10 Steps to deal with 40 lbs of Chicken

1.   Be really thankful for a second frig to stash the chicken in after your husband kindly picks up the chicken from the truck.

2.  Get sick the next morning and head two hours away for an all day event the day after you get your chicken

3.  Spend the next 4 days feeling lousy

Seriously that is what happened to me starting last Saturday.  I'm so thankful that I only ordered 40 pounds instead of my usual 80 but we just didn't need it this time.  So finally last Tuesday and Wednesday, I really did process the chicken to go in the freezer.

4.  Open box.  Cut open the bag.  Smell????  Nope nothing.  The chicken is so fresh from Zaycon I have yet to smell that "ewwww this chicken needs to be dealt with quick" smell. 

5.  Cut up HUGE breasts in to smaller pieces.  I usually get 3 nice size pieces out of one breast.

6.  Cook around 20 pounds in the crock pots over night.  I add lots of water so I end up with some no fat chicken broth which we use in soups.

From Zaycon's website

• 100 % natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients

• Comes directly from the processor

• Sold by the case — 40 lbs in each case

• Case dimensions—18 in wide x 12 in deep x 7 in tall

7.  Cut up raw chicken for meals.  Cut up cooked chicken for meals.  FREEZE!

8.  Make Lemon Chicken & FREEZE.  We eat a bunch of this recipe and I only had 1 left so I made 6 more.  This is the only recipe I made this time around.  We still have plenty of Chicken & Zoodles.

9.  Arrange the shelves so you can find chicken when you need it!

10.  Bake chicken for lunch, have chicken for supper & be THRILLED that the box is finally empty!

If you use a bunch of chicken for meals, then I highly recommend ordering from Zaycon.  If you use the link below then I get a $1 for referring you! 

I'm always willing to earn a dollar.  Especially recommending this great chicken!   Check it out!

Zaycon Foods

P.S.  They have great ground beef too.  LOL!

**I'm not being compensated by Zaycon to write this(unless you decide to order using my link).  . 

Built in Window Seat & Shelves

My husband is a very talented guy.  He likes to work with wood and make something from nothing.  He replaced the cracked & splitting stairs at our old house.  See the gray step in the picture?  Gross.  Afterward it was so pretty I almost didn't want to move.

On unfortunate thing about our new place when we moved in there was only one window on the south side of our house.  The cats, kids, dogs & were always fighting for that sunny spot on winter afternoons.  Especially my sweet Abby.  She was a sunshine hog.

So we knocked out the old window which was water damaged & put in a double window for more sunshine!  When changed the window we replaced the door on to our deck as it was letting lots of cold air in as well.  That's the next project around here.  We need to finish putting up the trim boards.  And replace the screen because my dogs have destroyed what is there.  Probably need a screen guard too.

I've always wanted a window seat and this seemed to be the perfect spot to build one.  And shelves.  Who ever has enough shelves?  Not me.  Together, Steve & I, looked at plans from several sources to build our shelves and seat.  Pinterest was a BIG help. 

I'm so excited about the final product!  It is really close to being complete.  Just a couple more coats of varnish. 

I keep hoping that it will get done before the weather turns totally beautiful and we start working on things outside.  The grass is turning green & my tulips are peeking through the mulch!

Crazy Cats

MoMo or  Kazi

Not sure which cat this is but she is quite adventuresome.

Do you wave at your neighbor?

Living in the country is different than town.

Last house we lived in was on a busy road.  3 blocks from a gas station.  4 blocks from a major highway. 

It was convenient.

And loud.

We had traffic all the time and could hear the truckers when they had to use their air brakes.

Life is different now.

We see our neighbors.

And the mailman.  Actually half the time he drives up to the door and we chat a while.

Country is good.  Even gravel roads are good.  Dusty but quiet.

Megan is learning to drive. 

She's loving every minute of it.  Asks every time we get in the car to drive. 

I need that.  The reminder that she's growing up. 

In my mind she's still 8. 

She's not.

Giggly.  Confident.  Sassy.  Loving.  She's all those but not a little one anymore. 

Tonight it caught me right in the gut. She's looking ahead.  Making plans for the future.  One of those plans is driving.

I watched her meet another car and she initiated the wave.  You know the three fingered one where you don't lift your hand from the wheel.  You know the one that says "Hey neighbor"

My kids are experiencing country living.  Megan's learning gravel road driving before we move on to smoother roads. 

So far the neighbor's haven't complained. 

Sick of being sick

When momma's sick the world grinds to a halt. 

Or it feels that way.

I've had a nasty cold since Saturday.  No cooking, no school, no cleaning, nothing going on here.  Joshua has it too.  Worst part is the brain just doesn't work so even computer work is exhausting.

This is really hard because the weather has finally turned nice and I haven't even felt like being outside.  So instead of trimming apple tree branches & getting my garden ready to plant, I'm dreaming of seeds and enjoying the breeze from the front porch. 

I did walk to the mailbox yesterday and around the perimeter of our yard.  See the confused pups?  I was over the invisible fence line.  They really don't understand why I go past it.  It is  scary.

Praying I'm back to normal soon.