She ended the season with a bang

It sucked to have her injured at the last game, senior night, right before finals.  As her mom, I kinda want her wrapped in bubble wrap from head to toe.

Gina

She ended the season with a bang

It sucked to have her injured at the last game, senior night, right before finals.  As her mom, I kinda want her wrapped in bubble wrap from head to toe.

Gina

Thrift finds

Well, I did ease up on my To Do list and allow myself to go bopping around Salvation Army and Hob Lob on Friday as a reward for a successful first week back to school  Check out what I got:

At Hobby Lobby I got the pumpkin, a round fall candle, and some decorative little gourds and pinecones. Then I stopped at a Salvation Army and spent $3 on a cute silver wire basket, the lovely amber colored vase with tiny bubbles in the glass, and the daisy plate.

I cleaned the plate up and used some of the leftover fabric from the girl's room re-do.  Added mod podge, put bumpers on the bottom and now,

it's a pretty catch-all for coins, jewelry, name badge, keys, etc.  I got to use my glitter mod podge, and it adds a little extra sparkle to the plain fabric.  The silver basket is also going in her room, as an "In Box" for mail on her desk.  

Maybe thrifting once a week should be in my regular routine!

Gina

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Domestically Speaking's Countdown to Fall
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The Modge Podge Challenge at

Bacon Ranch Chicken Crock Pot

I saw this recipe recently on someone's blog.  It reminded me of a dish that was brought to our house after we had baby #2 by some sweet friends.  You wrap chicken breasts in bacon, slather with a cream of chicken soup and sour cream mix, then bake.  Simple, and so good!  So when I saw this adaptation for the crock pot, I knew I had to try it.

Bacon Ranch Chicken Crock Pot

6 Boneless chicken breasts (I always start with frozen in my crock pot)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

16 oz. sour cream

1 package Ranch dip or dressing mix

about 8 slices bacon, cooked and cut up in small pieces

I used the microwave to cook the bacon - it comes out nice and crispy and it's easy to drain off the fat if you use a microwave tray for cooking bacon.  Spray your crock with Pam. Place the breasts in the crock and salt and pepper them.  Mix the soup, Ranch Dip mix, and sour cream and pour it over the chicken. 

Scatter the bacon over it, then set it on low for 8 hours or so. 

 Served with rice, and a salad on the side.  

That sauce was velvety-smooth and would be great on noodles or mashed potatoes as well. 

Gina

Bacon Ranch Chicken Crock Pot

I saw this recipe recently on someone's blog.  (I will get better about writing down exactly who, I promise.  I get so many good ideas from everyone who blogs and must give credit where it's due!) It reminded me of a dish that was brought to our house after we had baby #2 by some sweet friends.  You wrap chicken breasts in bacon, slather with a cream of chicken soup and sour cream mix, then bake.  Simple, and sooo good!

So when I saw this adaptation for the crock pot, I knew I had to try it.

I tweeked it a little, cause that's how I roll...

Bacon Ranch Chicken Crock Pot

6 Boneless chicken breasts (I always start with frozen in my crock pot)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

16 oz. sour cream

1 package Ranch dip or dressing mix

about 8 slices bacon, cooked and cut up in small pieces

I used the microwave to cook the bacon - it comes out nice and crispy and it's easy to drain off the fat if you use a microwave tray for cooking bacon.  Spray your crock with Pam. Place the breasts in the crock and salt and pepper them.  Mix the soup, Ranch Dip mix, and sour cream and pour it over the chicken. 

Scatter the bacon over it, then set it on low and go on about your day for 8 hours or so. *Note: I used reduced fat sour cream and "healthy" cream of soup just to try to be good - but the bacon was plain, old, fatty, delicious bacon!

 Served with rice, and a salad on the side.  

That sauce was velvety-smooth and would be great on noodles or mashed potatoes as well.
Easy on a school night and a great meal!

The Back to School Crazy Train

We've had a smooth week at Camp Rustown and this year is the first in a looooong time that I am a little less stressed about back to school.  Why?  Because after 15 years one is out of school and working, one is in college, one is in high school, and one is in middle school.  Only two to shop for instead of three! Or four!  Only two BTS nights to attend! For 15 years we've had at least one child in elementary school.  In 2001, oldest went to middle school,  two youngers were in elementary, and the baby was in Mother's Day Out two days a week.  By 2003, we had 2 in middle school, one in elementary.  In 2004, the baby started Kindergarten and  we had all four in school at the same time - K through ninth grade - a very busy year to say the least.  2006 - a break from middle school - yay!  By 2007, 2 were in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary.  Pretty spread out - we were feeling the burn again.  The oldest was getting ready to graduate so there was light at the end of the tunnel.  By the start of 2009 I was back to having a kid at each campus again. There were many times this made it tricky for both parents to attend BTS night.  This June #2 graduated - hooray for us! Now we are getting somewhere! We will have the "one in MS/one in HS" combo until spring of 2014 when #3 graduates.  Then the caboose will spend 3 years as our only school aged kid - a lonely place as the baby, but it will be so nice to slow down the crazy train of school for the parents....

Rustown Art

When the last one graduates, hubby and I deserve some sort of prize, or at the very least, a vacay.  It has been a tough but rewarding job, worth every gray hair, and I was glad to do it...room mom, PTA meetings, field trip chaperone, hubby as scout den leader, pit crew member for the band....etc, etc...I am getting closer to being ready for the day when Back to School doesn't exhaust me...but I will feel empathy for other moms who are just beginning that journey. (:

Sad Fig tree

My fig is not loving this Texas Summer heat...

She is suffering and I can't stand it.

I've harvested zero figs. The ones that actually form are sad and small and squirrels end up getting them.

I see fig trees in other neighbor's yards, so I know it's possible for them to thrive here...

Just a week and a half ago, my mother and I were admiring how healthy she appeared, even tho figs were no where to be seen....and now this is how she looks. Forlorn and thirsty.  I watered her.  Hubby watered her.  There is even a sprinkler head in the corner of the fence that waters her briefly a couple times a week.

Anyone got suggestions?

Finishing The Girl's room

  Want to take a peek?

Before

After: walls painted "Naturally Calm" by Behr - a grey lavender. Bed on "bed elevators" making more storage room underneath, childhood trinkets and treasures stored, frames painted silver, books stored on shelves.

Before

 After - pretty sheer curtains from IKEA, lined basket, open space.  

 

 

A childhood favorite gets a place of honor.

Gina

 Shared with:

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and

Finishing The Girl's room

  Want to take a peek?

Before

After: walls painted "Naturally Calm" by Behr - a grey lavender. Bed on "bed elevators" making more storage room underneath, childhood trinkets and treasures stored, frames painted silver, books stored on shelves.

Before

 After - pretty sheer curtains from IKEA, lined basket, open space.  

 

 

A childhood favorite gets a place of honor.

Gina

 Shared with:

and:

and