... and I'm ready to go to sleep.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
(yes, our laptop is on her new-to-us kid-sized table.She's playing Sesame Street games under CONSTANT supervision, of course.)
....OR MOMMY?
When she's not using the table, it will make a great scrapbooking surface upstairs.Did you check out my 2nd page completed in 2 days?!
I'm especially proud of this one,
because the photo is so special to me.
I've also decided that since I have spent over $100 at our local scrapbooking store alone since it opened, it's time I start actually doing more scrapping instead of just collecting paper and embellishments.
(Tools used: Making Memories circle cutter & mat, cutterpede straight edge 12" cutter,
Bazzill and American Crafts cardstock & patterned paper, silver gel pen)
I had no idea I would be using the table, too, when I found it at a garage sale this morning.
At least not for anything other than playing with my daughter.
Friday, June 29, 2007
It's been a good day!
- I had a yummy treat (Scroll down to 1st post of the day for details).
- I took a shower.... I didn't take one yesterday, so I really needed it.
- I didn't have to water the plants because we got plenty of rain yesterday. Thank You, Lord!
- Baby Bear and I had fun.
- Baby Bear napped well.
- I got a couple of chores done. I am perpetually behind on chores.
- Lil' sis, BIL, & little niece J surprised us for a visit during their "let's see where the wind blows us" day.
- We ate a yummy dinner and both toddlers did pretty well at the restaurant. They even held hands as we exited the restaurant. SOOOO SWEET!!!!!
- After dinner, we took the girls to a park and played on the playground with them.
- Baby Bear kept asking for more of her Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, & the "gound" during the drive home.
- Baby Bear snuggled with me on the couch for a few minutes before her bedtime.
- I finished the 6th page of Baby Bear's Scrapbook (at this rate... I don't want to think of how long it will take me to get through her first year). I also came to the realization that I don't have to complete the pages in chronological order, since fancy-dancy scrapbook pages can be moved around. Yes, I am THAT slow to learn basic scrapping:
Tools used: deckle-edged cutterpede trimmer, mini-brads (i use a thumb tac in the carpet instead of a hole puncher- works great!), Shutterfly Studio collage feature, Bazzill pink cardstock from scrapnmemories, vellums from somewhere, brads from somewhere or somewhere else. ok, so those last two might not have been all that helpful. oh, well. it was either target, wal-mart, hobby lobby, or michael's.
Yum-o!!!!!!
I have to try today's Roasted Chicken recipe from Rachael Ray....
...but not tonight. Tonight we're going to Pei Wei's, the not-as-expensive version of P.F. Changs.
The Happy McFamily is in the area, so we're grabbing some grub together. I love it when an excuse not to cook falls in my lap! (And I love seeing my family, too.)
Baby Bear is taking a nap... I hope she behaves while we're out tonight!!!
New addiction in progress... with limits?
I normally try to limit my indulgence of Starbucks over-priced drinks to once a week or two. It's been 2 days since my last splurge (the raspberry mocha frap.), and this morning when Baby Bear walked to her stroller and started saying "stroll" and signing "please", I was quick to oblige. I also grabbed the gift card out of my wallet.
So we began our stroll. First I turned right out of our driveway, which goes to the cul-de-sac end of our street. For the first time I noticed that walking back toward our house from that end has a slight uphill slope. A frappuccino sounded good, and I had only been walking for a minute or two!
We continued past our house toward the opposite end of the subdivision. Baby Bear played peek-a-boo with the awning on her stroller, grinning up at me through the plastic window. She pulled two thick rubber bands, 1 per arm, on as bracelets. She played with the cotton balls that she had snatched out of the bottom drawer in my bathroom.
We walked across the neighborhood and into the adjoining subdivision. Down the big hill toward the shopping center we strolled. It was already getting muggy, at 8:45 a.m. When we rolled into starbucks, a kind lady laughed and said something about a walk being a good excuse for Mommy's breakfast treat. Then she held the door open.
The barista was normal- not the barely awake kind nor the overly-friendly-deserves-a-wake-up-slap-in-the-face type. (I'm not a morning person. At all.) I mentioned the mile and a half walk home and how that justified my treat- plus that someone in my family was secretly trying to get me addicted to coffee by giving me a gift card. He laughed and asked if I wanted him to leave off the whipped cream. "Heck, no! Give me the good stuff! Walking here is the whole point.." I exclaimed. Mr. Barista wrote down my name, baby bear enjoyed looking at the cool light fixtures, and when my java chip frap. was ready we went out to the patio.
Some kind person had left a newspaper to peruse. Baby Bear insisted on sitting in a chair instead of her stroller, so I obliged. And I let her have 2 sips of my drink, even though she had a sippy cup full of water. "Mmmmmmm." Yet amazingly she did not ask for more???
She played with her cotton balls and made eyes at the table of men who looked like bankers and one teenage boy who were sitting at another patio table. She watched cars and trucks drive past on the main road and clapped and cheered at them. She looked so proud of herself, sitting in that chair like Mommy's sipping her water, and playing with her cotton balls. (Who need toys when you have hygiene products?)
"Da-da?" she asked. "Daddy's at work. He'll be home this afternoon." "Da-da?" She climbed off her chair and walked toward the other table, looking for her Daddy in the mix of men. I decided that even though the compliments the men gave me on her cute dress and curls were nice, it was time to begin the trek home.
The uphill stroll is much more difficult than downhill. (No surprise.) Baby Bear fell asleep 1/3 of the way home and is currently in her crib.
And I may have a new addiction-in-progress (frappucino's, or however they are spelled), but at least the exercise will help keep all that whipped cream from sticking to my thighs. In theory. And I've decided that I might budget myself by refilling the balance on the gift card for future purchases... because somehow I feel less guilty spending money off a gift card than out of my wallet or on a credit card. And when it's gone, it's gone. Especially if I have no cash left on hand.
Oh, and my new favorite variety is the java chip. Caramel is a close 2nd. The raspberry mocha needs grandma's real raspberries in syrup instead of that fake syrup stuff they put on it. The chocolate chip splinters are a perfect treat to munch on. It is more like dessert than breakfast, but so is cookie crisp, cocoa puffs, or even a crepe.
I normally try to limit my indulgence of Starbucks over-priced drinks to once a week or two. It's been 2 days since my last splurge (the raspberry mocha frap.), and this morning when Baby Bear walked to her stroller and started saying "stroll" and signing "please", I was quick to oblige. I also grabbed the gift card out of my wallet.
So we began our stroll. First I turned right out of our driveway, which goes to the cul-de-sac end of our street. For the first time I noticed that walking back toward our house from that end has a slight uphill slope. A frappuccino sounded good, and I had only been walking for a minute or two!
We continued past our house toward the opposite end of the subdivision. Baby Bear played peek-a-boo with the awning on her stroller, grinning up at me through the plastic window. She pulled two thick rubber bands, 1 per arm, on as bracelets. She played with the cotton balls that she had snatched out of the bottom drawer in my bathroom.
We walked across the neighborhood and into the adjoining subdivision. Down the big hill toward the shopping center we strolled. It was already getting muggy, at 8:45 a.m. When we rolled into starbucks, a kind lady laughed and said something about a walk being a good excuse for Mommy's breakfast treat. Then she held the door open.
The barista was normal- not the barely awake kind nor the overly-friendly-deserves-a-wake-up-slap-in-the-face type. (I'm not a morning person. At all.) I mentioned the mile and a half walk home and how that justified my treat- plus that someone in my family was secretly trying to get me addicted to coffee by giving me a gift card. He laughed and asked if I wanted him to leave off the whipped cream. "Heck, no! Give me the good stuff! Walking here is the whole point.." I exclaimed. Mr. Barista wrote down my name, baby bear enjoyed looking at the cool light fixtures, and when my java chip frap. was ready we went out to the patio.
Some kind person had left a newspaper to peruse. Baby Bear insisted on sitting in a chair instead of her stroller, so I obliged. And I let her have 2 sips of my drink, even though she had a sippy cup full of water. "Mmmmmmm." Yet amazingly she did not ask for more???
She played with her cotton balls and made eyes at the table of men who looked like bankers and one teenage boy who were sitting at another patio table. She watched cars and trucks drive past on the main road and clapped and cheered at them. She looked so proud of herself, sitting in that chair like Mommy's sipping her water, and playing with her cotton balls. (Who need toys when you have hygiene products?)
"Da-da?" she asked. "Daddy's at work. He'll be home this afternoon." "Da-da?" She climbed off her chair and walked toward the other table, looking for her Daddy in the mix of men. I decided that even though the compliments the men gave me on her cute dress and curls were nice, it was time to begin the trek home.
The uphill stroll is much more difficult than downhill. (No surprise.) Baby Bear fell asleep 1/3 of the way home and is currently in her crib.
And I may have a new addiction-in-progress (frappucino's, or however they are spelled), but at least the exercise will help keep all that whipped cream from sticking to my thighs. In theory. And I've decided that I might budget myself by refilling the balance on the gift card for future purchases... because somehow I feel less guilty spending money off a gift card than out of my wallet or on a credit card. And when it's gone, it's gone. Especially if I have no cash left on hand.
Oh, and my new favorite variety is the java chip. Caramel is a close 2nd. The raspberry mocha needs grandma's real raspberries in syrup instead of that fake syrup stuff they put on it. The chocolate chip splinters are a perfect treat to munch on. It is more like dessert than breakfast, but so is cookie crisp, cocoa puffs, or even a crepe.
Happy Friday! Go enjoy a frappucino or something.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Counting down...
If you scroll to the bottom of my blog, you'll find a ticker. Not a tick, a tick-er.
I've purchased a couple of things in preparation, plus we have some supplies from the last time we went to the beach 3 years ago. I THINK I can fit into my old swimsuits again, but I would still like to splurge on a new one. The "bikini" is definitely out of the question, with stretch marks and a still flabby baby tummy not appropriate to bare. Ok, so they are not really appropriate to bare without stretch marks. And then there's the "what if my toddler yanks off the top (or bottoms, for that matter)" That could be VERY bad. Very, very bad. I do have a tankini and a one piece that used to fit. I guess I will be trying them on again soon.
I've been meaning to make a list in an excel spreadsheet, but I am going to go ahead and do it right here on my blog. Why? Because. It's my blog, and when I come back to post, I will have a reminder.
Beach Bum Supplies on Hand
kick board
beach umbrella
4 USA beach towels (I'm sick of these, we use them as bear's bath towels)
Blue Lizard Lotion
Aloe Very gel (somewhere)
Bear's swimsuits (2)- 1 red with fishies, 1 pink with flowers
3/4 pack of lil swimmers
buckets & shovels (2 buckets, 2 regular shovels, 1 scoop, 1 rake to be exact)
small cooler and cooler bag
water-proof sandals for Bear (would like swim shoes, but we'll see)
sunglasses for Bear
sun hat for bear
terry cover up for Bear
same coverups I used the last time for me (again, I want new ones)
foldable chairs?
blue vinyl coated esprit bag for a beach bag
bear's backpack
Things I want or NEED
sunglasses for me
2 BIG beach blankets, new beach towels
floatie toys for Bear
new swimsuit
tennis balls (I have a racket, the community we're staying in has tennis courts, might as well pretend I learned something in that 1 semester course)
chap stick
flip flops and/or crocs for me (the black plastic shoes i've had for over 10 years are giving up the ghost.)
a new beach bag- 1 for my stuff
Okay, that's my stream-of-consciousness post for today. I wish I knew what happened to the photos I took while we were there. I think it was before I had my digital camera. Maybe I can convince someone to go through their archives and post a teaser pick of what we'll have to look forward to on her blog? Caslon? crt? anyone?
We'll be sharing a house with Hubby's side of the family. It will be Bear's first trip to the ocean. I can't wait to see her response to the sand, the ocean, the pool, the animals that we don't have here. I wonder if the girls would enjoy a dolphin watch boat ride as much as I liked whale watches of Cape Cod. I want to come up with a keepsake/craft for the girls to make to remember the trip by. Bear's a little young, but perhaps a jelly jar of seashells on her knick-knack shelf would be enough? Or a dried starfish?
1 month and 1 week from now my list will be a thing of the past and I'll be enjoying family time and firsts of my daughter. Can't beat that.
If you scroll to the bottom of my blog, you'll find a ticker. Not a tick, a tick-er.
I've purchased a couple of things in preparation, plus we have some supplies from the last time we went to the beach 3 years ago. I THINK I can fit into my old swimsuits again, but I would still like to splurge on a new one. The "bikini" is definitely out of the question, with stretch marks and a still flabby baby tummy not appropriate to bare. Ok, so they are not really appropriate to bare without stretch marks. And then there's the "what if my toddler yanks off the top (or bottoms, for that matter)" That could be VERY bad. Very, very bad. I do have a tankini and a one piece that used to fit. I guess I will be trying them on again soon.
I've been meaning to make a list in an excel spreadsheet, but I am going to go ahead and do it right here on my blog. Why? Because. It's my blog, and when I come back to post, I will have a reminder.
Beach Bum Supplies on Hand
kick board
beach umbrella
4 USA beach towels (I'm sick of these, we use them as bear's bath towels)
Blue Lizard Lotion
Aloe Very gel (somewhere)
Bear's swimsuits (2)- 1 red with fishies, 1 pink with flowers
3/4 pack of lil swimmers
buckets & shovels (2 buckets, 2 regular shovels, 1 scoop, 1 rake to be exact)
small cooler and cooler bag
water-proof sandals for Bear (would like swim shoes, but we'll see)
sunglasses for Bear
sun hat for bear
terry cover up for Bear
same coverups I used the last time for me (again, I want new ones)
foldable chairs?
blue vinyl coated esprit bag for a beach bag
bear's backpack
Things I want or NEED
sunglasses for me
2 BIG beach blankets, new beach towels
floatie toys for Bear
new swimsuit
tennis balls (I have a racket, the community we're staying in has tennis courts, might as well pretend I learned something in that 1 semester course)
chap stick
flip flops and/or crocs for me (the black plastic shoes i've had for over 10 years are giving up the ghost.)
a new beach bag- 1 for my stuff
Okay, that's my stream-of-consciousness post for today. I wish I knew what happened to the photos I took while we were there. I think it was before I had my digital camera. Maybe I can convince someone to go through their archives and post a teaser pick of what we'll have to look forward to on her blog? Caslon? crt? anyone?
We'll be sharing a house with Hubby's side of the family. It will be Bear's first trip to the ocean. I can't wait to see her response to the sand, the ocean, the pool, the animals that we don't have here. I wonder if the girls would enjoy a dolphin watch boat ride as much as I liked whale watches of Cape Cod. I want to come up with a keepsake/craft for the girls to make to remember the trip by. Bear's a little young, but perhaps a jelly jar of seashells on her knick-knack shelf would be enough? Or a dried starfish?
1 month and 1 week from now my list will be a thing of the past and I'll be enjoying family time and firsts of my daughter. Can't beat that.
I expected this to be much worse....70%
.... whew!!! (Thanks to Nan from Life is Like a Lunchbox for sharing.)
Mingle2 - Online Dating
.... whew!!! (Thanks to Nan from Life is Like a Lunchbox for sharing.)
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Two new blogs to check out!
My friend and former colleague, "Madame" is posting about her weight-loss journey. She and I shared similar teaching philosophies and spent many an afternoon swapping stories and frustrations after our classes were out for the day. Oh, and she was a fantastic hostess when I sold Premier Designs Jewelry.
Angela is a friend I go to church with, and she and her son visited me in the hospital when Baby Bear was born. She is a very creative person who likes to ponder things. It looks like her blog will focus on others' creativity.
My friend and former colleague, "Madame" is posting about her weight-loss journey. She and I shared similar teaching philosophies and spent many an afternoon swapping stories and frustrations after our classes were out for the day. Oh, and she was a fantastic hostess when I sold Premier Designs Jewelry.
Angela is a friend I go to church with, and she and her son visited me in the hospital when Baby Bear was born. She is a very creative person who likes to ponder things. It looks like her blog will focus on others' creativity.
(For more Wordless Wednesday participants,
visit the WW HQ or 5 minutes for Mom.)
scroll down to see more photos i took this week.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Too close to home...
While we were enjoying our afternoon with friends and family yeterday, a pop-up storm struck a home in our neighborhood with lightning, igniting a fire . This house is very similar to ours, except now it is ruined. Thankfully, nobody was killed. The house next door had some vinyl trim melt off. Honestly, if these homes were mostly vinyl, as so many other homes are, the fire could have spread much worse and more quickly. It's a very haunting sight... channel 4 has the "best" coverage on their site.
Please keep this family in you prayers, as well as the injured firefighters who risked their lives tryng to save the home and th neighbors' homes.
While we were enjoying our afternoon with friends and family yeterday, a pop-up storm struck a home in our neighborhood with lightning, igniting a fire . This house is very similar to ours, except now it is ruined. Thankfully, nobody was killed. The house next door had some vinyl trim melt off. Honestly, if these homes were mostly vinyl, as so many other homes are, the fire could have spread much worse and more quickly. It's a very haunting sight... channel 4 has the "best" coverage on their site.
Please keep this family in you prayers, as well as the injured firefighters who risked their lives tryng to save the home and th neighbors' homes.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Good friends
I am extremely blessed. I have girl friends. Oh, don't take that the wrong way. Hubby is my best friend, and I am thankful for him, too. But I have friends who I've known for years; who knew me when I wondered if I'd ever get a date, who witnessed the sparks that flew between hubby and me. We were diverse then, and our lives have taken different paths today, but somehow we've kept in touch and our friendships have deepened with time. Baby Bear and I ate lunch with a few of them today.
I am very, very thankful. What a great way to start the week!
I am extremely blessed. I have girl friends. Oh, don't take that the wrong way. Hubby is my best friend, and I am thankful for him, too. But I have friends who I've known for years; who knew me when I wondered if I'd ever get a date, who witnessed the sparks that flew between hubby and me. We were diverse then, and our lives have taken different paths today, but somehow we've kept in touch and our friendships have deepened with time. Baby Bear and I ate lunch with a few of them today.
I am very, very thankful. What a great way to start the week!
Photos from my parents' yard...
...after meeting some good friends for lunch, Baby Bear and I went over to visit my parents. I thought I would share some photos which may explain why I'm not scared to experiment in the yard. Over the years, I've watched Mom and Dad plant things, tend their gardens, and seen plants grow and die. They don't fret over one plant that doesn't make it, heck at that point there's not reason to because there are plenty of others. When we moved into this house over a dozen years ago, the yard was nothing more than a straw covered field. Now it's a bit different...
The water garden:
where's my food?
Yes, this froggy still has a tail...
Terrestrial:
Look what landed on my shoulder
(and bit me through my sleeve as a took this photo for my older nieces)
Busy bee on the echinacea (coneflower)
hibiscus
one of the flower beds...
half of the front yard (there's a cluster of 3 small water ponds in there, too)
looking up at a birds' nest from underneath (in the grape arbor)
I actually took all of these photos with my old camera... my 8+ year old camera that used to be my Dad's digital camera. I guess for Wordless Wednesday, I'll have to direct people to this post this week.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
On Friday, 2 of my girlfriends from college and I went browsing the antique shops in the town just south of here. We realized that we are all very particular (cheap) about how much we think furniture is really worth. Especially the stuff that's not antique. I had to remind myself of the amount of time it took Dad-in-Law to make cabinets for all 3 of us girls, and that time and sweat ARE wroth something. The former Feed Mill had benches and shelves made of barn board which reminded me of Gramma's.
I also found a really cute pair of earrings at a gift shop for $2.99. They are silver made of several small round mother-of-pearl pieces connected into a diamond shaped dangle. Hard to describe. But trust me, they are fun. And light. And cute. And they go really well with one of my Premier bracelets.
I also found a really cute pair of earrings at a gift shop for $2.99. They are silver made of several small round mother-of-pearl pieces connected into a diamond shaped dangle. Hard to describe. But trust me, they are fun. And light. And cute. And they go really well with one of my Premier bracelets.
5 lbs of espresso from Starbucks? free?
well, sort of. While hubby pumped gas, I went next door to see if our local Starbucks had any grounds for gardeners. Their bin was empty, so I asked the baristas if they happened to have any spent coffee grounds behind the counter. They said, "you picked the right time, we have 3 people that come by in the mornings." No wonder my previous attempts have been unsuccessful. They handed me a bag that was much bigger than I expected and said,"fresh espresso grounds, just for you." I slung the bag over my shoulder and sauntered back up the hill to our car, giggling like a kid at Christmas. I must confess, I was a little thrilled at beating the "regulars" to the punch and taking part of their stash. Not very Christ-like, I know. But seriously, if the stuff is good enough for gardens for there to be regular coffee ground collectors, then finding the perfect time to collect the treasure must be an accomplishment of some sort!
My front flower bed now smells like coffee. Good thing I love the scent! I also dumped a bunch of grounds into my veggie pots and flower pots.
If you think I'm a lunatic for putting coffee grounds on my plants, do an internet search for coffee as a fertilizer... and rumor has it, it helps keep slugs off hostas, too! And it's not poisonous!!!
... oh.. I meant to say 5 gallons. You heard me right. I dumped the grounds from their trash bag into a 5-gallon bucket. It was almost completely full. I think my tiny garden will be set for a while.
well, sort of. While hubby pumped gas, I went next door to see if our local Starbucks had any grounds for gardeners. Their bin was empty, so I asked the baristas if they happened to have any spent coffee grounds behind the counter. They said, "you picked the right time, we have 3 people that come by in the mornings." No wonder my previous attempts have been unsuccessful. They handed me a bag that was much bigger than I expected and said,"fresh espresso grounds, just for you." I slung the bag over my shoulder and sauntered back up the hill to our car, giggling like a kid at Christmas. I must confess, I was a little thrilled at beating the "regulars" to the punch and taking part of their stash. Not very Christ-like, I know. But seriously, if the stuff is good enough for gardens for there to be regular coffee ground collectors, then finding the perfect time to collect the treasure must be an accomplishment of some sort!
My front flower bed now smells like coffee. Good thing I love the scent! I also dumped a bunch of grounds into my veggie pots and flower pots.
If you think I'm a lunatic for putting coffee grounds on my plants, do an internet search for coffee as a fertilizer... and rumor has it, it helps keep slugs off hostas, too! And it's not poisonous!!!
... oh.. I meant to say 5 gallons. You heard me right. I dumped the grounds from their trash bag into a 5-gallon bucket. It was almost completely full. I think my tiny garden will be set for a while.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
i think it's time to use my mother's day present....
my feet are sore from standing and walking all week. my hands are tired from peeling stickers and taping foam visors so they fit onto various sized heads. my eyes are tired from constantly looking around and monitoring my surroundings. my heart is weary from dropping baby bear off in her nursery class crying, and finding her in a sour mood upon pick-up. (today her teacher came and found me to come get her, that's how sour her mood was. ) she is going through a clingy phase. what happened to "happy hannah" who had no cares in the world and helped her teachers keep the calm during last sumer's FBA week?
why is it that no matter what size group you are a part of, 10% of the people seem to always do 90% of the work?
we had a great team this week. kids had fun. they learned that Jesus is the light, the way the truth and the life, the bread of life, and the living water. they had object lessons and crafts galore to reinforce the week's themes, skits, and crafts galore. and this morning during the praise and worship time, several went forward to talk to someone about how they could accept Jesus into their heart. that's what it's all about. our church doesn't typically have lots of invitations. they encourage people to utilize the prayer room which is right next to the sanctuary, find someone to talk to, etc... but they are not into manipulating the end of every sermon toward a big life changing decision. they tend to let the holy spirit do his job.
now, my home is in disarray. that's not terribly unusual. oh, but i spoke to the head developer dude (not to be confused with the owner of the company, just the guy in charge of the land development aspects) this morning as he surveyed our cliff, and he says that situation should be resolved in 90 days.... i'll believe it when it happens, but it was better than previous responses. wall dude is supposed to come out tomorrow, who know if he will talk to me or not. can i bribe the city council rep by saying i'll vote for him if it's done by august 2nd? j/k!
i wanted to cook dinner tonight, but i think i'm already too beat. way too beat. maybe i should nap while bear is down.
my feet are sore from standing and walking all week. my hands are tired from peeling stickers and taping foam visors so they fit onto various sized heads. my eyes are tired from constantly looking around and monitoring my surroundings. my heart is weary from dropping baby bear off in her nursery class crying, and finding her in a sour mood upon pick-up. (today her teacher came and found me to come get her, that's how sour her mood was. ) she is going through a clingy phase. what happened to "happy hannah" who had no cares in the world and helped her teachers keep the calm during last sumer's FBA week?
why is it that no matter what size group you are a part of, 10% of the people seem to always do 90% of the work?
we had a great team this week. kids had fun. they learned that Jesus is the light, the way the truth and the life, the bread of life, and the living water. they had object lessons and crafts galore to reinforce the week's themes, skits, and crafts galore. and this morning during the praise and worship time, several went forward to talk to someone about how they could accept Jesus into their heart. that's what it's all about. our church doesn't typically have lots of invitations. they encourage people to utilize the prayer room which is right next to the sanctuary, find someone to talk to, etc... but they are not into manipulating the end of every sermon toward a big life changing decision. they tend to let the holy spirit do his job.
now, my home is in disarray. that's not terribly unusual. oh, but i spoke to the head developer dude (not to be confused with the owner of the company, just the guy in charge of the land development aspects) this morning as he surveyed our cliff, and he says that situation should be resolved in 90 days.... i'll believe it when it happens, but it was better than previous responses. wall dude is supposed to come out tomorrow, who know if he will talk to me or not. can i bribe the city council rep by saying i'll vote for him if it's done by august 2nd? j/k!
i wanted to cook dinner tonight, but i think i'm already too beat. way too beat. maybe i should nap while bear is down.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
shhh.... (hope hubby isn't reading this)
i broke the rules. i bought an adorable mini-rose bush with white buds on it. and 2 geraniums. all 4 cost me less than $5, but i had previously been asked not to spend any more on my flower fetish/ocd/whatever-you-want to call it. so i do feel a bit guilty. yes, over $5. really. but the metal urn begged to have adornment after being abandoned by the chinese lanterns, and i read somehwere that japanese beetles don't like geraniums. i dug some dirt out of my veggie pots. baby bear thought the plants were growing out of "cake" when I pulled them from their plastic pots. i guess we've let her have too much chocolate cake and brownies in the past. :-)
the decorative urn was given to us by my college roommates. it held the birdseed which was later thrown at us as we left our wedding reception... they were thrown mostly indoors because it started raining during the reception. God bless my friend's mom, thewonderful woman who vacuumed up that mess. (she's wonderful in other ways, too.) i saw the white mini-rose bush and had to at least try to get it to survive. i had white roses in my bouquet and the bridesmaids' bouquets.
if he doesn't read this, then i wonder how long it will take him to notice the new additions to my floral family.
i broke the rules. i bought an adorable mini-rose bush with white buds on it. and 2 geraniums. all 4 cost me less than $5, but i had previously been asked not to spend any more on my flower fetish/ocd/whatever-you-want to call it. so i do feel a bit guilty. yes, over $5. really. but the metal urn begged to have adornment after being abandoned by the chinese lanterns, and i read somehwere that japanese beetles don't like geraniums. i dug some dirt out of my veggie pots. baby bear thought the plants were growing out of "cake" when I pulled them from their plastic pots. i guess we've let her have too much chocolate cake and brownies in the past. :-)
the decorative urn was given to us by my college roommates. it held the birdseed which was later thrown at us as we left our wedding reception... they were thrown mostly indoors because it started raining during the reception. God bless my friend's mom, thewonderful woman who vacuumed up that mess. (she's wonderful in other ways, too.) i saw the white mini-rose bush and had to at least try to get it to survive. i had white roses in my bouquet and the bridesmaids' bouquets.
if he doesn't read this, then i wonder how long it will take him to notice the new additions to my floral family.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
don't cry persecution just yet...
click above to go to some insight from a guy i knew in college, who is now a pastor (and a brand new daddy!)
click above to go to some insight from a guy i knew in college, who is now a pastor (and a brand new daddy!)
my tuesday mini-tackle...
was indeed re-potting the chinese lantern plant.
unfortunately, i cracked its "new" (recycled) pot in the process, but i think it will hang in there for now. it is significantly larger than the old pot, although the old disposable plastic pot fit nicely in the decorative urn which now sits empty next to my front door. now my back patio has something alive on it. i know this plant would make a good hanging plant, but all my hanging pots are messed up in some way, so i'm making do with what i've got. plus, they are more shallow and i like the root depth, especially in this crazy heat.
then i proceeded to drop the potting-soil covered old pot on the kitchen floor, making a mess. so part 2 of my tackle was sweeping the potting-soil and dead worm off the floor.
now to go get baby bear out of daddy's way while he lifts weights.
was indeed re-potting the chinese lantern plant.
then i proceeded to drop the potting-soil covered old pot on the kitchen floor, making a mess. so part 2 of my tackle was sweeping the potting-soil and dead worm off the floor.
now to go get baby bear out of daddy's way while he lifts weights.
for more tackles, link to 5 minutes for mom from my sidebar.
Monday, June 18, 2007
certifiably ocd when it comes to my flowerbed?
perhaps... but i'm not about to pay a shrink for the diagnosis. i trimmed my shrubs today... and my birch tree. it had dead branches which were irritating me. the holly bush had weird protruding branches that made it look really crooked. the red shrubs (not sure what they are called) still had frost burn from the pre-easter freeze and were blocking the light to a couple of my verbena. the spirea were taking over. i hesitated to trim them because i like the blooms, but i'm hoping that maybe trimming will actually encourage more blossoms? maybe? i should read up on that. and i rescued a casualty of the wind.. one of my gladiola stalks bent, so i cut it and put it on a vase on the mantle. it sure is purdy. so is its reflection in the mirror.
hubby found a way to save almost $700 on our auto and home insurance. 1) change old car's coverage to liability only 2) switch companies because Ameriprise (which we got through Costco) raised our rates 52% in 2 years for no decent reason. we will soon be insured by the same company that hubby's brother's family has been with for a few years. and the dude that dave ramsey recommended on his website came through for us in finding good quotes. woo hoo! we also sent costco customer service a nice little email sharing our experience with this partner company, as we know they strive for excellence and value.... something that disappeared from our insurance coverage with the alst declaration we received.
laundry is in process. i will actually cook dinner tomorrow. i promise. pinky swear. that reminds me, i need to take the chicken out to thaw and marinate in italian seasoning.
debating on whether to attempt a big tackle for tackle it tuesday; i feel like i'm bearly keeping up. i think i may transplant the chinese lantern plant into a bigger pot that only has dead stuff in it. i suppose i should dig out the dead stuff first. anyway, the chinese lantern plant has grown quite a bit since i got it, and i'd like to keep it alive even longer. just maybe? plus, the patio could use a plant on it. oh, have i mentioned that i am proud of myself because the nickname i gave it is the name that i found for it in the michigan bulb co. catalog that just came in the mail? go, me!
gotta go post a cute story on my daughter's blog. hope all is well with my blogger buds tonight!
perhaps... but i'm not about to pay a shrink for the diagnosis. i trimmed my shrubs today... and my birch tree. it had dead branches which were irritating me. the holly bush had weird protruding branches that made it look really crooked. the red shrubs (not sure what they are called) still had frost burn from the pre-easter freeze and were blocking the light to a couple of my verbena. the spirea were taking over. i hesitated to trim them because i like the blooms, but i'm hoping that maybe trimming will actually encourage more blossoms? maybe? i should read up on that. and i rescued a casualty of the wind.. one of my gladiola stalks bent, so i cut it and put it on a vase on the mantle. it sure is purdy. so is its reflection in the mirror.
hubby found a way to save almost $700 on our auto and home insurance. 1) change old car's coverage to liability only 2) switch companies because Ameriprise (which we got through Costco) raised our rates 52% in 2 years for no decent reason. we will soon be insured by the same company that hubby's brother's family has been with for a few years. and the dude that dave ramsey recommended on his website came through for us in finding good quotes. woo hoo! we also sent costco customer service a nice little email sharing our experience with this partner company, as we know they strive for excellence and value.... something that disappeared from our insurance coverage with the alst declaration we received.
laundry is in process. i will actually cook dinner tomorrow. i promise. pinky swear. that reminds me, i need to take the chicken out to thaw and marinate in italian seasoning.
debating on whether to attempt a big tackle for tackle it tuesday; i feel like i'm bearly keeping up. i think i may transplant the chinese lantern plant into a bigger pot that only has dead stuff in it. i suppose i should dig out the dead stuff first. anyway, the chinese lantern plant has grown quite a bit since i got it, and i'd like to keep it alive even longer. just maybe? plus, the patio could use a plant on it. oh, have i mentioned that i am proud of myself because the nickname i gave it is the name that i found for it in the michigan bulb co. catalog that just came in the mail? go, me!
gotta go post a cute story on my daughter's blog. hope all is well with my blogger buds tonight!
is it really... rain?
We were awakened by a rainstorm around 5 a.m. I smiled and went back to sleep. No need to worry about watering my flowers before heading to FBA!!! It did not last long, but the ground was still damp when we got up a couple of hours later. Yahoo!
Just a few minutes ago, we got another pop-up shower. It was short but heavy. The new neighbor must be moving in across the street... I see painters, and there was a uhaul in the driveway a while ago. Looks like she's not wasting any time with the home-improvement projects. And an empty house is always easier to paint than one that's full of furniture. Right Caslon?
My feet are sore. It's been fun to be in the middle of the action during FBA. Tiring, but fun. The kids love making visors. I'm actually surprised that even the boys are getting into decorating theirs. Baby Bear and I ate at chik-fil-a for lunch. A rare treat for both of us. I love their lemonade, and she discovered that she loves dipping her fries in honey mustard. She tried ketchup, too, but prefers the honey mustard. I had to pull the sauce out of her reach at one point so she would actually eat her fry instead of quadruple dipping it. Oh, and she devoured much of her fruit cup and about 2 1/2 nuggets.
I'm going to see if we can nap... even if she just plays in her crib, I'll be happy. Mommy needs a nap.
We were awakened by a rainstorm around 5 a.m. I smiled and went back to sleep. No need to worry about watering my flowers before heading to FBA!!! It did not last long, but the ground was still damp when we got up a couple of hours later. Yahoo!
Just a few minutes ago, we got another pop-up shower. It was short but heavy. The new neighbor must be moving in across the street... I see painters, and there was a uhaul in the driveway a while ago. Looks like she's not wasting any time with the home-improvement projects. And an empty house is always easier to paint than one that's full of furniture. Right Caslon?
My feet are sore. It's been fun to be in the middle of the action during FBA. Tiring, but fun. The kids love making visors. I'm actually surprised that even the boys are getting into decorating theirs. Baby Bear and I ate at chik-fil-a for lunch. A rare treat for both of us. I love their lemonade, and she discovered that she loves dipping her fries in honey mustard. She tried ketchup, too, but prefers the honey mustard. I had to pull the sauce out of her reach at one point so she would actually eat her fry instead of quadruple dipping it. Oh, and she devoured much of her fruit cup and about 2 1/2 nuggets.
I'm going to see if we can nap... even if she just plays in her crib, I'll be happy. Mommy needs a nap.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
It's time for FBA!
That's Family Bible Adventure, in case you wondered. (Vacation Bible School doesn't sound as inviting, does it? And since the whole church family participates... there you have it.) The next 4 days will be filled with kids, chaos, and fun application of Biblical Concepts in this year's theme, "The Joshua Quest". The kids and their family group leaders will explore who Jesus is... focusing on the Light of the World, Bread of Life, Living Water, and of course, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I get to be a shopkeeper, helping kids make "Son" visors, and our shop's verse is 1 John 1:5. course I will explain that God's glory is so bright that even visors would not be enough to help their eyes.
Pray for the kids who don't know the Lord Jesus as their savior to trust Him, safety during games, and for those who are already Believers to grow closer to God and eachother as we learn and play together! It's going to be a fun week!
That's Family Bible Adventure, in case you wondered. (Vacation Bible School doesn't sound as inviting, does it? And since the whole church family participates... there you have it.) The next 4 days will be filled with kids, chaos, and fun application of Biblical Concepts in this year's theme, "The Joshua Quest". The kids and their family group leaders will explore who Jesus is... focusing on the Light of the World, Bread of Life, Living Water, and of course, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I get to be a shopkeeper, helping kids make "Son" visors, and our shop's verse is 1 John 1:5. course I will explain that God's glory is so bright that even visors would not be enough to help their eyes.
Pray for the kids who don't know the Lord Jesus as their savior to trust Him, safety during games, and for those who are already Believers to grow closer to God and eachother as we learn and play together! It's going to be a fun week!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
It's only Saturday?
I'm tired! We went to the church to help set up for FBA this morning. The sun was hot, so my freckles have come out quite a bit. Baby Bear had fun playing with the big kids in child care, and swinging on the playground, and by the time we picked her up at noon, she was tired. She fell asleep before we got to sonic for lunch, and slept until past 3:00. While she and Daddy were napping in their beds, I went to the local cheap haircut place. I took in my pics from my good friend Steph's wedding in '04, and told the girl that I wanted something like that again. The end result? 8 inches (more or less) CHOPPED off. Someone could have made a (short) wig with it. After spending the morning outside, I decided I had enough of the extra insulation on my neck and back, and of pulling my hair back into a ponytail because it is like a horse's mane- too thick to stay up in clips, too much of it to spend time styling... those of you who know me... know. So now my little sis and I have similar hairstyles. Mine is kind of layered in the back, about chin length in front. It feels so good.
The rest of the afternoon has been pretty relaxing. Hanging out with hubby and baby bear, walking around the neighborhood. Baby Bear saw 2 of her "friends"... one is 19 days older than her, the other is 3.
Oh, yeah, the city council rep stopped by to look at our cliff last night. It wasn't very promising... he says he's going to try to get public works to help put some pressure on the builder, but..... who knows. Our builder constructs decent houses. But their lot/land development and business practices leave much to be desired. They think nothing of tearing into your property after you've closed and signed all the paperwork and leaving it to erode. So if you or someone you love is thinking of buying from them, beware. Oh, they don't mind being nice to your face and saying they'll fix it "sometime"... but 3 years later we're still waiting.... and contemplating our options.
I'm tired! We went to the church to help set up for FBA this morning. The sun was hot, so my freckles have come out quite a bit. Baby Bear had fun playing with the big kids in child care, and swinging on the playground, and by the time we picked her up at noon, she was tired. She fell asleep before we got to sonic for lunch, and slept until past 3:00. While she and Daddy were napping in their beds, I went to the local cheap haircut place. I took in my pics from my good friend Steph's wedding in '04, and told the girl that I wanted something like that again. The end result? 8 inches (more or less) CHOPPED off. Someone could have made a (short) wig with it. After spending the morning outside, I decided I had enough of the extra insulation on my neck and back, and of pulling my hair back into a ponytail because it is like a horse's mane- too thick to stay up in clips, too much of it to spend time styling... those of you who know me... know. So now my little sis and I have similar hairstyles. Mine is kind of layered in the back, about chin length in front. It feels so good.
The rest of the afternoon has been pretty relaxing. Hanging out with hubby and baby bear, walking around the neighborhood. Baby Bear saw 2 of her "friends"... one is 19 days older than her, the other is 3.
Oh, yeah, the city council rep stopped by to look at our cliff last night. It wasn't very promising... he says he's going to try to get public works to help put some pressure on the builder, but..... who knows. Our builder constructs decent houses. But their lot/land development and business practices leave much to be desired. They think nothing of tearing into your property after you've closed and signed all the paperwork and leaving it to erode. So if you or someone you love is thinking of buying from them, beware. Oh, they don't mind being nice to your face and saying they'll fix it "sometime"... but 3 years later we're still waiting.... and contemplating our options.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Silly, me!
We have plenty of desserts in this house. Left over carrot cake and cherry pie from last night, to be exact. Well, I saw the buy-1-get-1-free sale at Publix on my favorite brownie mixes, and came home and made a batch right away, as part of hubby's Father's Day dinner. I also picked up their prepared Chicken Florentine breasts, some sweet potatoes, and Uncle Ben's Rice, which was also B1G1... making it 65 cents a box for the good varieties. I guess I'll be bringing some brownies to Family Bible Adventure (VBS) setup, because God knows we cannot possibly eat all this dessert. Gina, if you're lurking and home, want some turtle brownies? I should have sent the cherry pie home with my sis, after all. What was I thinking? This weekend is going to be crazy with FBA prep, so I'm making a decent meal for tonight.
I've also made some homemade play-dough, which I am going to TRY to use part of to make a Father's Day gift for hubby to put on his desk at work. We'll see how well Bear cooperates. She doesn't sound very happy right now... she just had a very short nap and is crying for some attention.
We have plenty of desserts in this house. Left over carrot cake and cherry pie from last night, to be exact. Well, I saw the buy-1-get-1-free sale at Publix on my favorite brownie mixes, and came home and made a batch right away, as part of hubby's Father's Day dinner. I also picked up their prepared Chicken Florentine breasts, some sweet potatoes, and Uncle Ben's Rice, which was also B1G1... making it 65 cents a box for the good varieties. I guess I'll be bringing some brownies to Family Bible Adventure (VBS) setup, because God knows we cannot possibly eat all this dessert. Gina, if you're lurking and home, want some turtle brownies? I should have sent the cherry pie home with my sis, after all. What was I thinking? This weekend is going to be crazy with FBA prep, so I'm making a decent meal for tonight.
I've also made some homemade play-dough, which I am going to TRY to use part of to make a Father's Day gift for hubby to put on his desk at work. We'll see how well Bear cooperates. She doesn't sound very happy right now... she just had a very short nap and is crying for some attention.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Good Morning!
In the top right corner, you can see a stunted lily.
I think I made it mad w hen I transplanted it,
and the other bulbs are apparentlyhaving stunts of sympathy.
They appear stuck at their present height.
Right now, it appears that the only blooms this season will be these two (I hope I am wrong):
In the top right corner, you can see a stunted lily.
I think I made it mad w hen I transplanted it,
and the other bulbs are apparentlyhaving stunts of sympathy.
They appear stuck at their present height.
Right now, it appears that the only blooms this season will be these two (I hope I am wrong):
Look what landed next to me (less than a foot away)
on the grass while I was shooting pictures:
on the grass while I was shooting pictures:
My movement scared it away,
but fortunately I was able to get an even better shot:
If you look closely,
you can see the yellow "firecracker sparkles" in the glads.
you can see the yellow "firecracker sparkles" in the glads.
Have a great day! I'm off to get my house semi-presentable... now that the flowers are watered and green-beans picked (Baby Bear held the bucket and exclaimed, "beans!" during the process, I have no excuse to play outside.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
This might seem to be an odd post to follow a hymn, but I'm doing it anyway...
Ok, you know you're too stressed, or coming across that way, when a neighbor gives you a bottle of wine that's 2/3 of the way full. We don't drink a lot or very often at all, but we do like a little every now and then and my neighbor said it was too sweet for her taste and "made" me take it.
For some reason i thought some of you might find that funny. The wine is in the fridge... not sure if I'll drink it or use it for cooking yet. I'm thinking I might have a glass before bed.
For the record, the fact that my house is once again a wreck and family is coming over tomorrow(cousin from NY is back in town) is only part of it. A small part, actually.
***warning: vent ahead...
For some reason I've become obsessive about trying to get answers about when and how our cliff on the west side of our yard will be fixed. I swear, if we don't get answers soon, I'm going to ask a state senator to propose legislation that builders must complete the extra-structure, i.e. sidewalks, retaining walls,etc. on ALL parts of existing phases/lots (including those that adjoin future phases) to closing on the sale of a home. I am sure there are states that already have that covered. This is not one of them, apparently.
If you want common sense consumer protection, don't move here. Schools are only good in select counties, elevating the cost of living so normal people can't afford to live in them and the rest of our public schools, well... are ok at best. We've lived here almost 4 years and I still can't figure out how to landscape because we're getting the run-around from the developer and our public figures are not helpful.
... END OF VENT***
p.s. 2 seconds after I hit publish, hubby came up the steps with a crystal glass of chilled wine for each of us. Guess he thought I need it, too. ;->
Ok, is it normal for people to take the blinds with them when they move? The people that originally lived in the house across the street left them there. The people that are selling it now took all of them down. Maybe it's just because they are going to paint per the home-buyer's request? She did have a bunch of things on her "fix it before closing" list when I talked with her. I think it's a little odd. I don't think it's worth the trouble, with everything else. And with my luck, some of the slats would break in the move anyway...
Just wonderin'....
Night y'all. Gotta go straighten the kitchen and living room before I hit the sack!
Ok, you know you're too stressed, or coming across that way, when a neighbor gives you a bottle of wine that's 2/3 of the way full. We don't drink a lot or very often at all, but we do like a little every now and then and my neighbor said it was too sweet for her taste and "made" me take it.
For some reason i thought some of you might find that funny. The wine is in the fridge... not sure if I'll drink it or use it for cooking yet. I'm thinking I might have a glass before bed.
For the record, the fact that my house is once again a wreck and family is coming over tomorrow(cousin from NY is back in town) is only part of it. A small part, actually.
***warning: vent ahead...
For some reason I've become obsessive about trying to get answers about when and how our cliff on the west side of our yard will be fixed. I swear, if we don't get answers soon, I'm going to ask a state senator to propose legislation that builders must complete the extra-structure, i.e. sidewalks, retaining walls,etc. on ALL parts of existing phases/lots (including those that adjoin future phases) to closing on the sale of a home. I am sure there are states that already have that covered. This is not one of them, apparently.
If you want common sense consumer protection, don't move here. Schools are only good in select counties, elevating the cost of living so normal people can't afford to live in them and the rest of our public schools, well... are ok at best. We've lived here almost 4 years and I still can't figure out how to landscape because we're getting the run-around from the developer and our public figures are not helpful.
... END OF VENT***
p.s. 2 seconds after I hit publish, hubby came up the steps with a crystal glass of chilled wine for each of us. Guess he thought I need it, too. ;->
Ok, is it normal for people to take the blinds with them when they move? The people that originally lived in the house across the street left them there. The people that are selling it now took all of them down. Maybe it's just because they are going to paint per the home-buyer's request? She did have a bunch of things on her "fix it before closing" list when I talked with her. I think it's a little odd. I don't think it's worth the trouble, with everything else. And with my luck, some of the slats would break in the move anyway...
Just wonderin'....
Night y'all. Gotta go straighten the kitchen and living room before I hit the sack!
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him, alleluia
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in heav'n along
O praise Him, alleluia
Thou rising moon in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him, alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three in One
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia!
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him, alleluia
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in heav'n along
O praise Him, alleluia
Thou rising moon in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him, alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three in One
O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia!
Wordless Wednesday
Taken this morning:
Taken this morning:
1st asiatic hybrid lily bloom
1st firecracker gladiola blooms peeking from behind the holly bush(For more WW posts, go to 5 minutes for mom or the WW HQ.
To see my WW pics of the loves of my life, visit Hannah-Bear's Cave.)
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Did i mention how tall my glads are getting?
A couple of them are approaching 3 feet tall. Maybe 4. I might get my tape measure out when they start blooming, which should be this week. Guess that's what happens when you water things daily.
The bright red is going to be very cheery... VERY bright. Hopefully they won't clash with our brick. On the other hand, even if they do, it will be nice to have some color. We aren't watering our grass enough to keep it green.
I love fresh picked green beans. I boiled them with fresh garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs, then added butter to them at the end. MMMM.... in case you couldn't tell, I am so relieved they actually grew. I have not had luck growing veggies other than cherry tomatoes in the pots. Even having one decent picking of beans is an improvement. Even if I am the only one who eats more than a token amount. (Bar-b-cutie has convinced baby bear that southern-style green beans are the best. While they are good, I prefer mine to still have nutrients left in them.) We opted to grill the rest of the groundbeef for burgers instead of make pasta... I don't mind when hubby cooks! Baby Bear could have been a perfect WI cheese commercial as she ate her melted cheese from her 1/2 cheesburger. "Mmm, cheese, mmm!!!"
I'm pondering my tackle for tomorrow's Tackle It Tuesday... I am stumped. Overwhelmed, actually. There are lots of things I need to do, and as always, I struggle to move beyond the basic necessities like cleaning the bathroom. There are stacks of clutter in various corners, there's the top of my dresser that has not been visible in months... the drawers that barely shut, probably because there are still some size 6 or 8 pre-marriage and baby weight gain shorts in them that must go... and then there's the closet. Ugh. Oh, and for those of you who haven't had kids yet, unless you are my skinny sister in law, you will not fit into a smaller size even if you drop down to your pre-pregnancy weight. It's not that simple. There's a little stretching which occurs in the whole birthing process that doesn't reverse easily. Not sure if c-sections make shrinking any easier or not... that would be one vain reason to have one electively if they do.
I am finally establishing a habit of straightening the living room and kitchen before bed, and I must admit, it feels good to look down and see the floor. And to not accidentally step on blocks as I go downstairs. 2 days down, how many to go before it's truly a habit?
A couple of them are approaching 3 feet tall. Maybe 4. I might get my tape measure out when they start blooming, which should be this week. Guess that's what happens when you water things daily.
The bright red is going to be very cheery... VERY bright. Hopefully they won't clash with our brick. On the other hand, even if they do, it will be nice to have some color. We aren't watering our grass enough to keep it green.
I love fresh picked green beans. I boiled them with fresh garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs, then added butter to them at the end. MMMM.... in case you couldn't tell, I am so relieved they actually grew. I have not had luck growing veggies other than cherry tomatoes in the pots. Even having one decent picking of beans is an improvement. Even if I am the only one who eats more than a token amount. (Bar-b-cutie has convinced baby bear that southern-style green beans are the best. While they are good, I prefer mine to still have nutrients left in them.) We opted to grill the rest of the groundbeef for burgers instead of make pasta... I don't mind when hubby cooks! Baby Bear could have been a perfect WI cheese commercial as she ate her melted cheese from her 1/2 cheesburger. "Mmm, cheese, mmm!!!"
I'm pondering my tackle for tomorrow's Tackle It Tuesday... I am stumped. Overwhelmed, actually. There are lots of things I need to do, and as always, I struggle to move beyond the basic necessities like cleaning the bathroom. There are stacks of clutter in various corners, there's the top of my dresser that has not been visible in months... the drawers that barely shut, probably because there are still some size 6 or 8 pre-marriage and baby weight gain shorts in them that must go... and then there's the closet. Ugh. Oh, and for those of you who haven't had kids yet, unless you are my skinny sister in law, you will not fit into a smaller size even if you drop down to your pre-pregnancy weight. It's not that simple. There's a little stretching which occurs in the whole birthing process that doesn't reverse easily. Not sure if c-sections make shrinking any easier or not... that would be one vain reason to have one electively if they do.
I am finally establishing a habit of straightening the living room and kitchen before bed, and I must admit, it feels good to look down and see the floor. And to not accidentally step on blocks as I go downstairs. 2 days down, how many to go before it's truly a habit?
Happy Monday!
It's almost noon; let's see what I've accomplished today (I use that term rather loosely):
It's almost noon; let's see what I've accomplished today (I use that term rather loosely):
- walked (with baby bear, of course) to Kroger to buy a $1 9 lb. bag of potting soil (didn't want to spend more in gas than the dirt cost!) Those of you who live in the country, feel free to roll your eyes at $1 for 9 lbs of soewhat decent dirt.
- stopped by starbucks while I was down that way... I couldn't resist, especially since I tucked cash in my pocket as I walked out the door. Their caramel frappuccino is worth every penny. They didn't have any used grounds for gardens in their bin yet, though. Bummer.
- walked home... that made over 2 miles round trip, maybe closer to 3?
- moved mulch aside, added soil around the hostas, black eyed susans, asiaatic lily young calla lillies, all of which seemed to need a little extra good dirt in this drought.
- re-positioned mulch to cover the soil.
- (baby bear "assisted", including eating a little bit of dirt in the process.)
- drew shapes on the sidewalk and let baby bear scribble with her sidewalk chalk.... for well over an hour. She even said all of their names and frequently stepped on the drawing when I called out a specific shape. A neighbor girl, who is 8 or 9, came and played with her, giving me the chance to spray the dirt off my dirty hand spade, baby bear's "tools", and our buckets.
- watered & photographed flowers and veggies
Technically, the berries and honeysuckle are not on our property. They are in that undeveloped part behind our lot. Sometimes I whine about the cliff, but today I remembered that there is nothing like the sweet scent of fresh honeysuckle wafting across the yard. And if the area behind us were developed, we might have nosy neighbors breathing down our neck, or stinky dogs barking through a fence. (I have nothing against dogs in generaal, I just don't want stinky ones next door.) I remembered summertime walks to the Bay, when we would stop and suck the honey out of the flowers on our way. And I wonder if perhaps I'll get a few minutes to pick ripened raspberries and try my hand and Gramma M.'s frozen berries in syrup recipe. I think the birds are enjoying the berries- I've seen a lot of cardinals frolicking back in the trees.
The dishes and various other indoor chores are waiting. And as far as I am concerned, when you have a cooler (80-ish?), partly-cloudy day in this part of the country, you take full advantage of being able to enjoy the outdoors.
3:37 update- got the dishes done and the floor swept, and dinner is planned- bowtie noodles with meat sauce and FRESH from the garden-pot green beans.
The dishes and various other indoor chores are waiting. And as far as I am concerned, when you have a cooler (80-ish?), partly-cloudy day in this part of the country, you take full advantage of being able to enjoy the outdoors.
3:37 update- got the dishes done and the floor swept, and dinner is planned- bowtie noodles with meat sauce and FRESH from the garden-pot green beans.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
i heart family time
this is the first weekend in a long time we have ended up with nothing we have to do. last night's home fellowship group was called off due to illness and delayed flights, so we went out to pei wei's- the less expensive version of pf chang's. you order at the counter, you get your own drinks, they bring your food out to you. just as yummy, in my opinion. baby bear loved the broccoli in our ginger broccoli chicken. she liked my chicken and daddy's honey-seared chicken, too.
today, we slept in blissfully til about 7:30. we heard baby bear chattering in her room before then, but she was happy, and so were we. had to make a grocery run, came home for lunch... turkey sandwiches with meister's garden fresh cheese. it was on sale when we were in WI, so we picked up extra.
we played with baby bear, read books together, took afternoon naps (long ones), played some more (outside and inside). and i replaced the seatbelt on baby bear's radio flyer trike, so now she has a seatbelt that actually buckles. hubby helped, too, but it was i who found the utility strap with buckle in the camping dept. at wal-mart and figured out how to take off the old straps.
we grilled burgers for dinner, and realized that the 3 for 99 cent corn at wal-mart is field corn, not sweet corn. ugh. pasty, not sweet. hannah liked it, but we didn't. must be midwestern discraminating tastes from our childhood coming back to haunt us. at least it was cheap. it looked pretty and fresh, for all that's worth. we put the previously mentioned cheese on all our burgers.. yes, even hubby!
after dinner, came watering time. i watered my veggie plants (picked some yesterday!), hubby set up the sprinkler. baby bear saw the "rain" and wanted to get in it... when she felt the force, she wasn't as excited. i found out that the circo swimsuit i purchased at target in size 2T for our beach trip may be too small by august. Argh. that's what happens when your daughter a) has her mommy's long torso and b) likes to eat. everything. so that most likely means the adorable swimsuit that was in the handed down box from her cousins is too small, too... it's an 18 month size, i believe. double argh. i swear, baby clothes are no better fitting than adult clothes. she has some 18 month clothes that still fit, 24 month jeans that fall off her (if you've seen her belly lately, you kow that's just wrong), and 2T things that are too small.
Anyway, she helped me water the flowers that the sprinkler missed... and the sidewalk. and her feet. Earlier today she tried to help us sweep up the day lily leaves which I had thinned out. She insisted on holding the very end of the handle of the garage broom like her mommy and daddy do, even though we showed her time and again that she would have more control holding it closer to the brush. and if we took it away, she exclaimed, "help!" So cute! She also likes to help put the utencils in their drawer... she stands on a chair with the back to the drawer, I hand her a utencil, and she puts it somewhere. I correct her if she gets the wrong spot, and of course it takes three times as long as if I had done it myself... but it keeps her from hanging on my legs and possibly pulling my pants down in the process, and she is learning what she can do. She did give us a scare at lunch when she grabbed the pearing knive off the table (I had thought it was out of her reach, but I was wrong) and a grape and said "help!" (I cut her grapes in half for her). Thankfully Daddy was right there and he gently took the knife from her and helped cut the grape in half.
hubby now has his freshly-clipped hair, hiding the extra grays that are starting to peek through. plus it helps him stay cooler. i told him he owes me $15 of no questions asked shopping. he does clean up the mess in the bathroom, so i can't complain too much, even though great clips is less than 2 miles away.
I guess most of this post could have gone on baby bear's blog.. oh, well. I'll put the pictures on that one.
hope y'all are having a great weekend so far!
this is the first weekend in a long time we have ended up with nothing we have to do. last night's home fellowship group was called off due to illness and delayed flights, so we went out to pei wei's- the less expensive version of pf chang's. you order at the counter, you get your own drinks, they bring your food out to you. just as yummy, in my opinion. baby bear loved the broccoli in our ginger broccoli chicken. she liked my chicken and daddy's honey-seared chicken, too.
today, we slept in blissfully til about 7:30. we heard baby bear chattering in her room before then, but she was happy, and so were we. had to make a grocery run, came home for lunch... turkey sandwiches with meister's garden fresh cheese. it was on sale when we were in WI, so we picked up extra.
we played with baby bear, read books together, took afternoon naps (long ones), played some more (outside and inside). and i replaced the seatbelt on baby bear's radio flyer trike, so now she has a seatbelt that actually buckles. hubby helped, too, but it was i who found the utility strap with buckle in the camping dept. at wal-mart and figured out how to take off the old straps.
we grilled burgers for dinner, and realized that the 3 for 99 cent corn at wal-mart is field corn, not sweet corn. ugh. pasty, not sweet. hannah liked it, but we didn't. must be midwestern discraminating tastes from our childhood coming back to haunt us. at least it was cheap. it looked pretty and fresh, for all that's worth. we put the previously mentioned cheese on all our burgers.. yes, even hubby!
after dinner, came watering time. i watered my veggie plants (picked some yesterday!), hubby set up the sprinkler. baby bear saw the "rain" and wanted to get in it... when she felt the force, she wasn't as excited. i found out that the circo swimsuit i purchased at target in size 2T for our beach trip may be too small by august. Argh. that's what happens when your daughter a) has her mommy's long torso and b) likes to eat. everything. so that most likely means the adorable swimsuit that was in the handed down box from her cousins is too small, too... it's an 18 month size, i believe. double argh. i swear, baby clothes are no better fitting than adult clothes. she has some 18 month clothes that still fit, 24 month jeans that fall off her (if you've seen her belly lately, you kow that's just wrong), and 2T things that are too small.
Anyway, she helped me water the flowers that the sprinkler missed... and the sidewalk. and her feet. Earlier today she tried to help us sweep up the day lily leaves which I had thinned out. She insisted on holding the very end of the handle of the garage broom like her mommy and daddy do, even though we showed her time and again that she would have more control holding it closer to the brush. and if we took it away, she exclaimed, "help!" So cute! She also likes to help put the utencils in their drawer... she stands on a chair with the back to the drawer, I hand her a utencil, and she puts it somewhere. I correct her if she gets the wrong spot, and of course it takes three times as long as if I had done it myself... but it keeps her from hanging on my legs and possibly pulling my pants down in the process, and she is learning what she can do. She did give us a scare at lunch when she grabbed the pearing knive off the table (I had thought it was out of her reach, but I was wrong) and a grape and said "help!" (I cut her grapes in half for her). Thankfully Daddy was right there and he gently took the knife from her and helped cut the grape in half.
hubby now has his freshly-clipped hair, hiding the extra grays that are starting to peek through. plus it helps him stay cooler. i told him he owes me $15 of no questions asked shopping. he does clean up the mess in the bathroom, so i can't complain too much, even though great clips is less than 2 miles away.
I guess most of this post could have gone on baby bear's blog.. oh, well. I'll put the pictures on that one.
hope y'all are having a great weekend so far!
Friday, June 08, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Cancer sucks.
Another Mom, Nattie, met her Savior early. I hardly knew her, but in light of Tech Mom's recent post, and a conversation I had with a very dear friend this afternoon, I find myself in tears. For all of them. All who have recently lost a loved one due to any form of the disease.
And I look at my wrist. I have this scar across it, it reminds me that cancer can touch anywhere, at any time. And it can be healed. It was once, by a simple procedure. Why I was lucky, I don't know. October will mark 5 years from when the melanoma was removed from my wrist.
I think of the ones I love, and sometimes I'm scared it will return. Oh, I know all the pat answers. I know God is in control, I know the praise songs and verses. Just bear with me a moment while I vent and cry a little. Whenever I hear about more kids losing their moms, I can't help but pray... fear creeps back in, and I can't help it... Please God, I want to see you, but not yet. Keep it away. Please.
Pray for Nattie Rose's girls, as well as all the families who have lost loved ones to terrible disease.
We never forget. While our loved ones are physically healed for eternity, the emotional healing for those of us left on earth takes time.
Another Mom, Nattie, met her Savior early. I hardly knew her, but in light of Tech Mom's recent post, and a conversation I had with a very dear friend this afternoon, I find myself in tears. For all of them. All who have recently lost a loved one due to any form of the disease.
And I look at my wrist. I have this scar across it, it reminds me that cancer can touch anywhere, at any time. And it can be healed. It was once, by a simple procedure. Why I was lucky, I don't know. October will mark 5 years from when the melanoma was removed from my wrist.
I think of the ones I love, and sometimes I'm scared it will return. Oh, I know all the pat answers. I know God is in control, I know the praise songs and verses. Just bear with me a moment while I vent and cry a little. Whenever I hear about more kids losing their moms, I can't help but pray... fear creeps back in, and I can't help it... Please God, I want to see you, but not yet. Keep it away. Please.
Pray for Nattie Rose's girls, as well as all the families who have lost loved ones to terrible disease.
We never forget. While our loved ones are physically healed for eternity, the emotional healing for those of us left on earth takes time.
What a neat idea!
I was checking out today's Apronpalooza post, and the name of the highlighted company caught my eye... Olive Juice & Co.
That made me wonder- black or green? I like them both. Anyway, this particular crafty woman has "Apron Kits" for those who you who sew and would like to make your own. I know there are a couple of lurkers who sew something besides a button, hem or seam every now and then. :-)
I was checking out today's Apronpalooza post, and the name of the highlighted company caught my eye... Olive Juice & Co.
That made me wonder- black or green? I like them both. Anyway, this particular crafty woman has "Apron Kits" for those who you who sew and would like to make your own. I know there are a couple of lurkers who sew something besides a button, hem or seam every now and then. :-)
nice visit
yummy food. we were stuffed, and then we came home for cake.
it's hard to believe that my cousin's kids are 18 and 15, respectively. he showed us photos, and they are beautiful. oldest got to go to prom this year. she is a triplet. she is the only one of the 3 who lived. that makes her an extra-special blessing. oh, i hope she knows that. i wonder if she ever misses the sisters she never really got to know. after my miscarriage, i can only imagine the heartache and joy her parents felt during the whole process. and now she is growing up, discovering who she is. realizing that she has been sheltered (protected) and as a legal adult, given the responsibility of making choices and still honoring her parents while she lives with them. i don't miss that stage of life one bit. son's soccer team won a tournament on the Cape last weekend. that just rocks. he's a cutie, too.
baby bear was shy at first (i think the upstate ny accent scared her a little), but she eventually warmed up enough to sit on oldest cousin's lap, show him her "baby" photo album, oblivious to the fact that she is the heroine of the collection. she just thinks the baby is precious. so do we.
it was nice to have a chance to connect with a distant relative. and now we have to figure out how and when to get over to see his parents, who live near Zann, because it's been a while since they have seen their great-niece.
yummy food. we were stuffed, and then we came home for cake.
it's hard to believe that my cousin's kids are 18 and 15, respectively. he showed us photos, and they are beautiful. oldest got to go to prom this year. she is a triplet. she is the only one of the 3 who lived. that makes her an extra-special blessing. oh, i hope she knows that. i wonder if she ever misses the sisters she never really got to know. after my miscarriage, i can only imagine the heartache and joy her parents felt during the whole process. and now she is growing up, discovering who she is. realizing that she has been sheltered (protected) and as a legal adult, given the responsibility of making choices and still honoring her parents while she lives with them. i don't miss that stage of life one bit. son's soccer team won a tournament on the Cape last weekend. that just rocks. he's a cutie, too.
baby bear was shy at first (i think the upstate ny accent scared her a little), but she eventually warmed up enough to sit on oldest cousin's lap, show him her "baby" photo album, oblivious to the fact that she is the heroine of the collection. she just thinks the baby is precious. so do we.
it was nice to have a chance to connect with a distant relative. and now we have to figure out how and when to get over to see his parents, who live near Zann, because it's been a while since they have seen their great-niece.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The nice thing about punishing yourself...
is being able to reinstate your priveleges whenever you see fit. After working in my comfiest pair of torn jeans (holes in one knee and around the back pockets), I see fit.
That leftover cake that I baked on Monday sure will taste yummy tonight! And I worked off all the calories in advance.
The best part? Hubby just got home so he will get to join us for dinner tonight!
is being able to reinstate your priveleges whenever you see fit. After working in my comfiest pair of torn jeans (holes in one knee and around the back pockets), I see fit.
- LR picked up... vacuumed with bear's toy vacuum, but I'm not vacuuming for real until she's up from her p.m. nap.
- Kitchen/Dining room picked up, counter 4/5 cleaned off, floor swept & mopped
- Guest bathroom cleaned
- Master bath mirror and counter cleaned
- glass storm door and back door de-smudged of fingerprints
- flowerbed & veggies watered
- colored, read & danced with baby bear
That leftover cake that I baked on Monday sure will taste yummy tonight! And I worked off all the calories in advance.
The best part? Hubby just got home so he will get to join us for dinner tonight!
I don't know about you, but I don't own an apron. One of my sisters-in-law loves them,
and this contest reminded me of her.
Then I got to thinking...
it sure would be fun to win an apron!
Nan, over at Life Is Like a Lunchbox, is sponsoring thi series of giveaways.
She has links and giveaways from several Mom-made apron-sellers.
So far, my favorites are at Momo's Retro Fashions and Apronique.
I think wearing one of these and blasting Staci Orrico on my stereo
could put me in housekeeping mode!
"Jesus Saves"
(No Passing Zone)
(No Passing Zone)
For more Wordless Wednesday posts, visit the WW Headquarters or 5 minutes for mom.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
i'm jealous of farm wife and inkling. and my hubby.
there, i've confessed it. you may wonder what all 3 of them have in common, considering hubby has never met the first two.
they know many of their cousins. some well, most of them at least well enough to recognize and know something about. i could pass several of my first cousins on the street and not have a clue. i was reminded of this tonight, as i became facebook friends with my aunt and one of my cousins. (yes, i'm on facebook. i'm not really sure why, other than to feed my internet addiction, i suppose. and it has been fun to touch base with some friends from college, one of hubby's cousins, and now my own extended family! besides, feeding the habit is easy to do when hubby's travelling and baby bear is asleep.)
tomorrow night, Lord willing, i will get to see one of my older cousins (the oldest on dad's side, i think) for the first time since our grandfather's funeral. he's in town on business, and my parents and i are going to meet him for dinner and then come back here for dessert.
there, i've confessed it. you may wonder what all 3 of them have in common, considering hubby has never met the first two.
they know many of their cousins. some well, most of them at least well enough to recognize and know something about. i could pass several of my first cousins on the street and not have a clue. i was reminded of this tonight, as i became facebook friends with my aunt and one of my cousins. (yes, i'm on facebook. i'm not really sure why, other than to feed my internet addiction, i suppose. and it has been fun to touch base with some friends from college, one of hubby's cousins, and now my own extended family! besides, feeding the habit is easy to do when hubby's travelling and baby bear is asleep.)
tomorrow night, Lord willing, i will get to see one of my older cousins (the oldest on dad's side, i think) for the first time since our grandfather's funeral. he's in town on business, and my parents and i are going to meet him for dinner and then come back here for dessert.
finally....
a rain shower! ok, i guess it was a storm since we had some thunder and lightning. it was short, but i think we got enough water to help a little bit. it came after the sprinkler had watered my lawn and flowerbeds this evening, so they should be in good shape tomorrow, also. don't want to drown my green babies.
a rain shower! ok, i guess it was a storm since we had some thunder and lightning. it was short, but i think we got enough water to help a little bit. it came after the sprinkler had watered my lawn and flowerbeds this evening, so they should be in good shape tomorrow, also. don't want to drown my green babies.
THE FREEZER THAT THREW THINGS AT ME
BEFORE:
DURING:
AFTER:
I found an ice pack that belongs to a family member... probably one of the Moms.The freezer spit out all the freezer pops, and baby bear, having discovered the sugary treat a couple of weeks ago, begged for one. I strapped her into her seat and got to work, pausing only to help her get more popsicle out of the plastic and into her mouth.
After completing my tackle, I learned that Folgers doesn't
make a good caramel frappucino, even if it's pretty in the glass.
I think I'll use the remainder as plant food in my garden,
because nobody in their right mind in my family
(at least, hubby's side) would drink stale Folgers.
I hear Starbucks calling out to me... and I'm not much of a coffee drinker!
There, I tackled something new.
It took more time to post about it than to actually complete the tackle.
What have you tackled today?
JOIN THE FUN, I DARE YA!
my green babies' update & garden theology-
yes, i post about my flowers a lot. more than my daughter, even. i admit, they have become a bit of an obsession. i was going to save these for tomorrow's Wordless Wednesday, but some of them were actually taken today, and i am amazed by the details God puts into His creation. the gladiola "braid" will probably look different tomorrow, it's amazing how plants change behind our backs!
i can't help but wonder.... before the fall, were Adam and Eve just there to watch and enjoy? are weeds and plants' struggles to survive an effect the fall had on creation? God said what He made was good.... was all of nature in balance by divine providence. if it was, what did His people actually do before the fall required weeding and watering to help plants flourish? i like to think that He created everything good, and that included the need for tending and work. otherwise, what responsiblity would Adam and Eve have had? i wonder what digging into the Word would uncover about this...
anyway, here are my photos...
"Flou-flou"- yes, I am aware callas are poisonous. I don't let her play with them unsupervised. she actually dug these out of the trash; they are very green on the outside, so i threw them away. i think she was trying to tell me they are still beautiful. or she's just plain curious.
my most beautiful "flower" discovers sidewalk chalk
firecracker gladiola leaves- the braiding must be where the blooms will come out?
"mystery plant" from a lady from tech Mom's church
my callas- before I cut some for my mantle
1 young, 3 old
calla reflection
getting old... but still beautiful
yes, i post about my flowers a lot. more than my daughter, even. i admit, they have become a bit of an obsession. i was going to save these for tomorrow's Wordless Wednesday, but some of them were actually taken today, and i am amazed by the details God puts into His creation. the gladiola "braid" will probably look different tomorrow, it's amazing how plants change behind our backs!
i can't help but wonder.... before the fall, were Adam and Eve just there to watch and enjoy? are weeds and plants' struggles to survive an effect the fall had on creation? God said what He made was good.... was all of nature in balance by divine providence. if it was, what did His people actually do before the fall required weeding and watering to help plants flourish? i like to think that He created everything good, and that included the need for tending and work. otherwise, what responsiblity would Adam and Eve have had? i wonder what digging into the Word would uncover about this...
anyway, here are my photos...
"Flou-flou"- yes, I am aware callas are poisonous. I don't let her play with them unsupervised. she actually dug these out of the trash; they are very green on the outside, so i threw them away. i think she was trying to tell me they are still beautiful. or she's just plain curious.
my most beautiful "flower" discovers sidewalk chalk
firecracker gladiola leaves- the braiding must be where the blooms will come out?
"mystery plant" from a lady from tech Mom's church
my callas- before I cut some for my mantle
1 young, 3 old
calla reflection
getting old... but still beautifuli also have some tiny green beans on my plants out back. my camera batteries died, so i guess photos of them will come later.
"what shall i tackle tuesday?"
the usual?-
kitchen floor, which is currently covered in oh's cereal and an assortment of crumbs.
the living room, which is currently covered by blocks and other toys
the bathrooms, which aren't so spic-and-span today. where is mr. clean when i need him?
laundry? oh wait, i got that "done" yesterday!
bed sheets?
something else, perhaps?-
the freezer, which throws something at me every time i open the door
baby bear's scrapbook, which still waits to move beyond page 5
the master bedroom, which looks like a tornado went through it
i read a quote somewhere that said something along the lines of, "if you are indecisive, you're dead." i hate to burst someone's bubble, but i am very much alive, thank you very much. i just can't make up my mind about pretty much anything else.
i did have an idea around 4 a.m., as i tossed and turned after a late-night potty break. too bad i can't remember what it was!
happy tuesday tackles...
i'll let you know what i decided later, after i've accomplished something!
i'll let you know what i decided later, after i've accomplished something!
For actual "Tackle It Tuesday" Participants, go to 5 minutes for Mom's Tackle It Tuesday HQ.
Monday, June 04, 2007
cookbook musings
somebody recently commented to me that online recipe sources are making cookbooks obsolete.
oh, i hope not. at least, not family cookbooks. for Christmas last year, my mom-in-law gave each of her girls a cookbook which was compiled by a distant cousin (i think). this lady compiled her mom's recipes into a bound and printed source, including some photocopies of her actually hand-written recipes. she also noted who the recipe came from, so there are submissions from hubby's great-gramma and great-aunt, among others.
with the rise of modern technology, i fear the traditional ways of heritage sharing are dwindling. instead of calling my mom or mom-in-law, i tend to just look things up online, as i did with my yummy cake this weekend. that's not always a bad thing, but how i wish i had my grandma helen's recipes for lamb roast and other things! i would love to be able to tell my children, "so-and-so used to make this!" of course, it would be even better if they like the taste of what
i give them...
i hope that the next time i have the urge to try something "new" in the kitchen, i will remember the book of our relatives' treasured old recipes before i go online.
somebody recently commented to me that online recipe sources are making cookbooks obsolete.
oh, i hope not. at least, not family cookbooks. for Christmas last year, my mom-in-law gave each of her girls a cookbook which was compiled by a distant cousin (i think). this lady compiled her mom's recipes into a bound and printed source, including some photocopies of her actually hand-written recipes. she also noted who the recipe came from, so there are submissions from hubby's great-gramma and great-aunt, among others.
with the rise of modern technology, i fear the traditional ways of heritage sharing are dwindling. instead of calling my mom or mom-in-law, i tend to just look things up online, as i did with my yummy cake this weekend. that's not always a bad thing, but how i wish i had my grandma helen's recipes for lamb roast and other things! i would love to be able to tell my children, "so-and-so used to make this!" of course, it would be even better if they like the taste of what
i give them...
i hope that the next time i have the urge to try something "new" in the kitchen, i will remember the book of our relatives' treasured old recipes before i go online.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
experiment succeeded.
cake was yummy!
i used cool whip instead of frosting on top, as some of the reviewers on bettycrocker.com suggested.
my 1/4 crema de coco and 1/4 cup 2% substituted for the 1/2 c coconut milk worked great.
the bananas gave the cake a little extra body.
the toasted coconut flakes were a nice touch, and i have some left over to sprinkle over ice cream... mmmmm
hubby liked it. dad liked it. mom liked it. i liked it. yes, i'd say that recipe is a keeper. it may not be completely from scratch, but that's ok by me. i can think of lots of variations... strawberries on top, pineapple on top... the list goes on.
the church picnic was fun. i got to see stephanie's precious girls... baby e is adorable with her mommy's dark, dark hair. baby bear seemed overwhelmed by all the people at grandma and grandaddy's house, but it did not take her long to get over her possessiveness and make friends with everybody. she even gave some of the other toddlers kisses. and of course, the kids loved splashing at the goldfish in the pond. the rain held off, except for a few sprinkles, though it seemed to rain all around us. we could have all piled into the house, but it would have been crowded. and my dad's living room looks like a gallery of his artwork right now, so we would have had to be careful... did i mention there were a lot of little kids around?
we were the last to leave. i love watching baby bear play or cuddle with her grandparents. since we live relatively close, i think we're going to have to start saying heck with gas prices and make it a point to get together at least once a week. we are blessed to have at least one set so close, and the others not very much farther away.
cake was yummy!
i used cool whip instead of frosting on top, as some of the reviewers on bettycrocker.com suggested.
my 1/4 crema de coco and 1/4 cup 2% substituted for the 1/2 c coconut milk worked great.
the bananas gave the cake a little extra body.
the toasted coconut flakes were a nice touch, and i have some left over to sprinkle over ice cream... mmmmm
hubby liked it. dad liked it. mom liked it. i liked it. yes, i'd say that recipe is a keeper. it may not be completely from scratch, but that's ok by me. i can think of lots of variations... strawberries on top, pineapple on top... the list goes on.
the church picnic was fun. i got to see stephanie's precious girls... baby e is adorable with her mommy's dark, dark hair. baby bear seemed overwhelmed by all the people at grandma and grandaddy's house, but it did not take her long to get over her possessiveness and make friends with everybody. she even gave some of the other toddlers kisses. and of course, the kids loved splashing at the goldfish in the pond. the rain held off, except for a few sprinkles, though it seemed to rain all around us. we could have all piled into the house, but it would have been crowded. and my dad's living room looks like a gallery of his artwork right now, so we would have had to be careful... did i mention there were a lot of little kids around?
we were the last to leave. i love watching baby bear play or cuddle with her grandparents. since we live relatively close, i think we're going to have to start saying heck with gas prices and make it a point to get together at least once a week. we are blessed to have at least one set so close, and the others not very much farther away.
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