Just A Tidbit

 Crunch wraps. Fill a large tortilla with your desired fixings. Do not let it be too wet items. Do not spread all the way out to the rim. Keep it in a circle in the middle. 

 Fold your tortillas overlapping the edges. Place folded side down in a pan and toast both sides to deal. No butter or oil. Or place on a sheet pan, folded side down and toast on both sides to seal. Add salsa, sour cream and lettuce on top if desired. You're welcome. 😁

Here is another one for y'all.  If you know me you know. Ain't  skeered. 😅😅😅😅😅😅

Oh yes baby,  the owner of this house was kind enough to give us some okra and squash yesterday.  ❤

I have been having some of my brain dumps at the moment. Here are a few:

Brain dump moment:

You're never gonna get anywhere if you are not motivated to stay consistent.  Or, if you are not consistent to stay motivated. 

I needed that one. 🙌

Brain dump moment:

There is a big difference between running from your problems and fixing them. 

If you run, they will follow you and hang on. 

If you face them head on and fix them, you can move on. 💯

Brain dump moment:

I see alot of relationships just  in survival mode. If you will turn it into trying mode, I promise you will reap the benefits and blessings. ❤❤❤

Brain dump moment:

Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs to teach his child,  his young son, wisdom,  to instruct him in the disciplines he would need throughout life. 💙  Father's play an important role in raising the children also.

New Video

 Just got a new video up on our channel. I still do not know how to post our channel link on here. 

Here is our channel 

Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms. 

Grocery Haul for meal plans for the next two weeks and tips on how to stretch the meats to make them last for more than one meal. Excuse my squirrel moments too. 😜😜😜 

 Hope yall enjoy and hope it helps. Now get to cooking.

After I got done with the latest video I got busy cutting up that big boy Butternut squash. Geez that thing was a doozy.  Plus I managed to get 12 chicken breasts out of that one big pack of chicken yall. That's 4 meals. I put them into ziploc bags and put them into the freezer. I got two bags out of the butter nut squash for two meals. 🤗🤗 

Got supper in the oven and it's smelling good up in here.

My Girls Are Missing Me

 Two times now I have gotten phone called from both our girls mommy and daddy saying, "The girls need to talk to you!"

And when I say need, that's what I mean. It means they were in the middle of a melt down or missing me and they were crying and saying, "I want Gmaw!" 😪😪😪😪

I feel so blessed that we have a great bond with our grandchildren.  They are our little buddies and they will tell you that. 🤗

I was able to calm both of them down on two separate occasions and make them feel better.  I feel honored knowing that they want and trust me that way. 🥰🥰❤❤

And then after they were settled they just wanted to make funny faces and show me their boogers and read to me. 😆😆😆😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Sunday Blessings

 

I asked God a long time ago to help me to help others with words of wisdom or encouragement.  The problem with that is, my mind goes 90 to nothing like a squirrel sometimes with thoughts just popping into my head. This is why David teases me about having squirrel moments. I can go from one though to another in 3.2 seconds. Maybe sooner. David honestly quit trying to keep up with me. Bless him. I can just be sitting and minding my own business and, bam! God puts something on my heart and into my mind. And God forbid if I don't say it because I feel like he is saying, " I gave you an opportunity and you didn't take it. I am disappointed in you my child." I honestly do not like it when I think God is unhappy with or disappointed in me. 

Occasionally,  I have to have a brain dump and get it all out. My kids have heard alot over the years and know how I work. I guess why they never talk to me because they don't like lengthy conversations. If it's going to last longer than 20 minutes they are done. 

I wake up in the middle of the night with thoughts and have trouble going back to sleep.  I have to write it down.  

My point is, I say what has been laid on my heart or pops into my mind because I feel as if it may help someone. Sometimes they are aggressive,  sometimes soft. Even when Jesus was on earth, some of his thoughts and teachings were the same. 

I will not let Satan rob me of speaking out for Christ. 

Love to everyone 💕 

A New Adventure

 I posted this yesterday on Facebook and I got so much encouragement and kind words that it motivated me to just cowgirl up and do it. 

Facebook post:

Y'all, I have been contemplating something for a long time and struggling with it and praying about it. Now I will ask Y'all.  No, my kids do not need to comment because I know exactly what it will be. So hush. 😅

I have been wanting to start a YouTube channel. Yes, you heard me. Don't laugh. I know where you live. 

Last summer I did a bunch of canning videos and gardening videos. I felt like I could share some things I have learned over the years to help someone else. I have had alot of my blog friends that follow our farm blog encourage me and ask me to do one. It sparked. 

I am an amateur and have no clue what to do. All I know to do is talk. 😁. I already talk to myself and the walls around here so why not? I am out of my comfort zone because I can get so nervous in front of people that I want to 🤮. So I'm struggling. Talking to a camera is different.  It's just you and it. 

I love to help people and I feel like I can share alot. 😌  So......what do Y'all think?

So with that being said,  I created a YouTube channel.. go to YouTube and look me up under Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms and I have uploaded my first video.  I have one more in progress. 

If you like it,  subscribe and hit the like button. 👍 

Meal Planning

 

 

I know why y'all are wondering why I'm showing you pics of the refrigerator,  freezer and pantry where we are staying. We'll, here's why. 

Meal planning and shopping from my freezer first. Then plan meals around things I already have. 😌 

We are in a rent house right now and don't have alot of space to put things. Plus, we don't have the comfort of all of our frozen garden produce, canned garden goods or our freezer full of already packaged and vacuum sealed meats. So, while here,  I have to downsize and plan smaller meals but also make them stretch. 

So let me walk you through it. 

First I see what all I have on hand. I can get creative and come up with a recipe. 

For tonight I pulled put some chicken that was in a big pack and I only used half for one night and repackaged the rest for another night like tonight, a box of mashed cauliflower I wanted to try, and two bags of broccoli flowerettes. I looked in my cabinet and I have some left over bacon bits and in the fridge I see cheddar cheese. I will use these to add more to the mashed cauliflower.  Oh, I just spotted some left over sour cream I can add to the top. I already have olive oil, garlic,  lemon juice and butter to roast up the broccoli with. I turned the chicken into lemon/honey/garlic chicken also. See how I did that?

I also see a bottle of Olive Garden Italian dressing and a jar of Picante sauce which gives me a meal idea for another night with some chicken. Wow!

Now I  have some left over fried ravioli and some jars of pasta sauce and a block of mozzarella cheese.  So a ravioli baked casserole it is for one night. And served with some garlic toast from any of the loaves of bread you see in the freezer section. You can freeze bread and pull how many ever pieces you want out at a time and work with it.  The bread doesn't go bad as quick and saves money. I will also put some of those fried mozzarella cheese sticks with it. I will have some sauce left over for dipping them in. 

That is meal 2. 

Now, meal 3. I see some shrimp and some smoked sausages that I will do a sheet pan dinner one night. All I will have to get is a small Zucchini and a small squash. 

Meal 4 is going to be a pizza made with cauliflower crust. I have that bag of rice cauliflower in the freezer. I have another jar of pasta sauce, some of the leftover block of mozzarella cheese, and a small slice of ham in the freezer. I have some bacon and a can of rotel tomatoes and a bag of spinach. So spinach/bacon/tomato/ham pizza it will become. 

You see, that's not hard. Always, always shop from your freezer, fridge, and pantries first. You may have to supplement a few items and go pick them up at the grocery store. 

Always shop sales at the grocery store. We have found having a Kroger card is well worth it. You get prices that non members don't and there is no membership fee. 

Keep staples on hand. Sometimes you can splurge and look for a recipe first,  then go get the ingredients.  When you start seeing left over things in your pantry etc, do this exact thing I just did and get creative. There will come a time you will have to restock,  just do it wisely. Shop the sales and stock up if you can. 

I have so many helpful ideas on our Canning and Preserving Page and Homemaking Page. 

I hope I have gave you some inspiration to help you out a bit. 

Its Not Home

 It's not home, but you can make it homey. Also, dear hubby's Iunch is fixed for tomorrow ❤😇🥰

We are just going to eat and hang out the rest of the night together. 

National Son Day 2021

 

 

We celebrate our boys everyday but since Google said today was National Son Day, here we are. (Yes, I looked it up).

I could sit here and tell you all about their personalities and characters but if you know them or have been fortunate enough to meet them, WELL YOU KNOW. I will say, one is very strong willed and logical, the other is stubborn and full of common sense. They both are like onions, they have layers that you have to peel back one at a time. It takes a STRONG, UNDERSTANDING WOMAN to be on Team Dixon. To know them is to love them and I sure do. ❤ I'm proud of the men they have become, even if it was the hard way sometimes. I tell you this right now, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have on my team than these two. They may have their quirks, but you want find anyone else like them. 

TEAM DIXON, WHERE LEGENDS ARE MADE!!!!! 😉

Spoiling My Sweetheart

 I really enjoy spoiling my sweetheart. And I think he's getting use to this. 

I have spent the last three hours prepping his grab and go breakfasts and snacks for the next week to week and a half. I made supper and dessert. And his  lunch is already packed for tomorrow. ❤❤❤🥰😇🍎🍳🥓🍝🎒 His pasta is in another container. 

I threw in an apple and some chips too. 

I went grocery shopping for the week this morning and came back and made dear hubby some sausage, egg and cheese biscuits, and some eggs bites for his breakfasts  for the next few weeks. I individually wrapped them and put them in the fridge.  All I have to do is grab one out and put in his lunch box. 

You can make any kind of make ahead breakfast sandwich. You can use any meat, cheese. And you can use any kind of bread like biscuits, bagels, English muffins, nann bread, crossicants, etc. 

I reserved some of the egg mixture and added some smoked sausage, spinach and cheese and baked. I also like to pour my egg mixture into a casserole dish and bake it. Then all you do is cut into squares or you can use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut them round shape. 

Then I made his snacks. I made turkey and cheese pinwheels, ham and cheese pinwheels and Pimento and cheese pinwheels. I can take some out and put in a small container for each day. Then I washed our fruit and veggies.

 

I just layered the tortillas with meat, cheese and mayo. Then rolled and sliced. You can make any variation you like. 

I then made our supper. Last night I fixed penne pasta and it was delicious. If you get tired of left overs, repurpose them. I took the pasta and turned it into a pasta bake. Just add some more sauce to freshen it up, layer into a baking dish, spread mozzarella cheese on top and bake until the cheese is good and bubbly. 

Then I made dessert. If this turns out half as good as Nannys,  I will be one proud and happy Daughter in law. I have never made it before. If you know Nanny, you know. ❤❤❤ It is her chocolate surprise. Everyone loves her desserts. 

I am exhausted but happy. I love serving and taking care of my sweetheart.  

Suitcase Miracle

 So, I'm just  gonna tell yall what all was in my suitcase, just so you know how much I fit into that one suitcase. 😁😁

5 dinner dresses and their matching shoes and handbags, 9 casual day dresses, 1 slip, 1 short slip for under dresses, 12 short and tshirt  sets, 5 Capri and shirt sets, two blue jean and shirt sets, 2 extra pair of jeans, lingerie, ( which includes matching bras and underwear sets,  robe, gowns/chemises, pjs, 3 pair lounge pants, socks), swim suit and cover up, 3 pair flip flops, crocs, 6 pair of dress shoes,  2 pair house shoes, swim shoes and one pair boots. Now, guys, don't tell us ladies we can't bring all of this with us!!!!! And don't tell us we don't need all that stuff, because half of it is for y'all anyway. If we can pack it, it's coming. 

You can find all kinds of packing hacks on Pinterest. 😁😁😁😁😁😁You're welcome. ❤

I do have a hygiene bag. It is small too. Fits a makeup bag, shower bag, hair accessory bag, hair dryer, mirror, brushes and medications. 😉 

Just Doing What I Want

 One thing about traveling with Dear Hubby here lately, is I've had some time for me. I have served my family for 30 years. Yes, I have enjoyed every minute of it. It has been my passion. My childhood dream. 

However,  every once in a while, we have to invest in some time for ourselves. To rejuvenate,  grow, gain wisdom. I am in that season of my life. No, I'm not done serving my family. Far from it. I'm just learning new ways that fits this season in my life. 

I grabbed some old books that have been in my library and bought some new ones. 

These books y'all have ripped me up one side and down the other and has opened my eyes.  I wish I would have had these books when I was younger.  They are for single or married women. Yes. They are God's foundation and principles of a woman's place in the home, their personal lives and marriage. ❤❤ 

You can find these on Amazon. You don't have to buy them brand new. Three of these books are used. 

They will stay in my library.

I have studied my Bible more. I have had the chances to sit down and meal plan for me and dear hubby. Although it has been a struggle to prepare meals just for two people. I have cooked for 4 or more for two decades now and it is hard for me to down size. I will get the hang of it eventually.  

Well, I've got to fix dear hubby's supper for tonight.  Last night of this shift.