Sew Sew Fun! (Take One...)

I am one of those people that like to hoard all of the amazing things that you see on Pinterest...the problem is I never do anything with them! I know I can do them...I am artistic...I am crafty (or so I think)...but I am also lazy when it comes to it. Crafts make such a mess! You spend all day working on something and then you spend the whole next day cleaning the mess and you didn't even finish! Well, recently I found out that my friend Britten knows how to sew but no longer has a sewing machine...who would know that I have a sewing machine and have no clue how to sew!! Ha!
My grandma is an excellent seamstress...has a hole, needs a button, needs to be taken up or out or made shorter...I always call her! She has showed me a thousand times how to sew and it just never stuck. I do know how to thread a needle and do that little trick with your finger that makes the perfect knot but apparently I never paid attention to the rest.
So, this past week, Britten came over and taught me how to sew! Well, at least how to thread the machine! We went to Joann Fabrics first and she kept asking me things like... "does it have a bobbin?"...a what?? So we decided we would get fabric to recover a couple of my pillows that are basically used for Gracie to lay on and scratch and pull and pretty much destroy. The perfect thing for our "starter" project.

We got all the stuff we needed!

So after learning to thread the machine (and bobbin) we got to work! You know the old saying "measure twice, cut once" we should have done this...we ended up with two different sizes for each side of the pillow and after making them even...they were TOO small. So we started over and we ran out of fabric!

We also got some fun fabric that was super on sale that we thought would be cute as a skirt for Dylan. We were going to make it just a little simple skirt with elastic at the top. But, we didn't get any elastic...

Look at those (almost straight) stitches!

Dylan woke  up from her nap and I couldn't wait to try it on her...it was like a mini skirt for a baby. She thought it was awesome but I almost had to cut it off her!

In the end, it was a super fun day and I can't wait to get these projects completed and learn new things! 

To be continued...

Pot Roast Love

The demand has always been so high for this recipe, I felt the need to share it with everyone! This recipe, I think, came from grandma and maybe changed a little through mom...either way, people love it...like people actually will drop their plans to come by when asked for dinner! Ha! I'm not a big pot roast fan but it's actually pretty good!

I know plenty of you that are still basking in the warm sun but here in Arkansas, we had SNOW!! Snow in November...I can't even imagine what February will bring. So, I thought it was only necessary to have pot roast for dinner. I love anything in the crock pot and this one is so easy. 

What you will need:

-Roast...I prefer rump roast...it just falls apart so nicely. Size depending on your crock pot and how many you want to feed. The one I used here was about 2.5 lbs

-Celery about 4-5 stalks

-Carrots (I just use the baby ones in the bag)

-Potatoes (diced and skin removed, if desired)

-2 cans cream of mushroom soup

-Cream of celery soup

-Golden mushroom soup (i think this is the secret ingredient)

This next step is also a "secret" trick, I think.

You actually want to take the roast and sear it on all sides just for a few minutes.

I know, crockpot meals are supposed to be made in one pot but most chefs will tell you that searing the meat first will actually lock in the flavor. But, mom thinks this is a good way to "not have all that nasty blood floating around" ha!

So, once you have that done, add it to the crock pot. I am seriously addicted to these crockpot liners...I am not sure if you have tried them but if not your life is incomplete. Or at least burdened with the horrible chore or crock pot cleaning! They are kind of pricey but so worth it!

After adding the meat, chop the veggies. I usually keep the carrots whole since they are baby carrots and add all to the pot. I usually just fill until full. The more, the merrier. Then add the soups. And wait... I usually cook around 8 hrs but the longer the better.

And...done!

Scoop up and serve to your favorites!

It's so good, it makes you want to kiss your daddy!

Or, if you are Dylan, you want to push your daddy's kisses away! Ha!

Hope your family loves this as much as mine does!

It's Basketball y'all!!

Oh my!! We have been getting D pumped up for a week for her first basketball game. She, of course, has no clue what basketball is but man was she excited!! We waited patiently for daddy to get home from work, got all dressed in our razorback red and prepared ourself for the most fun EVER! Ha. 

She loved it!! Music, light, people watching, oh my!! 

I think her favorite part was halftime. The dance team did a fun routine that she danced to and then the razorback mascots and the "boss hog" which I like to refer to as the giant bobble head guy got out and shot some hoops. She loved this part. "Boss hog" made a shot from the three point line... And if you don't know, he shoots balls from his face... And "big red" made a shot from the half court. She was so excited, she didn't want the guys to come back out to play. If the make a mascot game, she's there! 

She turned her nose at cotton candy (what?!?!) and loved the extra salty pretzel we got. It was so so so cold outside but she even liked running to the car in the cold! Can't wait til our next game! 

Trick or Treat...

What a fun October!! We finished the month off with the best holiday of the year!! Dylan was so excited about her little Minnie Mouse dress and everyone had to wear there ears all week to practice!! She was so excited to get dressed up to go trick or treating even though she has no clue what that is. We went to the Elliott's Halloween bash and she was just in shock of all the people in costumes and just stated at everyone. I decided to take her trick or treating in their neighborhood just to test it out. 

She definitely wasn't sure at first but once she got the hang of it, she was hooked!! We visited the first house that had kids sitting out front passing candy and she didn't want to take it... Because it was their candy, I'm sure...

Second house, the lady came out and she decided she would very politely give her candy to the lady! She said in all her years that was a first! Ha! Such a polite trick or treater! 

It didn't take long for her to become a pro and grabbing her candy out of people's baskets! We probably would have gone all night if it wasn't freezing!! Can't wait til next year!

Here is a flashback pic...

My sweet girl is growing up!!