Front Porch Decor

It's a rainy, cool day here in Illinois and all I really wanted to do this morning was stay snuggled up in bed!

Unfortunately, that wasn't a reality so I'm sharing some pictures of the pretty flowers and tasty herbs I've potted up and have sitting on my porch at home.  While I don't always appreciate the rain, they sure do!

 

Linking up with Tuesday Tea!

Wise Guy Cupcakes

I adore these cupcakes!  They just make me smile.

They were the centerpiece for the graduation party I catered this weekend and everyone thought they were a hoot!  Pun totally intended.  Ha!  The school mascot is a 'Sage' or owl and I couldn't resist making these little guys!

And really, while they're a bit time consuming to put together, they're very easy to make.You'll start with 24 baked and cooled cupcakes.  I made mine Saturday morning and didn't get around to decorating them until Saturday afternoon.

The most tedious task is seperating all the chocolate sandwich cookies.  You'll need to carefully seperate 48 cookies, setting aside the cookie without the cream filling.  If you have trouble with the cream breaking, you can smush it back with your fingers.

Yes, smush is a technical term.

For the noses and eyes I used 24 orange chocolate candies and 48 brown chocolate candies.

Stop counting the candies!  I said STOP!!

To affix the eyes on the cream covered chocolate sandwich cookie, use a tiny dab of frosting.  You only need a little.  Too much and you'll see it spill out from underneath the candy.

After you get all the candies attached, you'll frost the cupcake and carefully place two of the cookies on top.

Then grab one of the orange candies and place it on it's side in the 'V' below the eyes.

Now use your knife or small offset spatula to pull the frosting above the eyes into the shape of little horns.  You can easily manipulate the frosting.  There's not a science to this, just go with it.

One cupcake completed!  23 more to go.

Wise Guy Cupcakes

Ingredients:
24 Chocolate cupakes, baked and cooled
Chocolate frosting.  I cheated and used canned.
48+ Cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies.  Grab a few extras just in case!
48 Brown chocolate candies
24 Orange chocolate candies

Directions:
Carefully separate sandwich cookies, setting aside the wafer without the cream.
Use a small dab of frosting and affix the brown chocolate candies to the top of the cookie halves with the cream.  Set aside.
Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Place 'eyes' centered on each cupcake.
Take an orange candy and put just below the cookie eye.
Use an offset spatula and pull the frosting to make horns for your owl.

Whooo are you looking at? 

  

Linking up with Delicious Dish Tuesday and Tuesday Tea!

Horse Show #1 In The Books

This past Saturday was the first horse show of the season for Louie and I.  All week, heck for the last several months, leading up to the show I spent getting ready. 

Most recently though things that had to be done before the show were: polishing the silver on my show halter and western bridle (which resulted in a good sized blister on my thumb), cleaning my saddles with leather soap, packing all the necessities in the horse trailer, and getting Louie all clipped up because the judges like the horses clean shaven!  I trim out his ears, around his muzzle, under his chin and even the white on his legs.  And let me tell you, that's a LOT of white hair!

Remember he looked like this not too long ago before I took after him with the clippers and gave him a mini-makeover.

Friday night I spent most of the evening in the barn getting him all pretty-fied and took precaution to keep him clean by dressing him in his 'clothes'. 

I'm sure no one is surprised they're purple, right?!?

Bright and early Saturday morning I loaded Louie up in the trailer and headed to the show.  Once we got to the show grounds I had to get him undressed and went to work putting the finishing touches on him and I!  His coat has to be clean and glossy and his white impeccably clean.  It's all about the details.  He even wears a fake tail to give the illusion of a luscious, full tail! 

We generally enter three types of classes at horse shows: Showmanship at Halter, English Pleasure/Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure.  Each of these classes then can be more specific in that they could be for ladies only or the horse has to be over a certain age.  In Showmanship, the judge posts a pattern prior to the start of the show and it's up the handler to memorize it and perform it as best you can because you're scored on the maneuvers.  Here's an example of a pattern we might have to execute:

English and Western Pleasure are both riding classes and both are judged on the way the horse moves.  The judges scores the horses against one another by watching their gates.  In English Pleasure the horse is expected to walk, trot and canter.  While in Western Pleasure the horse is going to walk, jog and lope.  The jog and lope are just a slower version of the trot and canter.  The biggest difference that most people can see between these two classes are the outfits the horses and riders wear... 

English Pleasure

Western Pleasure

Of the seven classes we competed in on Saturday, we came home with six Top 5 finishes!  We won our showmanship class(!!) and I was really proud of how we did in the Western Pleasure classes!  I've only been working with him on slowing down and being a 'western' horse since this past winter and he's really getting it!  And he looks handsome too...

This weekend we're off to another show, but this time the stakes are a bit higher!  It's the first Paint Horse breed show of the year!  That means steeper competition, tougher patterns and over all a higher anxiety level for both me and Louie... Keep us in your thoughts!

My New Do

I mentioned last week in my Five on Friday post that I was excited to have my aunt cut and color my hair!  And let me tell you, she did not disappoint!  Sadly, the weather did not want to play nicely on Sunday and I couldn't get any 'good' photos taken.  Alas, you'll have to check out the ch-ch-changes via my trusty iPhone!

Here's the before, don't mind my ginormous forehead.  I swear it's the photo angle. 

If you follow me on Instagram, I posted a mid-process photo where I'm all foiled up and Aunt Stacy is working her magic...

And what's a new do without an After posted to Instagram?

 

Sunday morning we went out to brunch with some friends and busted out my new CONAIR Infinit Pro curling tool to refresh the curls from the day before.  I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use!  My hair, each individual strand is thin, but there is a LOT of it and curling my hair is always quite the process.  I was able to curl all my hair in under 40 minutes!  For me, this is awesomesauce!  The only products I used prior to and after curling were CHI Iron Guard and some hairspray.  And the best part?!?  The curls actually lasted ALL DAY!  I curled my hair in the morning and by 3:30pm it still looked like this...

I'm loving the ombre and it'll be perfect for this Spring and Summer!!

Linking up with Jenni, Samantha & Reneé

20 Songs I Can't Help But Crank Up

I know that I can't be the only gal who craves the days where you can slip on your sunglasses, open the sunroof, roll down the windows and crank up the tunes on the radio!!  Last Friday was one of those afternoons for me.  I couldn't bare to be cooped up at work any longer and was counting the minutes until I could bug out and feel the warm wind hitting my face as I belted out some of my favorite songs!

This got me to thinking about the songs that I absolutely LOVE to sing (although not well) along with.  There's definitely an underlying theme to the songs listed, I was raised on country and it's still my favorite, but there are few randoms thrown in for good measure!

I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool by Barbara Mandrell
As a young girl who struggled to fit in, I was certain this song was written for me! 

She's In Love With The Boy by Trisha Yearwood
This was one of the first cassette tapes I ever had and would put in in my red My First Sony Walkman and listen to it over and over and over again until the batteries died.

17 by Cross Canadian Ragweed
"You'll always be seventeen in your hometown."  So true.

Livin' On  A Prayer by Bon Jovi 
Who doesn't love to crank this one up and sing along?
 
When God Fearin' Women Get The Blues by Martina McBride
Even now, one of my old college roommates and I still text each other when we hear this song on the radio!  It was one of our favorites back in the day and we can repeat it word for word with or without the music.

40 Hour Week by Ala-freakin-bama 
For me, bands like Alabama and songs like this truly speak to working class Americans who get up everyday, work hard and don't expect a lot in return.

Fancy by Reba McEntire
I was singing this song as a kid in our family car long before I even understood it was about a girl who grew up to be hooker!  It's also a classic karaoke song for my girlfriends and I.

We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister 
Not only is this great to jam out in the car to, but it's one of my favorites to run to.  I may throw a couple fist pumps in as I'm pounding the pavement.

Rodeo by Garth Brooks
Growing up attending and competing in rodeos makes it an easy choice!

Airstream Song by Miranda Lambert 
This song, which never got much radio play, is probably one of my all time favorites that she sings!  And if I could pick one celebrity BFF, it would be Miranda.  I'm certain we'd be besties!

Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus
Don't hate.  It's a fun song!

Dixieland Delight by Ala-freakin-bama
I pretty much love anything that Alabama sings, but this song brings back memories of many nights in the AGR house swing dancing and singing at the top of our lungs!

Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger
Classic, right?!? Right?  I'm not sure we can be friends if you think otherwise.

Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne
There's not much alternative/punk music on my list, but I really like this song! 

Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker
I just can't restrain myself... "Deeellltttaaa Dawn what's that flower you have on..."

Harvest Time by Luke Bryan
This is another obscure song from a really popular (or you could insert hot, attractive, unavailable, etc.) country singer!  It really shouldn't come as a surprise that songs about small towns and farming are some of my favorite!

That Girl Is A Cowboy by Garth Brooks
"Man she's something when she's one of the boys, but something else anytime she's not."  It would be such a compliment to have someone say this about me! 

Don't Stop Believin' by Journey 
In college there was this epic 80's tribute band called Hairbangers Ball that would play several of the local bars and the whole place would go crazy when they played "Don't Stop Believin'"! 

Love Can Build A Bridge by The Judds
I love me some classic, belt it out ballads!

Famous In A Small Town by Miranda Lambert
I'm just don't think it's possible to really understand small town life unless you've lived it.  There's really nothing like going to school and having teachers who also taught your parents.  Or riding around town on the back of a firetruck after winning the big game.  And there was also the speed at which the news/gossip spread from the gas station to the corn elevator to the coffee shop.

Linking up with Tuesday Tea.

Snubbing The Snow

Last night we got snow.

Again.

Will the most cold and longest winter of my life ever end?!?!  GAH.

So despite the snow that's threatening to dishearten all Midwesterners, not to mention kill my strawberries and rhubarb plants, I'm posting pictures of my Spring and Easter decor!  

Take that Mother Nature!  We're all getting really sick of your attitude...

Linking up with Tuesday Tea

Homemade Apple Pie Larabar

I tasted my first Larabar years ago and thought they were delicious!  Mostly because of the price tag, I never really became a slave to the tasty little snack bar though.  When I first started following the Paleo lifestyle I noticed that several Paleo food bloggers had recipes to create their own... now we're talking!  Save money and get crafty in the kitchen?  Sign me up.

For a while, I was content just making the recipes that I had found on Pinterest.  Then one day Matt came home with a bag of dehydrated apples and I thought I could create an apple pie version of my own!  After a few trial runs, I'm finally satisfied with the final product!

To make these bars you'll need to gather almonds, walnuts, dates, raisins, dried apples, cinnamon, ginger and coconut oil.  I make these in the middle sized Ninja Master Prep Pro bowl, but any food processor should do the trick!

The first step to making these bars is to combine the raisins and dates into the food processor and puree them until they have broken down.  Once you think they've broken down enough, go a couple extra seconds!  This mixture should look like this...

Go ahead and add the apples at this point and break them up a bit too!

Add the almonds and walnuts to the container with the pureed fruit.  Now you'll want to sprinkle in the spices and give it a whirl to combine everything all together!  You'll want to scrape the sides of the food processor as needed.  At this point I stop the blender and melt some coconut oil in the microwave.  To get the ingredients to really come together I have the best luck drizzling the oil in as I have the blender running.  Once you're satisfied, you'll line an 8x8 pan with wax paper and empty the contents into the pan.

Then use your hands and press into the pan, creating a uniform thickness.

Stick the pan in the refrigerator and let the bars cool!  And now you wait.  After a few hours, I generally let them sit undisturbed for about two hours.  Once the bars have had a chance to cool, you can cut them into squares or rectangles.  I generally cut the large square into eighths, but you could do smaller or larger!  Tip: cut in the bars in the pan, rather than lifting the large square out first.  This makes them easier to cut!  I wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap and then store them in a resealable bag in the refrigerator until I'm ready for a snack.

And now I'm officially hungry!

So I make my own Larabars, do you make anything at home because you refuse to buy it at the store?  Let me know, I'm always up for trying something new!

Homemade Apple Pie Larabar
Yields: 8 bars

Ingredients:
1 cup dates, pitted
3 Tablespoons raisins
1 cup dehydrated apples
3/4 cup almonds, unsalted
3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
coconut oil

Directions:
Combine dates and raisins in food processor.  Puree until the dried fruits have broken down.  

Add dehydrated apples to the processor and pulse until all three fruits have combined.  You may need to use a spoon to scrape the sides of the bowl to help incorporate the fruits together. 

Now put the almonds, walnuts, and spices into the bowl of the food processor and blend until the nuts have broken down and combined with the fruits.  Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Melt some coconut oil in the microwave and then drizzle the oil into the bowl with the motor running.  Once all the ingredients have been blended together pour the contents into a wax paper lined 8 x 8 pan and press into a flat, uniform thickness bar.

Cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Once cool, cut into eight bars and wrap individually in plastic wrap.

Store in refrigerator in a resealable bag.

Linking up with Tuesday Tea and Delicious Dish Tuesday.

Not So Talented

I feel comfortable saying that I have many talents from riding, to crafting and cooking, but one thing that ranks really high up there that I'm flat bad at is curling my hair!

For most of my life I've had long hair that blow drys straight without much effort, I don't even use a straightener.  And depending on the length, I can do a fair job of scrunching it to bring out some waves.  But I've never been very handy with a curling iron.  It's not that I'm not coordinated in other aspects, but to watch me try and curl my hair you'd think I was all thumbs!

To achieve curls, I typically resort to using hot rollers or curling sticks.  Even then, my curls aren't the glossy, magazine worthy ones I'd like them to be!  Frankly, they tend to fall flat pretty quickly and leave me very irritated!  So what's a girl to do?  Spend too much time curling my hair with nothing to show for it or skip the curling iron completely?  I have a LOT of hair and spending hours in the bathroom with nothing to show after all that work is a big let down, so I choose the do nothing route.

The last time I was in Ulta, I was wondering around the store and noticed several new fangled contraptions set up with all the curling irons.

Conair Infiniti Pro Curl Secret

Rusk Curl Freak

They kinda look like a straightener in that they're hinged at the end, but at the other end they have a large barrel.  Upon further inspection, I find out that you section out some hair and this curling iron actually sucks it up in the barrel, spins it around and spits out your curled hair.  I've also went online and read some reviews for both products.  People seem to have nicer things to say about the Curl Freak versus the Infiniti, but there's also a hefty price difference between the two.  The purple Infiniti iron sells for $99 and the Curl Freak for $199.

I haven't pulled the trigger and bought anything yet because I wanted to see if any of you gals out there have tried this style of curling iron or not?  Is this the answer to my prayers?  Does it actually work?  I won't end up crying in the bathroom because my hair is a tangled mess inside this contraption, right?!?

Linking up with Jenni, Khala, Samantha and Renee for Tuesday Tea.

Where Your Food Comes From + A Recipe

Did you know that the average American is three generations removed from the farm?  For many people the closest they can trace their family tie to a farm is to go back to their great-grandparents!

Source

My sorority's national philanthropy, Ag In The Classroom, helps educate kids about where their food comes from because there isn't the inherent tie to farming like in the past.  Sad as it is, more kids than I'd like to admit have absolutely no clue that their frozen pizza has any ties to agriculture!  They don't realize that the crust is made from wheat that farmers grow and harvest every year, that the cheese started out as milk from dairy cows or that there is actually a difference between dairy and beef cows!

Check out some of the ag facts below and support farmers! 
- Pork is the number one meat consumed in the world.  American's comsmption declined in the 70's because people started looking for a leaner protein source.  The hogs raised today are less fatty due to improved genetics and feeding.
- The US grows more than 30,000 acres of garlic every year.  This produces more than 500 million pounds of garlic.  Garlic is primarily grown in California, but is also produced in Oregon, Nevada, Washington and New York.
- Potatoes are utilized more for frozen fries than any other product.  Are you surprirsed?

Source

- Each year, US dairy farmers provide enough milk to make more than 1 billion pounds of butter, 7 billions pounds of cheese and 1 billion gallons of ice cream!
- Kale belongs to the same species of the mustard family as collards, cabbage and broccoli.  It is also very high in vitamin A and C!

Unlike the kids I helped teach, I grew up hearing what our crops were raised for and how they fed the world!  I have an appreciation for the food I eat because of how I was raised and for that I'm incredibly thankful.

Bringing awareness to National Ag Week with a recipe only seemed natural to me.  Farmers feed us and without them, well... as romantic as it sounds, you can't survive on love alone!

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kale Stew with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients
1 pound sausage, crumbled into small pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
sea salt and pepper
2 large russet potatoes (approx. 1 pound)
1 small bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn (approx. 7 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions
1.  Combine the sausage, onion, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, garlic, water, Italian seasoning and 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker.  Place the potatoes in the liquid and top with the kale.
2.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3.  Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl.  Add the milk, oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper to a bowl and mash.
4.  Serve the stew over the top of the mashed potatoes.

Linking up with Tuesday Tea, Delicious Dish Tuesday and Country Fair Blog Party.

Book Review: Calling Me Home

How many of you out there read and loved The Help?!?!  

If you were, like me, immediately swept away with the story and characters I urge you with a hot poker to read Calling Me Home!  

The chapters alternate between describing a forbidden love in rural Kentucky in the 1930's and a present day friendship between an unlikely duo.  

Although you may be able to guess at some of the prejudices that Isabella McAllister will face when she chooses to pursue a relationship with a boy that so many believed was all wrong for her, you will be blown away by the twist and turns!  One of my friends said it best, "I hadn't connected the dots 'til the author literally drew the line for me!"  The story of love and heart ache unfolds as eight-nine year old Isabella and her traveling companion, Dorrie, make their way towards Cincinnati for an epic reunion.  

I was blown away by this novel!!  In my opinion, author Julie Kibler wrote a fantastic debut novel and told an amazing story about the devastating ramifications of a forbidden love set during a very sad time in our history. 

If, by chance you have read Calling Me Home, were you as enthralled with it as me?!?  If not, please go read this book!  When you have, come back and let me know what you thought!

Want to join in on the fun?  

Next month we are reading A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. 

I'm linking up my book review with (Jenni, Khala, Samantha & Reneé) for Tuesday Tea!