Chicken Coop & Chase

Remember these little guys?  Well, (you know how it goes) they're not so little anymore...

here they are now.  Actually, this picture was last week and they're even a little bigger now.  Hard to believe they're the same fluffy little puffs we brought home almost two months ago.  Oh, and your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.  There are three baby chicks in the picture above, and four chickens in the picture below.  One of our little chicks (the brown one) died the second day we had her.  Devastating for our boys.  We went and bought a new one the next day, and my husband told me to get an extra for a back-up, just in case.  Well, there hasn't been a "just in case" so we have four chickens now.  

Meet:

Mario (white)

Charles (all black)

Little Black Bear (black and white)

Little Squirrel (brown)

I guess my boys don't mind having hens as long as they have boy or Native American names.

And here's their humble abode/adorable country cottage in the works.  It's pretty much finished, but the final touches (like the hanging basket of flowers on the ground) haven't been added quite yet.  I'll do a final post on the whole coop when it's completed.  

I have to give a HUGE thank you to my amazingly handy husband.  He build this entire coop on his own from looking at a picture online (and made it look so easy).

The chickens themselves are fun, the coop is darling, but I have to say my favorite thing about having our chickens is watching my boys do their nightly chicken chase.  We've been letting the chickens wander the yard in the evenings when we're out, and they sure do give my boys a run for their money when it's time to go in.  Mario (the white one) is especially challenging, but my boys love a good challenge!

The cornering approach.

The chasing approach.

The sneaking approach.

Captured at last!  The proud victory smile.  

I tell you, I'm becoming a pet person more and more these days.  These four little chickens of ours have taught us valuable lessons, are the topic of our conversations, a source of tremendous joy, and bring us together as a family.  Who knows, we might have a whole farm before too long. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I  hope you found a little something worth your time.

Mango Peach Banana Smoothie

My boys have never complained about eating our strawberry banana smoothie (they LOVE it!), but the other day I realized I was in a bit of a rut and needed to give them a new flavor to try.  I had peach yogurt in the fridge, a very ripe banana, and a mango.  I threw it all in the blender with some crushed ice, and now we have a new favorite smoothie at our house.

We love smoothies for breakfast, but they're really perfect for any time of the day.  And smoothies and summertime (which begins Friday for us- big kindergarten graduation today) go hand in hand, don't they? 

Click to Print

Like the recipe states, I used the Kroger brand (I buy mine at Smith's) of yogurt, but any would work.  I also like using my Ninja for blending it all together, but you can use whatever blender, food  processor you have.  Also, don't be afraid to adjust the ingredients and amounts of each.  I've learned you really can't go too wrong when it comes to smoothies.  I just throw in a bit of what I like, and then add more if needed.

What are your favorite kind of smoothies?  I think my next smoothie post will be an all berry one.  My boys are berry fanatics!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Refine {Printable}

I know it's Wednesday, and my printables usually get posted on Tuesdays, but with Memorial Day I got a little off-schedule.  I guess better a day late than never, right?

Are you one of those people who come up with a single word for your New Year's resolution?  I never have been, but this year a single word keeps coming to my mind.  It's been on my mind since January, and I finally decided I needed it somewhere I could see it every day.

Click To Print

These words by James E. Faust sum up why I like the word refine so much.

Powerful words, right?  You can click here to read more about what he has to say on this subject.

So, I guess today's printable is a bit self-indulged, but I hope it rings true with some of you out there.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Patriotic Tin Cans {Utensil Caddy}

Happy Memorial Day!  Just a quick patriotic post for you today.  Don't you love red, white, and blue?  I love the timeless, classic look of this trio.

Here's the patriotic utensil caddy version of my DIY tin cans.  I make these cans for every holiday and occasion (click here to see my Valentine set, and here to see my desk set).  I love the fact that these are made from recycled cans, that I can put just about anything in them, and they can be transformed to fit every color scheme imaginable.  These really are so easy to make, and add the perfect, festive touch to any gathering.  Click here for my tips on making them.

One other tip on picking out your paper for your cans.  It may just be me, but I really like to buy my paper in colors, not themes.  Does that make sense?  There's a ton of patriotic paper out there, and I'll buy it once in awhile, but I really like to stick to the colors of each holiday and buy fun patterns in those colors.  I like that these cans are red, white, and blue, but not a single piece of paper is patriotic (infact, I think the red one is a Christmas paper).  I love the challenge and transformation that takes place when mixing all the fun papers, patterns, and ribbons.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time. 

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Friday Favorites & Finds ($2 Decorative Clothespins)

I needed to stop by Michaels for a frame yesterday, and I can't ever go in that store without strolling down the bargain bin isle.  Well, it always pays off (actually I end up paying).  Look what I found for $2!  I wish I could take credit for making them (I'm sure going to try and recreate a few of my own), but I can't.  I bought them exactly as you see them.

I not only love the painted designs and little jewels, but what really caught my eye was the size.  They're the same height as a regular clothespin (just under 3"), but they're twice as wide (making them 3/4").  The larger width gives them great stability when standing up. 

I use a lot of clothespins and quotes on my chicken wire memory boards, and I'm sure you could use these larger ones on a memory board.  But, I've been needing something to put on my nightstand to clip a daily quote to.  These little (actually big) guys are perfect for the job!  I can clip my quote right to the clothespin and it stands up with no problem. 

Once again, the bargain bins at Michaels pull through for me.  They did have other colors (pinks and reds) and as I sit here looking at them, I convinced I need the other sets as well.  :)  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.  Happy Memorial Day weekend! Summer is here!

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Tender Lullabies (Perfect Baby Shower Gift)

My mom gave me this CD when my twins were born.  That was almost seven years ago.  We still have it, and listen to it every night. 

Looking back on those early, sleepless days of newborn twins, I'm not sure if I played these lullabies to calm them, or me.  Probably more for me then, but these days it's my boys who can't fall asleep without them.  All three of my boys share a room right now, which you might think is a bit rowdy at bedtime, but when the lights go out and the lullabies are turned on, its amazingly calm. 

Some of my favorite songs on the CD are Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Hush, Little Baby, Brahms' Lullaby, and Rock-A-Bye-Baby.  Every song is so sweet, calming, and peaceful!  You can hear a sample of the CD, by clicking here. 

Amazon

Not only do I use this CD at night for my boys, but I also use it in the car from time to time.  When my three-year-old is cranky in the car, but can't settle down, I'll put this on and it calms him right down.  Don't you love what music can do?  I use music all the time with my boys.  It's perfect for getting attention, calming, focusing, or having fun with.

This CD also makes the perfect baby shower gift!  Something a little different, but really useful.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Fresh Strawberry Sauce (From OBB)

I'm pretty sure you've heard of Sarah and Kate over Our Best Bites.  If you haven't, go check them out!  These girls have added such an amazing element to my cooking life.  They have amazing recipes that anyone can make.  Every time I make something new and delicious my husband's first response is, "Best Bites?", and 99% of the time he's right.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but I might start sounding sappy if I do.  Just know these gals are my GO TO when it comes to cooking!

This recipe is for their fresh strawberry sauce.  I made it a few years ago because I have a ton of strawberries that were going to go bad, and I needed to use them up.  I didn't really know how I'd use the sauce, but I knew it would be good, so I made five or six jars of it (it keeps in the fridge for a week or you can freeze it).  

You can put the sauce on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, but my favorite way to use it is in a fresh strawberry shake.  I have to say this sauce has converted me to the fruity side of shakes.  I didn't think it was possible (wait, LaBeau's fresh raspberry shake did convert me many years ago). I'm still a chocolate, caramel girl at heart when it comes to shakes, but I crave this fresh strawberry one.  And once again, you just need 3 ingredients (see below)!  

Fresh Strawberry Sauce (from Our Best Bites)

Vanilla Ice Cream

Milk

Put all the ingredients in a blender (or my favorite, The Ninja) and blend.  I never measure the amounts of each ingredient I put in my shakes.  I do always start with the sauce and ice cream, then add a little milk at a time until I reach my desired thickness.  

Fresh, creamy, delicious!!

There's a lot of recipes from Our Best Bites that I keep in jars in my fridge or freezer.  Stay tuned for more posts on that.

And, once again I'm in a 3-ingredient groove these days.  Check out these other 3-ingredient recipes.

Homemade Oreos

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

BBQ Sauce For Pork Ribs

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Dr. Seuss Graduation Printable

I received an e-mail from a lady last week wondering if I had a printable from the book, Oh, The Places You'll Go.  Well, I have some Dr. Seuss printables, but not that one.  

This book is perfect for a graduation gift (I remember my parents giving it to me when I graduated from high school). The beginning pages are my favorite.  This quote is from the first page of the book. 

I have not one, but two amazing boys graduating from kindergarten next week, and I'm going to print this out for them.  It's probably a bit more fitting for a high school graduate, but I like making a big fuss over EVERY graduation.  I played Pomp and Circumstance for my boys last year before their preschool graduation.  Is it just me, or does that song make you tear-up every time you hear it?   Anyway, click here for today's printable.  Hopefully one of the three colors will suit your graduate.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Ten Free ALL CAPS Fonts

I know I'm not alone in my love for fonts, and I'm always  grateful when others font-collectors share their favorites.  

Do you know Angela at A Typical English Home?  Well, she is always sharing fun fonts for different holidays and occasions (just last week she had fun fonts for Father's Day).  Seeing all her favorite fonts inspired me to share a few of my favorites.  Today's favorite:  ALL CAPS.

I do have other all caps fonts, but these ten are my tried-and-true, go-to ones.  I love having all caps fonts to mix with lowercase letters and script.  

Fonts: Before the Rain & Pottery Barn

You can download these fonts for free by clicking on them.

1.  Birmingham

2.  Copperplate

3.  EcuyerDAX

4.  Pottery Barn

5.  De Flandre

6.  Engravers Becker

7.  Trajan Pro

8.  AR Bonnie

9.  Bondi 72 Smallcaps

10.  Algerian Condensed LET

One more thing before I go.  Does it look like this where you live?  If it does, then you know the amazing smell I'm talking about.  I wish I could freeze the blossoms on the trees and the sweetness in the air.  May is a beautiful month!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Memory Board Close Up

I did a post a few weeks ago on my nightstand make over.  In that post, I took a picture of my very bare memory board that hangs on the wall next to the nightstand.  Well, it's not so bare anymore.  Here's a few picture of what it looks like now.

The memory board itself is made from a thrift store frame, some fabric, and chicken wire.

If you've been here at Blissful Roots before, you probably know I'm a bit of a quote fanatic.  My memory board is covered with some of my favorites.  I actually have way too many favorites to fit on one board, so I do have more than one board, and I can easily switch out the quotes from time to time.

I did a guest post for Sarah over at Alderberry Hill on Monday and shared this quote.  You can head on over there to print it out.

I also love finding new ways to jazz up my clothespins.  Glitter, flowers, paint, cute paper, so many ides (maybe a post in and of itself someday).

I still need to somehow find room for a few pictures of my boys, and a few other odds and ends I've thought of, but it's pretty much done for now. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Enjoy your weekend!

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Roll-A-Garden {Game & Printable}

I think it's about time for another Roll-A-(fill in the blank with any seasonal item) game.  We always have so much fun playing these kind of games at our house.  I love them because everyone in the family can play, and you can easily adapt the theme, and even the instructions to your liking.

Click To Print

With spring here and summer just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to do a Roll-A-Garden game.  The game is simple.  You'll need paper, crayons, and dice.  The instructions tell you exactly what to do.  Simply follow the directions for each number rolled.  

My boys like to help me come up with the instructions.  We all decide what kind of things we'd like in our garden, and then put them into the game.  You can switch out any of the items in our instructions for something else you'd like.  My boys were good to go with one row of flowers, but that was all the flowers they could handle.  Maybe you want your entire garden to be filled with different types and different colors of flowers.  See, so many possibilities!

My boys and I played yesterday, and here's how our gardens turned out. 

So now we have a Roll-A-Garden game to go along with...

Roll-A-Christmas Tree

Roll-A-Snowman

and Roll-A-Leprechaun.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Grandpa Shelton's Pork Ribs

When I was growing up we would have a Shelton (my maiden name) family reunion every summer.  We would camp out for a weekend, and eat really well!

My grandpa's pork ribs were always my favorite.  Everyone looked forward to the rib dinner.  He cooked them in a dutch oven.  I know dutch oven cooking can be a lot of work, but promise me you'll try these at least once in a dutch oven. You can't beat it!  As much as I'd love to, I don't cook these in a dutch oven every time I make them.  My boys devour these, so we make them quite frequently.  My crock pot does the job for our everyday ribs.

  The sauce for these ribs has three ingredients (just like my smoothie and homemade Oreos).  I buy country style boneless pork ribs, and put 1 chopped onion, Catalina dressing, and barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays) on them. That's it.  I tell you, these are divine!  The flavor is amazing, and if you cook them on low all day, they're so tender.

Click to Print

BTW, my grandpa was also known to cook a pig in the pit (in the ground) at our reunions.  It was just cool at the time (and it still is), but now I realize how much work he put into preparing meals for our families at our reunions and get togethers.  Thanks, grandpa for the delicious meals, the wonderful memories, and the timeless recipes!

Thank so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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"We're Raising Boys" {Printable Quote}

We had a taste of summer yesterday here in Utah.  My boys were outside almost all day long.  They gathered snails out of my mother-in-law's flower beds (for a nickel a snail), ran through the sprinkler, chased our chickens (update on them coming soon, they're so BIG!) around the yard,  roasted marshmallows, and decided to dig up a cactus in the field behind my in-law's house.  My husband spend a good half an hour getting pokies out of toes and fingers after that little adventure.

Click to Print

As I was busy keeping up with my boys throughout their adventurous day, this quote kept coming to my mind.  EVERY mother of boys needs this one.  I love how true it is, and how it reminds me to focus on what's important. 

 I really didn't want to have campfire-smelling hair (for the third time in five days) as our night drew to a close, but then one of my twins said, "it sure is the perfect night for a campfire!"  He was exactly right!  The temperature, the evening sky, the gentle breeze- perfect.  So, I went to bed with campfire hair again, and I'll probably go to be with campfire hair many more nights this summer, but we can't pass up those perfect nights now can we? 

They may be tearing up the grass from time to time, but those faces make every blade worth it!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.