Thursday, March 31, 2016

Friday Favorites - Hello, April!!!

It's April!!!  This is one of my most favorite months of the year!!!  The weather starts to be beautiful outside, things are turning green, flowers are blooming and yours truly has a birthday :)

Let's get this month started with five things happening here this week!

[one]

Speaking of birthdays, today is the birthday of one of my very best friends, fellow blogger, and one of the best mommies I know.  Head on over to Marie's blog - Family and the Lake House and wish her a happy birthday!  Check out her blog too - she's one talented gal!!


Love you, girl!!

[two]

Since it's the first of the month, it's time for a new edition of The Monthly Meet Up!!


Come join Marie and I (yes, that Marie!) and link up with us!! 

[three]

Today we head back home after and amazing 10 days in Siesta Key, Florida.  It's always bittersweet to end a vacation.  I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.  But, I'm really looking forward to seeing Oliver!  I missed that puppy.  And the chickens.  Yes, I missed my chickens too.


[four]

Sunsets or sunrises?  What's your favorite?  Jason and I both prefer sunrises, but as far as sunsets go, Siesta Key is the place to be...


[five]

Redmond and Ashlyn were little fish on our trip.  Cannonballs quickly became the thing to do.  Here's a cute video of Ashlyn showing off her moves:

Happy April, y'all!!

~ Sara :)


I'm linking up with, Darci, AprilNatasha, and Christina for the Five on Friday link-up Party!
I'm linking up with A Little Bit of EverythingMomfessionals, and Grace and Love for my Friday Favorites!
I'm linking up with September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for the Oh Hey Friday linky party!
I'm also linking up with The Diary of a Real Housewife for Friday Favorites!
Also, I'm linking with Caitlin, Della, Tif and Katie for High Five for Friday!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Five on Friday!

Hey everyone!  Another week down - and it's officially SPRING!!!

*cue all the heart emojis*

I'm so excited for sunshine, gardening and playing outside.  Even though our winter was incredibly mild, it still seemed verrrrrry loooooooong. 

Anyhoo, here are five things going on in our world this week:

[one]

Redmond made the front page of the paper last week!  Jason and his dad took the kids to a local event for Pirate Day.  The kids had a blast.  It was so fun hearing them tell me about it!

(If you look close, you can see Ashlyn's nose and (red) eye right behind Redmond's head)



(please ignore Redmond's choice of footwear along with his choice of foot to wear them on.....)

[two]

May I present to you possibly the most Pinterest-y thing I have ever done.
Veggie Flowers:



I wish I could take credit for coming up with these on my own, but I can't.  Redmond found these in his Highlights magazine and asked for them for a snack.  I was happy to oblige!

[three]

Remember that weight loss competition I started at the end of January?  Well, this past Wednesday was my last weigh in.  Guess what, y'all!?!?  I'm down 17 lbs and lost almost a total of 10 inches!  In 8 weeks!!!

I've still got a ways to go, but I am currently at my lowest adult weight ever!

I've been working out 5-6 days per week and have really cleaned up my eating.  And, despite what this shirt says, I think I've only drank once in the past two months...



[four]

Have you ever tried hard boiling fresh eggs?  I have and it didn't turn out too well.  The secret is that you need to steam them instead of boil!  Check out my post from earlier this week to see how I do it.


[five]

This is my view for the next few days....


I'm not mad about that at all!!

Happy Spring, y'all!!!

~ Sara :)


I'm linking up with, Darci, AprilNatasha, and Christina for the Five on Friday link-up Party!
I'm linking up with A Little Bit of EverythingMomfessionals, and Grace and Love for my Friday Favorites!
I'm linking up with September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for the Oh Hey Friday linky party!
I'm also linking up with The Diary of a Real Housewife for Friday Favorites!
Also, I'm linking with Caitlin, Della, Tif and Katie for High Five for Friday!

Hard Boiling Fresh Eggs

We have recently started consuming a lot hard boiled eggs in our house.  Both Jason and I have been focused on eating more healthy and upping our protein.  But, did you know that actually boiling fresh eggs can be a recipe for disaster?  I tried a couple of times and ended up with half of my egg white attached to the shell.  Turns out, when you have fresh eggs, steaming is the way to go.

I have also found that, unless you have a larger pot and steamer basket, that small batches are best.  I find that doing six dozen at a time works perfect for me. 

So, here is what you want to do:

Fill a pot of water with just an inch or two of water.  You don't want the water touching the eggs, but you want enough water that it doesn't evaporate during the steaming.  Place your steamer basket (similar steamer basket here.) in the water and carefully arrange your eggs in the basket.  Turn the burner on high, wait for the water to begin to boil then drop the temperature to low/medium low and cover.  You want to maintain a light simmer throughout the cooking time, but do not boil the water.  Set the timer for 20 minutes.


A couple side notes:

1.  We don't clean our eggs until just before we are going to eat them (and, honestly, unless they're really bad, we don't clean them then either).  You'll be able to clean all the dirt off of them before they're stored in the fridge.  But, by all means, if the dirt freaks you out, clean those puppies off!

2.  20 minutes is the perfect time for our eggs, but that doesn't mean that will be perfect for yours.  Try 20 minutes first and if they're slightly over/undercooked, adjust the time accordingly.

Okay, back to the eggs!

Once the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the steamer basket (I use a pair of silicone tongs) and place in an ice bath.  Set the timer for 10 minutes. This will stop the eggs from cooking and begin cooling them down.  After 10 minutes, remove the eggs, wipe off any dirt remaining on them and either transfer straight to the fridge or lay on a towel to dry off.



Once the eggs have cooled, they're ready to eat!  My preferred way to crack/peel them is to roll the larger end on the counter with just enough force to begin cracking the shell.  Once I have cracked it, then I begin chipping away at it.  The best thing you can do is find the whitish membrane between the shell and the egg - if you can peel that with the shell, it makes it so much easier.

(If you look closely, you can see a bit of the membrane in the picture on the right)

Sometimes, the shells come off super easy and in big pieces, like the egg on the right.  Other times, it takes a bit more time.....and patience.


Be sure to save those shells, too!  Feed them back to your chickens - an eggcellent source of calcium for them, put them in your compost or put them in your garden soil.  The sharp edges will help deter slugs and other creepy crawly things that would go after your plants.

And, there you have it!  Freshly steamed fresh eggs!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

~ Sara :)

*This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link*

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Friday Favorites!!

Hey everyone!  Happy Friday!  We've had a fun week and have been enjoying the gorgeous weather Michigan has been supplying us :)

[one]
 
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I went and got myself a little trim.  Well, a 10 inch trim :)  Last Saturday I went and got my hair mostly chopped off - I was over it and was beginning to feel very blah.  It's now on it's way to a great, nonprofit organization called Children with Hair Loss right here in Michigan!


[two]
 
Redmond wrote his first love note!  Well, kinda.  I'm calling it a love note because it's the first note he's ever written to a girl.  Marie's adorable daughter Eliza is the lucky (and I use that term loosely) recipient of said note.  We better save this note for the wedding reception, Marie!

(building 'traps', talking about poop, pee and farts and jail, prison and juvy are hot topics in our house right now.)
 
 
Eliza, Trap. Love, Redmond Henry.  I hope you go bananas.  Cuffs.  I am jail.  Poop stew, pee on head.  I give you a rotten egg. 
 
[three]
 
SPRING!!!!!
 
I know, I know, it's not technically spring yet, but the weather here has just been amazeballs this week.  We've been outside a ton and even got to have a playdate at the park.  The park!  So nice to be outside again!!
 
 

[four]
 
And, just like that, this little firecracker is all set and registered for preschool.  When we turned in the paper work she was so excited and said "I get to go to school today!!!"  No, sweet girl, not today ;)
 
 
 
[five]

Last Saturday, the kids spent the day/night with my in-laws - par-tay!!!  What did we do to celebrate our kid less day/night?

Home improvement projects, of course!

I spent hours scraping old wallpaper off of one of our entry way walls.   
 
 
Jason got our pocket door framed and in for our master bath!  So exciting to see our master bedroom come together! 
 

That's my bathtub buried under there that I can not wait to soak in.  Patience, Sara, patience.

That's all for this week, folks.  Thanks for stopping by!

~ Sara :)

I'm linking up with, Darci, AprilNatasha, and Christina for the Five on Friday link-up Party!
I'm linking up with A Little Bit of EverythingMomfessionals, and Grace and Love for my Friday Favorites!
I'm linking up with September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for the Oh Hey Friday linky party!
I'm also linking up with The Diary of a Real Housewife for Friday Favorites!
Also, I'm linking with Caitlin, Della, Tif and Katie for High Five for Friday!

Friday, March 4, 2016

Five on Friday!!

Hey everyone!  It's March!!!  Spring is sooooo close!!  I don't know about where you are, but the three snow storms we've had in the past week sure doesn't make it feel very spring-like here in Michigan ;)
 
Here are a few things happening here this week:
 
[one]
 
Since it's a new month, it's time for a new Monthly Meet Up!  My girl Marie and I over at Family and the Lake House get host a fun link up party the first of every month.  Please join in!!  We are all about goals - what are your goals for the month of March?  Post and share with us!
 
http://www.thehayeshomestead.com/2016/02/the-monthly-meet-up_29.html
 
[two]
 
About 5 weeks ago, I joined a weight loss accountability group at my gym.  I needed to do something.  I've been consistently going to the gym for well over a year and, although I'm in much better shape, I really haven't lost too much weight.  Well, I got on the scale this morning for our weekly weigh-in and I've lost a total of 10 pounds so far!!!  It's amazing what a little friendly competition will do.
 
 
I've really been focusing on my eating - making sure I'm getting enough protein.  I've also started doing classes - is it bad I'm beginning to fall in love with Butts and Guts!?!?!?
 
[three]
 
The other day, I sent the kids upstairs to clean their rooms.  After a half hour or so, they excitedly called me upstairs to check out their work.  Honestly, I was quite impressed with Redmond's room.  Toys were put where they belonged and I could see his floor again!  Then I headed into Ashlyn's room and I was speechless.  Her floor was clean, no toys piled on her bed.....then I turned and looked at her closet.... #shegetsitfromhermama

 
 
#shecleanslikehermama
 
She is SO my daughter.
 
[four]
 
I got my hair did!  They stylists were very entertaining and one came complete with a smoothie mustache.  Now, if only they would have covered up the gray....
 

[five]

I don't know about anyone else, but I am itching for spring to get here!  Our garden is calling my name!  We've got some big changes we plan on making to it this spring.  We're headed on vacation in a couple weeks and I've got my fingers crossed that we come back to spring in full effect!!


Hope you all had a great week and have an even better weekend!!

~ Sara :)

I'm linking up with, Darci, AprilNatasha, and Christina for the Five on Friday link-up Party!
I'm linking up with A Little Bit of EverythingMomfessionals, and Grace and Love for my Friday Favorites!
I'm linking up with September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for the Oh Hey Friday linky party!
I'm also linking up with The Diary of a Real Housewife for Friday Favorites!
Also, I'm linking with Caitlin, Della, Tif and Katie for High Five for Friday!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The Monthly Meet Up


It's almost Spring!
It's a new month, and you know what that means - it's time for the Monthly Meet Up, y'all!!

My girl Marie, over at Family and the Lake House, and I get together every month to host a fun link-up party.  We want to know - what are your goals for the month of March?  Big, small, it doesn't matter.  Your goals could be any and everything.  Maybe you want to cut out fast food, keep a clean kitchen, exercise more, not go shopping, organize your pantry, etc.  The possibilities are endless!

You can be as ambitious as you like - maybe you only have one goal for the month, maybe you have 10.  Just join us and have fun!

Not only do we want this to be a great opportunity for you to gain some awesome, creative ideas from other bloggers, but we also want this to be a great networking tool as well.  So please, grab a cup of coffee, tea, water, vodka (we won't judge) or whatever you fancy and party with us.  It will be fun!!

First thing is first.  Just like anything fun, we've gotta have some rules.  Ours are short and sweet:
  • Link back to us - copy and paste our linky button on your post - we want your friends to join in the fun too!
  • Follow us!  We'd love to connect with you, and you to connect with each other!
  • We challenge you - visit, comment and follow at least four other partiers.  Are you up for the challenge?
  • By posting, you give us permission to feature an image or post on our blog(s).  We'll always give you credit and post links back, don't you worry!
Easy enough, right!?  So, grab our button, link up, and par-tay!!!


Let's recap last month's goals first, shall we?

1.  Blog More.  Welllll.....I have posted a couple blog posts this month.  Not quite as many as I was aiming for, but better than zero I suppose.  One of them is a recipe for a super yummy Cheesy Potato and Corn Chowder so that earns me extra points, right???



2.  Continue Purging/Organizing.  Okay, so I didn't get to the linen closet quite yet.  But, I really feel like I'm doing much better not bringing crap into the house that will just need to be thrown away later.  I am planning on doing some serious spring cleaning in the future...

3.  Free February - Round 2.  I did fairly well with this!  We only ate dinner out twice (never mind that it was two nights in a row!).  And, I stayed away from anything processed for the most part.  There were a few cheez-it incidents, but I'm only human and cheez-its are so damn delicious!!



4.  Get Up.  I started the month so strong on this one!  I was getting up and stretching/doing yoga every morning when Jason headed to the gym.  I'm still getting up most mornings (it's currently 5:32 am, fyi), but I can't guarantee that I'm being productive.  Unless sipping coffee and scrolling through Facebook and/or Instagram is productivity in your eyes.

Now, for March's goals!!
[one]
Begin Spring Cleaning.
My goal is to go through each and every room and closet this spring and do a thorough purge and cleaning.  This is going to be a short month (vacation, baby!!!), so if I could get 2 rooms/closets/hallways done this month, I'd be super happy.


[two]
Be Good(ish) on Vacation.
I have been working so hard and I really don't want all my hard work to get thrown out the door while we're on vacation this month.  I'm down almost 10 pounds and have been eating so well.  I need to not overindulge and do some sort of exercise while we're away. 


[three]

Enjoy our Vacation.
Have an amazing trip.  Build sandcastles. Play.  Go on adventures.  Make memories.  Put the phone down.  Take pictures.  Enjoy each other and our family.

And that's it!  I'm keeping it easy this month, folks!  It's a short month here at the Hayes Homestead and I know I'm going to be super busy the weeks that we are here at home. 

How about you!?  Spring is right around the corner (yay!!!!!), do you have any goals you'd like to make before it gets here?  Please link up and share them with us - and don't forget to spread the word of our awesome little linky party with your friends :)

See ya soon!

~ Sara :)