The Farm Chicks

Ten Pounds of Sugar

Getting back to myself after the surgery was much harder than I expected. My doctor told me I'd be exhausted but I didn't fully comprehend what she was talking about. I thought tired as in sleepy. And I was so sleepy, but even worse was the physical exhaustion. Just walking across the house left me breathless. And that was a terrible feeling.

Healing has been a long process, but I'm finally healthy enough to resume my exercise routine, which coincidentally, is how I discovered the tumor in my abdomen in the first place.

The timing to begin again couldn't be better, what with the new year and all, and because I've begun to feel like ten pounds of sugar in a five pound sack.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm one of those super motivated exercise-wise kinds of girls. I'm not. But I value my health and life too much to not take care of myself. (Thank you, Colin, for inspiring me!) So, I'm back at it.

Want to join me?

I'll think of you, if you think of me, okay? :)

My thoughts on being healthy:

I like to get my workout in first thing in the morning, preferably before the boys wake up. And although I'm not a morning person, it sort of works like my caffeine and wakes me up.

I feel better about myself by getting it out of the way first thing.

I try to drink more water, and adding slices of cucumber or orange makes it more appealing to me.

I never drink pop. I think it's horrible, terrible. However, I love fizzy drinks. A great substitute is sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice or a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange. I call it a "Spritzer".

I believe that by being healthy parents we can inspire our children to be healthy too, without saying a word.

Exercise is like sunshine for the brain. It's true.

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..... and with a little exercise, she'll change the world.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Homekeeping

I really enjoy this time of year when the focus is on cleaning and organizing. It's surprising what a difference a tidy home can make in your life. A clean home really is a happy home.

My mom used to drive me crazy when she was assigning chores. She'd go on and on about how beautiful the dishes were and how much she loved to clean and make those colors sparkle. I remember thinking, If you love it so much, why don't you do it?!

And although I won't profess to love cleaning, I have found lots of ways to make the most of it and I do love the results.

Coming this January, I'll be sharing some of my favorite homekeeping tips with you.

Here's a few to get you started:

• Did you know that by overusing bleach, you can actually yellow your whites? My favorite whitener and brightener is from Rit and is called just that: Whitener & Brightener. It's great to use for soaking a load of whites a couple of times a year.

• Cooking oil stains on laundry? Wet the stain with cold water and cover the area with cornstarch. Allow to sit overnight and then launder as usual. The cornstarch will absorb the oil.

• And speaking of laundry, try giving your laundry room/space some extra attention, no matter what size the space. Cheer it up and make it an area that looks so nice you don't dread the space you use so often. My favorite laundry room pick-me-up? Wallpaper! Even a little laundry closet can use some.

Stay tuned, I'll be back soon with more tips.

....and with a little homekeeping, she'll change the world.

P.S. my love of Rit is personal. I was not paid to endorse their product.

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The Glow

Our family is settling in for our first Christmas in our new home.

Every day the anticipation almost takes over me. Anticipation for the day.

The day where the light pours into our happy home and its brightness fills me with cheer. I feel like there's so much that I can do. So much in the day.

When evening rolls around, I love the coziness that snuggles in around us inside our home. That feeling you get when the lights glow so sweetly and illuminate the house.

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Sometimes I like to slip outside and soak in the glow. A glowing house is one of my favorite things in the world.

Like the farmhouse down the road, with its Christmas tree twinkling merrily through the front window. All is well there, in that twinkly home.

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When bedtime rolls around, I don't want to go. And I think about that good 'ol Johnny Cash song:

I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road,
When along came a semi with a high an' canvas-covered load.
"If you're goin' to Winnemucca, Mack, with me you can ride."
And so I climbed into the cab and then I settled down inside.
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand.
And I said, "Listen, I've traveled every road in this here land!"

It reminds me of where I've been, and just like the song, I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere.

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And now, I'm home.

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Hang the mistletoe by the fire’s glow, put the angel on the tree.
Light a candle in the window, just for me.

 

 

Images by John Granen.

Coming home for Christmas lyrics by Jim Brickman.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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A White Christmas

Another way to make a beautiful holiday display is to group all of one color together. I happen to love white.

It's surprising how these items, none having anything to do with the other, can look so pretty together. Look around your house and see what you have in like colors, and then pull it together for a display.

It will be beautiful!

Image by John Granen

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Taking a Drive

When I was a girl, one of my parent's favorite things to do was to take a drive. We'd all pile into the Crummy and set out on an adventure. Inevitably, we'd end up on the steep and twisty roads of the Salmon River, where my mom would hunt for river rocks to bring home. Once the Crummy was full of rocks, we'd stop at the little country store for an It's It (a chocolate chip cookie ice-cream sandwich).

The ice-cream was a really big deal for us, as our mom wasn't big into sugary treats, so we'd make them last for as much of the ride home as we could.

Now that I'm a mom, I love family drives too. And I especially enjoy packing treats for us to enjoy.

Packing is half the fun because you can make it all pretty - which makes everything taste even better.

Tips:

Vessels like old enamelware (as seen below), wooden pop crates, and wire baskets work really well for holding the goodies.

Vintage thermoses are perfect for keeping cocoa hot.

Mugs can be stacked with little cloth cocktail napkins in between each one, which not only provide cushioning for the glasses, but also can be passed out to your family members once you pour the cocoa.

Caramel corn, nuts, or trail mix packaged in handy little paper bags are a simple, tasty, toteable treat.

P.S. Did you know that "Crummy" was the name of the vehicle that would haul the logging crews around on the job? My dad was a logger and during fire season, my mom would oftentimes become the driver for the fire crews. And since we were a family big on nick-names, our family car was always called the Crummy.

Image by John Granen.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Collecting: Christmas Mugs

There's something special about collections just for the holidays. Like holly mugs - for Christmas. And aren't they so wonderful, displayed for all to see?

Do you have holiday collections? If so, what do you collect?

Image by John Granen

P.S. Melaine at My Sweet Savannah is giving away a copy of my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas. Head on over to her blog to enter!

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Coffee Latte Punch

Tonight I'm having a Christmas party and I'm looking forward to serving this creamy latte deliciousness. And although I'm not a coffee drinker, this cool drink is more like a dessert in a mug than anything else.

Coffee Latte Punch

Makes 14 (1 cup) servings

1/3 cup instant coffee

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon 2% milk (8 cups)

1 cup half & half

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Add the instant coffee and sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside until cool.

Pour the coffee mixture into a large container and stir in the milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, pour the coffee mixture into a large punch or serving bowl. Stir in the half & half. Using a scoop, add the ice cream to the bowl and let sit until most of the ice cream has melted - approximately 25 minutes. Gently whisk everything together until incorporated and serve.

Tips: You can substitute 1 cup of hot, double-strength brewed coffee or espresso for the instant coffee and water if you like.

Sometimes I don't fully mix in the ice cream, instead I leave it floating on the surface as a yummy sweet topping for each serving.

You can find this recipe, as well as Christmas inspiration, decorating ideas, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Images by John Granen.

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Dreaming

The Bluff is like a dream right now - where the fog rolls in, draping our world in a crystal frost.

 

These are the Christmas drives I soak in, where this beautiful world just speaks for itself.

And it says, I am home.

I am home.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Mark Your Calendars!

What do you LOVE? Find it at The Farm Chicks Show!

For more information on The Farm Chicks Show, including travel arrangements, click here. 

Making Something Out of Nothing

Growing up with very little was a blessing because I was able to see the beauty in the everyday objects that are often overlooked. That's what you do when you don't have much.

When you take the time to look around at what you have, you can make anything special. Take this collection of syrup dispensers for example:

It's really simple:

1.) Gather together clear, like objects that can be used as vessels.

2.) Fill with Christmasey items such as little trees, ornaments, and fake snow or objects in a color to fit your Christmas theme such as old game pieces and glitter. (This can be done with anything you love, any time of the year!)

3.) Display as a grouping.

You can find this Christmas inspiration, as well as decorating ideas, recipes, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Special thanks to my friend, Nancy, for letting us into her home to play and display with her collections. You can find more wonderful objects such as these at Nancy (and friends) shop, Forget-Me-Not, in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.

Image by John Granen.

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Snowballs!

I'd like to introduce you to my family's favorite holiday cookies: Snowballs. They're rich, buttery, crispy and sweet and fun to eat.

(Snowballs shown on left).

Snowballs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans (about 4 ounces)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Grease two large baking sheets. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and honey in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined and fluffy - 2 - 3 minutes. Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in vanilla; then beat in flour and pecans until combined.

Roll the dough by tablespoonful between your palms, into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart.

Bake the cookies just until they turn light golden brown - 12 - 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Put the powdered sugar into a large plastic food-storage bag. Add the cookies, 6 at a time, and gently shake the bag until they are coated with sugar.

Makes 24 one-inch cookies.

To serve, pile up on a tray.

Tip: Snowballs make great gifts! Wrap in cellophane bags for gift giving. For added cuteness and stability for gift giving, place cookie filled cellophane bags into vintage food containers (as shown above), jars, or colorful paper bags.

You can find this recipe and many more, as well as decorating ideas, projects, inspiration, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Sources:

The containers shown are vintage.

Cellophane bags: Target

Ribbons: Michaels

Sweatshirt: Boden

Images by John Granen

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Adding Christmas To The Cupboards

One way to add Christmas cheer (or any season for that matter) to your kitchen is to add wrapping paper to the cupboards.

You can line the back of the cupboards, inside the doors if they're glass, or line the inset panels on the front of your doors.

Simply cut the paper to fit the spaces you'll be covering and attach with removable double sided tape. It's quick, simple, and darling!

You can find this project and many more, as well as decorating ideas, recipes, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Images by John Granen.

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The Perfect Little Bench

I always find it interesting to watch the trends that come and go in the world of antiques. I remember when trunks were popular. Now they're not. But these old pieces shouldn't be overlooked. In fact, they are so useful for turning into entryway or mudroom benches. (And they have storage space!)

I bought this old trunk/box from my friend, Hollie, at her antiques show.

I simply topped it with a standard pillow covered in my favorite vintage Christmas pillowcase and it was instantly transformed into a little bench.

I can easily change the pillowcase to fit the season.

Have a large trunk? Use two pillows or several toss pillows. It's as easy as that!

I found the trunk here.

My floor tile is from Daltile.

My beadboard wall tile, tile base trim, and tile cap is all from Dirk Elliot Tile.

I purchased my wallpaper from Wallflowers in Spokane. I'm sorry, I can't remember the brand.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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