Scenes Around Home

I feel incredibly blessed to live on a farm. It's not the kind of farm I imagine when I hear the word, but none the less, it is a farm. I imagine feeding slop to pigs and riding horses. I imagine chickens and acres of freshly toiled land with tall green corn growing.

For some reason (I laugh as I say this because I know the exact reason) the cow pasture has become a place to ride 4 wheelers, and our garden shrinks every year.

The truth of the matter is... farming is extremely hard work!

But in the depths of my soul, this land and this life calls me. I love everything about it!

I love seeing the cows tagged and ready to be sold...

I love checking on the geese everyday and watching the babies grow...

and I truly love this ugly, grotesque duck who follows us around like a puppy would!

We all think he has 2 sets of eyes!

I do love what the Lord has so graciously given me.

Really?!!!?

Anyone who knows me, knows how very blessed I am to have such wonderful boys in my life.

Good relations with the Wookies, I have.

-Yoda

I love them so much more than the word love entails. They are a lot of work, but every time a door is opened for me or a hug is given for no reason, I feel my cup overflowing.

Mushy,I know, but it's true.

So how on earth did I end up here?????

What redneck came up with this hobby? We do basketball, baseball, soccer, kickball, swimming, tennis, football, even the occasional racquetball, but tractor pulling?? It's not a real sport! It's boring and the guys act quite immaturely!

So why do I sit through this torture??

Oh, yeah. I remember now. Can you see his little squinted eyes? It's from that big smile that stays on his precious face from the time we tell him it's tractor pull day.


This is his favorite part!
These are my little Wookies and the only way to stay close to them is to be a part of their lives. Even the boring, dirty, stinky (the track is right beside some of the stinkiest turkeys!) parts of their lives.

Creamy Risotto

It is a long strived for goal in my house to get my boys to eat more veggies! We've always maintained the rule: Eat what is on your plate or there will be no dessert. It worked well for N&N, but then the Lord blessed us with little T who came into the world bucking and will probably leave that way too! :)

So, with 5 very unique tastes, I have come up with a clever rating system (if I do say so myself... and I did). I have decided that, from now on my recipes will include a 5 star rating. One star for each 'unique eater' in my house.

Today, it's creamy Risotto. Now honestly, this can be made with any veggie that you have on hand. I had some mushrooms that were nearing their demise so my risotto has broccoli and mushrooms.

The secret to risotto is to keep your liquid boiling in a separate pot.

Now, I would love to show you the finished product, but the boys came in and before I could grab my camera, it was all gone. How do they devour food so quickly??? I'd be moaning with indigestion!

This recipe got 4 very large stars!!!

Creamy Risotto

2 cans chicken stock (sodium free)
Arborio Rice (or in my case, what ever rice you have)
Onions
Broccoli
Mushrooms
(again, this can be what ever you have)
Cheese (what ever your favorite is. I use cream cheese)
oil

Start by making the commitment: I WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE LEAVE THIS STOVE. I WILL NOT HEAR MY CHILD SCREAMING MY NAME MERCILESSLY. I WILL IGNORE THE OVERFLOWING TOILET. I HAVE RISOTTO COOKING AND IT IS MY #1 PRIORITY.
Now, the hard part is over. :)

Begin by bringing your stock to a boil.

In a separate pot, add a touch of oil and saute your vegetables of choice. (at this point it may help to sing the Veggie Tales theme song.) Once the veggies are tender add @ 2 cups of rice and saute for a moment. Then add 1 cup of stock and let simmer until stock has absorbed. Then add another cup of stock. Repeat until rice is done. (if you run out of stock you can substitute with some water. There will still be lots of flavor, just make sure your water comes to a boil before adding to the rice)

Last add in the cheese of your choice. I used the new Philly cooking cream cheese with garlic because it was on sale, but you can literally use any cheese.

DISCLAIMER: There aren't any measurements for this recipe, because I winged it. I just threw together what I had. What makes risotto, risotto is not how much of this or that you use, but the way you cook the rice. Keep it slow and you'll do fine.

Bon Appetit!!!

Baby A & E

So sorry it's taking so long.

Here are a few more to hold you over. :)

My Very First Newborn Session

I think I'm in love. M was an AWESOME baby girl and just gorgeous! I could really get used to this!

And little Miss A will be the biggest heart breaker!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!

A&E = Adorable & Entergetic! :)

I hope you like your preview! There are more!! Keep checking back.

Precious Baby M

Thank you so much for letting me take her pictures! She is adorable! Check back next week and I should have some of her big sis too! ;)