Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015!

As good as my intentions were over Christmas and most of school break, they did not come to fruition. Yikes! It's already NYE 2014! Where did time go?!

So today is the day where I finally post for the last time in 2014. It's been a fun year and a growing year. I'm sure most of you didn't start reading until May-ish...or after. And as much as I write for others, I write for myself too.

See, I've never been good a writing in a journal. Sure...I've kept one off and on since I was probably 10. But it wasn't until Freshmen year of college, that I had a strong desire to write. Some of my sweet friend bought me a journal...it was a small journal and it lasted my entire college career and single life. I started my second journal right before (or was it after...no matter) Kyle and I got married. It was a good time to transition from my college journal to my grown-up wife journal. Since we've been married, we've moved twice and I've lost misplaced my journal.

"Why is she telling us all of this??"

All of this to say, that this journal blog has been a great outlet for me over the last 14 months-ish. I love words, reading, and writing. And for me to have a place to write and have a creative outlet has been phenomenal. So, a big "Thank you!" is reserved for each and every one of you who reads in this little space.

Now, on to the good stuff. No, I'm not going to do a recap of this last year. I think I will save that for sometime in January when I'm just itching to recap.

But today...today is the final day in 2014 where I put in a plug for you to join Aubrey and myself on our book club journey! The Second Chance Book Club officially begins tomorrow! Wahoo!

It doesn't matter where you're at, if you have a blog or not, if you've read it before...we want you to join us! Follow the link above to see the list for the year. But to kick us off...we're starting with:

Night by Elie Wiesel 

Please join us in reading and come back on the last Thursday of the month (Jan. 29) for our discussion! I'm hosting Night this month, so come back here to get your discussion questions sometime the week before. (I hope to have the questions up by Jan. 22....please hold me to that!)

Now, go and enjoy your NYE2014 and we'll see you all in 2015!

A house, you say?

You may recall reading this post and possibly this too. Well, I can officially say that we

OWN A HOUSE!

I know, I know...Kyle is shaking his head right now saying, "Well, technically the bank owns it because of our mortgage and we'll be making payments on that." That's true. BUT! We do have a house, we have the keys and we have a place to call our own.

One day I'll write the whole saga of our house hunting horrors (alliteration, anyone?). And in reality, it wasn't that bad. We didn't start out on the right foot, so that was a bit of a let down for us. Once we found the realtor, the house, and the lender, everything fell into place and happened extremely fast. Praise the Lord for some fabulous people to work with.

*More on our realtor and our banker later. But if you need someone...seriously...look them up.*
*Read about our awesome realtor here*

We put in an offer at the beginning of November and we closed December 15. Everything was super condensed and we wouldn't have been able to do it without support. Our parents play a huge role in our lives and we are so thankful for them. 

*Again, more about that later*

All of this to say, again, that we own a house. Our very own house that we hope to soon call a home. So, if you're in our neck of the woods this Saturday (from 11-2ish)...please stop by and say "Hi!" and maybe carry in a box or two. 

Twin Cities Favorites!

Kyle and I just returned from a conference in Bloomington, MN. While we were there, we spent time with family, met some new friends, and ate some good food. We had a good time and we look forward to returning to the MSP area soon.

We always say that--but we really do mean it!

While we were in the Twin Cities (and 'burbs), I kept thinking back to my time at NWC UNWSP. I spent one year of my college career in St. Paul and I fell in love with some places in the area. Granted...I wasn't there quite long enough to find all of the hidden gems in the bustling metro, I did quickly find my favorites. It also feels like I find a new favorite almost every time we venture back. So here are my:

5 Places You Should Visit When in MSP:

Brit's Pub
Do you like: Lawn bowling? Great food? A fun atmosphere?
If you answered yes to any of these three questions, check out Brit's Pub in the Nicollet Mall.

Tea Gardens
I fell in love with this place during college. My beverage of choice: their signature Iced Royal Tea with Pearls

Target Field
Any Twins fans in the house? Even if you're not a Twins fan...maybe you're rooting for their opponents. Even still...check out the brand new stadium. It's an experience all ages can enjoy.

Minneapolis Institute of Art
One of my favorite locations in Minneapolis is MIA. This museum is FREE every day and the pieces are phenomenal! They've got exhibits which rotate and certain exhibits I count on seeing every time I'm there. Plus...it's one of the best date places! *Did I mention it's free??

Walker Art Center & Sculpture Gardens
During the winter months this location might not be at the top of your list...but during any of the warmer months (basically not late Nov-early March), you'll have a fun time!

Book Club starts soon!

How in the world can it be December already?! It feels like this school year was just beginning. And not long after Kyle and I spent time in Duluth.

Just this last weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving with family. Now we've got both feet into December and there's no looking back. Before we know it, we will be ringing in the new year in a new house, hopefully!

I know you've been waiting for a house update. I don't want anything to fall through, so once it's finalized, you'll be the first to hear. Honest!

You may've noticed that I added a new tab to the top of my blog last week. Aubrey and I are teaming up to bring .... "The Second Chance Book Club"  to a computer/phone/tablet screen near you!

Take a look at it. We are really excited to have a "second chance" to read books that weren't taught in high school or we read but didn't fully appreciate the first time around. We'd love to have you join us. We've even created a button for you to put on your blog when you join up with us!

The plan is to take turns leading the discussion every month. Hopefully you won't get sick of either one of us by then!

Stay tuned, because we'll be posting more about it in the next month leading up to 2015!!! Crazy!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving...

I figured that with Thanksgiving being just hours away, I should join with the masses and talk about what I'm thankful for.

Here's a very condensed list of what I'm thankful for:

family
a job
a home
friends
Jesus
Aubrey
food
a car
gas in my car
money to buy gifts for people
snow
sunshine
opportunity


Now that I've got "the list" out of the way, here's the thing... I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of two wonderful families.

Munters 2014

 Kyle & nephew 2013

 me & nephew 2014

niece & me 2014

#k2getshitched2013 

Eric, Amanda, Kyle, & me July 2014

After sharing all of these photos, I just am struck with how blessed we are. Both sets of parents are so supportive and loving. They spoil each and every one of their children (and in-laws). We seriously have the best siblings ever. Older and younger siblings alike are some of our best friends. If ya'll are reading this...we don't see some of you often enough, but we really do appreciate and love all of you. We've got the best niece & nephew ever (and one more on the way)! We LOVE being aunt and uncle to you. All-in-all, we love each and every one of you. And if we ever forget to tell you, don't hesitate to remind us.

Happy Thanksgiving and we love you all!

How Dumb.

As I was sitting on my couch with my mom next to me and my brother and his girlfriend close by, I realized how important time to connect with your family is. You see, we weren't just sitting in the living room. We were watching this movie.

And I caught myself muttering, "Oh how dumb." I'm sure I muttered that phrase at least 10 times throughout the movie.

It's not that I haven't seen the movie before. Last night was probably the 10th time I've seen it. But I just forgot how dumb funny that movie was. 

Even though we were watching Dumb and Dumber, we were bonding. It's not a common occurrence that I get to just sit down with my mom and watch a movie we can laugh at.

That being said...I hope you can spend some time enjoying the company of someone in your family this weekend.

Happy Friday!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies [per request]

Many moons ago (close to 4 years to be exact), I made some tasty cookies for a friend of mine. I'm pretty sure we demolished them in one sitting. Bethany, correct me if I'm wrong!

Here are the Chocolate Peppermint Cookies I brought to Bethany's house!

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/4 c oil

peppermint extract

powdered sugar
milk
crushed candy canes

Mix the cake mix, 2 eggs, & 1/4 c oil. Add in peppermint extract to preference. Roll the dough into small balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes (or until done).

For the frosting, use approx 2 cups powdered sugar, 1-2 T milk, a splash of peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes (to taste). If you want the frosting to set better, use 1-2 T melted butter instead of milk. The thicker the frosting, the easier it will be to frost the cookies.


My goal is to make these cookies again soon. When I do, I'll make sure to take photos and upload them here! Let me know how you liked them!

Christmas is on the way...

I know what you're thinking. "Kelly, your recent posts told me it was hunting this weekend. Plus, it's not even Thanksgiving yet. Why are you thinking about Christmas?"

Well, you see, Fosston had their first accumulating snowfall this weekend. What a better time to take photos for a Christmas card?

So, we had a mini photo shoot. Oh...and I'll add some weekend photos too.

Here are some photos that didn't quite make it onto 

our Christmas cards.

*Silly dog, now I've got a tail?*

A Contest: Update

Why hello, sweet readers!

I've been informed that I've not updated my pet peeves for the contest winners. Yikes...I'm slacking!

So as a refresher...here was my most recent contest.

And the winners are.......

My siblings.
Talk about a little anti-climactic!



On that note, we are gearing up for Deer Holiday this weekend! It's bound to be a weekend full of plaid, blaze orange, potato klub, family, deer, and relaxing.

What fall traditions do you have?

Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting--for any occasion!

Okay, so I know I gave you a little tease on the media for socials last night. And I'm okay with that.

I was baking for a coworker's baby shower and I thought, "Why not share this recipe with your readers?" So, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

**confession...I'm not so good at taking photos of the ingredients and process. Sorry!**

So although I do have a sparse amount of photos, they'll have to suffice.

And without further delay, I present to you:

Grandma Sharon's Delicious Carrot Cake Cupcakes
(She usually makes a giant pan of cake/bars...but I like frosting cupcakes more.)

6 eggs, beaten 

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups flour

1 cup coconut

6 cups carrots, shredded *Mine were frozen--I thawed them and they added more liquid to the batter*

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

Grandma's directions say to beat 6 eggs for a minute or so. I had them in the Kitchen Aid* for 2-3 minutes--I think the cupcakes ended up a little more fluffy that way. Then, add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes (or until all mixed together). While your Kitchen Aid* is mixing the eggs and sugar together, mix your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (save your carrots for a little later) After your dry ingredients are all mixed together, alternate adding the oil and dry ingredients to your eggar (that's eggs and sugar mixed together) mixture. After everything is all mixed in, add your 6 cups of carrots. If you're using frozen, shredded carrots and your batter is too runny--don't panic! It's okay. Mine was that way too. It will set as it bakes.

"Bake at 350 degrees until done"

Honest, that's what the recipe says! But mine were done in about 25 minutes.

So I wasn't sure how many cupcakes I would end up with...I was hoping for 2 dozen.

*Sorry for the low quality photos...I'll work on that* 

3 dozen cupcakes later and this is the final product:

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package of cream cheese

1 stick of butter

powdered sugar

vanilla extract

I was doing some reading about cream cheese frosting yesterday. So when it was time to make the frosting for these cupcakes, I was prepared. Check out Joy the Baker's Cream Cheese Frosting 101. Love her.

So, per her instructions I let my cream cheese and butter sit out so it wouldn't curdle. Then, I pretty much did my own thing.

I whipped the cream cheese for a few minutes in my Kitchen Aid*. I then added the butter and whipped it real good. Anyone?

As for the vanilla, I probably only added 1/2 teaspoon. I'm too spacey to buy white vanilla when I'm prepping for a bake-a-thon, so normal Mexico vanilla was my weapon of choice.

And the powdered sugar...here's the thing. Look back to Grandma's directions for baking..."until done"... I'm kind of the same way. I just added powdered sugar until it was creamy and sweet enough, but not too sweet. Sorry for those of you who need a specific number!
PS. I doubled the frosting recipe for the cupcakes. I couldn't risk running out!

I then piped the frosting on top of the cupcakes and took a break from being a housewife. It's tough work, I tell ya! If you want to take the really fancy route, add a few edible pearls and all will be right with the world.

*A Kitchen Aid isn't necessary...a hand blender would work...so would your good old arm power.*

As always, if you try out a recipe, please let me know how it turns out. I love to hear variations on recipes. Enjoy!

A favorite coming your way!

Alright, I took a look at my recipe page last night and it looked awfully sparse. So I decided that today I would share our plans for supper with you.

Unfortunately the mr. is not feeling well tonight, so he'll be out on both times we've had this meal. But my brother loved it last time. It's a wonderful comfort food.

Tonight I'm making Kentucky Hot Brown Bake. I found it online around 6 months ago, pinned it, and there it sat. Until September.

Now it's October and we're having it again. Winning in the Entzel house!

Click on the link above to see the original recipe. Below, I'll share how I made it last time and how I'll make it again tonight.

**If you read this post before I make supper tonight, stay tuned for photos.**

Ingredient list:
• 1 tube crescent rolls
• 1/2 lb turkey deli meat
• Pepperoni (as much as you'd like to layer--we like pepperoni in our house)
• 8 slices Provolone cheese
• 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin (I used 2 tomatoes per layer)
• 4 eggs, beaten (When preparing the eggs, I whipped up two at a time so I wouldn't over-use and run out)
• a pinch of oregano

Directions:
1. Unroll the crescent dough and separate into 2 squares
2. Place one square in bottom of 8" pan that is greased or lined with parchment paper
     I really liked the parchment paper method--easier clean up!
3. Press 1 dough square to fit pan
4. Layer with half the turkey, pepperoni, cheese and tomatoes
5. Pour half the eggs over the top.
6. Repeat the layers.
7. Top with remaining dough square.
8. Pour remaining eggs over top.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, covered with foil.
10. Remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
11. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.

**We served it with marinara sauce for those who aren't fond of straight tomatoes.


-If you try this recipe and use a different variation, I'd love to hear how it turned out!

A Contest

I was thinking on my way to work this morning...a dangerous activity since I hadn't yet had my coffee.

But as I was thinking, I was trying to decide what I wanted to write about today. There are so many things. You may have read my post about our most recent house hunting developments. And you may have decided that I was suuuupppeeerrrrr boring interesting, so you'd come back! Well...welcome. And here's what I schemed up for today.

A few weeks ago I had my students write 5-7 pet peeves on a post-it note. I then wrote them on the board in a random order. They then had to guess which pet peeve belonged to each of their classmates. So I thought I'd give you that same opportunity today...or similar.

I've thought up five...not seven...of my real pet peeves and two (totaling seven) fake pet peeves. Can you figure out which ones are the fakes?

A prize to the first reader who guesses correctly!

1. I get annoyed with people who DO.NOT.CARE. about moving forward in life. Are you reading to learn something new? Are you thinking about life differently? Are you appreciating what you've been blessed with? Are you trying to make the world a better place? Are you trying to make yourself better in some way?

2. I dislike when people chew with their mouths open. Gross. Flying food? Bleck.

3. I hate clashing colors. Really? Those pants with that top?

4. People who DON'T use their blinkers. Enough said.

5. Crunchy leaves.

6. Smelly people who don't shower and you can tell.

7. When I realize how attached to my phone I am.


So...now it's your turn! Let's see how well you do!

A House Hunting Update

Well, what can I say?

We've looked.
We've loved.
We've offered.
We've negotiated.
and negotiated.
Ultimately,
We've lost.

And you know what I say about that?

Bring it on.

For reals, though. Even though we loved the house we put an offer in on, we know God's in control. Clearly, (as hard as it is to recognize and move on) that's not the house He has in mind for us. And while I struggled with that (for quite a while), I've come to accept that fact. Not only accept that we now are looking for the house for us, but rejoice for our friends.

You've gotta be thinking, "Say what?!"

Yep. Some of our good friends had their offer (for the same house we wanted) accepted! So even though we won't be living in that house, we still get to visit. :) And maybe our children can play together one day. (No we don't have children, nor will we in the near--10 months-ish--future) But one day!

Now, we're back to square one. Finding a house we love that suits our needs. And ultimately, finding the house that God has for us. It'll just take a little patience.

A Weekend Recap: Photos

Entzel Fall Break 2014: North Shore

Can you smell it?

I can smell it. Change is coming.

Fall Break.

Dun dun dun.

Mere hours separate us from Fall Break. Here we go, By the Numbers.

1 more sleep.
2 classes I will have.
3 times I'll eat.
4 times I'll recheck my suitcase.
5 times I'll check my school mail.
6 students to see.
8 times I'll go to the bathroom
10 times I'll check my email.
12 times I'll push "Snooze".
15 times I wish I were sleeping.
18 assignments to grade.
19 hours until we are (hopefully) on the road.

I can't wait.

Help! What should we do?

Okay okay okay. I know you've been dying to know how our House Hunting, but I'm sorry to tell you--"You'll have to wait a little longer..." I know, I know...the suspense is killing you.

BUT! I do have some exciting news! Aubrey, over at Be.Do.Say.Go (in Bangkok), and I are contemplating a new challenge for the new year.

STOP.RIGHT.THERE.

I know what you're thinking, "But for real...it's not even winter yet...don't talk about 2015 yet."

But hold on to your horses. We are wanting to start a blog book club. Sweet Bonnie, over at The Life of Bon, has a virtual book club. You can check it out here. It's pretty great.

I tried to join in last month...and I really fell behind. So, Aubrey and I were thinking we'd trade off months of hosting. 

So, this post is a cry for help from YOU! Yes, my dear readers. You can help us. Please send us one (or five) books you were supposed to read in High School, but never did. You can comment below, give us a shout-out on twitter (see my sidebar to follow me), a tag on Instagram (again...see sidebar), or even on the good ole Book of Faces. Hit us up. Let us know what you "read" in High School (I put read in quotations because your teacher thought you read the book, but you really didn't. Sorry Laurie,  Mary, & Patty!) and we will post a list in the next few months (before Jan.1, scouts honor) so you can join along.

Whew! That was a rough paragraph. My apologies. So...now that I've bored inspired you to think back to High School, good luck!

And don't forget to contact us, PLEASE! I really do love hearing from you! 

Summer...is it too soon?

I know, I know, I know...it's only fall. But as we've been house hunting, I've been looking forward to next summer. I REALLY want a garden next summer. I also just REALLY want a house. So...this is my list of things I'm looking forward to about next summer. By the Numbers.

via

Hydrangeas are some of my favorites!

via

--a garden

via

--spending time at a lake

via

--going to Duluth

via

--seeing family in Denver

There are so many things I want to do next summer. I'm hoping that we'll be able to do all of these things. But more than anything, I'd love to make more salsa, jelly, and apple butter!

I'll add updates as necessary. Have a happy Monday tomorrow!

I'm still around!

Just to let you know that I've not fallen off the face of the planet, here's a little look at what we've been up to lately...

We made apple butter...

Here's the stuff to prove it

We made plum jelly...

And we even...

...went on a date.

To see Paul and Babe...

Happy Tuesday! (almost Wednesday)