Operation Organization ~ Deep Freeze

 It lives in the garage and is never seen by guests... so it's okay if it's a mess, right? WRONG! I was sooo tired of spending time searching for something or accidentally re-purchasing food we already had all because my deep freeze is a hot mess... or a cold mess... whatever.

Although it is extremely utilized in our household it is always over-looked when it comes to organization. So I decided it was time to tackle this mess once and for all! I started by taking everything out and checking expiration dates. Thankfully, everything was still in date =)

I didn't want to spend any money on this project so I looked around for something I already had. I found this crate (shown below) that I purchased from Walmart for less than five dollars and was no longer using. What I think is so great about these crates is if I ever need more storage I can easily stack on another and Viola, more food space.
On the other side of the freezer is a little blue crate (pictured above) used for pop sickles =)

I used the top sliding storage bins for things I access daily, such as frozen veggies.

In the second sliding bin I put things that I keep on hand for quick lunches... easy for the husband to find!

Now for the finished product! This picture doesn't do justice for how much more functional my deep freeze has become. It took less than a half-hour and cost no money! It could use a little de-frosting, but that's for another day.

***After***






Trash .2. Treasure Tuesday

When my Mom gave me these paper sorters I assumed I would.. you know, use them for paper- but as time went on they just set in my garage collecting dust. It was then I decided they had to have a better use. They were hand-made and I couldn't bear to part with them, but they are light-wood so I decided to paint them.

 

~Here is a picture of the BEFORE~

During the painting process- I first gave them I light sanding and cleaned off all of the dust. I chose to use Rust-oleum in a gloss navy blue. I would recommend wearing gloves- that paint does NOT like to come off skin, I had blue skin for days! This project took three light coats of paint and a lot of drying time.

~After- Perfect for Puzzles!



 

If you have read any of my previous blogs you probably know that my son is a puzzle master.... well, my dog is a puzzle-piece chewing master- you see how this is a problem.

 

I love that there is room for all of his puzzles (this is not all of them) and they are off of the floor and away from our puzzle-loving coon hound.

 

I couldn't be more happy with the way the puzzle rack looks... we are one step closer to completing Emmett's "Big Boy" room. =)

Emmett's Nursery

I was looking through some pictures the other day and found pictures of Emmett's Nursery! I was so proud of the way it turned out and I have to share!

Below is a picture of his crib: It's a Graco convertable crib (lauren in espresso), we got it from

Toys R Us. His bedding is "Jungle friends" from target, and the mobile and other crib toy was bought second-hand. 

Note: Under the crib I added sterilite drawer I bought from Target, I keep clothes he has yet to grow into. They are the perfect storage solution!

What I may be MOST proud of is his changing table/dresser. My little brother gave this to us and it had seen better days... and was white. I sanded it lightly and painted it using BEHR interior satin paint in Blue Chaise. I couldn't be happier!

I organized his drawers according to style of clothing (onsie, pj's etc), and kept extra supplies in the cabinet.

Below is the wall where is changing table is located.

The cart is from Munchkin (target) and the wall decals are from Hobby Lobby.

Here is the view of the wall his crib is on. I hung his comforter on the wall using two screws and two binder clips- I figured he wouldn't be using it for a while. The white wall shelves are from, you guessed it, Target and the "Emmett" letters were bought white at Michael's and a friend and  I spent hours painting them to match his "Jungle Friends" bedding. LOVE!

I don't think I could have been anymore in love with his nursery.

Turkey Noodle Soup

Growing up, I always dreaded the week after Thanksgiving... Why? We would eat nothing but ham or turkey sandwiches... no thanks. I became determined to make something out of the left-overs- something more than a sandwich. Since necessity is the mother of invention, I  invented some Turkey Noodle Soup.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is extremely adaptable.. you can use whatever you happen to have in your kitchen.

                          

 

Here's What you do:
~In a large stock pot place your turkey carcass (hate that word) in plenty of water- cover and boil. I also add plenty of garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper (add to taste). This takes time, how much time depends on how large your turkey was and how much water. You will know when it is done when your water starts to look like broth and smell amazing... Mine took about an hour. The next step is VERY important: Make sure you double strain your stock- you don't want anything crazy in your broth.
~Next, place the strained broth back into your stock pot (I rinse mine out to save dishes) and while waiting to return to a boil, cut your veggies. I used what I happened to have in my fridge which was celery, and carrots, I also added a can of corn towards the end (we love corn). When the veggies begin to soften add your egg noodles (or rice) and add some shredded turkey. Once the noodles are done, so is the soup. I serve with dinner rolls, and enjoy =)