The Bright Eyed Brunette

I read something the other day that stated, "You can't fake fruit" And immediately, I thought, Well, there's a blog post.                                                                                                                                            Because isn't that the truth?                                                                                                      ...

 Happy Monday, friends! I'm actually getting around to posting a weekend recap before Tuesday...write that down! We had a really good weekend on the homestead. It started on Friday afternoon when my parents took us all out to eat dinner at Larry's Pizza. Wrenley really wanted us all to go. She loves to play the arcade games and pizza! And Nanny came with a ton of quarters specifically for that sweet girl. Pappy stopped by at lunch and took a nap with Wesley. He's a little snuggle bug! She was a little upset because she wanted a pink toy. Trey got the pink one for her and wanted a hug, but she said, "no way!" We even saw my aunt and a cousin while we were eating. It was really a good time. On Saturday Makena had to work and Carl and I were alone, so after dinner we made a quick trip to the houseboat at the river. It was nice to spend time with him. 💓💓💓💓 Goofball! These are the good days From our porch💞 Makena stayed Saturday night at Carlie's for a sleepov...

 Apparently, I've decided that relaxing with a good book means reading about murder, missing people, suspicious husbands, family secrets, and small towns where absolutely everyone is hiding something.  Very Soothing. I don't know what it is about true crime and thrillers, but once I get on a kick, I'm all in. Give me a suspicious death, an unreliable narrator, a detective who refuses to let something go, or a family with way too many secrets, and suddenly the laundry can wait.  So if your idea of a cozy evening also involves curling up under a blanket and reading something that makes you double-check that the doors are locked, here's what I've been reading lately. Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders by Christopher Whitcomb This book questions what really happened in the house on King Road--and the results of that investigation, still unfolding in real time, will astound you. Was there more than one killer? Had the crime scene been cl...

 Happy Tuesday, friends. For the past two weeks I have managed to get my weekend recap post up on a Tuesday. After waking up at 5:30 every morning last week, it was nice to be able to sleep-in until 7:30-8 o'clock! We pretty much spent the weekend with our kids and grandkids. Here is a precious picture of my sweet boy Wesley: He's just getting so big! On Saturday, Carl smoked ribs and we invited Carlie and the kids to come out and eat with us. I know that when Caleb is at the fire station, it sure makes for long days. I try to help as much as I can. We ended up taking Wrenley to the houseboat. That is the first time she has been on it since we put it in the river. She was a little scared at first (it didn't help that we took the little aluminum boat), but she really liked putting her feet in the water. Pappy forgot the key, so we had to stay on the porch. She also didn't love wearing the lifejacket, so a short trip was fine with her! She was all smiles 💗 She was pretty...

 I love watching Sunday reset videos. The sheets are stripped from every bed. The entire house gets cleaned. Groceries are bought, washed, chopped, and organized into matching little containers. Meals are prepped for the week. Laundry is folded and put away. Candles are burning. The refrigerator is sparkling. And somehow all of this happens before 4 p.m. I like the idea of a Sunday reset. I really do. There is something about starting Monday with the house somewhat put together and life feeling a little less chaotic. But I also don't want to spend my entire Sunday preparing for Monday. So over time, I've figured out my own version of a Sunday reset. It's nothing fancy, and I definitely don't accomplish every single thing every single Sunday. But these are the things that help me feel a little more ready for the week ahead. First, I look at the week ahead. This is probably the most important thing I do. I check the calendar and figure out what's coming up. Appointmen...

 Hey friends, today I wanted to share a recipe that went viral about a year ago, Swamp Potatoes. I love me a casserole or a multi-meal where your meat, vegetable, and starch are in one dish. My family absolutely raves about this recipe, and I even gave it to Carlie and she and Caleb really like it as well. Ingredients 1 pkg. of smoked sausage (if you get the 2 back, only use one link) 1 28 oz. can cut green beans, drained 1 5lb. Red Baby Potatoes -Whatever seasonings you like. I use Italian seasoning, a little garlic powder, onion, salt and pepper (measure with your heart). 1 stick of butter cut into pats Instructions -Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  -Wash your potatoes and cut in half, then place them in your 9x13 baking dish. -Drain your green beans then add on top of potatoes. -Cut your smoked sausage and put on top of your green beans. -Add your seasonings  -Add pats of butter - Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes until potatoes are tender. We usually serve ours with ...