy made me when I visited last year, the pillows on the bed are from Krystal while she was in the Middle East and my most favorite picture of Scott and I on my desk! I still have big plans for the room, my next project in the chest at the end of the bed.

Now we are just ready for some visitors! 

Soldiers Reunion

Scott's mom Vanessa called to see if I wanted to join her at the Soldiers Reunion Street Fair and of course I said yes! Who doesn't love a street fair?! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and although it was quite different from the street fairs I have grown to love in Portland (Fremont Fest, Mississippi Street Fair) as there we lots of confederate flags flying, but I had a lot of fun!

The festival is set up around the town square which features the old court house/ history museum. The street was set up with different vendors an local businesses showing off their homemade gifts and whatnot. Although I didn't end up purchasing anything, we did sign up for all of the free raffles and I even won a dance lesson!

We stopped for lunch at a BBQ vendor and it was bomb to say the least. I got a huge cheese steak and after making a mess of myself, decided that if ever I was having a party, these guys would be at the top of my catering list!

It was nice to spend time with Vanessa, and fun to see one of our neighboring towns during their highlight of the year. It is a week long festival and have events from a parade to 5k run to live music in the square. Next year I'll be watching out for this to return and plan out my week!

Flooding

Our summer weather has been crazy to say the least. We recently saw record rainfall totals and flash flooding across the state. The county we live in was hit the hardest with 12 inches of rain in a little more than 4 hours and saw flooding on a massive scale.

Scott and I were very lucky not to have any damage as those around us got hit  pretty hard. Our yard looked like a swimming pool, but no damage to our house. 

Here are some pictures of the storm as it hit us and the aftermath in town. 

Flooding/damage around town.

Our yard in the middle of the storm. 

To be honest with you, I love the rain. I could live without the flooding, but the rain makes me feel right at home. And the best part? Usually where there is rain, there is thunder and lightning!

We have had our share of extreme humidity, rain, cold & hot temperatures. People who have lived here their whole lives have never seen anything like it.

I wonder what this winter will bring!?

Desk Re-Do

I found this desk on Craigslist for $20 and it will be perfect for the spare bedroom with a little TLC. Since Scott's work schedule requires him to sleep during the day, I am always trying to not disturb him and have been looking for a desk to put into the bedroom so I can work in there when needed. It will also act as storage for all of our office supplies as they are spread all over the house.

Great Craigslist find!

After a little search I found this desk and knew it was the one! We picked it up a few towns over and brought it home. I've already done the first round of sanding and just need to pick out a paint color now and decide I want to change out the pulls.

Hand sanding in the sun makes for a very tired girl!

Halfway done!

I've been searching Pinterest for ideas but there are just so many to choose from! Any ideas?

Summer Garden Salad

Our summer garden has been pretty good to us this year (see here)! With the tomatoes in full swing my new favorite side dish has been this yummy summer salad... Mmmm so good!

Summer Garden Salad

4 c quartered cherry tomatoes
1-2 diced large cucumber (seeded if necessary)
4-6 chopped green onion stalks
1-2 orange (or red/yellow) bell pepper
1/8 c seasoned rice vinegar
1/8 c olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients into a bowl and taste for seasoning, adding more vinegar, salt & pepper as needed. Serve right away or chill for a few hours.

This is one of those dishes that develops flavor as it sits, so I like to make it at least an hour ahead of serving if I have the time. **Also great with avocado

What a nice and tasty way to get your fill of daily veggies! 

Country Drive

The other day Scott and I wanted to take a drive through the foothills seeking a little adventure. I packed a picnic basket Yogi Bear would be proud of, grabbed my sunnies and we headed out. 

Hey bus driver!

It was a beautiful day, something a little rare these days, and we headed for the hills. Along the way we found a camping area and decided to check it out. 

Photo opp by the lake <3

It was no Timothy Lake that is for sure, but I got a bite from the camping bug and have decided that we should do it next year for sure! I'll have to research places more but I am excited about the possibilities! 

I have a feeling camping here will be more like camping in the VI and less like camping at home. Hopefully I'll survive the bugs... Maybe we should double up on repellent. Now all I need is to find a tent!

Summer Squash Bread

Recipe #5 Summer squash recipe round up.

With so much squash on our hands, finding recipes that Scott and I will both enjoy has been quite a challenge. We have had our share of hits (this bread) and misses (squash cakes - which won't be featured). Scott's favorite is by far the fried squash but this amazing bread takes a very close second!

When I made this bread I was letting it cool while I was Skyping home and decided to take the first taste test while video chatting with my mom. I offered Scott a piece which he quickly and politely rejected. My mom's reaction was priceless, she said "Is he really not going to try that?!" Scott looked at me with puppy eyes and replied "I'll try it, give me a piece." Followed by "This is pretty good!" I am not sure if he thought it was going to be like a wheat bread or what because after trying it he was so surprised to find it was sweet like dessert.

The recipe's I found online were all very similar to zucchini bread, and until Nora suggested I try it with the squash I hadn't even thought of it! Of course it would be good, after all in my opinion the only difference in the summer squash and the zucchini is the color of the skin.

My go to recipe has always been this one from allrecipes.com so it only made sense that this is the one I tried for the squash.

Summer Squash Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2 1/4 cups white sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups grated zucchini

	Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
	Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
	Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini until well combined. (Now if we are going to be honest, I just dump all the ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined, less mess and I can't tell a difference in how it turns out.) Pour batter into prepared pans.
	Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Enjoy with lots of real butter and a cold glass of milk :)

Grilled Squash

Recipe #4 Summer squash round up

Since Scott and I got a grill, I feel like I've become obsessed with it! Unfortunately the rain has kept us from using it a ton, but I try every chance I get! I love that you can take such simple items and with the flavor of the grill, turn them into something wonderful.

I especially love grilled veggies. Asparagus, corn and of course squash!

Grilled Squash (or any kind of veggie)

2-4 summer squash cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3 T olive oil
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Vegetable oil to prepare the grill

Preheat grill to medium heat and oil the grates with a paper towel.
Toss squash, olive oil and salt & pepper until well coated.
Arrange squash flat directly over heat not moving until grill marks form. Turn once and cook until tender.

Dinner is served!

Summer brings such a bounty of so many great veggies, I am doing the best I can to get my fill while they are fresh! 

My Hero!

Scott has a lot of amazing qualities I love. For example, he makes me laugh like no other, takes out the trash, works hard to provide for us and kills spiders (even the semi-deadly ones)!

While going out to check the mail he noticed this little friend in the garage and promptly came back in to tell me. I grabbed my camera and took a deep breath...

Umm yes that is a Black Widow! Eek - I thought it wasn't that big, but Scott told me that it was large for a Black Widow, goes to show I've never seen one before! After I bravely took a picture Scott killed it with a fly swatter.

My Hero!

What would I do without this guy?! I tell you what, I am so thankful that he doesn't mind being the bug killer in the relationship. :)

Squash Casserole

Recipe #3 Summer squash round up

When we gave Scott's mom a bag full of squash she told me she was going to make a squash casserole. I had never heard of such a thing and was instantly intrigued! After a little recipe comparing online and taking a few things here and a few things there, this is what I came up with.

Squash Casserole

6 cups large yellow squash (diced or cut into half moons)
1 T bacon grease (I always save it in the fridge!)
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute the squash and onion in bacon grease and butter over medium-low heat until it has almost completely broken down (still retaining the shape but most of the moisture is cooked out), about 20 minutes.

Mix the remaining ingredients together except cracker crumbs. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

I like the texture of the big chunks of squash. 

I spy some bacon grease...

The finished product!

Vanessa (Scott's mom) does it a little different, she uses Pepperidge Farms Cornbread Stuffing as a topping to the casserole which I am sure is lovely, I just didn't have any on hand when I made mine.

To me is taste like Au Gratin squash and the added flavor of the bacon fat was amazing! This is a recipe I will continue to tweak until I have it perfect, but in my opinion, I don't have far to go! 

Pickled Squash

Round 2 - Summer squash recipes.
I asked my sister Nora for some help finding ways to use our summer squash and she sent me this recipe (just one of many) she found on a blog called The Kitchn. I knew right away I would try it!

They look like art work in the jar!

Although I had to make a few changes from the original recipe as I didn't have everything on hand, they still turned out pretty great! Here is what I did:

Pickled Yellow Squash

2 pounds small yellow squash
1 sweet Vidalia onion
1/2 a small red bell pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 pinch hot pepper flakes

Slice squash into very thin rounds. Remove both onion ends, peel, and cut in half lengthwise. Slice 1/2 of the onion into very thin strips, reserving the other half for another use. Seed and finely dice the bell pepper.

Toss squash, onions, peppers, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add a handful of ice cubes and just enough cold water to cover. Stir well to combine, and set aside for thirty minutes.

Rinse the vegetables well and place in a colander or sieve to drain. Meanwhile bring the vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and yellow mustard to a boil in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from heat, stirring to make sure the ingredients are dissolved, and allow the vinegar to cool for 3-5 minutes.

Gently pat vegetables dry with a towel and place in an airtight container. Pour vinegar over the mixture, tossing a fork to make sure all the slices get soaked. Cover and refrigerate until cool. Strain from brine before serving.

Prefect side to a BLT

They turned out great! I eat them as a side or just snack on them. Mmmmm, my mouth is watering for them now! 

Squash Recipe Round Up

Scott and I were blessed with a ridiculous amount of yellow summer squash which led to a lot of new squash recipes! With the help of my sister Nora and a little research of my own I'll share with you all of our squash adventures.

A good day's harvest

Recipe #1 Fried Squash

This is by far Scott's favorite way to consume our bounty! We've tried it with 2 different batters, here they are:

Deep Fried Squash

2-4 summer squash cut into rounds about 1/8 -1/4 in thick
1 1/2 c flour
1 T seasoning salt
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
Oil for frying
Salt

Mix flour & seasoning salt in a pie plate for dredging. Whisk together egg & milk in another pie plate.
Wash and cut squash into rounds. Dip into the egg wash and toss in flour mixture until well coated. Gently place into hot oil and let fly until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or newspaper and dust with salt while still hot.

Getting nice and toasty!

Squash with cornmeal batter.

I also made the fried squash with a little corn meal in the flour mixture (equal parts flour & corn meal) which added a different texture however it tasted the same. You cal also have fun with the spices you add into your flour mixture by adding things like cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dill - the possibilities are endless!

Let me know what you try and how it turns out! 

Beets

Papaw showed me how to make pickled beets! It took 2 days and lots of patience, but we did it! There isn't a lot of measuring so each batch is unique, but that is ok with me, each jar I've had has been delish! These won't be ready to eat for a while but I am so looking forward to trying them.

The process.

Makes my mouth water just looking at them! 

I can't wait to plant my garden next year and make them for myself! Just call me Susie Homemaker :)

4th of July - Biltmore Estate

For the 4th of July Scott and I decided to go on adventure to Asheville and tour the Biltmore Estate and gardens. This is something I have been wanting to do since I moved here and Scott was able to get discounted tickets (because it is pretty expensive!) through work, so it all worked out pretty perfectly.

We have been stuck in this rain pattern for more than a month now and I really wanted to explore the gardens so while it was pouring on our drive over we prayed for a break in the weather. About 10 minutes before we arrived in Asheville the rain stopped and they skies turned blue!

As you enter the grounds of this humble summer house, which is about as big as my high school, you drive up a 3 mile driveway surrounded by trees, flowers and a babbling brook.

Once you reach the parking lot you have the option to take the shuttle to the Estate or walk the trail. Scott and I opted for the trail which only took about 5 minutes to get to house. Man was I in for a surprise!  The house was gorgeous, and so much more grand than I had expected.

Thankfully we were smart and got their close to opening so the crowds weren't that bad and we really didn't have to fight our way to see anything. After you enter the house you have the option to pay for an audio tour or they have a guide book that you can use to navigate yourself which is what we opted for.

You aren't allowed to take pictures in the house, but I can say I've never really seen anything like it before. Each room was so unique and so extravagant! They had a formal dining room that seats 64 people, bowling alley and an indoor swmming pool that is still outfitted with the original under water lighting system from 1985!!

The shining star for me was the library which features about 11,500 books and beautiful painted ceiling. If I am going to be honest, it brought a tear to my eye. And as silly as it sounds I imagine the Beast showing Belle his library for the first time. I know exactly how she felt now.

After Scott and I made out way through the house, we grabbed a quick snack, bought a postcard or 2 and headed to the gardens.

Red Velvet cake for Scott and a chocolate croissant for me! 

I loved the gardens! They were in full bloom, although the rain has done some damage the more delicate flowers and shrubs, but it was easy to look past that! I tried to take notes of what I liked so we could plant them in our yard next year :) We follow signs to the bass pond and waterfall which took us on a nice little hike all over the area. We saw lot of little fish, a turtle and a huge black snake that some other visitors pointed out to us.

Between the sprawling lawns and stone busts I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel, always looking for Mr. Darcy. Biltmore was an amazing experience and I look forward to going back at Christmas when I know it will be even more magical!

We hadn't planned on doing anything for the evening of the 4th since we had such a big day but Scott's Aunt & Uncle called to say their plans were cancelled because of the rain if we wanted to come over and do fireworks with the kids. Of course we jumped at that opportunity!

The night was full of fireflies, fireworks and family. Pretty perfect in my book! 

One Year

Today marks a year of living on the East Coast.
A year of new cultures, food, climate and bugs.
A year of learning about myself.
A year of love.
A year of firsts.
And a year of ups and downs (more ups than downs thankfully!)

When I packed my bags and headed East I had no idea what was in store for me. Sure I had a plan, and I was going to stick to it, but it seems God had other ideas and for that I am truly thankful.

I have learned some life lessons on my journey so far. Some serious, some silly but all relevant to the world I now live in.

1. If a bug is to big to kill with your shoe, keep one eye on it while backing away slowly. They are like the ocean, never turn your back on it or you'll be sorry.
     I can not tell you how many times this has come in handy. Although our bugs don't compare with, lets say Australia, I have literally had panic attacks over giant spiders.
2. Fresh, local, unprocessed food is something I can't live without.
     Thank goodness I have found a farmers market in the next town over! The produce section at our grocery store is some what of a joke. I never knew how much I loved fresh fruit and veggies until I couldn't find them!
3. Trust your gut when in a bad situation, it is usually correct. 
     If you find yourself stranded in the mountains, with no cell service and someone stops to help you, you'll know right away if you should get in the car with them.
4. Be open to new things, you might be surprised.
     If I wasn't open to trying something new, Scott and I would never have met.
5. Nothing can be more terrifying and beautiful as an intense thunder storm. 
     I enjoy a good storm as much as the next guy, maybe a little more. When the storm turns violent that is another story. Trying to get into the house while the wind is tossing around your BBQ and bending trees is not something I want to relive frequently.
6. Air conditioning is a way of life, even thought it is literally 107 degrees outside, always bring a sweater with you when going out.
     You can go from ripping with sweat to freezing in a heartbeat. Thankful for the AC, but sometimes I have to step outside just to warm up again!
7. Although we are in a beautiful part of the country, people don't appreciate what is in their own backyards. They love to look at nature through the car windows. Weird... 
     Can you imagine going to The Great Smoky Mountains and not getting out of your car? Me either, but it happens! Come on people, the fresh air will do you good!
8. It still makes my heart hurt every time I am served something in Styrofoam.
    Enough said.
9. I have a new appreciation for the old way of life. Growing a vegetable garden is good for the soul. Learning to can and preserve the fruits of your labor and share it with others is even greater. 
     Scott's Papaw has been teaching me the tricks of the trade. Having the life lessons from an older generation is priceless.
10. God's plan for you in infinitely better than the plan you have for yourself. 
     The first 3 months I was here were quite possibly the hardest 3 months of my life. My whole life flipped upside down, but I came out a stronger better person.

I can't talk about the past year without mentioning the best part. When two people take a leap of faith, anything is possible. Scott is by far my greatest adventure.

Here is a look back on some of the highlights over the last year.

City life, country girl, date nights with Luba & Rachel in uptown Charlotte, sun, snow, thunder, ice, Atlantic Ocean, The Great Smoky Mountains, apartment life, housewife, hunting, tractors, giant bugs, fishing, long drives, mixing cultures, Dollywood, Christmas, football games, garden, long nights, southern food and great memories.

One year down, many more to go! Here's to looking forward to the future! 

Green Thumb

For months I have been working on getting some color into the garden and things are finally starting to bloom! After what feels like forever, all of our hard work is starting to pay off!

We were able to acquire some canna lilies from Craigslist that are going to be beautiful once they are in full bloom. I have also collected seeds from the SeaRoses Scott's dad gave us so I can get some more started! It really is starting to look beautiful, not to shabby for a first attempt at a real garden!

Colorado Burrito

I am always looking for new recipes to try and came across this the other day and knew I wanted it right away! Usually I am not a fan of TexMex, in my opinion nothing beats street tacos with a little lime, but there was something about this that appealed to my belly! I spent some time looking at various versions of the recipe and bookmarked a few that looked good. After confirming with Scott that he would  "at least try" it I had the green light to make it happen!

Colorado Burritos 

2 pounds cubed stew meat
1 large can enchilada sauce (at least a 19 oz can)
2 teaspoons Better than Bullion jelly
Refried beans
6-8 burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese 

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Put beef, bouillon, and enchilada sauce into slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until meat is very tender (you could also cook on high for maybe 3-4 hours).

When beef is done (it will be very tender and flake off when stirred), turn oven on broil. On an oven-proof plate or baking pan, lay out a tortilla. Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or two of beans. Roll into a burrito. Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the slow cooker over the burrito to cover it and top with cheese. 

Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.
Makes 6-8 burritos, depending on how full you make them.

Top with whatever you like - Avocado, sour cream, green onion, hot sauce, salsa. Enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from Six Sister Stuff 

Made some with and without beans. 

Almost ready!

I loved them and am hoping to make them a little more homemade next time (beans, enchilada sauce), Scott said he would eat it again but probably not ask for them. So I guess they won't make it into the regular rotation but I am go glad he "at least tried" them!