From the windows to the four layers of wallpaper

I thought I could start this post with a quick history lesson about wallpaper.

After a few Google searches, I was bored and decided maybe I could find a funny story about wallpaper. Naturally, I searched presidents and wallpaper. I could just imagine Obama and Michelle having a comical tiff about decorating. I chuckled and did some impressions in my head.

Shocker, no such story existed.

But when you Google presidents and wallpaper the first entry is a link which leads to photos of Ronald Reagan on a velociraptor and Abe Lincoln on a grizzly bear.

Now you don’t have any wallpaper history facts, and I wasted 25 minutes of my life researching funny wallpaper stories.

So I will just say we started a project a few weeks ago. The dining room was covered in wallpaper, and we removed it.

The plan is to paint it green, use our large table and have a nice place to entertain. (Who wants to come for dinner?)

I really like these colors.My friend recommends Sherwin-Williams paint. Thoughts?

Michael purchased a scorer and chemicals. 

Chemical we used to get the paper down.

It came off easily at first. Then we realized there were multiple layers - make that four layers of wall paper! The hardest part was cleaning up the little piece of paper and the sticky glue.

What a mess!

Look! I'm helping too. 

It was four layers of paper!

They said they wanted to watch us. 

Everyone pitched in.

The funny thing about working with people on labor intensive projects is you see their true colors.

Michael kept at it. He is determined and a pretty laid back guy. Mamaw and Papaw just jumped in – they are always helpful. Me, I was restless. I just wanted it done. It took four Saturdays!!! Four. I assumed it would take about four hours. I was wrong.

The girls are still at the age where chores are really fun. 

Sanding the walls. 

Get to work Madi!

Michael has fixed most of the gouges and sanded the walls. Needless to say I am ready to get my paint on.

It's ready for paint and a new light fixture. 

Nailed it

I remember the first meme I ever saw. It was a Pinterest fail about a cookie monster dessert. I laughed so hard and thought who on earth could be so bad at making something that looked so simple.

The first meme I ever read. 

But little did I know - I was that person. The person who saw great ideas on Pinterest and tried to recreate them but in the end would create an ultimate fail. (Good thing my kids are young and think glitter glue and googly eyes on construction paper is the ultimate craft.)

I am faux crafty and, to be honest, my cooking creations should really end up on one of those nailed it articles you usually read on Buzzfeed. I can’t help it. I hate reading and following directions on recipes.

But with the farm, I am determined to use the fruit and vegetable we grow as much as possible.

Luckily, there are mature fruit trees. My super impressive mother-in-law made jelly out of the sour cherries. And I wanted to follow suit and make something equally as delicious.

We picked apples from the trees. They aren’t really good to eat raw, but I figured if we added some butter and sugar to them, it would make a great dessert.

I had some action shots of the girls picking fruit, but I can't find them. Instead enjoy this artsy no filter photo of the apple tree at the farm. 

The girls helped me wash them. And after I promised we would make a pie, I realized I didn’t have all the ingredients. So we improvised and took my blueberry cobbler recipe and mixed it with an apple pie recipe I found on Pinterest and it turned out great!

They aren't pretty, but they have a great personality. 

She wore a rash guard so she wouldn't get her clothes dirty. 

Madi lives to mix batter. This is not a typo. She would cease to exist if I told her no to helping mix.

At this point I was nervous. It didn't look so great. 

Surprise! It was edible.

I’m pretty sure Martha Stewart won’t be reading this blog just wondering how I pulled this dessert off. But if any of you want to know, here is my recipe:

The throw it together apple dessert

Ingredients:

• ·         Apples
• ·         1 ¼ cups of Original Bisquick
• ·         ½ cup sugar
• ·         2/3 cup milk
• ·         Brown sugar
• ·         Butter
• ·         Vanilla
• ·         Lemon juice
• ·         Cinnamon
• ·         Salt
• ·         Butter

*Some of these have no measurements because I just eyeballed it.

1. Wash, peel and dice apples

2. Melt butter and brown sugar

3. Pour on apples, add a little lemon juice, salt, vanilla and cinnamon

4. In separate bowl mix Bisquick, sugar, milk

5. Combine apples and batter

6. Either use butter or spray to coat a pan, add batter, sprinkle brown sugar on top

7. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

8. Serve with ice cream if you're a sugar addict like me.