Flag Holder Redo

For the two years I've lived in my current home, I've had to look at this flag holder that hangs on one of the porch columns. First, it's weather beaten and old looking. Secondly, the whole country wooden heart thing really isn't my style. No offense, it looks lovely in other people's homes, but it's just not me.

BUT, you know what's also not me? Having gaping holes in my brick from the giant bolts they hung the heart with should I take the thing down. So, what to do, what to do?

Then along came some free paint samples - in red, white, and blue (and olive green, but that doesn't really go with this post). Lightbulb!!

So, I painted the heart to look like an American flag. Less country looking, more American-rustic (if that's a style).

Painting it was really simple. I measured out the lines using a bookmark (I discovered during the course of this project that we don't own a ruler in my house. How is that even possible?). I painted it relying on the steadiness of my own hand to follow the lines, so I didn't use tape (which I'm terrible at anyways). Then I used a pencil eraser to dot the "stars" on the blue part.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It looks much better (and much less weather beaten and dirty!).

I'm linking up with Centsational Girl's Stars and Stripes Party.

I'll also be linking up with some of the other link parties listed on my link party page so check those out too!

Zucchini Bread

This is the best zucchini bread EVER!! This is a great recipe for all that zucchini from your garden or that you can get really cheap at your local farmer's market. Sorry, there's no picture - it goes that fast!! (Okay, well maybe I just didn't take one, but you get what I'm saying.)

Zucchini Bread
From Paula Deen

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:14

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. - Proverbs 31:14

I think one of the better, more practical explanations I've heard for this verse came from Elizabeth George's book Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman.

She said of the Proverbs 31 woman in this verse: "She spares no cost in terms of money, time, or effort when it comes to contributing to the well-being of those she loves."

That resonated with me more than trying to wrap my mind around being compared to a ship. I think her description is what most women strive to do for their loved ones. Whether that means spending money on her children rather than on something she wants, or searching diligently for the best sales and the best coupons for the family's groceries, or working two jobs to help make ends meet, the modern Proverbs 31 woman works hard to care for her family.

And, while it's important to strive to better, I think it's also important that we give ourselves credit for the efforts we already put forth.

I Got Instruments of Torture in the Mail Today

Yes. Exercise equipment. Which means I have to exercise now. No excuses.

Which stinks because I'm really good at excuses.

I'm also really good at avoiding exercise. Like if there were Olympic gold medals for avoiding exercise I would be the Michael Phelps of that event.

But that also explains why I'm overweight. Especially when you combine that with the fact that I LOVE food. Not like vegetables (unless mashed potatoes count). More like ice cream.

All that together means I haven't been a very good steward over my body and my health. Haven't exactly been treating it like the temple of the Lord it is.

So, I am setting out to change all that. Exercise is step 1 of my plan to get healthy and lose some weight. I have a Danskin DA-2637R 10 lb. Weighted Toning Ball, Valeo HW2 2-Pound Neoprene Hand Weights, a Valeo Deluxe Speed Jump Rope, and Kim Kardashian's exercise plan (which was in last month's Shape magazine). I'm ready!!

Who's with me?

The Beginnings of a Bedroom Redo

I have decided that my next project to tackle is a redo of our master bedroom.

This move was inspired by the fact that we had to replace our bed. Our old headboard was made by Mr. 31 five years ago. It was (and will be again!) great, but in the last six months or so the fake suede-y material covering the headboard began to seriously flake on the one side. Mr. 31 was waking up every morning with pieces of fabric dotting his face and hair and we decided that was not going to work long term.

So, we made the decision to buy our first store made bed and move the homemade headboard into the guest room (and eventually re-cover it). We started bed shopping and hit the jackpot - a brand new, wooden canopy bed for less than half the normal price! We put it on layaway and paid it off last month.

Now, I've always wanted a canopy bed (my inner princess coming out!), so I was ecstatic. And I couldn't wait to do something girly to it. Alas, my budget was willing to wait.

But my attic was on my side! A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were cleaning out our attic (and I almost got us trapped in there, but that's a different post), when I came across a garbage bag full of decorations from our wedding. Yards of tulle, strands of ivy and roses, and strings of Christmas lights emerged. The lightbulb came on and I couldn't wait to ditch the hot attic to get started on my new project.

I strung the lights and the ivy and roses around the metal braces that form an X between the posts. Then I strung the tulle over the bed with tiny silver ribbon that you can't even see. Then my brilliant husband was like, "It would look nice with flower petals" and I remembered I had some fake rose petals from a previous project. So we threw some of those on the tulle.

Unfortunately, I was too hyped to start the project and did not take before pictures of the bed. Oops. But I think you can get the picture of what it looked like before.

Here it is without the Christmas lights on:

And with the Christmas lights on:

And what it looks like when you're laying on it:

Oh, wait. That's what it looks like when you're laying on it taking pictures and your cat gets all on the lens.

Here's what it looks like after you (gently) shove her down:

I really like the way it turned out. Plus, it was free (!!) and it reminds me of our beautiful wedding day every time I look at it.

Now, you'll notice I didn't take a picture of the whole bed (because the blankets and sheets aren't coordinated yet and, let's be honest, I didn't bother to make the bed before I took these pictures) and that I have blue curtains up that don't seem to match what's going on now. I will be re-doing the rest of the room as my budget allows and will updating you all soon!

Please check my "Link Party" page to see the fabulous blogs I'll be linking up to!

Hamburger Potato Casserole

I tried this recipe this past week. I really liked it. Mr. 31 ate it. He was very polite. But, to be fair, he's not really into casseroles. Maybe I shouldn't make so many...

Hamburger Potato Casserole
Adapted from a recipe on About.com

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium potatoes, sliced
2 cups green beans (I use frozen)
1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of mushrooms soup
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbs. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef and onion, seasoned with the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Drain fat. Transfer ground beef mixture to a 9x13 pan or a 3 qt. casserole dish (whichever you'd like or have on hand).

3. Layer potatoes on top of the ground beef. Place green beans on top of potatoes (I used frozen and didn't even thaw them before I added them to the casserole).

4. Spread soup on the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To Menu Plan or Not to Menu Plan? That is the Question.

In honor of Menu Plan Monday, I have a question for everyone: to menu plan or not to menu plan?

Lots of people swear by it and you'd think, with my overly organized self, I'd be all about menu planning. However, I have not managed to pull it off more than a couple days in advance. I'm in awe of those people who think to have roast chicken on Monday and then, two days later, use the leftover chicken to make chicken tacos or something. If I manage to do that, it's completely on accident and more like, "oh gosh, I have to use that chicken up before it rots" than a plan.

You see, I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, I-have-to-quickly-defrost-meat-for-dinner-in-a-bowl-of-water kind of girl. Hmm...maybe that's why the guys at the local pizza place know our order by heart....

So, do you menu plan or not? If so, why? If not, why not?