we sold our acreage

If you read the title I’m sure you can infer what this post will be about. This summer we decided to list and sell our acreage.

This was an incredibly hard decision to come to. We never thought that we would be moving after only 3.5 years of living here. We were so content in this specific home and in this specific part of the province. We truly loved what our acreage inevitably became, and saw the potential for future growth.

When we first moved in, everything was red, dark, marked up, and just forgotten about as a whole. We painted and puttied and renovated like mad. Slowly, room by room, this house opened up; becoming brighter, functional, and more beautiful with every remodel. It became a reflection of us and where we who we were as a family unit.

It all began with a video tour. From there, we added fenced gardens, refreshed our master bedroom, the kid’s closet, guest room, playhouse, culverts, jungle gym, Wilder’s bedroom, exterior doors, basement bathroom, basement family room, dog run, living room, Wilder + Beau’s bedroom, entry + laundry room, and finally two bathrooms. What you didn’t see was our kitchen (see above) and hallway renovations.

So why are we moving?

We spent 4 anniversaries within these walls and welcomed another baby. While we did have setbacks (because that is just life), it was mostly only happy memories. I will never forget our daily walks to the park down the dirt roads, or the beautiful star-filled clear nights, or the quietness, or how we spend all day everyday outside in the summer, or seeing our dogs run in our big yard, or our nice neighbours, or the wheat fields that surround our property, or the easy flow of our house, or the freeing nature that just comes with living away from everyone and being in your own paradise. Everyone who came out here would exit their vehicle, stand in the driveway, and say “you’ve got a little slice of heaven out here, don’t you?”

Yes, we did.

So goodbye, little acreage. We will always miss you.

Emory

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3 simple techniques to improve your kitchen ability

Pexels – CC0 License

For those who may not have much time to cook at home outside of preparing meals for the family, experimenting, as a home cook would, may not be something that feels possible. In order to save time, this can leave you creating meals as quickly as you can, continually eating the same things, and relying on convenience foods perhaps more often than we’re comfortable with.

Now, there’s no shame in bringing a frozen pizza to the table or to order takeout when you need to, nor do you need to justify however much time you can spend in the kitchen just because someone you follow on Instagram seems to create beautiful meals six times a day.

Perhaps you may not have ever really focused on learning how to cook a range of meals instead of some home comforts. Again, there’s nothing wrong with this. However, it can be nice to expand our repertoire when we have the time for it, or to try and find joy in cooking so that following the extra mile makes sense. In this post, we’ll discuss three simple techniques that can improve your kitchen ability in the best way:

Perfect The Basics

It’s a shame how many people under-value the supreme benefit that comes from perfecting the basic meals we otherwise enjoy. Comfort food deserves to be looked at with care, too. For instance, this gooey mac and cheese recipe made with pub cheese can showcase how it’s the additional measures that allow cooking to shine. No matter if this means rubbing garlic cloves on your olive-oil stained sourdough, or learning how to rest meat properly before cooking it, if you can perfect a simple meal, perhaps your favorite, then immediately you can transfer those additional skills elsewhere.

Inspire Your Spice & Herb Rack

Those who know how to wield spices and herbs appropriately have figured out 50% of how to become a great cook. From learning which tastes go with which ingredients, such as parsley used on new potatoes, or just the right amount of cumin used in a chili, as well as learning a better combination of spices (there is nothing quite like Indian cooking learnt at home to help solidify these lessons), the more you can source fresh spices and herbs and use them with care and reverence, the more your cooking game explodes in possibility.

Befriend Your Appliances

It’s healthy to befriend your appliances from time to time, as it were, and to make sure that you truly do understand their operation. From air fryers to slow cookers, or simply knowing that a potato peeler can be used both ways and more easily via that swiping direction, reading the manuals, testing out recipes, perfecting the timing, this can help your cooking approach become better and more endearing than ever. You may be deeply surprised as to just how well this approach can work.

With this advice, we believe you’ll be able to perfect your kitchen ability in the best possible light.

** This was a contributed post.

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how to maintain your dishwasher properly

If you want to ensure that your dishwasher continues to run properly and efficiently, it’s important to follow some basic maintenance steps on a regular basis. By doing so, you can help avoid costly repairs or replacement down the road. On the other hand, if you do need some professional help, you can always find an affordable dishwasher repair technician nearby. A reliable local repair technician should always be available at reasonable rates.  

Here are a few tips for maintaining your dishwasher

– Clean the dishwasher filters regularly. This will help keep the dishwasher running smoothly and prevent clogs. 

– Check the dishwasher water supply hoses for leaks periodically. 

– Remove food particles and grease from the dishwasher spray arm and interior of the dishwasher on a regular basis. 

– Run a vinegar rinse cycle once a month to help remove lime buildup and other mineral deposits from the dishwasher. 

– Make sure the dishwasher is level. If it’s not, it can cause the dishwasher door to not close properly and affect the dishwasher’s performance. 

– Inspect the dishwasher gasket for wear and tear and replace if necessary. 

By following these simple tips, you can help keep your dishwasher running like new for years to come.  

In the meantime, if you find any issues with your dishwasher, you can also try to fix it yourself. Here are the steps: 

– If the dishwasher isn’t draining properly, check to make sure that the drain hose is attached securely and that there is no blockage in the hose. 

– If the dishwasher is leaving water spots on dishes, clean the dishwasher spray arm and filter screen. 

– If water is leaking from the dishwasher, check the seals around the door and make sure that they are tight. 

– If the dishwasher isn’t heating properly, check to see if the heating element is working correctly. 

– If noise is coming from the dishwasher, check the dishwasher bearings and make sure they are lubricated. 

By properly maintaining the dishwasher, you can save lots of time and energy, and it will constantly provide you with great convenience. 

** This was a contributed post.

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6 super ways to upgrade your kitchen

Being a homeowner, you’re going to spot the best trends and want to upgrade your home bit by bit over time. Whether you have a view to selling up or you choose to upgrade for yourself, you’re going to do much better in your home if you make sure that you give it a makeover from time to time. 

The kitchen is one of the most renovated rooms for most homeowners. It’s the social hub of the home and it’s where you cook your meals. It’s definitely a room that requires kitchen floor maintenance, upgraded cabinetry and better fixtures every now and then. Below, we’ve got six super ways to upgrade your kitchen and make the space work for you. 

Image Source: Pexels

1. Start with your cupboards. Whether you have both standard kitchen cupboards or a walk-in pantry, you know that these are one of the essential elements of your kitchen to make it look as good as it does. They are there to store everything from food to plates and pots. Reinventing your cabinets will immediately alter the look of your kitchen, as will upgrading from wood to other materials. Of course, a huge renovation can cost a lot but renovating just the cabinets? This will help you to take down the price.

2. Give it some style. The kitchen should be reflective of the rest of your home and your personality. It’s for this reason that you should consider upgrading it to be more stylish and modern. With good kitchen floor maintenance, you can ensure that your kitchen maintains a modern look, and you should consider showing off some of the most precious glassware and kitchen items. Open shelves, for example, add instant style.

3. Change up the lighting. Kitchens should be packed with light so that you can see what you’re doing while you cook/eat/work – whatever you choose to do! You could consider adding more lighting, or expanding the size of the kitchen windows to let in more natural light.

4. A lick of paint. Some kitchen walls are wallpapered and others are painted. If you don’t want to paint the walls or change the color from a plain one, think about painting your cabinets or door/window frames. Opt for brighter colors if you want to continue a theme, but gentle pastels also work really well for your kitchen.

5. Go with wood. Kitchens with scrubbed wooden tables and wooden cabinets are kitchens that are reflective of natural elements. Wood can, of course, scratch and dent. So, opt for porcelain for the floor to avoid dents and scratches popping up all over the kitchen floor.

6. Clean it up. The kitchen is going to look ten times better when it’s been professionally cleaned. You can call in the experts to come in and do it for you before staying on top of it all yourself. Kitchen hygiene is so important and you know how to keep on top of your kitchen so that it looks beautiful no matter what.

** This was a contributed post.

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recipe: homemade potato chips

These potato chips are so easy to make and taste ah-mazing. I will say that they are a bit time-consuming (as you can only cook a few chips at a time), but do require so little ingredients and steps. Their smell will bring up happy memories of fair food. Pair with the homemade hot dogs buns and you’ve got yourself a winning dish!

Homemade Potato Chips

Ingredients:

5 large potatoes
2 litres ice water
5 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
3 cups oil, any kind

Steps:

1. Using a slicer or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes into the smallest pieces possible. Put into a large bowl, adding the ice water and 3 tsp of salt. Let soak for 30 minutes-1 hour.

2. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium heat. After soaking the potatoes, pat dry. Very carefully drop the slices into the oil and cover with a lid so as not to burn yourself. They should begin to deep fry. Continue to move them around with a large spoon or spatula. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes on each side or until they are browned. Remove them from the oil, pat them dry, and top with salt and pepper. Serve once they have cooled!

Emory

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  • Hello! My name is Emory. I am a wife, mother of four (three on earth in heaven). This is our life on the Canadian prairies.
    email: helloscarlettblog@outlook.com

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