Monday, April 22, 2013

Summer is Almost Here...

I have 30 followers!!!!! Yay!!!!!!! I love making new friends!!!!!

I have been so very bad at writing friends. BAHHHH!

As I am sitting here in bed, curled up with a cup of joe in our big fluffy comforter and looking at pinterest (because it is the best form of procrastination) I was thinking how summer is upon us and how stinkin' excited I am! Warm weather, sun, cute clothes, being outdoors, yummy summer salads and...GARDENING!

I know gardens are a pretty universal thing but when I think of the Midwest in the summer time I think of people out in their gardens planting flowers and food and meticulously nurturing them all season. It makes me think of natural deliciousness, baking, and canning. All morning long I've been pinning to my "Outdoor Livin" board growing more and more excited because THIS summer the Hubs and I just might have our very own YARD!!!!!! (But more on that later)

Yes my friends, summer is most definitely on its way. What are your favorite summer memories? Do you enjoy gardening as well? Are you more interested in flowers or food and...do you have any good tips for me?!

I have precisely two weeks left of class for the semester. (Yikes, that just freaked me out) Four more class days and I will be through my first semester of graduate school! I hope my hard work pays off, but grades aside, what gives me the most fulfillment is my husband holding my hand and telling me how proud he is of me. Mmmmm....makes all the stress and headache and late nights and missing out on friends and family seem more worth it. He's such an amazing support.

And with that I feel my heart rate picking up a bit more so I guess I should get to work on one of my papers.  4 more days...4 more days... 4 more days...

In Gods Love,

The Midwest Wife

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Trying New Things...

I know, I know, I know...its been a while...

But in the mean time I've accomplished so much! I am happy to report that my hard work in school is paying off (at least as far as I know, sometimes professors just aren't too on the ball with getting things graded). I had my doubts about going back, especially with the ups and downs the Hubs and I faced before the semester started, but I feel accomplished. I feel empowered, and I feel like I am doing this not only for me, but our future little ones as well.

It has been difficult living at home with the 'rents. Where we are SUPER grateful to not have to pay rent, it becomes a challenge at times when you have so many adults in such a small house. We've been trying hard to "weather the storm," but the time has come for us to find our own place.

The Hubs MATCHED for a residency! Yep! And later on this week we will be house hunting (and none too soon). We are so very excited and can't wait to make the transition from renters to homeowners! I would like to hope that we find a place soon and can close before too long. He begins his FIRST DOCTOR JOB in June so times a ticking! He's made LOTS of phone calls and we're just waiting to hear when we can meet with a realtor. I think we may have found the perfect home to start our family in. ( praying we get it )

Since he's been done with school and hanging out while I am finishing my schooling he's taken on some new hobbies. Recently we purchased a couple of kits for wine and beer making! Unfortunately, I missed out on the beer making process due to a nasty case of food poisoning, but I got in on the wine making today!


stirring vigorously 


It smells AMAZING! Too bad we have to wait so long before we get to have any. Its relaxing and I love it, and I think its something we can really enjoy doing together. The beer not so much... turns out there's very much a science to it, and I don't care for the smell.

Tried a new recipe last night! I am teaching my brother how to cook so he can impress his lady friend and last night we tried Easy-Santa Fe Skillet...


mmmmm...


Here's What You Need...

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 chopped onion
1 can of RO*TEL
1 tsp of ground cumin
3 cups of garden rotini pasta
1/2 cup of chopped green peppers
1/2 lb of cubed Velveeta

Easy as PIE!

1) brown the turkey
2) while browning turkey sautee the veg and boil the water for pasta
3) once pasta is done throw it in with turkey and veggies
4) throw the Velveeta into a pan and mix with milk til desired consistency and add RO*TEL (do NOT drain the RO*TEL before adding to cheese
5) throw in the cumin and stir it up
6) poor cheese over turkey and veggies!

ENJOY! LOVED it and the Hubs did too and my brother pretty much took it over while cooking so you know it must be easy ;)

I also got a bit crafty in the stitchery department, but I will show that project at a later date as it's a birthday present for a friend of mine who follows this blog! Its already been hard enough for me to keep it a surprise! Now its just got to make it all the way to Korea without me spilling the beans!

The robins touched their toes in the snow... BRING ON THE WARM WEATHER!!!!!!

In God's Love,

The Midwest Wife



Sunday, February 17, 2013

Never According to Plan...

Ok so the Red Velvet Puppy Chow didn't get made...in fact, there were a lot of things about last week that just didn't go according to plan.

We recently had the joy of adding a new niece to the family! Being four hours closer to my in-laws you'd think that would mean we'd get to make it home more often. Not so...

Thursday we had set out to make it back to NW Iowa. The Hubs had come to class with me and sat around Ames ALL DAY waiting for me to get done so we could be on the road and homebound by 7pm. We had also been intending on seeing our old friend from college and her new little man (who was born within days of our new little love) so we were pretty excited to make it home. Seeing the new little wee ones, my nephews hockey game and breakfast (oh my gosh words cannot express how much I love that boy and wish I could make it to every single game) and to another nieces birthday party. It was going to be a full weekend...

So as I am leaving the design building, taking on the phone with our friend filling her in on the plans, I see the Hubs in the car giving me "the look"... You know the one, the one that says "MOTHER DA** WHY CAN'T ANYTHING GO ACCORDING TO PLAN?!" I get in the car and he says to me (as I am telling my friend we will for sure be home this weekend and actually had the opportunity to see her) "we aren't going home this weekend..."

Turns out one of the kiddos that we were intending to see this weekend had come down with the chicken pox and my mom couldn't remember if I had had them or not when I was little... erg...

We are planning on going home next weekend which will actually work great since another nephew turns 2. However, they are predicting a big storm...

Maybe we'll be meeting these kids when they're in their teens...

In Gods Love,

The Midwest Wife

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I (Heart) Valentines Day!

I thought I'd blog about Valentines Day today because...well, because I love it, and because we'll be traveling on v-day this year...

I got the Hubs some video games for the holiday. Fallout New Vegas (the expansion pack) and Battle Field 3. For those of you out there who know what I am talking about, I am sorry. Because that means you have probably been forced to hear your guy yelling at the TV in the other room (or in my case, the same room) more than once. I think I am a pretty cool wife to "support his habit" though, I even picked him up a head set. Yea, I'm that cool. I may or may not have ulterior motives though...

There are a couple little items I've had my eye on at Target... *ahem*

The Hubs and I are making the Red Velvet Puppy Chow thats been floating around pinterest the past few days. We'll see how it turns out, there is also some Cookies and Creme Puppy Chow on there I want to try. I don't do the whole Valentine Candy, so I don't feel so bad, and I am making it to take to class so thats ok right?!

So in the spirit of St. Valentine (I don't know if thats the dude but we'll go with it...) I share with you, some sweet little vintage Valentines... I LOVE them, hope you do too!





In Gods Love,

The Midwest Wife

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Our First Ever TESTICLE FESTIVAL!!!!!

Last night my dad, my "other mother" (best friends mom) and her new hubby, the Hubs and I went to this little farm town for their annual Testicle Festival.

No, you read that right.  I did in fact say testicle festival.  Believe it or not, its a huge deal around these parts.  Bohemians and well, NOT Bohemians, alike come from ALL OVER THE PLACE to eat fried animal nuts. I am pretty sure the little town with a population of (quite literally) 50 brought in close to 1,000 people for the festival.  It was concept completely and totally lost on me for YEARS but this year I decided that I did actually really want to go to see what all the hub bub was about.

I LOVE community activities, especially those that have been going on for eons and everyone goes to to get together, and just enjoy each other's company.  I have to imagine people go to this festival for that very reason and not for the nuts.  I had to laugh because the guy to girl ratio was rather scewed.  Seems a little narcissistic to me that so many men would show up for this ceremonial feast of genitalia.  But I have to admit it was a LOT of fun!  For those who aren't into testicles, they also had fried fish, beer, chips, and a raffle!  It was really really great to see so many familiar faces.  So perhaps people do only go for the camaraderie.  Either way though, I don't think we'll be going back next year.


The was a picture taken BEFORE I posed like I was excited to be eating animal balls

Do you have any weird traditions where you're from?!

In Gods Love,

The Midwest Wife

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

A new...um...everything...

I know I said I was going to try REALLY hard to blog regularly... and then it happened...

GRAD SCHOOL.

Who knew it was going to be THIS MUCH WORK.  I am the first one in my family to graduate college so I went into this whole graduate school thing BLIND.  But I know that the Lord has brought me to this for a reason and I know He'll get me through it.  He's pretty cool that way ;)

Its hard to believe that its already FEBRUARY!  Where did January go?

I LOVE this month because one of my favorite holidays is on the way... VALENTINES DAY!  I hope to somehow find the time to try some cute v-day recipes and get them posted on here.  HOPE...

The past couple of months have been jam packed with adjustments for the Hubs and I. Putting in 12+ hour days studying has been a trick. Moving in with my parents so I can finish school has been quite the challenge. And its hard being back in my home town and so close to friends and having to learn to say "no." You'd think that these were pretty hard adjustments but I think the hardest adjustment has been this one...


yes I am in a house coat...its what I do most days...

I'VE GONE GINGER!

This is a new one for me and being a girl I am a weee bit anal retentive when it comes to my hair. The Hubs was pretty excited about the new look but I have to admit I was GLAD that I picked up a box of the good ole "lasts 28 washes." I have NEVER been this bold before. I had black hair for YEARS and finally decided that I loved my natural and went back to that.  But with the oncoming summer and the "new me" I wanted a new hair-do.  I am bound and determined to have THIS by summer...




And while I am at it, how cute is SHE I love, love, LOVE her style.  I think a trip to Target may be in my future.  Now that I am a "ginger" maybe I can pull off the mustard.  We'll see... ;)

Blessings to ya!

In God's Love,

The Midwest Wife...

p.s. I have a new friend!  Her name is Denise!!!!!!  Check her out at thatgirldenise.blogspot.com


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

It's Been A While...

Oh goodness, its funny how life can totally suck you up in a whirl wind and the days, weeks, and MONTHS pass you by with the blink of an eye.  Apparently, thats what happened with me.  So sorry friends.

New Years resolution...to be a bit more devoted to the blogging thing.  I'd like to say this is an easy resolution to keep (much easier than dieting and exercising right?) but...

I did want to share some pictures with you though.  Thank goodness my mom had her camera handy!


before heading to dinner we needed a family pic in front of the tree...I just love our Little Man...


Our first Christmas decoration as a married couple!




And since the last I blogged we've moved yet again.  Let's just say we hope we never have to rent EVER AGAIN!

School starts back up for me Thursday.  I can't believe I am starting all over again.  Am I crazy?!  I am excited though.

AND...the Hubs is officially a DOCTOR!!!  I couldn't be more proud of him!!!!!!!

Ok, time for some chocolate ice cream...

I can't wait to share this new and exciting year with you all!

In God's Love...

The Midwest Wife