Friday Finds

Happy Friday! Here are a few new purchases I wanted to share with you. First off I got a new rug for our living room. Below is the old one which I liked a lot. It was a beige shag rug but unfortunately with 3 dogs who love to roll in dirt and track it all in, the beige rug soon become a black rug. 

Below is the new rug which I recently purchased. I have been looking all over for something new but everything was over $100 which was more than I wanted to spend since I am sure it will eventually get ruined. Luckily I found this at Home Depot which was marked incorrectly and I was able to get it for $59, score! Of course Cooper wanted to model in the picture. 

Cooper is also very excited that he got a new memory foam dog bed from TJ Maxx for only $39!

Lastly I ordered these today off Etsy. I think they are adorable and will be good for the fall/

winter. I have a feeling I may be ordering these in more colors! 

I hope that everyone enjoys their long weekend! The unofficial end to summer :(

~Kim

What's For Dinner?

We went to a family cook out this summer and there was the best pulled pork I have ever tasted and I knew I had to have the recipe. Well I finally got around to making it and wanted to share the it because it came out a-maz-ing. 

Ingredients

Dry rub:

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (I used light, because that's what I had)
• 2 tablespoons paprika 
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne
• 4 pound shoulder pork roast (I used pork "butt" because that is what the man behind the meat counter sold me)

• 2 cup apple juice
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke (I didn't have this and didn't want to buy it)
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (I let mine sit overnight)

Combine liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a medium bowl and pour into a large dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour.

Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.

.....after I shredded it I poured BBQ sauce all over it then served it. 

~Kim

Tooth Fact Tuesday

15 Fun Tooth Facts

1.  If you happen to have a tooth knocked out you should place the tooth in a cup of water or milk and bring it to the dentist immediately. There could still be a chance that you would be able to save the tooth and reinsert it.


2. The enamel on a humans tooth is the hardest thing in their body. The enamel is also known as a “crown”


3. A mammal has 2 types of teeth called primary and permanent teeth.

4. Teeth in humans start to form before they are born.

5. Toothbrush bristles were originally made from the hair of cows.

6. Baby teeth are actually called milk teeth. However, you never should put a baby to bed with a bottle of milk or any kind of juice. Only a  bottle with plain water will not cause tooth decay.

7. Oddly enough a Shark has around 40 sets of teeth in their life time, a mosquito has about 47 teeth

and a snail has about 25 teeth….on their tongue.

8. A human baby has 20 teeth which start to grow at about 6 months old.


9. An adult human has 32 permanent teeth. This number includes 4 wisdom teeth
however 35% of people’s wisdom teeth do not develop. For many people, wisdom teeth can affect their health and cause many problems with their current teeth. This is why most people have these teeth
removed sometime in their lives


10. Humans only have 2 sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first set is known as your “baby teeth” and you start to lose these teeth around 7 years of age. You should have your full second set of teeth in place
before your late teens.

11. A humans front teeth are called "incisors" and we have 8 of them.


12. An adult human has 2 "canine" teeth that have points and are used for tearing. 


13. A human uses "molars" to grind their food. 


14. Teeth are kept alive by blood and nerves and are supposed to last a lifetime. That is, if you take care of them properly! Unfortunately more then 40% of people over the age of 65 no longer have all of their teeth. Also tooth decay is one of the most preventable diseases.


15. Teeth are fixed into jawbones. Each tooth has blood vessels and nerves and around two-thirds of the length of your tooth is in your gum.

Show & Tell Monday- Week 2

So I am linking up again to Show & Tell Monday. This one is all about weddings and since my anniversary was last week I couldn't pass it up!

1. Are you married? If so when did you get married, and tell us about your special day. If not? How would you describe your dream wedding?

We were married on August 22, 2009 on probably the hottest day of the summer. I remember waking up to a rain and thunderstorms but luckily those quickly passed and we were just left with it being verrrry hot and humid, but I would take that over rain any day. Our wedding was everything I could have imagined and more. Our only little mishap was that the wedding rings went missing just before the ceremony, but some how they made their way to the church! Our reception was filled with lots of dancing and even included a conga line which might have been my favorite part! I remember the lights coming on at the end and just standing there thinking no this can't be it! Overall the day was perfect and I am so glad that we got to share our marriage with the ones we love. 

2. Show us some wedding pictures. Either yours or of some that you love.

3. How about the engagement? Tell us your story. If not engaged, what's your dream proposal?

So the day we got engaged was a rainy, cold dreary day. We had been planning a trip down to Newport Beach for a while but once I saw the weather I really wasn't feeling a beach day. James (who never plans ANYTHING) insisted that we still go because he had planned on a great day (red flag right there) Once we got down and had some lunch, the rain had passed but it was still damp and cold. James wanted to show me the Cliff walk and I remember the whole time thinking to myself "can we please go back to the car now?" James was out on the rocks and said that I had to come out there and see the view. I however, politely declined and said that I could see if perfectly find from the walkway. So on we went to the next little inlet and James brought me out onto the rocks this time, got down and his knee, and said those few little words that every girl waits to hear, "will you marry me?" Of course I said yes and immediately called my mom. Everything was so perfect and soon after we headed back to the car to return home and celebrate with our friends and fam! 

4. Show us your wedding rings or an engagement photo! If not engaged/married ... show us your "dream" ring.

The year we got married was the summer of constant rain! Every time we had planned to have our engagement pictures taken, it would rain. We finally got a semi decent day and were able to get a few good shots. My favorite part of our engagement pics was the book that our photographer made. We were able to use this as a  sign in book at the wedding and it such a great keepsake! 

5. Tell us why you think marriage doesn't work out for so many? What can we do to make things last 

I think that a lot of people are too quick to give up on their marriage. Marriage is not an easy thing. It takes constant work and effort on both parts for it to thrive and continue to grow. It is important to know when and what is worth fighting about and that sometimes you have to compromise even when you really do not want to. I think that some people also get married way too fast and before they really know the other person. James and I are lucky to have both of our parents still married and they continue to show us an amazing example on what a marriage should be. There is a reason why people get married, because they love each other (hopefully) and it is important to always remember that and to tell each other that you love and appreciate them! 

Fall Ideas

So with August quickly passing by it is going to be fall before we know it. Here are a few ideas of things that I would like to do/make during the upcoming season!

First thing I would like to do is paint my front door a similar red to give our house a little bit more color

Another idea found on Pinterest. Tomato cages covered with white sheets!

I love the idea of the mums in the pumpkin! So cute and so clever. I hope it isn't too hard to pick out the right size pumpkin

This will put lanterns to good use

Obviously a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle is a fall must have! 

Hope everyone has a spectacular weekend! 

~Kim

Happy Anniversary!

I cannot believe it has already been 3 years since we said "I Do" boy does time sure fly. We had such an amazing wedding day and we were lucky enough to celebrate with all of our friends and family. I cannot imagine myself with a better person and I am so lucky to have found such an amazing man. I look forward to the future and I could not imagine going on this journey with anyone else. Thank you James for the most wonderful 3 years of marriage and for putting up with me. I know it is not always easy to do :)

~Kim

Tooth Fact Tuesday

When has your brush had enough?

Most dental professionals will agree you should change your toothbrush every three months. Studies show that after three months of normal wear and tear, toothbrushes are much less effective at removing plaque from teeth and gums compared to new ones. The bristles break down and loose their effectiveness in getting to all those tricky corners around your teeth. Most toothbrushes also come with a color strip that will wear away as the toothbrush ages. Electric toothbrush heads are usually ok for up to 6 months.  Always brush with a soft toothbrush! 

It is also important to change toothbrushes after you've had a cold, the flu, a mouth infection or a sore throat. That's because germs can hide in toothbrush bristles and lead to reinfection. Even if you haven't been sick, fungus and bacteria can develop in the bristles of your toothbrush —another reason to change your toothbrush regularly.

You want to make sure that you store your brush in an upright position so that it is able to dry out in between uses. You want to make sure not to store your toothbrush openly on your bathroom counter. Germs and bacteria can spread easily in this environment and you do not want them to end up on your toothbrush. 

~Kim 

Show & Tell Monday's

So for my second post (making up for lost time) I am linking up with another blog for show and tell Monday's!

1. If you were searching for a home now, tell me what would be on your "MUST" list.

• Fence- there is no way  to have 3 dogs and not own a fence and while I am at it, a nice size back yard with a deck and maybe a pool
• Central A/C- once you have it there is no way that you can live without out and go back to window units
• Two stall garage- again once you have this you cannot live without. Especially for days when it is raining and you have to carry in groceries. 
• Master Suite- I deseperatly NEED a walk in closet and master bathroom, I am female, without a lot of clothes and shoes, enough said
• Open floor plan- I would really like for a house with an open concept kitchen/dining room/family room

Five is enough but the list is endless!

2. Show me your favorite room in a home {either your home, or any home, i.e. kitchen}.

This is unfortunately not my kitchen, however I would not be opposed to having this! I might even cook every night, although if I had a kitchen that was this large, maybe I could also afford to pay someone to cook for me, my own Mrs. Jones perhaps. Maybe one day....

3. If you could have any room redone, tell me which one would it be and what would you like done?

I would love to have my entire kitchen redone. Including granite counters and new cabinets. However, because we do not plan on staying in our house forever, we are opting to just  do the counters, floor and painting our current 

cabinets. Below is a picture of what I am hoping to accomplish.

4.Tell me where your favorite stores are to shop for home decor.

Marshalls/TJ Maxx/Homegoods are by far my favorites. I also like West Elm, Target, and Pottery Barn, sale items of course!

5.Show me your dream home {it can be your home as well}

I would love a front porch like this, and the rest of the house, well I think it speaks for itself!

Happy Monday!!

Ode to College

Do you ever wish that you could go back to college? Back to the days of care free living where the only stressful part of life depended on where you could find booze for the weekend? I guess it goes without saying that the college years are the best of your life. Don't get me wrong, I am very much in love with my life now, a great husband and a wonderful house of our own, topped off with 3 wonderful pups, but there is just something about college. Something about having all of your best friends live within walking distance for something to always do, something to celebrate. This year has marked my ten year reunion of high school. Luckily I went to college with many of my best friends from high school and it still shocks me that we graduated so many years ago but I am very happy that we have spent so many years together. I guess sometimes in "real life" I just look back and wish that I could do it all over again. However there is nothing that I would change! Below are some pictures of back in the day with the friends I could not have imagined living without. Enjoy!

Although I will never get to go back to my college days, the memories will live on forever. 

~Kim