Special Guest Blogger Post: A Walk with Mikey

Mikey walk

Sometimes I stick my tongue out at my Mom when she takes my picture for the umpteenth time

Some of you may remember me from my debut blog post back in November.

Mom was looking for a break, so I offered to write today’s post and share a bit from our adventures yesterday.  (Well… she did the typing, but I did all the creative thinking!)

First off… I’m very proud to share that, with the break in weather and the opportunity to get back out and walk with Mom, I fit back into this spring jacket / raincoat (albeit barely fit) since loosing the 3 or 4 lbs I recently packed on.  Don’t I look svelte?!

Mikey walk raincoat

When the weather was below zero for weeks on end, the only exercise I was getting was my occasional escape into the woods when Mom or Dad weren’t paying attention where I was secretly feasting on the hind quarter of a deer I found (all by myself!).   Then Dad had to go and spoil everything by tracking my footprints in the snow the led him directly to my snacking spot.  I should have taking some twists and turns to throw him off, but my exuberance to get directly there won out.

Since it was still in the below freezing temperatures when Dad found MY deer, the best he could do was attempt burying it with sticks and random stuff that I had ABSOLUTELY NO TROUBLE getting past, so when caught again (due to the smell on my breath and the size of my waistline) when returning from “going potty,” I was grounded.

Seriously…. Grounded!?  How humiliating!  My doggie door was BLOCKED!  No free range for me.  I had to humble myself to ring the hanging bell on the front door when I absolutely HAD to go out.

So when Mom started offering walks again recently when the weather broke, I got my mojo back and thought I’d share a bit of our adventure with you all.

Monday was so warm and sunny, we didn’t think to take pictures since we were enjoying it so much.  Yesterday was a bit drizzly and dreary, but that didn’t hold us back – though we did only have the iPhone with us to capture these snippets we are sharing.

Mikey walk snow melting

Don’t you just hate when ‘someone’ shares this rear-angle view of you?! SHEESH!

First stop was this tree that has been troubling me for a while now.  I really wish my friend Jim would get back from Florida!  He would be appalled to see this tree down and laying in his yard.  And besides, I am sure he misses seeing me walk by his house daily and letting me run around his yard and give me ear scratches and belly rubs.  COME HOME JIM!

Mikey walk Jim tree down

There are several of these bright red fire hydrants that we pass on our walk.  We thought our friend Dan at RedStuffDan would like this shot.  He takes some amazing photos (most with red stuff) from a place called South West France.   Whatever…

Mikey walk fire hydrant

It is exciting to see all the things that have been buried under the snow for so long.  I was very carefully sniffing around these VERY prickly things that have fallen on the ground from a large tree.  They were not really very interesting to me, but I’ll bet our friend PJ from BeautifulWords would think of a funny or heartwarming story to write about them!

Mikey walk prickly tree things

When we saw this litter, we thought of our friend Jo at DailyRecord365 and the beautiful work of art she made from the things she collected on her recent walk.  Mom and I have decided we are going to try to remember to carry a trash bag one day a week and pick up this ugly litter people have thrown out on our beautiful stretch of walk.

Mikey walk trash

It was great to see and hear the water running in this little creek that runs under the road and into the woods that has been frozen for so long.  We envision John at JustMobilePhotos doing something crazy cool with his photo editing skills with this one and making it all dreamy and freaky looking, or Sylvia at SpanishWoods writing something poignant in just a few words that would make us smile and remember this moment all day.

Mikey walk water running

Every time we pass these beautiful blue spruce trees (that smell like Christmas by the way), we think of our friend Barbara at SilverintheBarn and all the beautiful arrangements she creates and how much she loves and misses blue spruce trees.  Come visit Barbara and we can send some back with you!  And maybe a certain little Westie-boy would like to join us for a walk.

Mikey blue spruce

I am very curious about walking up this path, but Mom says that bright orange sign means we are not allowed.  We try to follow the rules (except when fresh venison is involved!)  And we know our friend JR at Nuggets of Gold would want us to do the right thing.

Mikey walk no trespassing

It was a great walk, but I got quite muddy… And we all know what that means……

the dreaded “B” word!

Yep – you guessed it – BATH – I had to immediately get in the laundry room stationary tub (seriously!?! – there are other much nicer tubs in the house!)  Albert from AlbertsNewYork – are you with me here?!  Do your people make you bathe in the laundry tub?  HELP!

Mikey bath

And then my Mom thinks this is a cute way to dry me off….  MH at MotherHenDiaires – please hold your tongue – I know you have something to say about this pose – but I beg you to spare your wit at my expense (unless it involves one of your chickens as a treat!)

Mikey towel

This is how I like to dry off!  Like a real man!  Like AI from AlmostIowa who lives in a cabin in the woods and writes about macho, manly stuff and doesn’t feel the need to check freshness dates on things (like dead deer in the woods).

Mikey drying

But after all this excitement, I need to rest.  And my favorite place is to undo Mom and Dad’s bed and snuggle between my Dad’s two pillows and hide my nose (but never my eyes that are always on the lookout – unless they close –  for the UPS man or squirrels or deer or bunnies or birds or the pizza delivery man or….) and I dream about Laura at CreateArtEveryDay capturing my beautiful eyes in one of her famous sketches and challenging people to guess who it is (since I am kinda famous) or maybe Jenny from RamblingsfromaMum could write a beautiful poem about me….

Mikey after bath in bed

Well – I’m exhausted after all of this blogging stuff, so I think I will take a nap, but I hope you will write and comment so Mom will give me more opportunities to be a guest blogger here at lifeinbetween.  After all, I am part of what makes her life so darn wonderful!

Sincerely,

paw printMikey McKinney

Orange you a Cutie!

Orange you a Cutie

Hey – remember a few days ago when I challenged you (I use that terminology loosely) with “If you are what you eat, then eat something cute?”

Well – this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is ORANGE –  and guess what we call Clementines around here?

CUTIES!  (a brilliant marketing campaign established to target kids and their parents).  Are you familiar?

So you really can eat something cute!  And these little buggers are so sweet and delish right now!

Orange you going to try one?!  (Couldn’t resist…)

I actually have some more orange to post, but I’m going to save it for tomorrow.

I made some luscious roasted carrots for dinner last night.   Look for the recipe tomorrow.  They are seriously like veggie candy – caramelized with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, cracked black pepper, thyme….  Ooooh La La!

And while we are talking about sunshine….  We were – weren’t we?

Oranges come from Florida, the Sunshine State, so yes – you see my logic – right?

I declared yesterday “50 Shades of SUNSHINE Day.”

Mikey and I got two wonderful walks in – one at lunch time and one after work – and no coat needed at 50 degrees and sunshine!  WOOHOO!

Spring is in the air!

Enjoy your day – whatever it brings.  Find the sunshine!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Spring Ahead

snowie

Yesterday was Spring Ahead day for the annual Daylight Savings Time (DST) change ritual.  For those clocks that don’t adjust automatically, we advanced them ahead one hour when we went to bed Saturday night (or Sunday morning for those we forgot).

So now for days, people will be saying, “It’s 5:00, but it really feels like 4:00.”  People (including me) will have a harder time getting out of bed for work in the morning all week.  Some (including me) will stay up later, because our bodies don’t feel like it is 11:00 pm like is was last week.  Babies will be all off schedule.  People will be late for work, sleepy during early meetings, and maybe a little grumpy…   But the same ones will be delighted to drive home in daylight and have what feels like a longer day.

Basically, we will all be screwed up for a while.

But we will eventually adjust.

The BEST part about yesterday’s Spring Ahead day (at least here in Mars) was it really felt like Spring!  On my morning walk with Mikey, the birds were chirping, the air had a fresh smell to it, joggers were out, everyone had a new “spring” in their step, and the day reached near 50 degrees F!  That’s about 50 degrees higher than it has been in the past few weeks!

I put all my snowie winter decorations away, and brought out some Springy decor.

And after dinner, in my BARE feet on the sun-warmed deck, I found a little bit of snow in the corner and made an itty bitty snowman and placed it on the railing.  He had black jelly bean eyes and a mini carrot nose.  He didn’t last long…

I think this may be the end of the snow for this season.  It is melting fast!  You can hear the water rushing through the downspouts and the driveway that was a sheet of ice when I headed out on my walk, had muddy puddles on my way back an hour later.

Spring is on it’s way!

Do you have a hard time adjusting to Daylight Savings Time?  Do we even need to be changing the clocks ahead and back any more?

Whatever the case, I hope you are enjoying whatever season you are in right now – of weather – and of life.

Reporting in from lifeinbetween…

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Eat Something Cute

birthday bakery card

Marty (hubby) came home from work one day last week with a beautiful box of homemade cupcakes from a coworker’s wife.  He asked if I would make a “cupcake” thank you card, because these little gems were seriously worth a homemade thank you card!

I had this old StampinUp Birthday Bakery hostess stamp set that seemed just the ticket.  I love the sentiment, “If you are what you eat, eat something cute!”

cupcakes

And how amazing are these cupcakes?!?!!

cupcakes and birthday bakery card

I was inspired by a very similar card I CASE’d (technical stamping term for “copy and share everything”)  from Splitcoaststampers.

I kept it pretty simple because I felt the sweet bakery treats should be the showcase on this card.

Hey – it’s Sunday!  Eat something CUTE!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies 1
It is Girl Scout cookie time around here!  Thin Mints are a perennial favorite for many – right?!  Well – this “Kitchenista” (as my sweet blogging friend, Laura has dubbed me) is not satisfied with just a regular ole’ Thin Mint Cookie.

So last year I decided to try chunking them up in my Jodi’s Almost Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie dough, and POW!  Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!  Nick (my son) awarded these his ALL-TIME FAVORITE version of my chocolate chip cookies.

Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a box or two and make them for him again this year.  After all, his birthday is coming up very soon, and for me, any excuse will do to bring a smile to my guys’ faces and bellies.   🙂

Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

Hope you’ll give them a try!  If you do, let me know what you think.

Girl Scout Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Servings: 5 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

1 lb (4 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Nestle’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks (or Chips)
1 sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies – crushed into chunks, but not pulverized

Mix softened butter and sugars with mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until creamy. Add dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) until well incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and thin mint chunks.

Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp balls and flatten slightly. Bake on baking stone for 8-9 minutes. Let cool on stone for approximately 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Cookies freeze well in Ziploc bags (and Nick actually prefers to eat them straight out of the freezer).

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Butterfly Birthday Wishes

butterfly birthday 2

I have several birthday girls on my list this upcoming week.  Marty (hubby)’s Aunt turns 92 young years young, and I have a wonderful cousin and a sweet niece all celebrating their special days.

I love, Love, LOVE this Stampinup Butterfly Basics stamp set!  It is appropriate for young, old, and everything in between.  It has so many complimentary pieces to create fun collages.  And it works so nicely with the Butterfly Thinlits to add an extra pop of WOW.

Hopefully it will be a bit more Spring-like next week when these are received by the birthday girls. After all – in our part of the world we Spring Ahead into Daylight Savings Time this weekend – Woohoo!

butterfly birthday 1

I saw a card done by Heather @ HandcraftingwithHeather and thought I would use it as inspiration, but I just so loved how she did it that I practically CASE’d (copied) it completely.  I changed it up a bit, but be sure to check out her beautiful creation here. (CASEing is a huge compliment in the stamping world!  And such a great way to get your creative mojo flowing when it is waning) 🙂

I did try it two different ways, one with a purple (Blackberry Bliss) border and one without.  Which way do you prefer?  Clean and Simple (CAS) or with the border?  I should have tried one more version without sponging the edges with the Blackberry Bliss ink and keeping it all white (Very Vanilla) for even more simplicity.

butterfly birthday inside

What I love about this stamp set is it gives you everything in the one set to create a million different versions, colors, and distinctly different (or similar) cards.  Many times I use a number of sets together, but for this it was just this set and the thinlit to cut out the butterfly.  I only used three colors on the front of the card, carried to the inside, and even on the envelope:  Blackberry Bliss, Mossy Meadow, and Hello Honey.

butterflly basics envelope

So Happy Friday!  Happy Spring Coming Soon (fingers crossed), and Happy Birthday Aunt Francie, Sarah, and Dawn!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Best Ever Grilled Chicken Fajitas

chicken fajita

So I don’t know about you, but I make something with chicken at least once… often twice… and sometimes three times a week (if I can get away with it!).  I love how versatile chicken is, and I challenge myself to find a new recipe to try with chicken every week.

Chicken Fajitas are a family favorite, and I have made them a variety of ways throughout the years.  Yesterday, however, I created this FREAKIN’ FABULOUS version that is my absolute favorite to date!

lime cilantro marinade for chicken fajitas

I started with a fresh lime and cilantro marinade…

lime cilantro marinade for chicken fajitas 1

adding some spicy chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt.

chicken fajita 1

I put half the marinade on the chicken and half on the sliced veggies.

chicken fajita 2

After allowing everything to marinate most of the day, we grilled the chicken and veggies.

Wow!  The smell…  the taste…  So Dang DELISH!

chicken fajita

Add some fresh homemade guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh greens, and WOWSERS!  Best meal in a wrap!  Add a tossed green salad, and you have an amazing weeknight dinner.

Here’s my recipe.  You HAVE TO try this!  I swear it is the best chicken fajita I’ve EVER had.

Jodi's Best Ever Lime Cilantro Marinated Grilled Chicken Fajitas

  • Servings: Approx. 8 Fajitas
  • Print

Ingredients:

Marinade:
1 large ripe lime, juiced (approx 4 tsp juice)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp. chili powder
3 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic salt (I use the kind with parsley in, but not necessary)

3 large chicken breasts, sliced into three thin slices each, to make 9 pieces.
1 large vidala onion, sliced
2 cups sliced sweet red, yellow, orange peppers
8 Large Flour Tortilla Wraps (wrapped in foil and placed on grill for a few minutes to warm)

Toppings:
Jodi’s Fresh Homemade Guacamole
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mixed Fresh Greens (spinach, arugula, romaine)
Sour Cream (optional)

Directions:
Prepare marinade by whisking together all ingredients.
Pour half on chicken in a glass baking dish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.
Pour other half on sliced onions and peppers in another glass baking dish.  Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.
Marinade 4-8 hours.

When ready to prepare, grill chicken and veggies (we used a wire grill basket for the veggies).
When done, slice chicken into strips.
Assemble fajitas by spreading about a tablespoon of guacamole onto the warmed tortilla, top with chicken strips, grilled onion and pepper strips, cheddar cheese, and fresh greens.  Wrap and ENJOY!
Serve with a fresh salad, mexican rice, or refried beans.

You are going to love these!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Seeking Sole Mates

department_of_missing_socks_vinyl_lettering_home_wall_decal_art_quote__2a183b7e

Most chores around the home are enjoyable (baking)…  or at least tolerable (vacuuming because it gives me more steps on my Fitbit) …  or there’s a way to make it more fun or interesting (trying new recipes for dinner, taking photos and blogging about it)… or you can hire someone to do it (bless you Karen and Lori for spit shining my house to perfection once a month!).

Then there is laundry…  and it’s not even about the throwing it in the washer and flipping it to the dryer dealio… it’s the FOLDING.

Oh the drudgery of it!

And most especially the whites… underwear, inside-out t-shirts (that sometimes go back that way just because), handkerchief after handkerchief (especially this time of year).

But most of all – I dread the socks.

I’ve tried various sock strategies throughout the years – like buying all the same kind so I don’t have to look for matches, color coding for the individual (son, hubby), rolling in a ball, folding, the one-two top fold over… Just haven’t found the joy in any of it….

And why oh why is there always one spare single in nine out of ten loads of laundry seeking a “sole mate?”

I’ve tried making it interesting…

  • Folding in front of the television
  • Folding while on the phone with a friend
  • Folding with music in my ears
  • Marching in place (for more Fitbit steps of course!)
  • Singing while folding (to the horror of my family or anyone nearby)
  • Drinking red wine while folding …

So yesterday morning, in an attempt to entertain myself while folding, I found myself making up words to the Meghan Trainor song, “I’m All About that Bass.”  It started out like this:

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

I’m all about that fold
About that fold
About that fold
No wrinkles

Yeah it’s pretty clear
I’ve got no crease groove
but I can fold it fold it
like I’m supposed to do

Cause I got the bend and tuck
that all the clothes chase
All the right folds
in all the right places

Oh I could go on – but I think that’s enough – eh?!

So sock it to me friends!  I desperately NEED your tips for finding the joy in the fold.

And until then, I’ll be boom boomin’ to the lavado.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

March Came in Like a Fluffy White Lion

March Lion 2

From the front porch – the shrubs are nearly buried in fluffy whiteness

March Lion 3

Even this weeping cherry tree is barely above the snow piled up near it from clearing the front sidewalk

March Lion

There really ARE shrubs under that pile of fluffy whiteness on the other side of the front porch railing

March Lion 5

I never tire of this sunrise view from the back deck – no matter the season

march

or watching views like this… Mr. Cardinal clearing the snow off the seeds while Mrs. Cardinal waits patiently

If March came in like a lion in Mars, it sure is a beautiful fluffy white one!

And Bonus…. if legend has it right, it will go out like a lamb.

Looking forward to daffodils and tulips and crocuses and forsythia and all the delights that Spring brings, but for now…

I’m still enjoying March’s majesty.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

apple tart

We had some friends and family over yesterday for a winter “picnic.”

So often we have people over for the holidays and then don’t get together much until Spring and Summer because of the cold, snowy weather.

Well – heck with that.  I say celebrate it.

So while the snow fell to the tune of another 6 inches or more, we lit a fire, Marty plowed the driveway, and I made a big pot of creamy loaded potato soup, some fresh baked bread, and this super easy rustic apple tart.

We had a great time enjoying simple food and sharing stories of love and friendship.  Such cherished memories!

apple tart 2
If you are looking for a quick and easy, but beautiful dessert, here’s the recipe:

Easy Rustic Apple Tart

Ingredients:

1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
2 large apples, cored and sliced paper thin (with a mandolin is easiest)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 415 degrees F.
In a bowl, mix together sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Let set for 5-10 minutes.
Place puff pastry on baking stone (or baking sheet).
Curl up edges a bit and for circle (or simply leave in rectangular shape.
Place apples on top and bake for 18-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Immediately remove to serving platter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve plain or with whipped cream, ice cream, and or drizzle with caramel sauce.
Enjoy!

Happy Monday friends!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi