The Story of Us: January 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Beef Taco Casserole

My super cute friend, Hillary, just posted a blog that inspired me to post this.

I made this dish this week for a jewelry party I had at my house and it was SO yummy, SO easy, AND a HUGE hit with everyone (even my mother who eats nothing but health food).

I am definitely making this again for Superbowl Sunday because it's almost like a dip or it could even be made to be a taco salad.

Recipe:

Beef Taco Casserole

1 lb ground beef

1 can Tomato Soup

1 Cup Chunky Salsa

1/2 C milk

1/2 C uncooked white rice

1/2 C slightly crushed Tortilla Chips

1/2 C Shredded Cheddar

1. Brown hamburger and pour off fat.

2. Stir soup, salsa, milk, rice into skillet. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Cover.

3. Bake @ 400 degrees for 25 min or until hot. Stir.

4. Sprinkle with cheese and arrange crunched up chips around edges.

NOW the next time I make this I am not going to put the chips on the whole thing right away. I plan to put crushed chips on each serving on the plate. Reason being, if you have leftovers, the chips are kind of mushy after they've sat in the fridge and then been reheated.

And it is actually SO MUCH better the next day. I'll probably make the hamburger part the day before and let the flavors blend in the fridge overnight and then reheat it and add the cheese the day we're going to actually eat it.

Garnish with sour cream and it's perfection!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

My Week in Knitting

You could say I have become a BIT obsessed with this knitting thing.

I can't help it. You just have no idea how long I've been wanting to know how to do this.

Years and years and years...

So, you saw my owlie... the first real project I completed.

This is the second thing I completed this week.

A dishcloth, washcloth, or coaster for your drink. All of the three work and apply here. I think it's precious.

However, the next time I make disclothes, this is the pattern I'm going to follow.

And I was going to link the pattern I used to make the small cloth below, but I can't find it! I'll post it in my next update if I remember! :)

This next project is what I've been wanting to make from the beginning. A hat. Love hats, especially knit ones. This one was so much fun to make, I did it in under four hours, so I know I'll be doing another one in different colors very soon. The only thing bad about these things I'm making is that I get really attached to them as I'm making them. I initially was making this one to take to a baby shower tomorrow, but then I tried it on Noah....

And it's sooooo cute on him!!!! It is a BIT small on him, because it's meant for a little baby, not a toddler, but it's stretchy yarn, so it did work on him.

I guess I'll give it to the new baby and just make Noah a new one... one that actually is made for a head his size. ;)

And lastly, this pattern is in the Stitch 'N Bitch book and I knew I wanted to make it the moment I saw it. Why? Because I LOVE kerchiefs.

Always loved them. I think they look adorable on both me and Emma.

The only problem I ever have with them is getting them to stay in place for any length of time.

Well, this one...

Does not move. It's freakin awesome. It fits me and Emma both and when you tie it on, it stays there and you can't hardly even feel that you've got it on!

Emma was straight out of the bath when I took these pictures. Her hair doesn't normally look glued to her head. ;)

Also, these pictures are not the greatest, they're straight out of my little point and shoot, but they do the job. They show you my new creations.

And again, I know these are not that super awesome, but give me a break, I just learned to even put the yarn on the needle last Saturday, so I'm pretty excited about how much I've done with it this week!

Now, are you itching to knit yet?

I am.. b- bye! :)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Newest Member of our Family

And my first knitting project is complete.

Meet Owlie.

I love owlie, he makes me smile.

I got the pattern from this awesome blog. This lady makes amazing knitted toys. I'd love to be able to make them all someday, but let's face it... not all of them are as easy as my owlie. ;)

And my owlie is not perfect, by any means, but I learned a lot making him and I know I'll do even better next time! ;)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Stitch 'N B*!@#

I have been wanting to learn to knit for quite some time now. Our little town had a knitting store for about a year (maybe more?) and my grandma and I were wanting to go there to take a knitting class the whole time they were there.

Well, they moved before we had the chance and I was sad.

My grandma is an avid crocheter. She crochets all day everyday in her cozy recliner. And I really do mean all. day. every. day.

She's made a gazillion blankets, hats, scarfs, etc. And she taught me to crochet when I was about 10 or so, but I was never crazy about crocheting. For one thing, I used to get bored doing it. But more than that, I'm just not all that fond of the way crocheted items look.

PLEASE don't freak if you are an avid crocheter and think

it's the most beautiful thing ever. My grandma has made me many gorgeous things that I love, but when I do it, I don't like the way it turns out. I probably just suck at it.

Anyway, I LOVE the way everything knitted looks and I've always been fascinated by everything about it. Especially the using the two needles. I love that! Ha!

So, Friday, I was bored and I (out of nowhere) thought.... I bet they have knitting tutorials on YouTube.

Helloooooooo!!!!

So, to YouTube I went and wouldn't ya know....

I found THIS awesome video that taught the VERY basics on how you just plain START to knit.

And there are a TON more where that one came from!

I was over the moon!! Literally, it was 11pm and I was so anxious to get my hands on some yarn and needles I seriously considered calling my cousin over from next door so I could run to the all night wal-mart to see if they had what I wanted.

I refrained, however.

So, Saturday (yesterday) I went and picked up my Granny and we went straight to Jo-Ann's craft/fabric/AWESOME store.

Where I got this...

Not the bucket.. just the contents.

And I came home and sat at the computer with my hands full of yarn and needles and I did my best. I watched, rewound, watched, rewound, watched, rewound....

Until I was able to do this...

I know, I know, that sucks! But it was my FIRST try!

Later yesterday, my Aunt Jane, who is an awesome knitter, came and sat with me and helped me a bit and we knitted together. So, then I was able to do this...

Yes, that still sucks. Don't you love how towards the top, I somehow managed to add on tons of stitches creating that weird bulge up there? LOL Still, though, it's better than my FIRST try was. I was pretty proud of my self to be honest.

And today, Emma told me she wanted me to make her a scarf. So, this is where I'm at so far with my first try at an actual wearable/usable item....

It's not perfect by any means, but she thinks it's beautiful and I'm pretty happy being that I JUST learned how to even put the yarn on the needle yesterday.

I have very big dreams for this knitting thing, though.

I hope so much that in the next few months, I will have learned enough to be able to do this...

THAT is a garland mitten advent calendar. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this so much!!! I want to make these for Emma and Noah for Christmas next year. I have GOT to learn to make this!!!

So, if anyone has any knitting tips/tricks, please fill me in. ;)

I also bought these two books yesterday and they both have lots of awesome "beginner" projects in them! I can't wait!! I am so excited about this new little undertaking! ;)

Be prepared to see lots of projects as I continue to grow as a "knitter" ;)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

My Girl

Oh how I love you, sweet sweet girl.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Emma's First Riding Lesson

Emma has admired and loved the horses on our farm her entire life.

She and Noah both talk about them every time we pass in the car and want so much to interact with and ride them.

I, however, have very little experience with horses, so I knew I wasn't going to be the one to try to teach them things that I don't know.

So, around Christmas, Emma was talking about the horses even more than normal, so I googled and found these stables that just happen to be 5 minutes from our house!

So, I called and reserved a time (today) to take Emma to her first horseback riding lesson. I wasn't sure how it was going to go, to be honest. First of all, Emma is not one that likes to get dirty. Second, she gets scared kind of easily and she's never been up close and personal with a creature as large as a horse.

Let's just say I was AMAZED. She did awesome! And she loved every minute of it!!

It was really funny at first, though, because when we walked into the barn she immediately commented how dirty and stinky it was in there. hahaha

Her instructor, Charlene, was so great with her! And this is definitely something Emma is going to keep doing. She was so sad to leave, she wants to go back tomorrow and ride again. Ha!

If you'd like to see the pictures larger, go HERE

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Fresh From the Phone

It's that time of week again... to show you what I got on my phone this past week...

Here goes...

My boy is 100% boy. He loves all things manly. He got lots of tools for Christmas (plastic tools, mind you.) and he LOVES "fixing" things.

My grandma (who we didn't get to see at Christmas) gave Noah this tool set when we went to visit her on Sunday and for the rest of the day, he "fixed" everything he saw...

As much as I love that little fella, sometimes he does things that make me want to wrap him up in duct tape so he won't be able to get into any more mischief.

Case in Point::

I won a SIGNED copy of Nicholas Sparks' brand new book Safe Haven.

It was sitting on my nightstand so I could admire it each time I walked by.

I was folding laundry one day and Noah walks into the laundry room covered in pen marks and hands me my autographed book. And he says, "Mommy, Noah write it!"

He was PROUD of himself.

My heart started pounding.

And this is what I discovered...

He had written in other areas of the book, too, this is just the place that had the highest concentration of marks.

I told Tony to take him away so I could gain my composure.

Of all the 5000 books in this house, THAT is the ONE he chose to WRITE IN!!!

Moving on...

Emma and I are currently obsessed with Jenga.

She loves it, I love it. It's great.

I always win. Ha!

But she is REALLY good for a 6 year old.

I cleaned my desk yesterday.

I was so proud, I took a picture of it.

I take a bath every night. Aren't you glad to know that?

This is what Emma does while I'm in the tub. Every. Night. It's our time. We talk and bond.

I bathe, she rolls up her pants and soaks her feet. lol

This is what Noah does every night.

I think he's going to grow up to be the next Michael Phelps.

He loves "swimming".

This is how I dress everyday.

Not the same clothes, but some version of this is how I dress every day.

This is why I've yet to participate in the "All Dressed Up" Wednesdays on Michele's blog.

Do you forgive me, now, Michele?

I'm such a bum. I don't enjoy being dressed up at all.

What's better than a sweet boy in his snow suit? I don't know.

He wanted to go out and play in the snow so bad. I made him wait a minute. It was 7am for heaven's sake!!! But he stood by the door like this until I finished bundling him up and finally took him out to play.

This is what we do after playing in the snow...

We move the furniture around so that the floor space is completely open, put down some quilts and pillows and veg out, watch tv and eat all day on the floor by the fire.

It's awesome. We LOVE it.

It's like we're instantly on some sort of vacation. I think this is my favorite thing about snow days.

It's like God is giving us permission to relax and just be. He writes us an invisible pass to excuse us from work, exercise, appointments and errands. It's fabulous.

I love that man and the snow he sends us. ;)

What's on YOUR phone???

Monday, January 17, 2011

i heart faces :: winter wonderland

This is by far my favorite snow picture I've ever taken. It's of my sweet boy, Noah. We went outside during a lull in the snow fall and while we were out there it started coming down with a vengeance and he was completely mesmerized by it all falling around him. This is one of those that I'll treasure forever.

Thanks all for your thoughts and comments!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

And the Winners Are...

So, I had said that I was going to announce the winners on Monday, but what the hay...

I can't wait that long...

So, here goes...

This is the jar with all the entries...

Thank you soooo much to all of you guys who entered! This was so fun for me. I found some new favorite things. Thank you, Erica, I am now COMPLETELY OBSESSED with getting one of those Bumbleride strollers. Seriously. I'm watching like 15 of them on ebay right now. Literally. 15.

So, the order in which we drew the names is going to go along with the order that the prizes were listed on the giveaway blog. Does that make sense? Hope so...

The first name drawn was...

and Estell wins the precious, adorable, ever so lovely Alice in Wonderland bottle opener!!! :)

the second name drawn was...

... and Breezi wins the AWESOME Q&A book!!!!

the third name drawn was...

and Denise gets the yummy, yummy eos lip balm!

And the fourth and final name drawn was...

... and Michele wins the sweet little kitchen timer!

Thanks so much to all the entrants : Jessica, Estell, Rachel Holloway, Hillary, Breezi, Michele, Erica, Katrina, Mary, Nathania, Jackie, Rachel Heath, Kim, Denise, and Ashley!!

You girls are all awesome and I have enjoyed this so much, I know I'll be doing it again!

Now, please email me your mailing addresses @

graciejamesphotography@gmail.com

so I can mail you your prizes!!!

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