Valentine's & Garlic Ranch Chicken

A late Happy Valentine's Day to yall! Mr. Parker had a great first Valentine's Day. His daddy wasn`t too sure when I said I was making a V-Day applique shirt, but I assured him it would be boyish.

I mean what could be more boyish then a dump truck?

Parker was invited to a Valentine's Day party that morning. As you can see from the picture, he had a lot of Valentine's! The little girl who is right in the middle (Red & white top w/ white bow) is Parker's birthday twin, Ansley.

On to The Parker Report, we have now moved into our big boy seat. He is still not too sure about it. Every time now I go to put him in it, he cries. But he is now getting use to falling asleep in it, so that is good. We are still rear facing though, and will be I guess they say now till 2 years old.

This is the week before we put it in. I was trying to get him use to it.

If you look very close (sorry it is a blurry photo) you can see Mr. Parker's first tooth! As of last night the second one has broke through right next to it, but you can`t really see it yet.

I just like this photo because I love me some baby feet!

On to the Garlic Ranch Chicken. My sisters, Mother & I are doing a Freezer Dinner exchange today. Each person picks a dinner, prepares it, puts it in some type of freezer safe container, & then gives one to each family. So I will have my meal & then 3 other freezer meals. The food is not cooked, you still have to take it out to thaw & then cook it. But the step of having to prepare the meal is already done. We prepared meals for 5 families (your own family included). This is our first go at it. From what I have read,  a lot of groups do this once a month. I got my recipe from Fabulessly Frugal.

What you need:
For each family - 4 chicken breast, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of mayo, 1 packet of Ranch dressing mix, & 2 Tablespoons of minced garlic. You will also need gallon sized freezer bags & a sandwich size bag.

Since I did 5 families I timed everything by 5 (20 chicken breast, 5 cups of milk, etc.)

I combined all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl.

Then you take 1/2 cup of the mixture & place it in the sandwich size bag.

Next I put 4 chicken breast in the gallon bag & poured reaming mix into the bag. Lastly you put the sandwich bag into the gallon bag with the chicken & mix. Yes, sounds funny but you put the sandwich bag inside of it. The first time I read it I was like, "ummmm"?? Then stick it in the freezer for later!

I wrote on each gallon sized bag what you do to cook it. Thaw, remove the sandwich bag & stick in fridge. Broil or grill the chicken. Take the mix from the sandwich bag & brush the chicken with it about 5 min. before cook time is up. I`ll show pictures when I actually cook it.


Exciting news for myself, I finally bought SewWhatPro! Matt gave me my embroidery/sewing machine for my 25th birthday. For those who do not embroider I`ll explain a short way. When I wanted to put Parker's name on a shirt I would have to embroider each letter by it's self. Then I would have to make sure I calculated where each letter went. If I was off his name could be not centered or crooked. Really hard & really annoying! The SewWhatPro is going to make my life sooooo much easier! I go on the program & do it all right there, no headache!! So, needless to say, Parker is going to be sporting all my appliques finally I bought for him!

They're Here!

Two bundles of joy were welcomed today! First my niece (3rd sister's) Maysen Blayne Williams was born this morning! She was 6 lbs. 4 oz. 20 inches, tiny little thing but has some chubby cheeks! I hate I`m not home to be there & see her. But I have been sent two pictures via text & she is so beautiful! I can`t wait to meet her!

The second bundle of joy........

It's here! UPS runs around 6 pm here, so I waited all day! I haven`t taken it off from around my neck! I think I`m in love <3

Miss Kitty my first model. As you can tell, we do not have kids yet (one is on the way). AND Matt is in the field all week. So please excuse the animal pictures!

Mr. Bama, he really isn`t suppose to be on the couch. But things happen like that when Daddy leaves : )

Miss Allie, she didn`t care for the camera too much. Plus she won`t ever stay still so she was the hardest to shoot!

 This is the dress I made this morning for Miss Maysen. I got the pattern from here. But when I was going to finish it, I left the laptop downstairs. So I just winged it, I think it turned out pretty cute.

 Here is another gift I made for Miss Maysen's room. I got the pattern from here. You put baking soda in it & hang it near the changing table to make the poop smell go away. It is suppose to have a button BUT I`m not that advance yet. I plan on sending a little "care package" tomorrow to the happy family.

From girly & pink to boyish & camo haha. That is my life now. Thank goodness I have 2 nieces I can do girl stuff for. But I`m not going to lie this camo onesie from Bass Pro with a shotgun shell on it is pretty cute! Parker is ready for hunting season! His dad approves appliques like this!

This is a pillow I made for Parker's nursery to go in the chair I`m putting in there. Again I got the pattern from here. Also again I started following their pattern but by the end I was winging it. The fabric & leather are samples from the interior designer I worked for. The back side is jean from a pair of Matt's old Wranglers. I didn`t know how sewing leather on my machine would go, but it worked out.

I`m so excited for tomorrow so I can try & shoot some photos outside. I just wish I had more subjects to take pictures of. I have been looking at the manual & all that fun stuff. I have a lot to learn but I`m looking forward to it.

The End

This past fall I started a little business called Branding Iron Boutique. I have had great success with my business. It was perfect this past year with me not working, being a stay at home wife. But I`m sad to say as of today I will be closing up shop. We are in the process of packing up our house, & there are many things I want to make for my little man before he gets here. After Parker is born I will be looking for full-time work. So with working full-time & being a mother & a wife, I`m afraid I will not have time. I want to say thank you to all my customers who supported me this past year. I`m so glad I could make something special for your little ones. If you are in need of work I can refer you to a friend of mine who has the same type of business. Here is a link to her website.

Thank you again everyone!

Sew, Sew, Sew

My husband as you know, if you actually read my blog, is in the Army. Sometimes they have to go to the "field" to, I guess, kind of practice? haha I`m not too sure, but that is what I get from it. They shoot & things like that, Army stuff. But when he goes in the field, he stays the night out there. Which leaves me alone for 3 or so days. So I have a lot of time on my hands, more then normal. So between Golden Girls, Reba, Gilmore Girls & NCIS, I have been sewing like crazy. I am rarely in the mood to sew my own things, since I sew for others. I think someone told me this saying & I totally believe, "Hair dresses rarely do their hair because they are too tired from doing everyone else's". Now I don`t know if that is true, but that is how I feel about sewing. Don`t get me wrong, I`m am very thankful for my customers. It is my job & I love it. But by the time I`m done doing orders, I don`t feel like working on my own things. Anywho, I finally had time/energy to!

Here is the link for the camera cozy and here is the link for the tote bag. I found the website from my favorite  blog. There are many things I want to make from the website. But here are a couple I popped out today.

Here is the camera cozy. There is suppose to be a button on it, but I have to go buy some.

This is what it will look like closed. Again missing the button.

Here is another cozy.

You can fit your digital camera in it. But I couldn`t take a photo of it holding my camera haha

Here is my tote I made.

Here is a closer view. The tote is called a "summer tote". I`m ready for the summer so I can use it. Maybe it will make a beach trip?!

LoVe

Well I hope yall had an enjoyable Valentine's Day. I just wanted a box of chocolates, which my husband bought me Friday night when we ran into CVS haha oh married life. But I was quite happy with it : ) His gift from me was a box of Mike & Ike's & a card. We like to celebrate but we don`t really do too much for it. But I did want to cook a Valentine's Day dinner because this will be our last one before the baby comes.

A friend of mine posted a link about the below cookies (Here is her blog). I was already planning on making Red Velvet cake, but I thought my husband would like this better. He is more of a cookie person then a cake person. The recipe is from Mommy's Kitchen, & I have fallen in love with ALL her recipes! My husband is VERY picky with food. So I always have a harder time finding things that he will eat. She makes things right up his ally!

You need a box of red velvet cake mix, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil & 2 eggs. I didn`t make the frosting she also makes I just used store bought Cream Cheese frosting. Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together the cake mix, oil & eggs.

Roll dough into quarter sized balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Place in oven for 8 to 10 mins.

Once you remove them from the oven let them cool off till they are warm & transfer them to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, match up cookie sizes. Then place icing on the back side of a cookie & top it with it's match. Like an Oreo.

They taste great & were a hit with Matt. Thanks for posting the link Shelly! They were the center piece for our Valentine's Day dinner. I also made the Low Country Smothered Pork Chops that is on Mommy's Kitchen, I think it is Paula Deen's recipe. I usually don`t care for Pork Chops because they are always dry tasting to me but these were sooooo tender! I left out the pepper & onion though cause Matt wouldn`t have touched it haha.

Just wanted to add this photo of our strange dog Bama.

I finally got to monogram some of Parker's clothes! They all turned out really cute! I went with "B" for Brown because if we have another boy I want him to be able to wear the hand me downs!

Tomorrow morning I fly to Florida to go home for the weekend! Please say a prayer for me because I don`t care for flying, plus flying alone! But I`m so excited to see my family!

Link for Cookies

Link for Pork Chops

Sewing, Embroidry, & Applique Blog

http://brandingironboutique.blogspot.com/

Above is the link to a new blog I have set up. It is to show all my sewing, embroidery & appliqueing. I have been doing jobs here & there for family & close friends. But I have not really said to the world, "Hey I can do stuff for you!!!" So, there! I have said it! If you follow this blog please follow my new blog, Branding Iron Boutique. My family is into ranching. My husbands & mine goal is to have our own cows one day. So we are always talking about what our brand would look like to burn on the cows (I love animals but that is just the way of the ranch). So I was trying to come up with a name for my "little" side job. Branding Iron popped in my head, because I am "branding" monograms on things. We are putting your stamp on it so people know it is yours! I hope yall like. Maybe I can do a little "Branding" for you : )

I am Addicted!

So Monday morning I got on my laptop like normal. Then when my husband came home for lunch he asked, "Why is the laptop not turning on?". Well the adapter died! So I was like that stinks cause A.)We are saving to go home & for Christmas presents for family so no extra money B.) I live online. But then I thought it was no big deal we will get one sometime. BTW my laptop was dead so no adapter to charge equals no turning on. Then it hit me.....I had a monogram job I had to have done & back to the client by this next Monday. No good, you download fonts & such to computer, then go on your program to put on your card to put on machine. So I couldn`t do it! Thank goodness I have great sisters! Ambrey ordered me one & had it sent 2 day mail. But with those 3 days with no laptop I actually got a lot of sewing done for my husband!

This is the MAIN reason my husband bought me my sewing/embroidery machine, to hem his sleeves. Want to know how many I have done.....well this one in the photo AND a long sleeve one (but that was a practice one). Every time he walks by the sewing room while I`m in there he asks if I have done his shirt! I also sewed some pants & shorts for him too.

Here is the job I was needing to do when my adapter died. These are for Ziggy (just a nickname), my oldest nephew's future wife :) They are her school uniform shirts.

Here are two things I worked on that I have been meaning to post. The first is a "fall banner" to hang in the house. It is sample fabrics sewn together then embroidered. The second is a sign I bought at the Dollar store for $1, I just added some "flare" to it. I LOVE the fall.

I have changed out my summer flower arrangements for my fall ones AND all my candles to Yankee candles Autumn Leaves and Autumn Wreath. I`m just waiting till Sept. 1st to put up ALL my fall decor! I can`t wait!

Sorry for the poor quality photos. If you follow my blog, you know I some how broke mine so I stole my husband's. WELL NOW I some how have broke his and he said he is not buying me another for a while. Thank goodness for camera phones! I guess it will make due for now :)

First Official Applique

My niece is turning one on the 20th! So I made her this, it is a purse applique. It was not as stressful because it was for my niece & I paid for all the supplies. But it still took me a while because I wanted to make sure it was perfect. Of course I can tell you a couple things wrong, but I think it turned out pretty good. Hopefully soon I`ll have much more to post!

Crazy Lady....

Here is my sleeping mask I made & monogrammed. 2 years ago at Christmas I bought a sleeping mask. Now I can`t not.....I really mean that.....sleep with out it. Ask my husband, once I left it somewhere else. That night I tied a sweater around my head so I could sleep haha. I`m a crazy lady, I know.

My mother bought me a sleeping mask for my past b-day, but some of the string was coming out & tickling my nose. So while I was laying in bed I thought, "I should make one & monogram it!" So I did & it was much harder then I was thinking. But I think it came out quite cute! The fabric is actually sample fabric for upholstery. I use to work at a furniture store & when the fabric was discontinued the sample fabric was thrown out. So my boss would let us take the samples.

Sewing Room.....

Last week my tonsils were killing me, but I didn`t have a cold. About the middle of the week I thought I was better. Well Matt got sick but he had a cold w/ his tonsils hurting. And guess who he gave it back to.....me....ugh. I can`t breathe, I`m achy & my tonsils hurt : ( This also means I can`t go run, which makes me very upset! Pity party is over now......

When we first moved here my sewing "room" was our dining table.

My sewing/embroidery machine is loud, & my husband would give me dirty looks from his blue chair in the den (The blue chair is a WHOLE NOTHER story). So we went to the local Walmart & Matt bought me a card table (came with 4 chairs) for my machine. So I put it up in the spare bedroom upstairs. But with guest coming & going, I had to put my machine up for blow up mattress. SO finally I set everything back up. And this is my sewing room.

Well sewing room/Army storage room. But I like it, I pull up the blinds & our big oak tree is my view. Kitty sits on the window seal & looks out the window while I scream, cry & almost curse haha. The fabric on the ground is a project I`m working on. I wanted to show a photo of the dress I made for my niece.

This is Miss Finley....she is chubby & I miss her SOOOO much. Anyways I made a dress for her before I moved. With moving & the whole sewing room thing, I had put off putting her name on it. While then I saw this photo & I thought, "Oh no she might be too chubby if I don`t send it soon!" SO I finished it yesterday.

The fabric is from Wal-mart. The pattern I got from JoAnn's Fabrics. Very simple dress to make, great for summertime : )

My New Obsession

Gees yall.....it has taken me forever to post this month for some reason! So finally I`m posting about my machine & all. This is my new love......it is a Brother Innov-is 1000. You really don`t have to do anything but just push buttons. No really....I don`t have to do anything haha. It took me a while to actually use it. I was just so scared I would break it. Finally I did & a made the apron I posted about earlier.

 

I got all the supplies at Wal-Mart, yes even the farbic. It is nice & heavy too. I can`t wait to cook in it once I get to Kentucky. I did have a few mess ups BUT I did not ask my mother for help. I wanted to do it all on my own. She won`t be there in Kentucky every time I mess up so I have to learn on my own.

Now on to the even better part......Monogramming! I love it, I get a little stressed because I`m still learning but I could monogram all day. When my husband gets back, I`ll most likely have every & any thing I can monogram in our house done!

This is my first item I did.....it is a Vera Bradley beach towel

This is the second item, another VB beach towel

I did not make the bloomers (maybe one day). I bought them at a local childern's boutique in our town. These are for my niece, Miss Finley

She was kind enough to model them for us : )

On other topics:

 I got a new devoation book. The name is Simple Compassion. I`m only into week 1 but I really like it. The whole theme is getting back to being like Jesus. Jesus was all about those who we would consider "below us". And we should be just like that.

My car is still not fixed....ugh.....AND I might be leaving for Kentucky WAY earlier then I thought. More like this weekend! AHHHH!!! Not to sure yet the date but I`m moving with in the next two weeks. I so want to be there because housing has been POOP & I want that to be all done with. And I want to get my house ready. But I hate leaving here....it's home but I`m taking one step closer to Matthew being home! I`m sad & excited all in one! So please pray for me this week....I need it big time!