Crazy week!

Hello everyone!

  Sorry for the delay on posting! I've gotten back to work full time and I am trying to get everything back into balance. I cannot wait to start my volunteering! Also, school starts back relatively soon. I have many things getting ready to start soon, and I am only hoping for the best out of it all.
  I have been trying to get back into my artistic side of things, and hoping someone will soon approach me about custom things. I will be starting back on tutus, and hair accessories. I love doing these kind of things as they make me so happy and appreciate the little things.

A couple of pictures of things I've been working on:

Alright, well to finish off my post, I'm going to post a recipe. Today will be:

Grilled Chicken Skewers

(6 servings)

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 C of beer

2 T lemon juice

1 T olive oil

1 t paprika

1 t oregano

1 t sea salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Combine beer, lemon juice  oil, paprika, oregano, salt  and pepper in a zip lock baggie; add the chicken chunks. Seal the bag, shake lightly and coat chicken, let marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Soak wooden skewers in hot water for at least 30 minutes. 

Place marinade in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Divide chicken on about 12 skewers. Grill or broil skewers until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, turn and brush with reduced marinade. cook until chicken is done, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately. Also, this tastes great with brown rice. 

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's day!

Today has been quiet the productive day. I only have two more cards to make and send out! I think they turned out pretty well, considering I don't particularly care for drawing. I need to get more craft supplies. I've been considering trying to sell my cards again, but am kind of scared about if it's worth the price to list them and everything. Open to thoughts. On another note, I made a card for my love. I'm hoping he enjoys it, although I did mess up a tad bit. Ok, a big mess up on it. Thankfully it was just his, and I know he will love it either way. If it were anyone else's, I would have fixed it. I drew on the wrong side, so it open wrong, haha. Other than that, I love it! Now if only he would get home to see it! I hope everyone is having a great day today!

These are a few of the cards that I made for the 2013 Valentine's day. Some of them were edited more after the pictures were taken.

I hope that everyone one of you gets to meat someone special to you as well. I am now with the person I am certain I was meant to be with my entire life. He is my one, my only. No words could ever describe the way I feel about him. He is my best friend, my go to, for everything in my life. The only person I have ever been able to be completely myself around. No lying about my feelings at all. We were friends before we got together, and I feel that has been the best foundation to our relationship. He knew me. Who I was. No secrets. I feel incredibly blessed. (Did I also mention, he can cook and clean??) Happy Valentine's day to you all, and I hope you find your lifetime Valentine.

Now to finish my post, let us find a recipe to post.. Hmm... How about a different take on Pork Pot Roast? Feeling like putting your fancy pants on?  Maybe you like full-bodied rose? Perfect!! Keep in mind, the pork needs to refrigerate overnight with the dry rub on it!

Ok, we will start with the dry rub. (I make extra and store it, it's delightful)

Pork Rub

(enough for 4 lbs of pork shoulder also called pork butt)

• 1/4 C Salt
• 1/4 C Brown sugar
• 1 t Crushed red pepper
• 1 t  ground Cumin
• 1 t ground Allspice

Pork Pot Roast with Clams & Chorizo

(serves about 6)

• 4 lbs Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
• 3 T Olive oil
• 1 Onion diced
• 2 Leeks (washed and diced)
• 2 regular sized Carrots
• 2 stalks of Celery
• 5 cloves of Garlic chopped
• 1/2 C golden Raisins
• 1 bottle (750mL) of dry Rose
• 1 C Vegetable broth
• 1 link of Chorizo, cut into small pieces (this is the dried chorizo, not the soft kind)
• 18 Littleneck clams, rinsed
• 2 t fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 t fresh Oregano
• 2 T flat leaf Parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Alright, so to start, the night before, apply the dry rub to the pork, and refrigerate. 2 hours prior to cooking, pull the pork out. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Heat a large roasting pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the Olive oil and heat for a minute. Add the pork and brown it on all sides. Turn often, should take about 4 minutes. Remove the prok, and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and stir for 3 minutes. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery. cook for aobut 3 minutes. Next, add the garlic and raisins, cook for a minute. Now add the broth, rose, and chorizo. Then add the pork back to the pan. Now cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours. After the time is up, put the pork on your serving platter to rest (essential because this finishes the cooking process, and let the juices settle). Now put the pan on medium heat (I know, but keep going, it's soooo worth it). Add the clams, rosemary, oregano, and 1 T of the parsley. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes (or until clams open). Taste it.. If it needs salt and pepper, add it. Now arrange the clams around your pork all pretty like. Ladle some broth over the pork and clams. Take the rest and add it to a gravy dish. Now serve and garnish how you like, and enjoy!! I like to have a nice glass of wine and some nice crusty bread with this!

Have a great evening, and I'll catch you on the flip side. Bye!

Friday. I forget it becomes the weekend for most.

Only downside of being a SAHM during a deployment. I forget what day it is. The date is only important when I need to go to the post office, or during appointments. Other than that, I could really care less about it. Ok, maybe bills too! Today I got a little bit of cleaning done, but have realized during a deployment, I can't stand cleaning. I'm considering getting someone to come clean my house, just once, to get it completely caught up. Does anyone else create a to do list for yourself, and it all just becomes a NEVER ending list?
Anyhow, today, the kids and I painted some Valentine's to send out to the grandparents and daddy. I have found that these little homemade things with the kids tend to mean a lot more than anything else you could give. Crazy! Also, we painted some chip board letters for the kids room. Keagan had a blast!
On the bright side, we got our taxes back! I'm a huge fan of Taxslayer. I've used them for a few years, and never had a problem! They also give military discounts, and no I am not being paid to say that! I've almost paid off all of our debt that we had. SOOO glad about that!


Does anyone know of a good double stroller that will fit into a small trunk? If so, LET ME KNOW! Thank you ahead of time! 


Well... It's Friday. Here is my Foodie Friday post. Yes, every Friday, I  shall post a new recipe, and ask y'all to post one as well, if you would like, or try one of mine out... Soo, let me flip through this family cookbook and share one!


Superbowl is coming up, so how about some Chili????

• 3 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tso ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili pepper flakes
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (7 ounce) can salsa
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 can rinsed black beans
• 1 can rinsed kidney beans
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• corn chips 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Mix in seasonings and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
2. Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
3. While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the zucchini, corn and beans to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. Letting stew for a few hours is more than welcome, to get flavors to blend well. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.
5. Ladle chili into serving bowls with corn chips lining the bottom. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

Hope y'all enjoy!

It's been a while

So I took a little break, as I was trying to get into a routine of being alone with my three year old son, and my now almost two month old daughter. I hope you all will forgive me! So let's catch up my friends! The past few weeks I have been cleaning constantly, as any mother knows, it's a constant. Christmas shopping. And a lot of it. Okay, I will dish more on my post after Christmas about my fantastic buys. (trust me, you will LOVE the POST CHRISTMAS one, so please stay tuned) What is everyone doing for gifts? Any good homemade ones?

My gifts for my friends are all homemade. A smore's kit, Mexican hot chocolate, and cookies! I hope they all enjoy it! I still need to finish my Christmas Cards! that just reminded me! However I did make Rudolph's with the kids :)

Also, what kind of Christmas would it be with out the cookies? I've been making all sorts of cookies. So far I've got sugar cookies, oatmeal cranberry chocolate cookies, Hawaiian wedding cakes, eggnog tea cookies, double chocolate coconut cookies, and crispy chocolate chip cookies!


 I've been digging through my family recipes and figuring out what I am going to contribute to the Christmas dinner my friend and I are making. So far, I am bringing turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chevre, carrot souffle, cranberry sauce, cream puff tree! What a grand dinner we will have! 
As I was digging for my recipes, I found a couple pie recipes, I thought I would share for any of you making pies for Christmas!              

                                        
    
A sweeter Pie crust for Two double crust pies, or four single crust pies

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups shortening
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, shortening, sugar, and salt. Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
2. In a small bowl, mix egg with water. Blend into flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

For a basic Pie crust for one double crust pie or two single crusts

2 Cups of flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups shortening

1/3 cup ice water

mix flour and salt together, cut in shortening, sprinkle water and blend with hands till dough forms. use as needed

For Cherry Pie

2 cups cherries *take out the seeds!

1 Cup of juice

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 Cup of sugar

2 Tablesppons cornstarch

butter

put cherries in crust, mix all other ingredients, except butter, together. Pour over the cherries. dot with butter. Put top crust on, make slits in top. Bake  at 450 for 10 minutes, then at 350 for 30 minutes. When it comes out, brush top with melted butter! 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pie

pre baked pie shell

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 Cup conrstarch

3/4 Cup sugar

2Tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Cups

2 egg yolks

Mix egg yolks and sugar. melt butter in saucepan. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter in saucpan. Slowly add milk, and cook till boiling. Add the eggs, cook slightly, add vanilla. pour into baked pie shell and chill.

Apple Pie

2/3  Cup of sugar

Dash Salt

1/2 teaspoon

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons lemon juice

6 cups peeled thinly sliced cooking apples

2 tablespoons butter

Mix sugar with salt, cinnamon, flour, lemon rind and juice and combine with apples. Line 9 inch piepan with pie crust and fill with apple mixture. Dot with butter. Top with crust and crimp edges. Brush top with milk. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then at 375 45 minutes, or until apples are tender. sprinkle with sugar after baking if desired.

There you go, hope you all enjoy!

Birthday party today!

Alright, so Keagan's birthday party was today! It was so much fun! His daddy sent him a Harley tricycle, a soccer net with ball, and spongebob bedding. Alan loves his kids, that one thing I know for a fact. I had a few friends over with their children, and we had a great time.

My sister in law came in last night. It was so stormy, I'm not sure how my mother and sister in law made it back from the airport!

I shall be working on my Christmas decorating, and putting pictures in their places the next few weeks. Alrighty, well I'm sorry this is short, but I am so tired, but I will post more tomorrow!

A glimpse into my military life

The day started out pretty normal for me. The day before Halloween 2010. My son had slept pretty good because of our busy day of crafts for a friend's Halloween party, and a day of shopping for daddy's care packages. I wasn't feeling very energetic, so decided I'd rest my 38 week pregnant body for the day. I'd been having Braxton hicks for a long time, so didn't think too much about them. Keagan and I went on with our day, playing, and eating as normal. Later in the evening, I started having pain in my back. I was afraid that if I went to the hospital, I'd just get sent back home, like I had with my previous pregnancy. I decided to take a bath and drink water. I don't know about you, but that is what I was always told to do if I thought there may be a chance I was going into labor. Well, bath didn't help, so I decided to go for a long walk.

Yes, the pain increased. My son fell asleep in his stroller during our walk, so I went over to my friends house who happens to be my neighbor. After a conversation with her, she convinced me to leave my son for the night and go to the hospital. I walked back to my house and packed Keagan's back pack full of clothes and snacks, and went back to her house to drop it off. I tucked him into bed, he was still asleep, and then I was on my way. I drove to the hospital on post, and parked near the emergency room. I didn't want to walk super far to labor and delivery after all. I got there, and checked in, sat in the waiting room. When the nurse came and got me, she took me to an exam room. They hooked me up to all the monitors, and when the dr came to check me, I was already 5cm. Wow, guess I really was in labor! The dr said they were going to admit me. At that moment, I was excited, scared, and sad all at once. I started to tear up because I knew my husband wouldn't be able to be here with me to welcome our new child into this world.

The nurses asked me if I wanted them to help me by going and getting my bag from my car, I told them no, I could go get it. I went out to my car and got my bag that was packed with clothes, a camcorder, and laptop. I stopped in front of the entrance, called a couple people including the Rear D CO, asking him to send a Red Cross message for me. Except for, a few minutes later when I went inside, and got a text saying that Red Cross had informed him that they don't send message for labor, only for emergency or after the child is born!!! Great, now my husband will have no clue that his child is about to be born! Well, here I was, in the hospital, alone. I pulled out my laptop, put up a status on my Facebook, and a message on my husbands page. All my hopes were that he would get online and see that, and be able to talk to me. Instead my husbands friends got online, and saw it, and were doing everything they could to get a hold of him and let him know. With the luck I have, he was still in transit to get where he was suppose to be. I was admitted at 8:30 PM. After hours of sitting there with an iv in my arm, and not being able to rest because I was waiting for that little sound on my laptop to go off letting me know he was online. I was starting to lose hope. Around 1:30 AM I got my Epidural, and around 2:15 AM they broke my water. Well here it was. I was going to birth this child alone, without my husband, but my friends on Facebook were there, and my friends texting me. Well, to my surprise, at 2:30 AM, my husband gets online! Oh thank goodness!  I progressed through my labor, and enjoyed my husband's company. He had borrowed a friends computer that had video, so we got to talk and see each other. He may not have been there physically, but he was there for me mentally, and coaching me through the labor. I am so thankful for technology. He was there for me when my epidural stopped working for about an hour and a half, that I had no idea what was going on. The nurse came in and checked me and I had tears rolling down my face. Needless to say, they came in and fixed the epidural. This was at about 6 AM that it got fixed. 6:30 AM I was announcing to my husband that he had a baby girl. We got to visit as a family until about 7:30 AM. It was so nice to have that technology available to us, so that even with the distance, my husband was still able to be there with me during labor and delivery.

Kali Michelle 10/31/2010 6:33 AM 6 lbs 18 1/2 inches

Modern Handmades: Our Giving Tree

Modern Handmades: Our Giving Tree: "My grandson and I made a giving tree table decoration yesterday. We only had stickers, construction paper and markers to work with so I wasn..."

This is my mother in law. The story is about her and my soon to be three year old. You have to see what they made, he had a blast :)

What a day

So welcome into my life. It is hectic at times, my toddler is rowdy, my newborn is quiet, my husband is deployed, and I constantly have a million things running through my head. My name is Coyeatta.

I enjoy spending time with my children, and my husband. My son is close to three, and as obnoxious as his father. We enjoy doing different crafts together, and learning new things. He helps me in the kitchen whenever he possibly can, and I love it! He also loves to be outside, which makes me happy :) Hopefully we can start camping with him when daddy gets home.

My daughter is a newborn, and she likes to sleep, eat, and well, poop! She seems to like the outdoors so far, or at least is comfortable enough to eat and sleep.

My husband is my hero, and we began young and foolish, but head over heels in love. I was 18 and he was 19. A month into it, we decided we should get married. So far we have gone through just about every test a relationship can go through, and we have persevered. I could not ask for a better man, best friend, or father for my children. He is my hero, and has helped me stay sane in a lot of situations. I can truly say I am honored to be married to him, and so happy that we've stuck it out and kept going strong.

As an Army wife, I can tell you, it's not easy. Deployments are long, but you learn a lot about yourself and your strengths. When they are home, doing field trainings can seem like forever as well. You start to think every civilian could never understand every trial you go through.

There is so much to ramble on about, but I will just add more in later blogs, so you'll have to follow to learn more about my pretty average army wife life.

Today I made some lunch from leftovers.. It was pretty good actually. I experiment all of the time, and sometimes with not so good results, but most of the time they are good :) of course, my husband would never know the bad meals, because they get thrown out before he knows it!

Today though, as I was saying, I took some leftover pork roast, left over rice, some frozen edamame, some cooked carrots, and leftover chopped pineapple, threw it in the pan, added some rice vinegar, sesame oil, paprika, cumin, chilli powder, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce... all to taste, which was very little of each, just enough for flavor, and it turned out AMAZING. Yep. Well that is about it for now, I've got to get my little guy to take a nap. Tomorrow I will write about care packages, and maybe some more food experiments :)

Have a great Veteran's day, and thank you to all the Military and their families!