Kitchen Connection - Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Andy starts a busy week next week at work, so Ben and I thought we would make some baked blueberry oatmeal for him for breakfast.  I can't take credit for the recipe...I found it at food.com.  You can find the recipe on their site by clicking here.  I've also posted it below, as well.

Recipe:

Mix together the following ingredients:

4 T butter, melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c. applesauce (I used my own canned with cinnamon, so that gave it some extra flavor)

1 1/2 c. milk

In a separate bowl, combine:

3 c. quick oats

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

I also added 1/4 t. nutmeg

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Bake in a greased 2 quart baking dish at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

 Ben and I are ready to put it in the oven...yum!



 While it was baking, Ben decided he needed to eat some frozen blueberries :)



It's 4-H Project Time!!!

Last weekend, we got a head start on my niece Taylor's 4-H projects.  She's taking cake decorating again this year, and she has an annual tradition of doing this project with Grandma Debbie (our family's resident 4-H guru/expert).  Taylor hit the cake decorating jackpot this weekend because Aunt Stacey was there to help, too!

While the guys worked outside on the pergola (you can read that post here), Taylor, Grandma Debbie, Aunt Stacey, and Katie worked inside on the cake.  Taylor did a fantastic job!  It's ready for fair, so she can check that off her list...what great feeling!

 Katie wanted to try her hand at the whole "decorating" thing.

 Hard at work

The "almost" finished product...for some reason I didn't get a picture of it when it was done.  I'm sure I'll get a picture at the fair!

Many Hands Make Light Work

Warning...this post is super long, so I apologize in advance :)

This past weekend, my brothers, my sister, and our spouses all converged on Mom and Dad's house to help them complete a couple of projects for their anniversary present.  The guys started with finishing up the back side of the barn...they put in a man door, framed it up, and put up the siding.  It was a hot day, but with all of the help, the work went fast!

The finished project...one down, and one more to go :)

So, what was going on while the boys were working??? 

 Evan and I found a bird's nest in the blueberry bushes.

 Mom and Dad's neighbor stopped by on her way around the block.

 Some of the kiddos were brave enough to pet them.

Some more photos from the night...

 The girls were being birthday candles :)

 Making S'mores in our PJ's

Sunday had the guys working on a pergola on the back patio.  Another hot day, but this project was a pretty quick one.



The finished project!

Sweet Sunday Afternoons

I don't know about you, but one of our favorite days of the week is Sunday.  It's nice to spend time together, as a family, just relaxing and enjoying each other's company. 

Here are some photos of last Sunday, after church.  The weather was absolutely fabulous...not too hot, and LOTS of sunshine!

A Trip to the Dairy

A couple of weekends ago we went to the Fair Oaks Dairy with our Farm Bureau Young Farmers group.  Ben and I had been a couple of times before, but this was the first trip for Andy.  It was a great day!

 Checking out the "cow carousel" with Daddy.

 Looking at the brand new baby calves.  We even got to see one being born!

 Katie tried her hand at rock climbing...she did great!

Jumping around :)

Celebrating 40 Years!

My brothers, my sister, and I got together with my parents to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.  In today's world, 40 years is quite an accomplishment, and I think my parents would be the first to say that marriage is work, but it's very worth the effort.  I'm so happy for them and so proud to have such a wonderful example of what marriage should be...love, trust, work, dedication, and above all, respect.

The happy couple!

Our fun gift to them (thanks to Pinterest...of course).

Grandpa

I can't believe it's been a year since Grandpa passed away.  I think of him daily and miss him so much...wishing I could still stop by his house and sit in front of that kitchen window and talk to him...so many memories.

Love you Grandpa!