tentative new years resolutions

I love new years resolutions. I take them very seriously, and form many drafts. This is a (very) rough draft.

1) Finish a sewing project (or several). Maybe my mom can have a new years resolution to not resent me when I come over for the tenth time asking her to help me sew in a zipper.

2) Get back to school. Finish my degree in Elementary Education. Must. do. This. Why have 70% of a degree? I think things are pointless and then years later I think... WHY DID I NOT FINISH THAT!! Like personal progress. Yes, I confess. I never finished. I was so close, but out of some form of pointless rebellion I refused to do it. Stupid.

3) Run run run.... do many 5k races? Aim for a half marathon? I used to be into the idea of a whole marathon... but then I read of toe nails falling off and blood spurting out of unexpected places and it was a huge turnoff.

4) Read at least 5 new books. I am constantly searching but I haven't found a book that pulls me in for a while so I have been reverting to old favorites like The Painted Veil and Jane Eyre.

5) Get out of my comfort zone and make new friends.

6) Strive to be more kind, thoughtful & patient

7) Have an organized closet!! I told Elliott I want THE most organized closet and mainly it just attested to the fact that I am a lady of extremes.

8) Fill that closet with adorable things.... ( is that a goal or a wish?)

9) Go to the temple more often! And drag the hubs along. This should be numero uno.

10) Blog more.

xo,

kayla

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let it snoww

You know it's a good day when 2 minutes after you decide that it's time for christmas music it starts to snow!!! I opened the curtains to enjoy the falling flakes, and busted out into a celebratory dance.. and husband closed them again so that no one could see me being uncouth. Or because he wanted to keep my moves all to himself. Probably that one.

best christmas music: pandora's swingin christmas radio.

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since when.

Since when do I listen to NPR, have pet cats ( outdoors, don't worry), and tolerate bbq sauce? Marriage changes people.

Also, remember the cute little piggies from this post? Well, they now reside in our two new freezers all neatly packaged and labeled. I didn't know how I would feel about eating livestock that we raise, but I just try not to think about it. Because they are really delicious. I tell the hubs it's because I fed them cookies.

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potatoes and other exciting things

Once upon a time I got a job pulling vines off a conveyor belt full of potatoes for 3 weeks. In the meantime I forgot how to cook, relax (ok, maybe not that), and apparently blog.

A day in the life of a potato viner: pull vines, dirt clods, rocks, oozy rotten potatoes and the occasional mouse off the belt for 1o min, sit for 5 while another truck pulls up ( in my case READ.... I read every Bloomberg Business Week and every Economist we have received since we've been married) stand up, repeat 5O TIMES. 12 hours a day. 6 days a week. At the beginning of the last week I had a freak dishes accident. My hand got cut open by a broken glass, which lead to a nice trip to the ER, and 4 stitches. STITCHES ARE GROSS. So is returning to work the following day. Anywhoo, I am FINISHED and I feel very accomplished. I forgot how good it feels to get a paycheck.

Then I subbed at a bilingual kindergarten for a week. And it was so fun! Mainly because I got to sub during field trip week. Getting paid go to the pumpkin patch, sing songs and play games is pretty ideal.

Now I am back to the housewife life, delivering husband lunches out on the combine, power walking on ditch roads, and dusting off my domestic skills. Because guess who cooked while I was working? Uh my amazing gourmet chef husband of course. He's so good.

That's all for now. Domestic Goddesses (in training) have to sleep, too.

xo,

Kayla

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snickerdoodles

Sometimes I make snickerdoodle cookies because Elliott likes them and I think they are pretty gross. Happy husband. Skinny wife. Taa daaa.

sometimes our text conversations look like this:

me: I made you snickerdoodles!

husband: Wonderful. If I were home I would pat you on the head and say, good wife.

me: *tossing cookies in trash*

husband: please no!!

love language: banter.

xo,

kayla

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Freezer Corn

The deed is done. I picked, shucked, rinsed, blanched and bagged. There are 21 quarts of frozen corn in the freezer. The equivalent of 2 wheelbarrows full!

Also. I had a cold, and I honestly think the humidity from all the boiling happening was the best thing for my sinuses ever.

Things You Need to Survive Corn Bagging:

1) Comfy pants. Domestic endeavors such as these are no place for your skinny jeans. Husband will never believe that leggings are real pants. But,he never lived in Ukraine. I can say with surety that leggings are a lot more real than some of the "pants" that I saw on the streets of Kiev.

2) A form of diety cola beverage. Well actually that is just a necessity for everyday.

3) Some good tunes. Not too good, though. You have to remember where you are at ( you know, dealing with large vats of boiling water and sharp knives). I have a tendency to bust out in somewhat impressive dance moves all over my kitchen. So avoid tragedy. Stay mainly calm. Pandora station Adele is what I have been loving lately. Maybe some John Mayer. You know? Keep it chill.

4) Maybe hire some neighbors. Hire one as a bag holder. One as a cleaner upper. One to give you moral support. I did it myself. It can be done. It wasn't the most fun but in the words of Elliott, " It's called being an adult."

xo,

Kayla

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Canning Peaches

Today my grandma and mom taught my little sis and I how to can peaches! I feel like my blog name should be temporarily changed to 800 different things to do with peaches... tomorrow... freezing peaches.

xo,

kayla

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Fresh Peach Pie

My sweet mother in law taught me how to make pie crusts last week.

And I am so proud that I can do it all by myself now!! Look at that I didn't have to make awkward patches or anything : D

Thankkk you Brenda!

Good thing too, because Elliott bought tons peaches at the farmers market in hopes that I would make this. It is his favorite. It is so delicious... freshly whipped cream on top. Ohh my.

xo,

Kayla

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duck a l'orange

Today I was visiting teaching, and one of the ladies asked what I was making for dinner... my response, " .... Umm duck" Duck a l'orange to be exact. I don't know if it sounds fancy shmancy or just really backwoods so I always try to avoid the topic when possible. But yes, the fact is, Husband Man raised some ducks, and then shipped them off to be cleaned and whatever else they do to prepare a duck for ovenhood, and now they are in the freezer. And sometimes I cook them with orange sauce.

On a completely unrelated note, is anyone else obsessed with vacuuming? It's like the brush marks left on the ground bring me some kind of great peace. As do delicious smelling candles and freshly mopped floors. And empty laundry baskets. No, I am not OCD . I am a homemaker. And truly Elliott is the more tidy one out of the two of us. The man taught me how to make a bed to his standard of insano perfection and keeps a swiffer duster on his desk. It's the best kind of great. As is being in the shower and seeing a manly hand creep in and turn the handle to freezing cold before you have time to respond. Thanks luv. For keepin it real.

xo,
kayla


P.S I know you want my duck recipe. Serve with rice.

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breakfast.

I picked these from our garden this morning.

Strawberries... blackberries... raspberries...YUM.

also... Husband and I are addicted to 24. IT IS SO INTENSE!!!! I never wanted to be one of those couples that eats meals in front of the TV... but we have been doing it. A lot. Oh the shame.

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sunday mornings

On Sundays I get up and make waffles before church. Waffles used to baffle me. Why would you make something with no nutritional value, and continue to slap a bunch of butter and sugary maple syrup on it and call that breakfast?

Now I understand. And love.

xo,

kayla

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Sissy Chels and I went to Spokane yesterday to run some errands for my hubby. We ate lunch with my dad at the hospital where he works and he showed us around : )

And then... the AC in my car decided that it hated Chels and I. We both DESPISE being too hot. We are fall people. Summer weather is bearable if there is a beach or a boat involved. We ran the rest of our errands half alive, praying that the AC would come back on, which it did. Occasionally.

Anywhooo we booked it home. And I made chicken curry for dinner. And then I got extremely nauseas. And puked more times than I am willing to count. Hubs got home from home teaching after vomit #2 and put my hair up out of the way and was my food poisoning coach. "How many glasses of water have you drank!?" " Drink 3 more!" He is a food poisoning veteran after serving a mission in Africa. The man knows what he is doing.

Today I am laying low. Coincidentally it is date night and I am picking up a pizza instead of cooking and having cuddle and movie time with husband : )

xo,

Kayla

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our garbage disposals

I wanted to show you the piggies. My leftover munchers. My muddy buddies. And the lighting was unfortunate standing on the outside of the gate so I hopped in there to try. And they rubbed their nast snouts all over my cute little crop pants and stole my pig stick. So all I have is this crap picture of them trying to eat the stick that I brought in to pet them with. And dirty pants.

I took this after I escaped. He looked up as if to say, "I am sorry for nast snouting your pants, please don't quit feeding me cookies when you burn them!"( which is extremely rare.. and stuff...)

xo,

kayla

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farm tour

I am a housewife ( despite my efforts to find a job). I live on a farm. I am never bored. This is why!

This corn. I have spent more time in and around and tunneling through this corn then I ever imagined. I have weeded it, thinned it, and doubted that the actual corn would ever grow. But here it is.

Elliott planted me some lettuce & spinach 2 weeks ago, and I have been taking care of it. It is SO NICE to grow your own lettuce. Want a salad? Go pick one. Ta daaa easy.




Somehow when I got home, Husband's chickens became MY chickens. Every morning after my run I go and get their eggs and say hello, or from their point of view rob and startle them. The first time Elliott put an egg in my hand ehh fresh from a chicken I almost vomited, or at least pretended like I was going to for dramatic effect. Now they are better at laying and I am over the initial grossed outness. We picked a watermelon this morning that wasn't quite ripe yet. And the poultry feasted.

And Mel. I picked up Mel's replacement from the airport last week. A 10 week old little puppy, that I adore until he starts trying to eat my hands. Mel is getting old so Elliott and I took pity on her and bought her a nice dog bed and now she sleeps in our laundry room. Mel LOVES Elliott. She gets jealous when we cuddle so she always tries to sneak in and cuddle, too. Sometimes she runs a mile to catch up with Elliott on the 4-wheeler. That is devotion.

Well that's all for now.

xo,

Kayla

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