Something New

I just finished my first canning experience, and it was fun! I had to trial it in a small batch to make sure I knew what I was doing....I have always been nervous to actually can. Growing up, Mom always used a pressure canner and I knew I was too afraid to try that! It would probably explode on me...hee hee....anyway, so I went with the boiling method and it went pretty smoothly...except for the fact that I am a last minute person and didn't really check all my ingredients first:) So I made a quick run to the grocery to get a very large bag of sugar!

So now I have a nice little stash of my very own Strawberry Rhubarb Spice Jam! Now....what to do with the rest of my strawberries and rhubarb?

Should I be worried?

Let me translate: (found on the floor)
how to sneak

• always be ready to freeze
• be quiet
• be ready to hide
• look all around for windows
• walk next to walls
• do not get on top of things stay below them
• if there's a shower or bath with a curtain, do not shut the curtain

Drew must be practicing for hide and go seek or spy work....

I need ideas

This weekend I re-did a piece of furniture that was in our basement (the green cabinet). It was a dark walnut with a "lovely" (not) pickle finish with brass hardware. I even reused the hardware...just a little black and silver spray paint. I was super excited to put it in our bedroom and use it as my new sewing cabinet. We are blessed with abundant space in our bedroom. I also had a great big mirror that went over my long dresser (part of our bedroom suite that's 20+ yrs. old). I have been wanting to paint the frame black to pull in other black elements in the room. Anyway, I was touching up with the second coat of paint and let it dry outside. Later, I heard a thump and to my horrific surprise the wind blew it over and broke all the mirror out! I was SO sad and sought out hugs to recuperate:) After I cleaned the mess up, I just couldn't bear to give up. I had looked forward to painting this mirror for over a year and just now got to it! So I put it up anyway (refusing to be defeated by the wind) and used it as sort of a bulletin board. So I thought I would ask you what you would do....Do you have any brilliant ideas for using this piece? Does it look stupid with pictures hanging? Would you go get a piece of mirror cut for it? I was trying not to spend any money....also, look at the wall....I was thinking of hanging something to the left (3 of something, just don't know what)....any ideas? Probably put an upholstered wood chair (need it to sew with anyway) as decor to the left as well....I have one I found in the trash a while back..

Would love to hear what you'd do...especially with the tragic mirror!

Thanks! Oh, I don't want to leave out the fact that my kids are great helpers! Molly (aka Cinderella) took all the bolts out of the back of my lovely mirror and all the kids took all the hardware off of our furniture and replaced it with updated hardware! Great kids!
Abby

First Day of School

It's hard to believe but Drew is off to school in 3rd grade this year and Jack in 2nd. Things change as the school year gets started once again:

• I get back on a schedule because I have to, not because I want to.
• I don't have to run the dishwasher 2 times a day.
• Bedtime is earlier...more quiet time in the evening for Scott and I.
• More laundry....I couldn't possibly send a child to school in the same outfit as the day before:)(yes, in the summer I would let them if they weren't too stinky...prob. a bad mom I know)
• Different bus route.....making the kids get out to the busy about 20 min earlier, which means I have to get up 20 min. earlier...yea!!!! no not really.
• More things/appts. added to my schedule....pto, gymnastics, whew...no soccer (the boys opt'd out...Scouts are starting though...., field trips, volunteering at school.
• eating school lunch with my kids and their friends
• hugs and kisses as they head out the door EVERY morning
• being prepared with packing lunches most mornings
• watching my boys get ready for school by themselves: I don't know what came over them but they are getting dressed by themselves, combing their hair and eating breakfast all by themselves. They must have talked to Julie's kids!

Hope your school year goes well too!

Here's to you, Grandpa!

1921-2010

Here's to you, Art

WWII Vet, golfer, and friend



Here's to you, Husband

47 years, Florida-travellers, and tractor collector



Here's to you, Dad

Provider, woodcrafter, and 2 wonderful children



Here's to you, Grandpa

King's Island chauffeur, sea gull feeder, and Christmas Extraordinaire



Here's to you, Great-Grandpa

Snuggler, Candy-giver, and jokester



Here's to you, Art

89 years; Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa



We love you and miss you!

Oh Crackers!

I love to bake, especially breads and one thing on my list of "to do's" are to make crackers....and boy did these turn out good! They didn't last long around the house. I brushed them with a little of my TS Roasted Garlic Oil (oh yum...it's one of my new favorites that is retiring Aug 31 boo hoo...yes, I am stocking up on it) and sprinkled them with

Kosher salt and TS Garlic Pepper (another one I am stocking up on before it retires).

Cowboy Jack wanted to help with the stirring. I love the way he dresses up in different characters....today he was a cowboy.

Now, if I can just get over my sinus problems I would feel much better! I think I better go lie down....again.....

Don't Look UP

After walking up a restaurant's steps, I looked up...I sure hope they are securely fastened to the chandelier! By the way, great places to eat in Minneapolis! So many....hard to choose from but this one was very good! Hell's Kitchen....

I spent almost a week in Minneapolis for my Tastefully Simple National Conference. I had a chance to tour the headquarters, which was absolutely fab. What a great place to work! Their break room had every sort of fun thing to do....pool, tv, coffee bar, dim lights, fire place....I could go on. They also had a workout room, beautiful landscape, a huge peaceful lake property (named after our top seller Bountiful Beer Bread, Lake Bountiful) complete with a small cabin, beautifully decorated old farm home, and a fire pit.

Now back to the real world and getting those kids ready for school....soon....

Summer passes quickly

I can't believe how time flies....but it does. The boys will head back to school on the 10th, which seems extremely early. It has been a fun summer just hanging out with the kids not doing a whole lot. We did get to go to the lake with my family and we had such a great time! The boys also had fun with the track program here at the High School. I was impressed at how they learned to use the starting blocks, the hurdles, and techniques for long jump and high jump. Here are some pics to share....

My kids adore little ones....especialy Lily! They ask when are we going to see her next....

Drew, Jack and Molly all tried skiing. They all did a great job trying! It was a lot of work to keep their legs in the right position with their skies in the right position, etc.... They would get up but not straighten up so then they wouldn't last long and fall. Maybe next year!

I did wait until almost the last day to try wakeboarding... I was sore the rest of the time....I won't bore you with pics:) but it was fun once I got up. All the men made it look easy...even my dad! I didn't get pics of everyone but made posters of dad and my nephews for fun!

I heart ruffles!

Since I am all about ruffles, and old t-shirts.....I took one of Molly's dresses she's not worn much and added some ruffles from another old t-shirt....don't worry honey, they're not your old t-shirts....I have learned my lesson on that*(see note below).

The before: Oh So plain....

The after: Heart ruffle in the front that trails to the back....don't you like her poses?

*when we were first married, I needed rags for cleaning and went into Scott's closet and swiped some t-shirts that I thought were old and cut them up.....he was not happy.

Boring white T transformed

So back at my sewing fun.....I took an old Hanes T shirt from the boys and transformed into this frilly little number....under the cardigan....Molly was tired and didn't want to model for me....

My goal is to start taking things I would normally give to Goodwill and repurpose them for my good will.:)

I did it! I lost.....

12 inches! Those of you who know me, may not believe me 'til you see! Now you are probably thinking body inches.....I wish....any how....nope....I cut my hair....and boy does it feel good. I probably will let it grow out again, but I was so tired of just pulling it back in a pony tail! I do kinda miss it....but it will be cooler and hopefully less headaches.

Here's a pic, mom.....(who said, "why did you do that?" when I told her last night)

Wha 'cha doin'?

I haven't had time to blog....busy busy....but we have had some fun:

Let's start with April Fool's Day....I fooled the kids, and Scott, with a Mystery Dinner. They had to select their Star Wars character choices for Appetizer, Main Meal, and dessert. However, they didn't know what they were ordering. It was a lot of fun and the kids decided they wanted to do this for every holiday.....

Drew ordered mac and cheese and a hot dog for his appetizer and didn't order his silverware....LOL...Molly had gotten her chocolate mousse and pink lemonade for her appetizer...

Then there is the everyday "hanging out" with Barbie....Molly had wanted to play with Legos, so I got out the bigger ones for her and pretty soon I turn around and she has Barbie hand-cuffed to Harold the Helicopter....poor Barbie!

I also tackled a sewing project with a real pattern! and it was my first really successful pattern/sewing thing I have done. After I had started sewing, I realized that the pattern was a lot like an outfit I had wanted to purchase for the last two year but couldn't justify spending $79 for my ever-growing daughter who couldn't care less. So I added the ruffles to the outfit to make it look just like what I had wanted....for a lot less.

Easter came around....we always like to get together with friends...so this year I had a group over....and lots of kids. They had fun hunting for eggs.....

and playing football. While the grown ups hung out....

I got some crafting in.....a headband with Molly silhouette on it...

Drew worked very hard on his Red-Eyed Tree Frog project. He had to do a power point, a diorama, and a clay figure with parts labeled.....yes, in 2nd grade. This was the kind of stuff that he loves to do, so he had a blast. Then the whole 2nd grade had a special Safari Night at school and they had all their projects set up and parents walked thru them all (well not all) and listened to the kids' presentation. It was a neat idea!

Then back in Feb, I went to Tastefully Simple Regional Conference in Cinci. We had such a blast...especially that I got to take 9 of my team members with me! It was so fun to have a team to celebrate with! I am so thankful to have a growing team with such wonderful women...... and men...sorry Marc:)

Drew and Jack both had Grandparents Day/Special Friends Day at school so since neither of the grandparents could make it, they had some little friends who came and shared the morning with them, along with Scott and I. Here Cohen was helping Drew with a craft.

Jack had posted this note on their bedroom door...Drew had wrote real small on the bottom of each note "He doesn't mean it". :)

My parents were also up here last weekend which was a blast! It was a short visit, but a sweet one:) I have no pics....what's up with that? Don't know! Maybe my mom will send me some.

Crayon Apron

It's a rainy day and I am still in the crafting mode, so I made something I have always wanted to try to make. A cute apron to hold crayons for Molly since she is quite the colorer (is that a word?). I am not good at keeping track of what I do, but I tried.....

First take an old pillowcase and fold 3 inches up from the bottom. Iron.

Then sew the edges to make a pocket. Flip right side out and iron.

Pin 1 inch intervals.

Sew straight lines where you marked with pins. Back stitch the tops of each pocket for durability.

Should look something like this.... Measure 12 inches up and cut off the open end of the pillowcase. I think it could have been shorter.

Sew about an inch in with a baster stitch (that's really big stitches.) Then pull the thread to gather it.

To make a waist, I searched for something in my collections of "things" and found a blanket ribbon. I cut 5 feet of it and pinned the top 1inch into the middle of the blanket ribbon. I sewed down the whole length of ribbon.

I wanted to make it extra girly because who doesn't like frills if you are 4? I cut a strip of tulle 3 times the length and ran a stitch down the center of it (this is in the wedding section of most craft stores in a ton of different colors). I think it's 8 inches wide or so. I then pulled the thread again to gather it.

Space it out on the bottom of the apron and pin. Then sew. ta-dah! I think if I did it again, I would use some fab. colorful fabric/pillowcase.



I also added a little red ribbon bow.