5 Things I'm Loving

1.  So I have this wild idea to gather up all the Iowa food bloggers I can find and invite them to a fun-filled day of networking and good food.  It is in the very beginning stages {like, just trying to find all the Iowa food bloggers}.  So if you live in Iowa, have ties to Iowa or used to live in Iowa and are food blogging I want to know.  It is my hope that sometime in the next year we can all get together and join forces.  With that being said, I have a list of about 15 bloggers so far - but do me a favor if you know of anyone please email me and let me know!

2.  Chores.  Not for me {I have enough}, but little ones for the kids.  We are big on rules at our house and even though our kids are just 3.5 and 2, we expect them to have a few chores.  Nothing drastic, but little things that give them a sense of responsibility, things that make them feel proud when they've finished their task.  Putting their dirty clothes in the laundry room, placing their dirty plates/cups/silverware in the sink when finished with a meal, taking their shoes off when they walk in the door and immediately putting them in the closet, bringing in the empty garbage and recycling bins from the curb, to just name a few.  

Only recently have we started rewarding the Little Man for bigger chores with a quarter {you'd think that quarter was gold} - emptying the play pool outside, bringing in groceries from the car, etc.  His jar of quarters sets on top of the fridge for him to admire.

3.  If you've read this blog at all then you know I'm a BIG fan of freezer cooking.  I love helping people on this subject, along with filling my own deep freeze.  Check out this link if you are still on the fence.  This weekend I'm tackling 3 batches of homemade meatballs, pizza pockets and chicken fried rice.  Some of which we'll eat now, but most of it will be frozen for later.  Again, if you are local and wanting help with this, I'm all ears.

4.  Dreams.  If you saw my facebook post yesterday you saw that I had the craziest dream this weekend.  I don't dream a lot, but when I do it is pretty vivid and usually about random people I haven't seen for 10 years.  This dream was no exception.  I was back in the dorms of college life.  Everyone that I lived with in that co-ed dorm was there - but yet, we were on vacation in our present lives - why we chose to go back to our college dorm for vacation was beyond me!  Let's just say there was drama, lots and lots of drama, lot of beer drinking and a lot of laughs.  It was pretty fun thinking about all those people again - good, fun memories.

5.  The new look of my blog.  I've been blogging for 3.5 years now {how is that possible?} and once a year I give it a little revamp.  I was lucky that an old high school classmate recommended a graphic designer, who literally put this new look together in an hour.  An hour!  It would have taken me weeks.  Big kuddos to her and her design abilities.  Thanks Rebekah!

So there are the current 5 things I'm loving.....

What's on tap:

• Blueberry Muffin Loaf
• Homemade Pizza Pockets
• Apple Cinnamon Slow Cooker Oatmeal