The Wedding: Brittany & Andrew

Congratulations to Brittany and Andrew

So when I was in Kindergarten, a new family moved into the house just 2 doors down.  We lived in a culdesac in an additon sort of between 2 cities. I had a friend who lived 3 doors down, right across from me, and we were talking one day about who was moving in, she heard the was a girl around our age and I couldn't have been more excited. Her Mom recently told us a story about something Brittany said before they even moved in. Linda said that they hadn't even bought the house yet but they were driving past my house and she saw me outside and told her parents that I was her new best friend, and we hadn't even met yet!! But she was right. And I am so thankful for that. In the following years, we spent every day we could together. They had a pool in their back yard and I can't even tell you how many times a summer we would be in there. We were fish and we would even wear matching swimsuits. In the summer if I wasn't home you could bet everything that I was with Brittany and vice versa. We were inseperable. One time we were at the grocery store and we were wearing matching outfits and a lady came up to us and asked if we were twins. We both smiled and looked at eachother and told the lady yes, we were twins. She was so excited and wanted to introduce us to her twin boys! Oh how we were embarrassed. We got out of there ASAP! It was so fun though because we are exactly a month and a half apart in age and we stayed the same height and size for many many years. Some of my favorite memories of us were the Fourth of July... EVERY YEAR! We would go to the local college who had a huge firework display and we would dress up and get our faces painted. We'd sit by the stand that played oldies music and they would serve hotdogs on frisbees and hand out soda to your hearts content! Or your bladder's ;) We would go early in the afternoon and make up handshakes and dances and play with the frisbees and eat snacks until the fireworks started then we'd go back to her house and go swimming in the dark. Oh how I miss those days...

The summer before 5th grade, my family had to move. We had been living in a 3 bedroom ranch and my Mom was pregnant with baby number 5. We were outgrowing the house and moved exactly 7 miles away. But to us that was HUGE! For 5 years we were never farther than a 8 second run and now we had to be DRIVEN to see eachother?? So even though we didn't see each other often, we talked on the phone and knew that the other one was always there if we needed them. Shortly after my family moved, Brittany and her parents moved 3 hours away! Her dad had finished his time in the seminary and the parishes he was assigned to were in in a surrounding state. Summer before sophomore year I got to visit for the first time with her grandparents and we went on a little photo shoot around the town just us 2. We went to all of the antique shops and found this old barber shop that said it was open but you had to go down stairs in the sidewalk to get to it and by the looks of the window it looked like it had been closed 40 years but still had old shaving stuff on the counter!!! lol I realized again what an amazing friend she was when she walked in the rain with me to the Catholic Mass in town with me before going to her Lutheran service. It made my day when she told me how neat our Mass was. She liked how we all said the prayers and responses together and liked our traditional songs. That really meant a lot to me.

She was there for me to talk to when I met the man that would soon become my husband and I was SO excited for her when she met the man who just became her husband on November 17, 2012.

My handsome hubby

And that is what this post is about. The marriage of Brittany and Andrew. I was so honored that she let me be a bridemaid in her wedding. We don't get to talk to eachother every day or every week or even every month. But when we do, it is as if nothing has changed and not a day has gone by since we saw eachother last. It's a connection that can never be broken.

That's me on the right.

She was the most laid back bride so I got to wear a dress that fit me and my personality and I got to get dolled up and feel pretty for a day. She was the most beautiful bride and her husband knew exactly how lucky he was when she agreed to be his wife for better or worse.

IDK how to turn the picture but this is the GROOM

The beautiful bride and me :)

To Brittany: your friendship means so much to me, I am so lucky that God gave me a friend like you who would be there for me through everything that life threw at us. We have both started families now and though soon we will be across the country from each other, I know that we will still be  just as close. I love you and am so happy for you.

Fall Salad

Tonight I needed something to make for dinner and decided just to throw together everything I had and it was AMAZING!! Started off with a bag of lettuce and added some sliced almonds, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and over half an apple.

 

 

I couldn't find my poppyseed dressing, think the hubby finished it off, so I did 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil Balsamic Viniagrette and 3 Tbsp. Italian dressing. For the health benefit I added 1 Tbsp ground flakseed and Voila, AMAZING and very refreshing, healthy salad!!

 

 

 

 

If you don't have everything I listed, who cares?? Make your own! Try mixing your own dressing or combining a couple. Add a pear or even some grapes! Break up a package of Ramen noodles for a crunch. Experiment to make it how you like it.

 

 

 

 

I started with a serving this size but ended up eating another whole serving larger than this! I can not even begin to tell you how refreshing the apples in it were and how vibrant all of the flavors were together.

 

 

 

I'm not going to write out the recipe in detail cause you know what?? None of it was exact. I added stuff until I thought it looked good and then chowed down. Go make yourself a salad and see how well it tasted just by throwing together what you have on hand :)

 

 

God bless and good eats!!

Halloween 2012

I know the pictures are sideways so sorry for that, I changed them on my computer and they still got imported like this :/ And I don't know how to fix it!! 

My baby girl was a princess a few days before Halloween but by Halloween day it was cold nad rainy and I had to get her a warmer costume so hence, the LION. I went with this versus something girlier because I wanted to be able to use it for future children, always thinking about them even though I haven't met them yet :) 

This was her first picture, it just now occurred to me that had I put a hat on under the hood of the jacket it would have stayed out of her eyes better. lol 

She loved her basket, it had her tippy cup in it :)

Before you ask, the jacket was stuffed, in all honesty it was a little TOO poofy so maybe next time we get to use it I can open it up and get some of the stuffing out. 

Her and Daddy, she's not looking.

Next one Brandon looks high but I promise he was just blinking. lol 

This was the FIRST house that we went to. Brandon pushing BellaBoo and her Uncle Ryon who was also a lion this year.

Hope you all had safe, fun Halloweens! 

God Bless! 

Beef and Noodles

This is a delicious, very quick version of Beef and Noodles. It only has 4 ingredients and is SO easy to remember. My made this all the time while I was growing up and I LOVED it, I always assumed that it was really hard to make so when I got married and wanted to make it, I asked my mom for the recipe. I was AMAZED that such a wonderful flavor came from just a few simple ingredients!

First off, I must say that these noodles are amazing!! You will need a whole bag of them. I know that at my grocery store they are back on a shelf by the dairy, not in the pasta aisle but they may not always be the case.

Also you will need Hormel Beef Roast Au jus and a packet of Brown gravy. 

The fourth ingredient I mentioned is Beef stock. So first just get 7 cups of beef stock and noodles cooking on medium high (I find it goes WAY faster to start with hot tap water). 

Next cook the Beef Roast in the microwave for recommended time, pour the gravy into the pot then shred the beef and add to the noodles. 

Once thee noodles are cooked, add the brown gravy. You may not notice a huge change in consistency until it starts to cool but it adds great flavor and is SO worth it.

Enjoy and God Bless.

Texas Toast (not the Garlic Bread!)

My Great Aunt Beverly used to make this and she called it Texas Toast. The last time I saw her before she passed was in 4th grade so remembering her in this recipe is a wonderful feeling, I miss her so much! 

This works wonderful as a breakfast or as a side to a big family breakfast! It only has 3 ingredients and once you make it one time you will never need to look back at the recipe again, it is so easy! All you need is sausage, I use Jimmy Dean Country Mild, english muffins and some shredded cheese (any kind really). 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Basically ALL you have to do is cook the sausage, drain it and add some cheese, stir it until it is melted on. 

Scoop all of the sausage and cheese onto English muffins (I used 5 out of 6 of them). 

Cook at 350 for 10 minutes and they are good to go! 

Enjoy your Texas Toast and God Bless!