The Big Move

I am so glad that I haven't had to move from place to place too often. Tuesday I moved out of my apartment with the help of my sister, her boyfriend, and my boyfriend. I had most everything packed up and ready to go so I was thinking it was going to be couple hours and we would be done by 8. Boy was I wrong!! We didn't even get home until midnight. The trailer was too small and didn't fit everything. It started not only raining, but hailing in the middle of the process. And I had to take two trips. I will be thankful when we finally have a house at the end of the summer and I never have to move again for a very long time!! Here are some photos of the process. 

It was so crazy trying to fit everything and finding a place to put it all until I move again. There were some bumps and bruises to go along with a little arguing but we survived. What an experience. I just can't believe how much STUFF I had for a tiny one bedroom apartment! I can't imagine how much stuff I need to fill a whole house! But I'm looking forward to finding out!

Until next time...

Another weekend Adventure

This weekend was another adventure for me and some of my family members. My parents recently bought a home that they will eventually retire to in Alexandria on lake Mina. This is the third weekend that they have been here since they moved in and this is my first weekend here! I'm so thankful for the weather that we have been having so far. Currently we are in the middle of the lake trolling for some fish. This is my view right this second! Absolutely beautiful. I wish I could stay up here all the time! 

Right after we got here at about 10:15 we got right to work putting the dock in the water. My dad didn't have to get in the water and Tyler had waiters on and lucky me had to get in the freezing water in my swim suit bottoms. And let me tell you... Even thought it was 81 degrees and sunny, water that is only 59 can feel like an ice bath. After a while I was surprised that I got used to it. The first part of the dock was easy to figure out but then we got stuck with the last parts because either pieces are missing or the past owners never set the dock up right either. We did the best we could with what we had. We also had to get my dads new boat lift in the lake after we got the dock in and that task was just as difficult as the first! But finally this is the finished product. 

I didn't get too fried today, but boy did I enjoy soaking up that sun! 

Just a half an hour ago this big guy was caught, but bass season isn't open yet so we had to throw him back. 

We are just heading into the dock and back to the house and I'm sure a campfire and s'mores will be on the agenda for this evening! 

Everyone enjoy this long weekend and this awesome weather we are finally having! 

Until next time... 

Spur of the Moment Adventures

This past weekend I traveled with Tyler to the great state of Missouri in a last minute decision, which is very unlike me, and totally like Tyler. I am a very type A person who has to have a plan all the time and not knowing drives me up a wall. Enough of myself and on to our trip!

We left Wednesday after Tyler's baseball game and made it to the great city of Cedar Rapids, IA. Good thing we were only there to sleep because that was one sketchy motel, but when you can get it for $46, why not!?

We packed a lot of activities into just a day and a half of being there!

We finally arrived in St. Louis around 1 pm and wasted no time finding something to do! We went to the city museum, which I didn't know much about except for what I had heard from other people. I don't have any photos from this adventure, but I thought it was an awesome place! Tyler described as a giant junk yard, which it kind of was, but in a really cool way. The city or whoever created this place just basically put a bunch of junk together to create one giant playground! It was in this really old shoe factory in what I believe was downtown St. Louis. This picture could give you a better idea of what I am talking about. 

 Just an idea of what it looked like. So much more inside the building too. I thought it was crazy! I would have enjoyed it more maybe if there weren't an outrageous amount of children running everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but not when there are multiple field trips there on the same day.

We moved on to our next adventure pretty quick, which was the Anheuser-Busch Brewery! I have been to a few brewery's before, but this is certainly the biggest one that I have ever been to. It was interesting to see all the different types they make and how each one is made differently, yet the same exact recipe as when it first started. 

 The very large Clydesdale horses were just hanging out, but boy were they large!

 One of the wagons that they pull for different events and commercials. Those horses were very famous!

 My free sample was of the Shocktop Apple Wheat. It was delicious, but then again I'm a fan of the hard ciders in comparison to regular beer.

 The brewing process.

 The drums and containers that everything is made in. This place was huge!

The next day we got up bright and early so that we could head to THE ZOO!

The St. Louis Zoo is such an amazing place and the best part... IT'S FREE!
There are many different things that you need to pay for in the zoo, but the early birds get the worm because the first hour that the zoo is open the children's zoo, carousel, and petting the stingrays and sharks are all free too. So did we ever take advantage of those stingrays! I could have stayed at that pool all day! I pet so many stingrays and I even got up the courage to touch the shark as one swam by me. As for everything else, AMAZING. I love the zoo and am fascinated by all the different animals that are not around here. These pictures don't do justice and I wish I could post every single one!

 Giraffes

 Flamingos

 Like a kid in a candy store waiting for them to swim by!

 Big Stingray

 Zebras

 Toucan Sam

 Those rock looking things? Those are Hippos! These guys were huge and really didn't move a whole lot, but were so cool to see one up close.

 So many colorful fish!

 Daddy elephant.

 A momma and her baby!

 Sea Lions! These guys were fun to watch and there was an underground viewing tunnel that you could watch them from.

 The butterfly house was so pretty. There were just so many different kinds fluttering all over the place! Before you left, you had to make sure one didn't hitch a ride!

 

 After the zoo, which we were there for 6 hours, we had tickets to our favorite game, baseball. Tyler's favorite team, the Atlanta Braves were in town playing the Cardinals, which was the main reason that we went down there in the first place. I love going to different stadiums and I have been to a total of 6 different baseball stadiums. The Braves lost, but it was still fun to see another stadium! And here are some snaps from that evening.

Then we had our lovely 12 hour ride back home the next morning. It was a short, yet great trip! I love traveling and can't wait until my next adventure! 

Until next time... 

Nail Wall Art

Another easy and cheap Pinterest find! 

Nail wall art is something that can be personalized and made to go with any home.

For this project you will need:

• Plywood - I got mine at Menards for $4
• Can get in many sizes
• Paint
• Nails - I used black nails since I painted my board black
• Yarn
• Hammer

I painted my board and let that dry first. Then I drew out the pattern that I wanted on with a pencil so that I could see it, but wouldn't be noticed once the nails were in at the yarn was on. 

Once your pattern is drawn then just go around and start nailing in the nails along the lines. 

After all the nails are in then you can start wrapping with your yarn. Tie the yarn around a starting nail and just start wrapping. Sometimes this part can get tough to keep it tight and to make sure that it is filled in enough, but just keep wrapping and trying different places until you like it!

Personalized Homemade Home Decor

As Christmas approached this year, I could not decide what to get everyone on my list and so I was looking around for some ideas. 

On Etsy I found these awesome steel letters for very reasonable and tried to think of something I could create using them. 

And here is what I came up with 

I went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore here in town and found some cupboard doors that were sanded down and ready to be painted. 

Then I painted a layer of brown paint, let that dry and lightly painted on a layer of blue paint. Painting it lightly on gave it that sanded down, worn look, but without the sanding! Just keep painting lightly until you reached the look that you want.

After that all dries then I took the steel letters that I had ordered and glued them on using E6000 Epoxy glue. 

It was nice to be able to get something personalized for a very reasonable price. 

Could make in any color and the place that I ordered them from also had some different fonts that I could chose from.

Arm Knitting

While I was in the hospital and at home in the days after my surgery I picked up a new hobby: Arm Knitting. Once I started I couldn't stop. They were easy once I got going and started making them for other people as well. I followed a tutorial that I found on Pinterest that was super easy to follow. 

The only things you need is yarn and your arms!
The yarn that I used was number 6, which is one of the largest size that you can get. 

I made a couple for other people using 5 and it just didn't get as full like I would want them. The length and size all depends on the person and what they want!

These are two of my favorite ones that I made and wear them all the time now. 

Recently I have just learned to crochet so I'm working on a blanket and a cowl scarf. It takes much longer than the arm knitting, but still awesome to be able to make my own scarves. 

Arm Knitting Video Tutorial 

8 Can Taco Soup

One of the EASIEST recipes I have done in a long time. Another delicious supper option, especially on these cold winter days. Soup is always a good options on those days. 

All you need is:

• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1 can chicken - drained
• 1 can pinto beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn - drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes - drained
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 1 packet taco seasoning

For picky eaters you can add and take away pretty much anything you would like to make it your own. I would have used smaller diced tomatoes because I don't really like large chunks in mine.

Dump all the cans and taco seasoning into a crock pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours. If you are in more of a hurry you can cook on stovetop as well. 

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and Fritos instead of crackers. 

I don't have pictures for this one, but hopefully next time I make it I remember, because let's be honest, this WILL be made again soon. Especially if this winter cold keeps up.

I found this one on Pinterest, and the link led me to a great blog with awesome recipes. Six Sisters Stuff