Tag Archives: different

The Joys Of Eating And Cooking In Your Backyard

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The Joys Of Eating And Cooking In Your Backyard

One of the best ways to enjoy food these days is to take a seat outside and put something nice on the grill. The smell of grilled food, the warm sunshine hitting your skin, and the relaxing conversations of your friends and family members in the background – these are the types of things you can expect when you start eating and cooking more in your backyard. All that and so much more:

Encourage socializing in your family:

If you want to create a family-friendly backyard that also makes your friends and neighbors feel welcome, then consider cooking and eating outdoors. You don’t need to be in a separate room cooking food while your guests are interacting with each other. Instead, you can cook food in the open and have conversations with people. You won’t feel glued to the burner, watching things closely to ensure they don’t cook. In short, cooking in an open area such as a backyard is often a great way to encourage more socialization because we’re not stuck in the kitchen with our back to our guests and family members all the time.

Fresh air is always a plus:

Enjoying some fresh air is always nice, especially if the climate allows for it. Far too many of us are cooped up inside, working from home, and cooking indoors. Opening the windows and doors doesn’t cut it either – it doesn’t replicate the joy of cooking outside and breathing in the fresh air as we enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal.

Even putting together a backyard bar just to enjoy a refreshing drink outside can be a great idea. People often underestimate just how relaxing and soothing it can be to enjoy some good food outdoors surrounded by nature. It’s something we urge you to try at least once to see what it’s like!

More cooking options:

Most people who try grilling food indoors will quickly realize that the flames rarely get hot enough, and it generates a lot of smoke that fills the kitchen and makes things harder for you. Grilling outside on a more powerful cooking device means you can get to higher temperatures, and you don’t have to worry about the area getting filled with smoke or heat from your cooking.

And that’s not to say you can’t use your kitchen either. You can bake goods or prepare food in your kitchen that is ready to be cooked outside. Combine cooking and preparation methods to open up more cooking options that you can try.

Eating and cooking outside might be different at first, but it’s well worth the try. It can transform your cooking, give your family a new place to socialize, and you’ll be encouraged to invite friends and neighbors over too!

Featured Image By: Unsplash (CC0)

A Trip To The County Fair

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A Trip To The County Fair

Hello!!! One of my little quirks that Johnny has never wrapped his head around is that I have never been to a county fair. In my defense, it makes the utmost sense. My parents didn’t trust the carnival rides and we have lots of strict vegetarians in my family so we avoided the buying and selling of livestock. This was so normal to me that I didn’t really realize everyone else has been to a county fair! So, when Johnny found out that the fair he attended in his youth was going on this past week, we had to go. Even if it was on a work night!

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^^^ Yes, Johnny did wear that shirt during our wedding!

Once I returned from work on Tuesday, it was off to the Portage County Randolph Fair. Johnny ordered our tickets ahead of time as well as tickets to a demolition derby (Which is an event I have also never attended!). I had a hunch of what the fair would be like from Johnny’s musings and it was exactly what I expected. Lol, there were animals, more than enough food to feed a small country, games, and rides. Between all of the sights, smells, and people it was total sensory overload for the first ten or so minutes!

I will be discussing more of what we did at the fair along with lots of pictures tomorrow. You can also peep my OOTD and bloopers coming up soon too! What I will say in this post, is that I love all of the new experiences that Johnny and I have together. From going to the shooting range to attending a county fair, it is always something exciting when we go on a date. When we went to the fair, everything was new. I played my first carnival game, ate my first fair food, and was in a situation I never thought I would be in. And it was fun! 😀

Our outing to the Portage County Randolph Fair was a novelty in so many ways, but mainly it was SO different being out on a work night! I truly can’t remember the last time we did something during the week day – it was definitely before we started living together. Even though we were dead tired the following day, it was beyond worth it. The county fair might not be my favorite place in the world, but I was there with my favorite guy and that made it the best. ❤

Because I have never been to an Oktoberfest, that is next on our agenda and we have a grand plan. Do a drop in, get food, and go home lol. Here’s to brand new experiences and be sure to tune in for more on the county fair!

Have you ever attended a county fair before? What was your favorite/least favorite thing about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Watercolor Weeping Willow

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Watercolor Weeping Willow

Hello!! Watercolor painting is something my mom and I really enjoy and it has been a minute since our last painting sesh. Flowers are, admittedly, the only thing we have been painting and I decided to try something different when we painted this Tuesday. I wanted to try my hand at a weeping willow! As always when I have just painted something, I am never particularly thrilled with it. However, this was my first go at anything but a flower and I feel pretty good about attempt number one:

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To begin, I assembled my palette with different green, brown, and yellow watercolor paint. Then, I sketched a super rough outline with some assistance from Google Images. I started with the grass and I actually love how that turned out, then moved onto the branches. To do this, I painted the branches with water alone and then added color to the wet paper. I do like the trunk and the placement of the branches, but the upper ones got muddled when I painted the leaves. As always, it was because I was impatient!

When I painted the leaves, I started from the top down and painted the top with water then color and brought it down in thinner strokes. I think that the idea was right, but the execution was wrong. Like the branches, the colors got murky at the top. And, yes, it was because I was impatient! I should have allowed for drying time and I didn’t – especially when I was introducing new colors.

I definitely want to give the weeping willow another shot and next time, I will give myself enough time to give the painting drying time. I like the colors I used so I am not going to change that. I also like that there were areas of white within the painting too, which was a recommendation from a watercolor teacher. I’m excited to see my next painting in comparison to this one because I know there will be at least some improvement. I’m proud of myself for trying something new!

Watercolor painting is a nice reminder of try and try again and I can’t wait to paint again with my mom. I branched out with my weeping willow (See what I did there?) and it’s not the best. But, it’s the best one I have painted yet! 🙂

What is your favorite medium of art? What is your favorite plant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What Are Some Of The Most Unusual Pets?

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What Are Some Of The Most Unusual Pets?

If you want to bring a pet into your family, but are not interested in a cat or dog, then you might want to consider one of the more unusual animals. There are lots of different unusual species of animals that you can actually keep as a pet. Below, we will take a look at some of the different options to give you some inspiration for your new family pet:

Bearded dragon:

Yes, that is correct; you can own your very own bearded dragon. This is an animal that certainly lives up to its name, as it is very much like a dragon. It has an armor of reptilian scales, which are shiny. It also has spikes under the chin, which look like a beard, hence the name. The spikes underneath the chin will puff depending on the mood of the bearded dragon. You can find more @ beardeddragonguidance if you are interested in this pet and want to know the care requirements.

Tarantula:

A lot of people do not like the sound of owning a spider as a pet. In fact, for a lot of people, they can’t think of anything worse. However, giant spiders definitely can be pets, and they can make good ones. You do need to make sure that you consider your choice of spider species with care and consideration, though. Curly hair tarantulas and Mexican red knee tarantulas are excellent pets. They live on insects and they are certainly not advisable pets for anyone who is a bit squeamish.

Sugar gliders:

Another weird yet wonderful pet that you may want to consider is a sugar glider. Sugar gliders are also known as pocket pets. They are very small creatures that will add a lot of excitement and joy to your life. They can be taught a number of different tricks, they are very loyal, and they are extremely playful as well. A sugar glider is one of the most exotic pets out there today, and they are great for families, couples, and single people alike. One thing you do need to be mindful of, though, is that they are nocturnal by nature, which means they enjoy staying up during the night.

Pygmy goat:

If you have a large outdoor property, a pygmy goat could be a great choice. These pets are very active and fun. However, they are also high maintenance, so you will need to make sure that you are able to give the goat the care and attention they need. Although they may be very small in size, they can also be incredibly noisy. Loneliness is one thing that pygmy goats can’t stand, so if you are someone who is not home a lot, this probably is not going to be the pet for you. Make sure you have a lot of leaves, grass hay, and space if you’re going to purchase this type of goat.

Hedgehog:

Although they may have prickly spines on their back, hedgehogs are very friendly. They can also become very affectionate with their owners, which makes them the perfect pet if you’re looking for a loving animal that is a bit different from the norm. It gets better too, as these pets are very low maintenance and they are calm. Nevertheless, do keep in mind that when they are small, they are going to require plenty of attention. You will need to keep up this attention as they get older as well, although they won’t be as needy. There are a few other things that you will need to keep in mind. For example, a hedgehog is a nocturnal animal, and so this pet is only going to be suitable if you are a night owl. Another thing that you will need to consider is the legislation in your local area. You need to make sure that it is legal for you to keep a hedgehog as a pet.

There are lots of different unusual pets that people can own. We hope that this has helped to give you some ideas for the sort of pets that could be right for you. Of course, irrespective of the sort of pet you decide to bring into your family, it is important to consider this with care. You need to make sure that you are able to provide the pet with the love and care that is required so they can lead a happy and healthy life.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Wigging Out

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Wigging Out

Hi! For as long as I can remember, I have been sporting short hair. From uber short to now short/mid and everything in between the two, I just can’t be bothered to grow my hair out. Mind you, this is not for a lack of trying. Every once in a while I make a sincere effort to lengthen my hair but by the time it grows a few inches, I find that it totally takes away my edge and all of the angles in my face that pop with short hair are instantly dulled down.

This is all fine and dandy because I know now that short hair will always look best on me. The only problem with permanent short hair? You can’t do anything with it. No ponytails, no messy buns, no braids – just lots and lots of headbands, hair straightening, hats, and beanies.

Don’t get me wrong, I love headbands, hair straightening, hats, and beanies more than the average Joe. But, damnit, I just want to wear a long ponytail for the first time since grade school. Growing my hair out just to wear a ponytail and then cut it is not feasible so, for the first time in my life, I am considering getting some wigs.

I have quite a few friends who love experimenting with different wig styles, cuts, and colors and I am enamored with the idea of putting one on and having a totally new look. Playing around with all of the up-dos is also something on my agenda! However, I really don’t know anything about reputable brands, application, and best practices for taking care of the “hair”.

This, is where all of my fabulous beauty bloggers come in. If any of you gurus out there are wig experts, please link me your posts on the subject in the comments so I can learn more and give your page some love. Many thanks in advance! ❤ 🙂

Who has worn a wig before? Do you have any advice for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Tips On How To Design A Powerful Uniform For Your Team

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Tips On How To Design A Powerful Uniform For Your Team

Have you got a sports team? Maybe you just want to make sure that your team makes a statement as soon as they step onto the court or the field. Either way, it is more than possible for you to design your own uniform and you would be surprised at how easy it is for you to not only get the right look but also the right font and the right logo, as well, with these tips:

Team Name:

When it comes to choosing your team name, it’s very important that you choose something unique. You won’t want to choose something that has been done before because this won’t help you to cement your own legacy. When you have a distinct name you will easily stand out and you can even make the other teams take notice of you, as well. Another huge benefit of having a unique team name is that you are completely open to a range of colors and this is a great way for you to really take things to the next level.

Color Combinations:

Choosing the right colors is really essential. Lacrosse uniforms, for example, can be designed in a huge range of different styles but finding the right color combination is crucial if you want to stand out from the rest. It is a known fact that most teams, in fact nearly 90% of them, opt for royal blue, black, white, navy, and red. You won’t want to choose more than two colors when designing your uniform and you won’t want to have colors that are similar, either. For example, blue and white works well, but blue and navy won’t as much as they are too similar. If you are struggling to get some inspiration for your team, hit the gym, play some tunes, and find out what motivates them. Are they fierce? Conservative? Strategical? This will really help you to find out your true team identity.

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 Pexels Image

Fonts:

There are thousands of fonts out there on the internet and it doesn’t take long at all to find one that reflects the attitude of your team. You need to focus on the glyphs when choosing your font and the team name. For example, you won’t want to get an eroded or even a distorted font when it comes to your team name but it is more than possible for you to get the other aspects of your jerseys done in this kind of font.

Ultimately, it all comes down to whatever you want your team to be and what image you want them to portray. If you really want to have a toned-down uniform so that you don’t cause any distractions, then don’t go for a really oversized font as this will cause issues for you at a later date. Your uniform will look out of place and it may not be supported by your team. Of course, it helps to get the actual players involved, as well, so find out what they want from their uniform.

Hit the books, brain storm, make some designs, and find out the best uniform for your team!

Featured Image By: Pexels