101 Update: Pinterest do and don't recipes

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Working on my inner DIYer.

Who is a Pinterest fanatic? I am, I am, I am. A big part of my addiction is the recipe section. And since trying 10 new recipes was a 101 in 1001 goal of mine Pinterest was the perfect place to scope out new recipes.

However, things don't always turn out like those perfect food photography shots. So here a few ratings on my latest Pinterest recipe tries.




                                                                   Source: crystalcattle.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Raspberry Delight: A++++
This recipe has been so far my biggest Pinterest success. I have made it twice already and people are asking for it again. Winner. You can find the recipe here.

                                                                        Source: treehugger.com via Crystal on Pinterest



Balsamic and Brown Sugar Grilled Strawberries: BThey were ok. I think I'll stick with grilling peaches as my fruit of choice. They kind of tasted like strawberry jam, and they make your grill really sticky.
                                                                Source: frostedbakeshop.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade: AI forgot to take a picture of this when I made it, but I loved this recipe. (Maybe it was the vodka I added). It is a little unusual to drink watermelon. There is definitely a texture to the drink, but I really enjoyed it.
                                                                 Source: livinglight58.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Rachel Ray's Southwestern Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake: B+The recipe was pretty good, but not nearly as good as the picture looked. It makes a huge quantity so in our two person household we had tons of leftovers. Also, it definitely has some kick to it. I would probably turn back the amount of jalepeno I and chili powder used next time.

                                                                          Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Crock Pot Cheesy Ravioli Recipe: CI was hoping this recipe would really turn out and would be a good option for me to make at the state fair. However, I don't think this recipe tasted any better than boiling Ravioli and pouring sauce on top of it. I cooked the recipe the minimum amount of time and it was still quite mushy. This won't be a repeat recipe in our house. 
What Pinterest successes have you had? Did you know that there is a website called Pinterst Fail? Definitely worth checking out. 
Also, there has been a lot of discussion on my blog post yesterday about USDA School Lunches. I hope you'll check it out and weigh in. Happy Wednesday! 

Here's you chance to #AskUSDA about #SchoolFoodsRule

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They are giving us a forum.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 29, the USDA will be talking about the new changes to the School Lunch Program at 1:00 PM EST

Some things that I hope are discussed:

1. Does this one-size all approach to nutrition really work?
2. Will those children who rely on school lunches as a vital part of their nutrition suffer?
3. How should children who are athletes deal with the restriction in calories?
4. Why can't we provide more lean protein for our growing kids?

The good news. By tweeting to @USDA with the hashtags #AskUSDA and #SchoolFoodsRule your questions could be answered. Janey Thaney, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services will be leading the chat. Hopefully, she has a much clearer understanding of the new changes that Secretary Tom Vilsack did in this interview.

For more perspective on these changes check out this great post from mom Debbie Blythe "School Lunches are Not Making our Kids Fat."

I'm talking about what comes from playing for a Midwest school

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I am K-State Proud. 

Recently, a gentlemen known as the K-State Mask has entered the college football scene. And whether or not you have any desire to bleed K-State purple you've got to watch. He is moving (I literally get goosebumps), hilarious, motivating and ridiculous. Below is a quote from today's video as we get pumped up to play Miami this weekend.

I think I fell in love.


This quote goes on longer and get pretty funny after the heartfelt stuff in the K-State Mask video. You can watch it all hear. 

And this is the link to the K-State Mask's Missouri State Post Game Video. It is amazing. My Iowa loving husband even felt a little purple pride. 
Be sure to follow K-State Mask on Twitter. 
"We need to be loud, proud, and a helluva a crowd. Mark that down."- K-State Mask

A week of Instagram: Starbuck, Cows, and FFA

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More like weeks. 

Yes, I haven't been blogging. Lots has been going on and I hope to fill you in on it soon. However, in the meantime here is a snapshot of those weeks.


Three things that describe me: Starbucks, MAC Lipstick and Hereford Cattle.
This picture was the beginning of my absence from the blog. My husband's family is from Iowa, and that's where we all live, but they also had a Hereford Ranch in Oklahoma. However, the decision was made to disperse the cattle and sell ranch this fall. There were lots of mixed emotions: a celebration of lots of years of hard work and success and a little sad to know that everyone will be headed in different directions. The Boy and I will still be raising our own Hereford in cattle in Iowa under the name JJB Cattle Co., and we are excited to continue on part of the legacy that Jon's family started. 

From Oklahoma it was off to Indianapolis for National FFA Convention. More than 55,000 youth descended on Indy for a week of leadership and fellowship. It was a blast having so many of my Instagram, blogging and Twitter friends stop by the booth to say hello. Some were even sent to the booth by their mom or dad. @erinlars and @theperfectdaughter were two of the girls I met. It is always exciting to meet other young ladies or women that have passion and drive.

Hanging out in Indy, with a shopping mall attached to our hotel was meant it only made sense to take a trip to H&M. They had all kind of winter jackets that I could have easily taken home. However, I held back and instead picture up a new scarf. Image that another scarf. 

A day home and then it was out to California for a work trip. After a few meetings around the board table we headed out to a couple farms that raise pigs. These two pigs will likely be sold to a 4-H or FFA member and then shown. You'll notice the plastic boots that I am wearing, these are for biosecurity reasons. Pigs are more susceptible to diseases than our cattle. So when we were on the farm we had to wear these plastic boots over our shoes. On each farm we would put on a new pair of plastic boots. 
What does your week in photos look like? Let me know if you are on instagram and be sure to look me up! Username @crystalcattle

Setting your priotities

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Being a grown-up means figuring things out. 

Best husband and friend ever.

Do you sometimes wonder how you are going balance or manage everything? To me things go God, family and then career. When I say or write it down it seems so clear. However, when you are living life things seem to get a little more jumbled.

God is truly number one. However, recently I had a conversation about the other two (family and career) with the Boy. The past three weeks there has been a lot going on. We are in the process of working on my residency. I'm a Canadian, and although I have been in the U.S. for nine years it has always been on student or work visas. Now that the Boy and I are married we are working on my residency. I really want to write a more in-depth post later on all about it. We also had the Boy's family's cattle dispersal. Which meant time in Oklahoma, a lot of hard work and lots of emotions both happy and sad. And then there has been three major work events in three weeks. Yes, it has been fun to see so many friends, support my family, watch new doors open and find success in my career but things are a little stressful at times, too.

Then add on top of it all my blog has suffered. I guess I'll just fall back on the rule to blogging that there are no rules. Therefore, the only pressure I have is the pressure on myself.

Exasperated, I told the Boy that whenever I seem to focus on family work suffers and when I focus on work it isn't fair to him or my family. Being the awesome person he is he simply said, "It's OK babe, I think these things take some time to figure out. I think you are doing an awesome job." Sigh of relief.

How to you manage all the balls up in the air, and how long does it take to figure these things out? Tough questions I guess. Good thing I got faith in the big guy at the top.

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101 Update: Pinterest do and don't recipes

To contact us Click HERE
Working on my inner DIYer.

Who is a Pinterest fanatic? I am, I am, I am. A big part of my addiction is the recipe section. And since trying 10 new recipes was a 101 in 1001 goal of mine Pinterest was the perfect place to scope out new recipes.

However, things don't always turn out like those perfect food photography shots. So here a few ratings on my latest Pinterest recipe tries.




                                                                   Source: crystalcattle.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Raspberry Delight: A++++
This recipe has been so far my biggest Pinterest success. I have made it twice already and people are asking for it again. Winner. You can find the recipe here.

                                                                        Source: treehugger.com via Crystal on Pinterest



Balsamic and Brown Sugar Grilled Strawberries: BThey were ok. I think I'll stick with grilling peaches as my fruit of choice. They kind of tasted like strawberry jam, and they make your grill really sticky.
                                                                Source: frostedbakeshop.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade: AI forgot to take a picture of this when I made it, but I loved this recipe. (Maybe it was the vodka I added). It is a little unusual to drink watermelon. There is definitely a texture to the drink, but I really enjoyed it.
                                                                 Source: livinglight58.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Rachel Ray's Southwestern Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake: B+The recipe was pretty good, but not nearly as good as the picture looked. It makes a huge quantity so in our two person household we had tons of leftovers. Also, it definitely has some kick to it. I would probably turn back the amount of jalepeno I and chili powder used next time.

                                                                          Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Crock Pot Cheesy Ravioli Recipe: CI was hoping this recipe would really turn out and would be a good option for me to make at the state fair. However, I don't think this recipe tasted any better than boiling Ravioli and pouring sauce on top of it. I cooked the recipe the minimum amount of time and it was still quite mushy. This won't be a repeat recipe in our house. 
What Pinterest successes have you had? Did you know that there is a website called Pinterst Fail? Definitely worth checking out. 
Also, there has been a lot of discussion on my blog post yesterday about USDA School Lunches. I hope you'll check it out and weigh in. Happy Wednesday!