Making Some Crafty Memories :)

I have a secret to tell you. And you can't tell anyone! But my hubs and I, did a little crafting last night. It was such a HOT night. And I was looking through this folder of projects, that I want to get done, before our daughter is here. Let me tell you, it's HUGE!! With just over a month, I'm not sure everything is going to get done.

But we're not going to focus on that! What we're going to talk about is this. I was looking for something to work on. It's been so HOT outside. But we decided to turn on the sprinklers. Water the grass, and just enjoy the evening. Outside. As much as we could.

Well, hubs shocked me!! He brought out this bag of mine. It's been sitting in the garage for almost a month! With the supplies to make these bracelets. Yes, I said a month!! But you see, I wanted to ask my doctor, if I could use spray paint while pregnant. She told me, that she'd prefer me not to. But that I could work with these pens, outside. ONLY outside!!

That wasn't very good news for me. There are a few projects that I want to work on. But I need to use spray paint. So I've just been putting them off. I don't want to bother my hubs with painting bracelets, flower pots, letters, that weird looking bookshelf, etc. To my surprise, he actually wants to do all these things. Without me asking him!!

My hubs went to the side of the house, and painted a bunch of bracelets for me. A BUNCH!! I might have gone overboard buying them. But I found them on sale....for 25 cents a piece!! :) When they were dry, he brought them to me. Where our dogs and I, were enjoying the relaxing evening. They were eating some treats. I was having some fruit, and reading a magazine.

Hubs and I, spent the next 2 hours, writing on my bracelets. Well, I wrote on them. My hubs drew some fun pictures. When we went inside, hubs stayed in the garage for a few more minutes. Sealing the bracelets. I don't know the name of the stuff he used. But it's clear.

That's what my hubs and I did last night! And it was such a nice evening. Whenever I look at my precious bracelets, I'll remember this night. The wonderful memories that we made. And just how precious my husband is. Because who else can say, they spent the night making bracelets with their husband? And really enjoying it. I have to be the luckiest woman on earth. Because he LOVES me, with all HIS HEART!! Luv you too Suga' Boots!! ~Chels

Taco Tuesdays in a Crock Pot!!

I can't lie. Around here, "Taco Tuesdays" are a MUST!! I tell you, don't mess with our Tuesdays. When my hubby and I first met, we were poor college kids. Man, money was so incredibly tight! Most of the time, we'd hangout at the 4H house. Because everyone would just bring a few things, and we'd cook up a meal.

But on Tuesdays, it was "Taco Tuesday." We'd sometimes splurge, and go to our favorite Mexican restaurant. But most of the time, we'd go to Taco Bell. Get us a few cheapo tacos, and sit and talk. Some days, we'd head to the local park. Other times, we'd head to one of our houses, and catch up on our favorite shows. And when one of us was pulling an "All Nighter" at the library, the other would bring dinner. :)

When we got married and moved in together, not much changed. Other than, it's been a heck of a long time, since we went to Taco Bell! Now hubby has a better job. But we're still a 1 income family. Cooking is not just something I should do....it's almost necessity. To cut down on costs. And I'm totally cool with that. It's my way, to provide for my hubby. Since he works so darn hard!

I've been pretty good. We still eat our tacos every Tuesday. It's that one thing, that makes both my hubs and I, very happy!! Almost 90% of the time, we have ground beef tacos. I'm just not too skilled in cooking. Once in a while, we'll have leftover roast. I'll shred it, and cook it up with onions, peppers, and jalapenos. And if I'm being really lazy, I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken. I shred it up. And those tacos, usually get more "fancy" toppings than the rest. :)

But I feel like I'm in a rut! I want to keep our "Taco Tuesdays" going. But I wanted something a little different. And honestly, I haven't been wanting to cook much. I know I say this a lot, but it is so HOT here!! Living in the desert, sorta sucks the life out of you at times.

Well, you know what? Good friends are awesome! And not long ago, Rach blogged about this blog. She was working on a craft, for her boys. And had tried out some recipes. I thought, that this recipe sounded good. And super easy! Heck, Rach has 3 kids. Under 3!! And Mike is away, fighting that fire. If she can make these, so can I!

Life changing folks! So good!! I almost NEVER use my crock pot. I just don't know what to cook in there. And it takes up so much space. That it spends 98% of the time, tucked away under our kitchen sink. I know. Weird huh? But my hubs refuses to put cleaning supplies under there. Like most people. We've never had anything under there, except all the appliances, that we rarely use.

Thanks Rach! For sharing this blog with me. And helping me find this recipe. Something tells me, these are going to be regulars in our meals. They're easy, cheap, and so tasty! Heck ya! Things that we have on hand, all the time, chicken breasts and salsa. This is what we ate on Tuesday night. With fresh corn tortillas.You have to LOVE the local Mexican bakeries. :) Try this out! You won't regret it. Plus, clean up was super easy!! That's always a bonus in my book. ~Chels

Berry Fun

I don't know if I ever shared this on my blog. But the first summer that we lived here, we planted a bunch of berry bushes. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc. Yum! And every year, we've crossed our fingers. That the snow doesn't kill them. And neither does the heat. But we don't get fruit. Lots of pretty green leaves. But no fruit!! I'm starting to wonder about those little guys! We planted them, because we LOVE fruit that much. But we're still waiting on our first harvest....

But like I said, we LOVE fruit. Especially berries! And I've been dreaming of eating bowls and bowls, of fresh berries. One day. Fingers crossed. Instead, we took a drive yesterday. To the "local berry patch." By local, I mean 2 and a half hours away!!

But you know what? It was totally worth it!! Baskets, buckets, and what not later....I was one happy lady!! I had so many berries. And I've happily sat here, taking in as many as I can. Isn't that part of the Summer fun? Fresh and yummy berries. Maybe next year, our little plants will give us some berries.... ~Chels

For My Lova'

This week, my hubby and I celebrate 4 years of wedded bliss! On Thursday to be exact! Man, time does fly by! Now, we're just months away, from becoming parents. It's just crazy, how fast life moves.

Back to our anniversary. I wanted to do something special for my Lova'. Ya know, he's been so wonderful, during our pregnancy. Actually, he is wonderful all the time! That's why I married him. Ladies, I wasn't that crazy! I knew, this man was special. :)

I want to do something extra special. Take into account, it's like a million degrees here! We have had horrible smoke, from a fire that's a couple hours from us. Outside stuff, just ain't gonna happen. :( And here I had had my hopes on a starlight picnic. Maybe next year! Instead, I figured I'd make my hubs a special dinner. Inside. With the AC blasting!

And like any normal pregnant woman, when I think of food....I think of desserts!! I know, I shouldn't. But it's all I crave these days. And then I remembered. Those "no bake" cheesecakes. In a flippin' jar! Dang it, they look so good.

So I hauled my pregnant self down to Wally World. This morning. In nearly 100 degree weather....at 10AM. Ugh....the "Dog Days of Summer" are here!! I must have spent, 2 hours looking for those cute little jars. Then I gave up. My feet were getting all swollen. My belly was rumbling. Baby girl and momma were hungry. I bought my ingredients. Then hopped over to Subway. :)

One, I can't find any cute jars. To me, they make this dessert. I'll keep hunting. I've got a couple of days. Two, what the heck else am I going to serve? Honky Tonk Husband likes to eat. And until about 20 minutes ago, I hadn't realized, I don't have a menu planned! I need to get on that! ASAP!!

On a good note, I got my hubby's present. And it's all wrapped up! Yay for me! That rarely happens this early in the game. Maybe pregnancy is getting me more "on the ball." Do you have any dinner suggestions? Or plans. Any ideas? I'd LOVE to hear them! My hubby really is a special guy. And I want to show him on our special day! ~Chels

Indoor Tent

Fun in a tent! Who doesn't enjoy a tent? I know I do! It's probably, one of the only reasons I enjoy camping. Fun in a tent....can happen at all ages!! So when I was strolling around on Pinterest, and came across this....I was so excited!!

First of all, yes our baby NEEDS one of these tents! How much fun would this be? A little place to hide out in. Lots of time for fun playing, and reading. Imagine all the memories you could make. :)

Oh, and until baby is big enough....this momma and daddy, can have a little fun in there too! Because honestly, a tent is good for any age! Now where is my hubby? Wouldn't this be fun for Valentine's Day? ~Chels

When Times Get Tough....

Lately, life has been tough. I feel like someone has kicked me in the stomach. Or is sitting here, with their hands inside me, torturing my insides. I've been so sick! "Morning sickness," is killing me. Literally, I spend 20 hours laying down. A day!! Why don't women talk about this stuff?

I've been feeling really bad. I mutter up enough energy to make my hubby some breakfast, take my vitamins, and shove something down my throat....every morning. Then I lay down. For hours and hours. Praying that it stays down. In the afternoon, I manage to get up again, throw in a load of laundry, and shove some lunch down my throat. Then I take a nap, until my hubby gets home.

Talk about feeling like crap! He comes home, to a messy home, no dinner, and a wife that looks like death. Poor man. If he wanted a divorce right now, I'd totally understand! My hubby comes home, from working 10 hours. And has to cook dinner. Then I feel really bad. And I try to do more laundry. And I cry. Cry every evening, in the middle of our bedroom.

To which my hubby comes to hold me. And tell me, it's OK. That life isn't always going to be like this. There is a reason. And that is, I'm growing  us a strong and healthy baby. My hubby reminds me that life isn't always going to be like this. That I'm doing something, that he can't do. Grow a baby. And he is more than happy, to pick up my slack.

Yes, my hubby makes us dinner. Preps both of our lunches. Finishes the laundry that I started earlier. Cleans the yard. And has started helping out with the housework. I pray, that this will not last much longer. I just don't know if I have it in me, to continue this way.

Last night, my hubby reminded me of our wedding vows. "For better, or for worse. In sickness, and in health." You never think about those things, when you're getting married. But on the tough days, the wedding vows, really do take on a new meaning. A more meaningful definition of marriage.

I know, in my heart, that all of this is for the well being of our baby. And our family. It doesn't make it easier. But it makes it easier to understand. I know, that I have an AMAZING husband. Lately, I've grown to know, he is so much more amazing, than I could ever dream up. He's so loving, caring, and understanding. I'm so thankful for my hubby! Yes, he makes my grey skies happy. He finds ways to make me smile, when no one else can. I'm so lucky to have him! Our baby is so lucky, that he is going to be their daddy!! ~Chels

I Heart My In-Laws

A while back, I was talking to my mother-in-law on the phone. We were talking about our house. And the things I wanted to buy for my house. I've posted about a few of the things on here. But honestly, my hubby and I live on a pretty tight budget. We save for twice a year trips to the rodeo. Because we really enjoy going. And for the occasional trips home, to visit family. We live in a different state. And we each get one splurge a month. That's about it.

The rest of our money goes to the house. You know DIY projects, and just making the payments. So I don't buy much to "decorate" with. If I happen to find a good sale on something, I'll pick it up. If not, I just dream about it. Knowing that one day, we'll be able to afford stuff.

But I seen this a while back. For $15. And for most people $15 isn't a lot of money. Most people would just buy it. But I couldn't. Because I felt guilty. If I hadn't mentioned it, I'm also in college. So we live off of my hubby's income. That's it. He has a good job. But to juggle the cost of college, a new house, and living expenses...let's just say it's tight on 1 income.



Back to my phone call with my MIL. We were talking and I said that I really liked these hearts. I thought they'd look cute in our backyard. You know, 3 would look darling on the back fence. That's all I said. I didn't really think much about it again.

Today, when I got home from my classes, I found a big 'ol package on our porch. I didn't know what it was. I knew I hadn't ordered anything. And I assumed my hubby hadn't either. So I was in shock. Well, I drug the box into the house. Because it was too big and heavy for me to pick up.

Since my hubby was at work, I decided to open it up. I was curious. Inside was the sweetest letter from my in-laws. Telling my hubby and I just how proud of us they are. And inside, were 7 barbed wire hearts that my FIL had made. And you know what he made them out of? The old barbed wire fence.

See a few summers ago, my hubby and I went back to TX. And we stayed in this little house behind his parents house. There was this barbed wire fence behind the little house. I'm not sure what it was for. But it had wooden posts and barbed wire. Well, in the evenings, after I had helped my MIL (at the time, hubby and I weren't married yet) make dinner, I would go sit out there on one of the posts. And I'd wait for my FIL and hubby to get back from working.

When we got married, my FIL told a story about one day I was sitting there on that fence. My hubby had had a tough day working. He was beat, and a little dejected. But as they road their horses back in, my hubby seen me. He sat taller in his saddle, got a crook'd smile, and a twinkle in his eyes. Then he told my FIL, "Pops, I've found my gal. I know she's the one. Every time I see her, she makes my life better. I just know she's the one."

A few weeks later, we got engaged. It was the 4th of July. And I was sitting on the post of the fence. Hubby and I were watching the fireworks. It was really sweet. So my in-laws always think of us when they think of that 'ol fence.

Fast forward a bit. And my in-laws took down the fence. My BIL's small kiddos had tried to climb it and would get some pretty nasty cuts from it. Remember, it was made out of barbed wire. So they took it down. But when we got married, my FIL built us a bench out of the posts. He told me, that way I'd have a proper place to sit and wait for my hubby. He was always worried that I'd hurt myself on the barbed wire.

I love that bench! It's in our little entry way. And I do find myself waiting for my hubby there. I like to see his truck drive up in the evenings. :) But I never asked about the wire. Who asks about barbed wire? Well, my FIL had rolled it up and stuck it in the barn. So when my MIL mentioned these hearts, he dug out the old wire. And he made us 7!

I know exactly where I want to hang them. And now, there is a cute story to go along with our barbed wire hearts. I know we'll have them for many, many years. And guess what? I LOVE my in-laws with all my heart! ~Chels

$50

Do you remember me telling you about the $50 that I got from our taxes? Well, hubby put his towards a new patio set. He felt guilty, because a few weeks ago, he got some new boots. But he really needed them. He works on a Ranch. And his other ones, well darn it...they were getting holes in them. But hubby didn't see it like that. He felt guilty.

So I wanted to pitch in my $50 too. You know, we could get us a nice table and chairs quicker. But my hubby wouldn't let me. He said it was time for me to buy myself something. And he reminded me of this belt that I had seen. We had gone to the warehouse to get hubby's boots. Because they're less expensive there. And well, it's just a fun place to go. When we went to go pay, I seen this Tony Lama belt. And I fell in love!

On the website, it sells for $90, plus shipping. But in the warehouse, I think it was $60. So tomorrow I'm going to call them up. I hope they still have it. I'm calling first. Because the warehouse is over an hour away. I don't want to make the trip if they don't have it. And thank you hubby! I'm glad that you got your boots. And that you think I should get my belt. ~Chels

Being an Adult

My hubby was almost in a panic a little while ago. He asked me if we had sent our tax papers in. Ya, we did. And we already got our rebate. It was really quick. Less than a week. And we had already talked about what we wanted to use the money for. We decided to make an extra house payment. And only to keep $100. We split the money.

When our rebate came in the mail, I deposited it in the bank and made the extra payment. It actually made almost 3 extra payments. :) It felt really good to pay ahead on our house. That night, I gave my hubby $50. Remember, we decided to keep $100. He didn't say anything. Just smiled.

Tonight when I assured him that we had sent our taxes and got our rebate, it must have rang a bell for him. "That was what the $50 was for." I just smiled. Sometimes he makes me laugh! But ya, that's what we did with our tax rebate.

This is probably the 1st time I've ever used my rebate for something good. Last year, we used our rebate to go on vacation and buy some furniture. We did save a little. And we used that for our down payment for our house. And the year before, we used the money for our wedding.

Before this, I would have gotten the money and treated myself. You know, some new clothes, makeup, fun dinners out, etc. But I can definitely tell that I'm growing up. Besides, it much nicer to own a home than it is to buy new clothes. I'm just saying. What did you do with your rebate? ~Chels

We're Going Home

Wow! We had such an exciting weekend! We went to the rodeo this weekend. It was a few hours of a drive. But my hubby and I really wanted to come. :) So we came. We don't get to go to a lot of rodeos anymore. So we really took advantage of the opportunity.

All of our friends are here. And it was really fun to be able to just hangout and have a good time. But sadly, our fun weekend has come to an end. We're on our way home. Yup, right now. But it was still a really fun weekend! I hope that we get to go to Vegas this year too!

Well, I'm typing this on my phone. So that's it folks! It's not really easy to blog from your phone. I hope you had a good weekend. I know we did. It might take the entire week for me to recover. :) ~Chels

I Hurt...Everywhere!

I really do! Every muscle, every bone...they all hurt! My hubby and I worked so hard on our yard this past weekend. But it looks nice. The sods is gorgeous! Our entire yard looks amazing. With just sod! :)

We also planted our trees and rose bushes. And some flowers that I bought. There weren't many, so I really spread them out. But all weekend, we were out in our yard. The dogs really enjoyed it. My Hubby and I are so proud of ourselves. I'm glad we started with the "bones."

My hubby even left me a little corner. In the sunniest part of the yard. For my garden. Now I just need to find time to start it. It's not that I don't appreciate my hubby's help. I just want this to be my project. You know, he's working on so many things already. I just want to do something to add to our household. Do you understand?

So that sums up our weekend. We worked on yard work. Our dirt yard is now covered in green sod. I've got beautiful roses bushes. They really do make me smile! And now, I'm researching small gardens. Life is good! ~Chels

This Weather!

We are now the proud owners of sod, 10 trees and 5 rose bushes. Ya, I got some rose bushes! Pink and white ones. :) They were a complete surprise from my hubby. The nursery delivered the trees and bushes yesterday. My hubby called to make sure I was home. And I was expecting sod and trees. Instead, they delivered rose bushes and trees. No sod. It will be delivered sometime next week. Something about the sod they had on hand was dying. So I'm glad they waited to deliver it.

Oh, and we were supposed to do a lot of planting today. That isn't happening. The weather is so bad today! So our rose bushes and trees are now in the garage. I hope they live. And we're hoping to plant everything next weekend. If the weather decides to agree with us. The sod should be delivered by then. At least we're hoping! ~Chels

Our Yard

Today hubby and I spent almost the entire day at the local nursery. We're starting to get our hands dirty...in our yard. So we went with our lists to see what they had. Of course, I wanted all the pretty flowers. Rose bushes, seasonal flowers, and even strawberry plants. My hubby wanted all these "structured" bushes and trees. Go figure huh?

But we've made out a plan. We're going to slowly work at our yard. That means all the "bones" need to come together first. Ugh! But we'll get it done. We priced a lot of stuff today. And talked to a really nice man. He gave us all kinds of tips and tricks! What a nice man he was.

Well, hubs and I, we ordered sod today. We figured that's what is going to be the most expensive part of the yard. And the part that is going to need the most labor. I guess my roses are just going to have to wait until later. But I'm glad we have a plan. I don't feel so lost anymore. ~Chels

Happy Valentine's Day!

My hubby, he's pretty amazing! He has the whole day planned out for us. :) I just love Valentine's Day! It's just an excuse for me to tell my hubby how much I love him! I was never a fan of Valentine's Day. Until I met him. And he always makes Valentine's Day so special. I'm a very lucky lady!

I just wanted to wish ya'll a Happy Valentine's Day. I hope your day is filled with lots of love! Now it's time for me to enjoy my breakfast in bed. ~Chels

Feeling Better

We're finally feeling better. Today hubs went back to work. When I say we've never been sick like that before, I'm not lying! It was so bad! I really wanted to just die. My entire body hurt. Badly! But now we're better.

I really think the chicken soup that our friends brought over, it did the job! And it was really good. So much so, I called them to see where they got it. And I picked some up for dinner tonight. Ya, we're having soup, grilled cheese, and 7UP. I don't want to push my luck too much. Besides, that soup was really good!

In the end, I'm glad we have great friends. They help out whenever we need the help. I'm so grateful. And I'm so happy that the hubs and I are doing a lot better. Because that was a rough week! ~Chels

The Honky Tonk Couple is Sick

We've been sick for days. I'm not even sure how many. But my hubby and I, we've been in bed for days. Sick. Really bad. We have the flu and we were really dehydrated. Ya, we finally made it to the doctor yesterday. Both of us had to have an IV. Ugh! But we're feeling a little better now. I'm actually wanting something to eat. You can just imagine the 2 of us.

We're trying to make each other feel better. But it's hard to make your love feel better when you feel so bad. But we're on our way to recovery. At least my hubby still loves me. Even with dirty hair, no makeup, and a red nose. We're hoping to be better by Monday. Ya, hubs has been home sick. But he wants to go back to work. Even with a fever. ~Chels

The Good and the Bad

Today I tried to make dinner. But it didn't end well. My hubby wanted to eat it. I'm pretty sure that he just wanted to make me feel better. Because it was a huge fail! I wouldn't let him. So we ended up ordering some pizza. I felt really bad. Like a failure as a wife or something like that. But my hubby tried to make me feel better.

We've only been in our house since November. And we've slowly been tackling all these rooms. Trying to decorate and all that jazz. We're knee deep in DIY projects. And some days, I'm not sure if we're ever going to get our house to feel like home. But tonight, while we waited for dinner, my hubby encouraged me to search for something to buy for our house. I got online, and started to search.

I found this wreath. I know what you're thinking, "Chels, you don't even have curtains. Girl you need something more than a wreath!" Believe me. I know this! But when I did a search for an entry way table, this picture popped up. I really want it. But I'm thinking that $28 is a lot for something we don't really need.

I'm hoping that Lola comes around soon. She's so crafty. I'm not. Not at all. But I like to read all about crafts. I'm hoping Lola can help me make something similar to this this wreath. Maybe a little more organized. You know, not all that stuff failing off. I really want a warm and inviting wreath for our front door. ~Chels

Baby Bull

Today we went over to a friend's house. A friend who breeds livestock. I knew the my hubby wanted to go so he could do some riding. Which I wasn't totally against. I mean, he used to ride all the time!

All of our guy friends decide to do some riding today. Do you see that picture up there? It looks sorta like this little bull at J's. My hubby tells me that I can ride it. Not to worry. It's not like the big 'ol bulls that he rides. Um, no. Sorry honey. I don't ride bulls.

Baby or not, I'm just afraid. I feel like I'd be the idiot that would get hurt on the cute baby bull. We had a great time. My hubby just had a blast riding some pretty rough bulls. Seeing him fly through the air, still freaks me out. But he's good at what he does. Me, I enjoyed watching from the other side of the fence. ~Chels

New Year, New Blog

Hi! I'm Chelsea. I'm married to Luke. He's the love of my life. We met in college. And well, ever since, my life has been pretty amazing! We bought our 1st home right before the holidays. And well, we are trying to DIY our way through our "Honky Tonk Palace." :)

"Honky Tonk Wife" is my hubby's nickname for me. Yup, we're lovers of country music. And I like to rock my pink cowboy boots. Luke used to ride and rope. He gave it up a while back. But we still ride horses. Yup, you can't take all the country out of us!

So I decided to start a blog. I have a lot of friends that have blogs. And it seems like a nice thing to do. I'd like a place to come back and read about our ride through life. If you'd like to learn more, come on back. I'm sure I'll have some funny stories to share. ~Chels