Wordy Wednesday: Touring the "New" House

When I drive by a fabulous or interesting-looking home, I can't help but wonder what it looks like on the inside.

Well, you're in luck, because I just so happened to have a few pics of the "new" house from the "dream farm."

Now you're probably wondering (as it's the No. 2 most-asked question I get (after the No. 1 "How are you?") "When are you guys going to move to the new house?"

Well the answer is "I don't know." We still really don't know what we want to do. The house needs remodeled, especially as the upstairs is locked in time from 1940. We've also thought about adding on to our current house. Simply ... we just don't know what we want to do yet.

There are certainly advantages to staying where we are.
1. We love our little house.
2. We're close to the in-laws - just next-door in fact.
3. We're close to Indianapolis (and in general ... civilization).
4. We remodeled our current house about 4 years ago and it's just how we want it.
5. All of our friends, doctor, dentist and much of our business is done near where we live.
6. Big D's family is well-known in our community. If we moved, we would be the new kids in the town. So we might as well be moving to another country!

But there are advantages to the new house too.
1. It's MUCH, much bigger!
2. It has a two-car garage (currently we don't have a garage, basement or attic!)
3. There is a barn for my cattle and horse.
4. It's in the country away from the city (about 35-40 minutes from Indy) and void of all the traffic.
5. The house has alot of potential. Especially when you think in terms of remodeling - bigger kitchen, two baths, bigger laundry room, more bedrooms, gorgeous staircase.
6. And obviously, we would be at the heart of our business living on the farm where we raise the majority of our pigs.
7. And it's 5 about minutes from where I work. Very close!

We're not in any hurry ... we may think about doing something different in a year or two. It's fun to think about no matter what we decide to do!

So let's start the tour, shall we? Follow me, please as we step inside ...

The enclosed porch with yes, a hot tub. 

Porch. Would think about enclosing part of this area and making it Big D's farm office.

Parlor or sitting room. Or if you're name is Ray Ray ... play room!

Living room

Dining room

Kitchen

Laundry room

Small room. New laundry/storage room, maybe?

Downstairs bathroom

Staircase. Come upstairs as we walk back in time.

Upstairs hallway

Upstairs hallway

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Upstairs bathroom and RayRay! Love that claw foot tub!

Upstairs bathroom

Unfinished upstairs room or future guest bedroom?

Bedroom 3

Close-up of trim

Dumb-waiter.

And that rounds out the tour of the house. What are your thoughts? Now I guess, I'm going to have to take you on a tour of our current house, so you can compare a little ...

A Thanksgiving Feast on the Farm

This weekend my hubby, Big D parked the combine in the machine shed, put the grain auger up and we all breathed a little sigh of relief as grain harvest was a wrap for 2011.

All I can say is FINALLY!

Since we farm in two states (here at home in Indiana and my family's farm in Ohio), it felt like it drug out an extra long time this fall. I don't know who is more relieved me or Big D. It's just so nice to have him home and get to spend a little bit more time with him! RayRay just loves her cuddle time with Big D!

And thank goodness the weather cooperated with my plans and allowed Big D and the crew to take a break during the Thanksgiving holiday last week. I've hosted holiday dinners plenty before, but this was my first turkey roasting experience. I was so excited! And I think in the end, everything turned out perfect. I even made my first pumpkin pie!

The family on Thanksgiving at our home. Ray Ray, Uncle Mikey,  Grandma Debbie, Grandpa John, Grammy Susie and Big D!

My Thanksgiving table

My fall-themed centerpiece filled with pumpkins, gourds, pine cones, berries and apples.

The TURKEY!

I thought I'd share a couple recipes from our Thankgsiving feast with you today (my friend Betty Crocker helped me out a bunch) ...

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:
Pecan Shortbread Cookie Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed shortbread cookies with pecans (16 cookies)
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 tablespoon milk

 Mix crust ingredients until crumbly. Press firmly on bottom and sides of ungreased pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown. If you don't want to take the time, you can also get one of the pre-made graham cracker crusts, too.

 In large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, 3 tablespoons of flour and both packages of cream cheese until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup.

 Add all remaining filling ingredients, except milk.

 Pour into crust. In small bowl, mix milk with reserved cream cheese mixture. Cut through pumpkin filling with cream cheese mixture in continuous S motion. No idea if I did that part right, but it tasted great so who cares!

 Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife comes out of pie clean.

Cool 30 minutes and store in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving!

Another thanksgiving first for me was actually the mashed potatoes. I know right, something so simple, I'd left out or someone else has made all this time. This recipe was so easy and great to do one day before the big feast. Also, courtesy of Miss Betty Crocker!

Do-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

6 cloves garlic, peeled (I cheated and used the minced ones from a jar!)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 whipping cream

1/2 butter

1 teaspoon salt

In saucepan, heat milk, whipping cream, butter and salt, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted; reserve and refrigerate 1/4 cup mixture. 


Meanwhile, in another larger saucepan, mix potatoes and garlic; add enough water to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash potatoes and garlic until no lumps remain.


Add remaining milk mixture in small amounts to potatoes, mashing until potatoes are light and fluffy. 

Spoon potatoes into greased casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When you're ready, heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour reserved milk mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes. Garnish with croutons or French-fried onions! Yum! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with everything and everyone you love!!

Inspirations from Marilyn

It's been kinda one of those weeks (actually last couple of weeks) and it's so easy to get down in the dumps and feel bummed. But you know what life is so short and there are so many things to be beyond grateful for (my sweet little family included!) and smile about. And I think many of us can lose sight of that and get wrapped up worrying about the little things in life.

It's time to embrace life and appreciate every beautiful (and even the not so beautiful) minute of it .... live big, laugh often, pray hard, love much and smile often!

Source: sayingimages.com via Meggie on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Naomi on Pinterest

Honoring Our American Heroes

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." - Elmer Davis, of Aurora, Ind., who became the director of the office of war information during World War II.


Today, we honor our American heroes - our veterans - the men and women who fought for our freedom and gave the ultimate sacrifice.


So, I hope you take a minute to thank a veteran or currently active solider who left their family, their homes and their lives behind to protect the United States of America. 


"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy.


I grew up in a family with a strong appreciation and connection to the U.S. military. We are a family full of Navy men. My grandfather was a sailor during World War I, my uncle was a Navy fighter pilot during World War II, my dad was a lieutenant in the Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and my brother is a Lt. Commander and Navy helicopter pilot currently stationed in Norfolk, Va. 


My Dad wrote an article for the Marion Star in a special supplement as a Salute to Our Veterans. I thought I'd share the article with you in remembrance of all those who served and sacrificed for our freedom. 

Dad

In the Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis
By Tom Issler 


The name is now the Cuban Missile Crisis, but in the fall of 1962, it was a conflict with the Soviet Union. It was a very testy time of the Cold War and could have easily become World War III.


I think I always knew I wanted to be in the Navy.


My father had been a sailor during World War I and my older brother was a Navy fighter pilot during World War II. Two years of ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) at Iowa State University, Army in my case, was required in college, but I opted not to continue the last two years for a commission. After graduating I decided to pursue a Navy OCS (Officer Candidate School). The school was in Newport, R.I. It was intense and consuming. There were 25 percent that did not make it through. 


I finished in June of 1962 and reported aboard my first shop, the USS Lindenwald (LSD-6) home-ported in Little Creek, Va. An LSD was capable of carrying a large number of assault landing craft. Each of these carried trucks, tanks, cannons and launchers.


We got underway to some practice exercises in the Caribbean. Upon return to Virginia, the news was all about Cuba and the Soviet Union. U-2 surveillance flights had verified the presence of Soviet missile sites in Cuba. Missiles launched from Cuba would be able to reach several major cities in the United States. 


It was now October and news on the ship was that the United States would bomb or invade Cuba or both. We began hauling Marines and equipment from Morehead City, N.C. to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Nights and days ran together. We were constantly loading and unloading. Marines were everywhere and the Marine officer in charge, usually a captain, was not pleased with their berthing area. Since I was in charge of this area of the ship, I usually caught the wrath of this officer who outranked me.


On Monday, Oct. 22, 1962, President Kennedy ordered a Naval blockade of Cuba. There were constant meetings in Washington between Soviet representatives and the State Department. The Soviet Premier, Nikita Kruschev, would not yield on the missiles. 


Fidel Castro had mobilized about 300,000 troops and there were tens of thousands of Soviet forces in Cuba. A U-2 spy plane was eventually shot down over Cuba. Soon after, Kruschev announced that the missiles would be removed from Cuba. We continued to make trips south. Large Soviet merchant ships were now hauling missiles out of Cuba.


On one of our return trips a blip came up on our radar. A ship heading toward Cuba, no doubt. We could not see the ship at this point. The OOD (Officer on Deck) had the Conn (in charge of the ship) and I was standing the JOOD watch (Junior Officer on Deck). The OOD made the appropriate degree change to avoid a collision course. Each time we made a change the approaching ship made the opposite change to remain on a collision course. The captain was called. He took the Conn and the same scenario continued. The captain was very nervous, as we were within miles of each other. He was about to call General Quarters due to the impending emergency situation when the oncoming ship finally corrected to pass clear of us. We passed the huge Soviet merchant ship so close we could see the smiling, laughing faces of the Soviet crew on the main deck rail.


On Nov. 20, 1962, the blockade was lifted as the missiles had been removed.


May we always maintain a strong military force for this wonderful country we call the United States of America.

I love you Dad - thank you for your service and sacrifice to give me an opportunity to live and love in the land of the free.

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty Cows & Pink Boots

Showing cows is a passion of mine. I just can't seem to shake it. That's why when my family sold the cows and quit milking - I kept every single one of my 12 cows. Luckily, I found a fabulous home for them with an outstanding dairy woman and personal friend of mine in Ohio. Growing up, I attended a particular national show in Louisville, Ky. called the All-American Jersey Show. But it's been a couple years since I've shown in L-ville. You see, this is the BEST and biggest Jersey show in world - so you can't just take any ol' heifer down - it's got to be your best and the best!

Well this year, I had a pretty nice heifer - she was 5th at the Great Indiana State Fair, though I think she could've done a little better. So I loaded up sexy Stella - sent her down with a friend and packed up everything but the kitchen sink (traveling with a baby takes a lot of stuff!) and headed down with Baby RayRay and my mom for RayRay's second annual All-American.

Sexy Stella - did pretty well!. Her class was huge (30 head) so I keep telling everyone she is the 15th best senior calf in North America. But you want to know what was the MOST fun - seeing my little girl peeking over the rail watching mommy show. Despite what placing I was in my class - nothing warms your heart and puts things in perspective like a smile, giggle and point of the finger from that sweet little girl shouting, "Mommy" while you're in the show ring! And sorry, I wish I had more pictures - but 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. morning chores and late nights combined with chasing a 15-month old through the barns just about completely wore me out!

Sexy Stella

The "girls" lined up in Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center waiting for their class

The 58th annual National Jersey Jug Futurity. Gorgeous cows all the way through!

RayRay and Mommy

Playing and being silly!

Love my pink boots!

On the move and wearing this momma out!