Rag Rug

Once I finished my dress a few weeks ago, I got really excited about crafting. I looked around to see what fun thing I could do next and found a pretty straight forward and simple rag rug. I already had some old sheets I could rip up, so I began the ripping and braiding process. I have to say, I love instant gratification, maybe thats why I like cooking so much. This project is anything but instant. You rip for what seems like forever, then you braid for actual ever, then you quit because it's taking too long and you need instant gratification, then you finally get back to it days later because you want to see the dang thing done and really need your sewing machine off the kitchen table. Once you finally start sewing the dang thread breaks 7 million times because you didn't follow/understand the directions on how to attach one braid strand to the next. Can you tell that I had a blast with this one? If I weren't stubborn and determined, I wouldn't have finished. But I wasn't about to have waisted all that time braiding to not see the finished product, even if it was subpar!

Ripping, lots and lots of ripping!

Then once you are finished ripping (or think you are...you never really are) you have to get all the extra strings off! Lots and lots of string!

Finally got to do some braiding.

I didn't use a handle, I have long legs so I used my toes! Also, I laid out the rug several times to see how much more braiding I would need.

I finally started breaking thread, I mean sewing!

There was no stopping at this point even if it looked a little weird!

The finished product!

I was soooo over the rug by the time that I finished it, that I actually was mad at it! Haha! Ive given it a little time now and its actually starting to grow on me! I will never make one again (I know, never say never) but I'm glad I did it, or at least, I'm glad it's done! This little rag rug is the perfect size and exactly what I needed right by my sink. I'm glad I stuck through the process. No more crafting for me for a while! I think I'll stick to cooking!

Eggless Cookie Dough Bites

Sometimes I think I'm still a kid! When I see a recipe like this I get really excited and have to try it right away. The homemade reese's peanut butter cups are still my favorite, but this is a super quick and easy alternative.

Mix all the ingredients together. I thought it looked a little weird at this point, but never judge until you taste!

Roll into balls and stick in the freezer.

Melt some chocolate chips and cover the dough balls.

Aren't they pretty? Stick back in the freezer to harden the chocolate.

Cookie dough bites! Mmmmm...

I had some taste testers, they approved! Finger lickin' good!

Don't judge me! I eat salad sometimes and hide spinach in lasagna for my kids too!

White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna

Ok, this is my favorite favorite lasagna! I love it with all my heart! This is the recipe I was so super bummed I couldn't find a few weeks ago when I was making the meat lasagna. BUT, it is back online and I found it! Happiness! The recipe makes a large amount, so I always cut it in half and put one in the freezer for a day I don't want to cook.

I normally cook the chicken on the stovetop in an iron skillet with a little salt, pepper, and oregano or basil.

If a recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic it must be a joke, do not listen, add at least 3 or more...lots more!!

Onions are great, I like them just fine, but when you cook them in butter...OH MY WORD, the smell!!

The cheesy sauce! Mmmmmmm!!

I add the chicken, ricotta, and spinach together, it just makes the whole process easier!

Since I split my batch into two smaller pans I have to cut the noodles to fit. I was using a knife until one of my intelligent friends suggested using a pizza cutter! Yeah....much easier and faster!

Then just start layering. Sauce, noodles, chicken mix, noodles, sauce...

I don't normally have fresh herbs on hand, so I don't add the parsley. One day I will have a house and a backyard and I will grow my own herbs. It will be amazing!

Top with cheese. Bake one, freeze one!

I bake the lasagna for 30 minutes with foil. This is what it looks like.

Then broil for 5 minutes or less (checking often) and it looks like this! Heavenly!

I don't know what it is about this lasagna that I love so much, the spinach, the cheese, the chicken! Ahhh! I try and refrain from making it every single week so that Nolan and the boys won't get sick of it, but its' hard!

Then sometimes after dinner you pull the birthday cake (from 3 months ago) out of the freezer and everyone loves you the very mostest!

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

What do you cook on the days your baby wakes up not feeling well and MUST be held for hours?! Any other time in my life I would have thrown in the towel and told Nolan to bring something home for dinner, but I have found several quick, easy, and surprisingly yummy meals over the years. Tonight we had one of my super quick and easy meals, 4 ingredient salsa verde chicken enchiladas, yes 4!! Not only can I make this meal using only one arm, other arm holding child, but both children cleaned their plates without a fuss. Im sorry, but that never happens! After a few bites Santi even said, "Mama, this is delicious, thank you!" Nolan even made a comment about how good it was. I was very happy that everyone enjoyed the meal, but it almost is annoying considering I did nothing! There are so many nights I slave in the kitchen for hours only to hear whining and fussing! Oh well, thus is the life of a mom. And now I'm whining! On to the recipe!

You can cook the chicken however you like. I always bake the chicken with a little salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, thats just my quick go to. Also, anytime I cook something that has cheese on top, after everything is cooked, I turn on the broiler for a few minutes to get the nice brown crispy cheese!

I almost always have flour tortillas, so that is normally what I use to make the enchiladas (I use about 5 to 6 verses her 16). The recipe says to serve with rice and beans, but I like it best with a simple green salad.

Here's to hoping little man feels better in the morning, and lets just be honest, doesn't need to be held all day!

Potato Soup

I have been wanting to make potato soup for a long time, but haven't ever given it a shot. I found Pioneer Woman's recipe a few months ago and planned to make it this winter, but it just never happened. This week spring finally came and we have had amazingly warm weather...until today! So since warm weather is inevitable and we will no longer want hot soup, I decided today had to be the day! And oh am I soooo glad!! I know I have been on a PW kick lately, but I can't stop! Her recipes are so easy and taste better than anything else out there, so I may just end up making everything she has ever published.

Perfect Potato Soup. I couldn't agree more! There were lots of things to chop, so I did all the prep while Luca napped. Luca still naps twice a day and I am so so so grateful!

I love it when the first step of a meal fills your house with the most amazing smell!!

Then the smells got even better!

Potatoes and spices next!

I got a little worried at this point because it looked nothing like potato soup, but it's 

PW, so I really had no reason to fret!

And THIS is why I do all my prepping while Luca is sleeping. He is tiny and 

adorable and a handful to say the very least!

The finished product. My goodness, it was amazing! Potato soup is one of my favorite soups, I think thats why I haven't ever made it, it had to be just right!! And it was!!!!!

Leftovers for the freezer! My favorite!!

My mom doesn't know it yet, but she has dinner cooked for tomorrow night! She is amazing and fantastic and the best ever!!! She watches my boys every Thursday so I can either work or run errands, so every once in a while she needs a break with dinner. Im so glad this one is going to be awesome!!

The reality and very worst part about cooking!!

Heres to one last yummy soup before warm weather!!

Easy Spring/Summer Dress

The other day my sweet friend invited Santi over for a play date. Instead of cleaning my house or cooking dinner like I should have, I looked up fun DIY craft ideas online. I found a SUPER cute dress idea here. I am not a seamstress, in fact I can not sew a straight line. I do have a sewing machine that is almost entirely used for sewing holes in pants. The girl who wrote the tutorial said "I might even venture to say that it's one of the easiest sewing projects I’ve ever done." That sentence is basically the only thing that made me keep reading, because again, I am not a seamstress! When someone says a sewing project is super easy and then I see button holes and other sorts of craziness my eyes glaze over and I click out! This dress actually seemed doable, so I decided to give it a shot. I have a really hard time finding dresses that are actually long enough! Im only 5'9", but for some reason pants and skirts are almost always made at the average length, 32". I wear 34". 2 inches doesn't sound like a lot, but skirts always hit at just too short. So, all that to say, I was excited to be able to possibly make a long skirt actually long. But if you are short and skirts are always too long, you could make it the perfect length too.

I went to Old Navy were they were having a Spring sale, so all their ribbed tank tops (that fit perfectly) were on sale for $5! WIN #1! I then went to Hobby Lobby and found cute fabric for 30% off! WIN #2. I did have to buy some elastic thread for a whole whopping $1.59. The whole dress cost me about $15. Pretty great, if the dress looks decent!

Old Navy ribbed tank top and enough fabric to wrap around you 1.5 times. 

My stride is pretty long, so I think next time I would wrap it around me twice instead.

Thankfully this dress is long & has a pattern so you can't tell my lines aren't straight!

After hemming the top and bottom of the skirt I then cut the tank top at the length I wanted and pinned it to the skirt. The elastic thread part totally didn't work for me. It was supposed to ruffle the fabric and for some unknown reason it did not. I'm sure I did something wrong, but I have no idea what! SO, I just ruffled it myself as I pinned. I'm still glad I used the elastic thread though as it did give the fabric some give.

I then sewed the two together.

Right when Luca woke up from his nap I made my last stitch! I was SO excited...until 

I turned the skirt right side out. I SEWED THE TANK TOP ON

 INSIDE OUT! See, I told you I don't know how to sew!

I got to stare at my pretty dress all evening, half of it inside out!

Once the boys went to bed I began ripping the thread out.

Then I ripped some more!

Heres a tip. Do NOT turn your tank top inside out. The skirt goes inside out, not the tank top!

Skirt inside out, tank top NOT!

The finished product! I added a little sash to cover the zig zag sewing lines! Maybe one day I will learn to sew straight, but if I find cute dresses like this, maybe I'll never need to learn!

If I can sew this in an hour and a half (if you skip the ripping apart and re-sewing), 

Im sure a normal person can do it in under an hour!!

I wore my dress to church this morning! Ahh! It didn't break or fall apart! The very best part is that I got to wear heels with a long dress! If you look closely you can see a little head peeping out from behind me on the left. Hi Santi!

I made the sash longer. I think it looks much better!

I sewed a whole entire outfit that I actually wore! Happy spring y'all!