Works for Me Wednesday: Christmas card display

Well, I haven't been posting as much lately, so I thought I'd share what's working for me and see what you guys do.

I have 2 ways I display my cards. 1 is a 3-4 foot long carboard card holder thingy that I bought from a school fundraiser. It holds the photo cards and horizontal cards. The other is an idea I got from my Mom. She always used to hang the horizontal cards over a fishing wire or dental floss tacked into the dining room wall. Well, I've taken a string of yarn and tied it from one end of the top of the blinds (in my dining room, last year I did it in the living room, I think) to the other, and that's where I am hanging my top-fold cards. I may also start clipping the other cards to it with clothespins.

What works for you, so the cards from loved ones don't get buried on the counter?

Not-so-wordless/works-for-me Wednesday

earth-pots

herb pot: basil, oregano, & thyme

bean pot

cherry tomato pot

I inherited the above pots from Tech Mom and Dad, and have used them as my garden. Why? Well, the short story is that I don't trust the dirt in our back yard. Construction crews dump all kinds of trash, and who knows how long that junk stays in the ground. I don't want it going into my veggies. Plus, I got the pots full of soil from Wisconsin- nice, black dirt. Well, this Spring, I emptied one of the pots, using the soil for planting my annuals and bulbs in my flower bed... We bought some more potting soil and manure last weekend, and I moved the tomato seedlings into their new home today. Works for me!

soon-to-bloom pink calla lily
(framed by yellow celosia, purple and white verbena, and white snapdragon)

It may not be Wednesday yet, but I want to focus on other things tomorrow.
However, I wanted to share these photos.
(I'm ecstatic that the callas made it through the winter and
didn't come spike before the pre-Easter freeze.)
And since the tomato pot was part of Tuesday's Tackle, why not post it today?

For more WW participants, go to 5 minutes for Mom or the Wordless Wednesday HQ.
Fore more WFMW, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

works for me wednesday: project "get hubby to eat green veggies"

With asparagus in season and on sale, I took it upon myself to buy some for ou family. I like it, Baby-bear likes it... hubby tolerates it. I LOVE green veggies with pasta. They provide balance. And since I had decided to make chicken-bowtie pasta tonight, I decided asparagus would be a perfect side. Hubby eats green bean casserole. I use that term cautiously. I don't mean that he thoroughly enjoys to eat it. But as those of you who've been around here a while know, he's not that easy to cook for. And the fact that somehow in the last couple of years, he has decided green bean casserole is tolerable, is nothing short of a miracle. He hates creamy casseroles. Anything with mayo makes him gag. But the combo of cream of mushroom soup, French's fried onions, and green beans is edible to him.

Well, I decided to try asparagus casserole on him tonight. I substituted cream of chicken for cream of mushroom soup, as that's what was in the pantry. I boiled some water, then boiled 1 lb. of crispy, fresh asparagus til tender but not floppy (about 5 minutes). Then I followed the directions for green bean casserole as they are on the can. I used garlic salt, sea salt, pepper, and italian seasonings to add extra flavor.

Verdict? Works for me. Hubby ate his whole portion. Sure, it was only about 1/4 cup, and no more. But he cleaned his plate. Baby bear probably ate twice as much asparagus as her Daddy.

I'm breaking him down, one veggie at a time.

Toddler time...

I've been reading some other mom's posts today, and after this post I WILL get offline. Baby-bear naps, and I must say the laptop is like a Siren beckoning to me... I did begin reading through Proverbs a little earlier, and think that is a very good place to get back into the Word.

Anyway, I just wanted to share something I found, and perhaps open up some conversation based on a blog I just read. The author of the blog "So Many Joys" shares some TV-Free Toddler Activities for her Works-for-Me Wednesday entry.

Baby Bear loves following me while I work on laundry, putting pop cans in the fridge, and today she put her new baby wipes into the cabinet of her dresser for storage. She would rather tear blocks down than stack them up, but at least she has fun doing it.

What are some of your favorite TV-Free activities? I've found myself getting into a TV-rut with Baby Bear's new videos (she loves Blue's Room). She is starting to enjoy coloring, but she has yet to learn that she can't color everything she wants. If you don't have toddlers (i.e. they are grown or you aren't "there" yet), what are some things you used to do with your kids or you have seen others do that you plan to implement with your kids?