A Short One

Well, I got one curtain panel finished tonight. It sounds like this weekend is going to be filled with curtain making. I think I can get it done if I can just stay on task! Ha! So we will see. I'll take pictures once they are up. I like the way the kitchen ones are turning out.

We spent about an hour at the playground this morning. It made it go really fast! We might have to go back tomorrow if we can get the cleaning done in time.

And that is my update for tonight. Woo-hoo! Have a wonderful night!:)

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casserole

8 slices bread, decrusted and cubed
2.5 c Monterrey jack cheese
1.5 lb sausage, cooked and crumbled
6 eggs
2.5 c milk
1/4 t cumin
1 t salt

1. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.
2 Line bottom of dish with bread cubes.
3. Sprinkle 2 cups cheese over this.
4. Crumble the sausage over next.
5. Mix milk, eggs, and spices and pour over the dish.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
8. Bake uncovered at 300 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

A few things: I started out with four pieces of bread and lined the bottom and I think I added two more. I had a single layer with pretty much no empty spaces. I guess it depends on the size of your bread and if you want it to be a little piles up our not. I also only used 1 lb of sausage and this was plenty! I only had 2 cups of cheese, but if given the choice, I would probably use the whole 2.5.

This was excellent. I was nervous because I was making it for Bible study without ever having tried it before. The entire thing was eaten, and there were four casseroles and two baked oatmeals for about 25 people. I think it went over well because there were no onions or peppers or anything in it. You knew what you were getting! Unfortunately, I can never make it for us because Joel and Pnut wouldn't eat the eggs and Pilly probably wouldn't care for the sausage.

Fudge update: I am glad that I gave about 3/4 of the pan yesterday, but something needs to be done about the rest. Something besides me eating it. Bad things are happening. *Oh, I'm thirsty. I think I'll have a piece of fudge.* *I just did Tae-Bo for 10 minutes. That probably qualifies me for 2/3 of what is left.* Occasionally, I give the girls tiny smidgens, but really all that chocolate probably isn't good for their tiny bodies.

I only have 25 minutes until Lost starts so I don't know what to do. It doesn't feel worth it to get my sewing machine uncovered from it's stack of projects. I don't think it is a good sign that I haven't even completed one set of curtains and the weekend is rapidly approaching!

I hope you all are being more accomplished and disciplined than me!

Busy, Busy, Busy

As I mentioned last night, yesterday was very busy. Because I like to put a lot of pressure on myself, I waited until the last minute to make my gift for my secret sister, which we revealed today. And by last minute I mean 11:00 last night I finished it up. I made this purse:





It came from the tutorial on this page. After I finished it, I didn't want to give it away. It was really cute. The fabrics looked perfect together!

It was also the day for our friendship bread to be made. And I made fudge. And I had to make a breakfast casserole for the brunch this morning. I will post that recipe sometime because the entire thing was gone very quickly. I was pleased because I have never made one before! The whole evening was hectic and I was exhausted by the time I got to go to bed! Today was busy with the Bible study brunch and a softball game this evening. I am looking forward to a normal day tomorrow!

I took some pictures while we outside yesterday. It was terribly hot here, much hotter than it is supposed to be this time of year. Tomorrow it is supposed to go back to normal, and I could already tell a difference this evening. The girls don't usually wear tank tops this early in the year!



Pnut actually made a nice face for the camera. She is so pretty!

Then she said, "Mom take a picture of this face."



I was glad to know things were back to normal.



"I'm sorry. My grasp of the English language is rapidly failing. Perhaps you should explain more clearly what don't stand up in that seat means."



"I hate sharing. Especially the car."



Just so you know, babies in little shorts and shirts are hardly able to be resisted!



This picture is for Randa. See how she has my capability to close her eyes when a picture is being taken?:)

Tonight I worked on the kitchen curtains. I discovered that I bought binding that was too small. I also discovered that I'm going to have a hard time finishing these (meaning the curtains for all three windows) by Monday morning. I need to get a move on but there is a new Lost tomorrow and new Office on Thursday. What to do?!

Whew...I am ready for bed! It is only 10:09. This must be a record for the recent months! Have a lovely day tomorrow!

Fantasy Fudge

You should make this tomorrow. It is a taste sensation! Each morsel is a joy! (I don't know if anyone else will get that) But it really is both of those things.

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1-12 oz pkg of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)

Combine sugar, margarine, & evap. milk in heavy 3 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 min. over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Add marshmallow cream, nuts and vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares.

The only change I would make is to put it into an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan so that the squares are thicker. Thankfully, I am giving away most of mine at Bible study tomorrow. Otherwise, I would have a big problem. It is hard to resist! Sadly, when I was putting it into the baggies, some of it broke off and I had to eat it. Those poor people are getting not quite straight edges on their pieces...much to the delight of my tongue!

Now it is way past my bedtime so I had better get upstairs. I will post tomorrow about tonight if I remember:)

Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Garden

I was able to fix up my little garden this weekend after a trip to Home Depot for some topsoil and mulch. My mom gave me her extra plants, and I think they are so cute.



It was in the 80's yesterday when I was working on it. With the heat reflecting off of the cement, I think it was somewhere near 110 degrees, give or take a few.



I think these were verbena or something like that. Or maybe I am just making that up in my imagination. There are reds, pinks, two shades of purple, and white. I am excited to see them when they start to spread out!



This is my hanging basket that I just love. These were actually the colors for our wedding! I love blue and yellow:)



I have two planters with pansies in. Those naughty little things turned their face when I took my picture, and I didn't notice until I put it up. They are lovely and smell wonderful. Of course, Joel doesn't like them. I don't think he likes flowers anyways. Isn't that just like a man?! {Does anyone know the reference?:)}

I got to go to Home Depot yesterday and Lowe's today. Is it odd that I love home improvement stores? Probably because I spent half of my childhood in them with my parents. My dad has an insatiable appetite for projects. I love the smell when you walk in, all the lovely nuts and bolts and fixtures to look. I love knowing that something beautiful is going to come together out of all the scattered pieces.

Friday I bought the fabric for my curtains for the downstairs' windows. My goal is to have them all completed and up by next Monday morning when I am hosting Mom's Group. I am sabotaging myself by watching 2.5 hours of British comedy on PBS last night and reading for the evening tonight. My brain must think I work best under pressure. I don't. I'll get on the ball soon:)

I hope you had a lovely weekend! We are going to have a wonderful week of weather here!

Our Fun Day

We had a really nice day today. We went to Chuck E. Cheese this morning, and there was only one other family there. The girls just like the games where you push flashing buttons. They really had a nice time. Then we were able to get Pilly a pair of shoes from Children's Place for $5, which is always great. Unfortunately, they are a little big and she trips in them too, but not quite as badly as she does in her sneakers. We tried out a new 50's diner for lunch and then came home for nap and then out again to softball. Joel's team won their first game, which was very exciting. The girls and I froze on the sidelines, but we had fun! Tomorrow, Carolyn is coming and we are going out after the girls go to bed, about which I am very thrilled:) With softball, posts might be a little more sporadic. I will try to be regular but sometimes it can make things crazy!

Betty Shopper

I finished my Betty Shopper! I started putting it together last night and was able to finish it this evening! I am so excited. I didn't think it would come together this well or this quickly. I managed to follow all of the instructions with the exception of cutting those first pieces out wrong. I think that it looks fine anyways since the seams are in the middle.



If I had had my choice of all the fabrics, I probably would have chosen something different, but overall I like thsi fabric. It was only $3 a yard so that can't be beat. Decorator weight fabric is expensive, and I didn't want to pay around $12 or so!



I think it has a nice Spring feel to it.



This is my inside fabric, which I think compliments the outside well and is so pretty!

The pattern was relatively easy to follow. I had to get my dear, sweet, handsome, and strong husband to help me install the grommets. He sarcastically said, "Oh yeah, I can see you doing this" as he hammered them into place. I like how the grommets came out, but I am not a fan of the way they need to be installed. It would be a pain to have to put in 10 or so for curtains or something like that!

I'll have to try to take a picture of my little garden once we get it finished off. Joel was at Lowe's today to buy the two replacement boards we needed for our fence, and he bought me some edging for my little spot of soil. We are going to get some topsoil to raise it up a little and also to help support the edging. The girls like to run into it with their cars and lawnmower and that is not good!

Tomorrow, there is not supposed to be any rain, and I am very, very excited about that. I think that we could spend the whole day outside (with the exception of oh-so-necessary naptime). The girls need some fresh air and to be outside to burn off this energy that they are using to drive me crazy! How can a 1 year old and a 2 year old have fights? How?! Tomorrow is also Joel's first official softball game, which I am extremely excited about. His Monday game was canceled because of rain.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful evening and a beautiful, sunny day tomorrow!

Checkbook Cover

Last Friday, I ordered Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. Amazingly enough, it showed up on our doorstep on Saturday! I completed my first project last night, and I just love it. As my mother enjoyed pointing out today, my checkbook was a mess. I had ripped it from stuffing it full of receipts and savings books and just shoving things into it. Now I have this beautiful new cover:



I love the fabric! I saw it at JoAnn's for the first time on Sunday and snatched some up.



I thought this fabric contrasted it well.



The only thing I don't like about it is that it is too small to put my receipts in until my bank statement comes. I put an envelope in my purse for them. I also have to leave our savings books in a pocket in my purse. I think I am going to try to make another one that is bigger so that I can fit my stuff in it!

My mom (who is much smarter than me) pointed out today that I could just sew the seam where I was supposed to cut on the fold for my bag so I did that and go the entire outside put together tonight. Tomorrow, I can hopefully make a lot of progress on the lining and get is finished up! Joel's next softball game is Thursday and I would love to have it finished for that!

Funny story of the day:

Joel brought home a knitting book for baby hats from the library a few days ago. There are so many cute things in there! It makes me want to practice my knitting some more. Pnut and I were looking at it tonight, and the babies were all very cute. One of them must have really caught her eye though because she said, "Where can we get one of those?" I asked her if she meant the hat, and she said, "No. I want that baby." She is only two. We are not ready for this discussion yet!

Simple Skirts GIVEAWAY!!!!

Simple Skirts GIVEAWAY!!!!

Tablecloth

I was recently reading Tollipop and was inspired by her table. I get so frustrated because I try to keep our table clean, but it seems to be the spot that collects things. Her table had a pretty tablecloth and candles and seemed like such a nice place to eat supper. Sometimes we just have to push things out of our way to make room for our plates. So I decided to make a tablecloth in hopes that that will help me keep the table cleaned off. Here is our table before (after I had cleaned it off):



I liked the country table look, but it was just too easy to pile things on it.



Here it is with the new cloth and our candle and smelling flowers. Pnut was so excited that she wanted to eat right away!

Here is a closeup of the detail:



Yellow is my favorite color. I like that the tablecloth seems to have made the kitchen more cheerful.

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway and won an Amy Butler purse pattern. I finally got the material and was cutting it out. I had the outside already cut out and was cutting the main inside pieces...and I realized that I had placed the wrong edge on the fold. You can imagine my annoyance. You know the real estate commercial where the people kick themselves in the butt? That was me. So now I hope that there is still this material at JoAnn's. It was on clearnace. Hopefully no one else liked it. I only need like an extra 3/4 yard or so. I hope, I hope!

I will leave you with these pictures because they are happier than my thoughts about myself right now!



As I have mentioned before, Pnut no longer likes to have her picture taken. She kept ducking down and this was the best one I got!



I just had to share Pilly in her little capris (also known as 6-9 month pants). I didn't think there was anything cuter than a baby in a little t-shirt, but I think a baby in rolled up capris is too sweet!

Have a wonderful evening!

Apple Brown Betty

Have you ever heard of Apple Brown Betty? I discovered the recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website, and I thought we would make it. Pnut didn't get to help too much because it is kind of messy. Joel, apparently, had heard of it before because when he asked what I was making and I told him, he said, "Disgusting." So my expectations weren't very high when we ate it. I was shocked. It is awesome! Carolyn came over last night and she thought it was delicious as well. You use 1.5 sticks of butter and 1.5 cups of brown sugar so it really should be good! Here is the recipe, but you can also go to PW's site to read about it. Her versions are always entertaining.

Pioneer Woman’s Apple Brown Betty

3 apples, preferably Granny Smith
7 slices wheat bread
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) regular/salted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons water

Peel apples and slice them. Slice bread into a small dice, or tear into very small pieces. Coat baking dish with butter, then add 1/3 of the brown sugar, 1/3 of the apple slices, and 1/3 of the breadcrumbs. Repeat twice more, ending with breadcrumbs. Slice butter and lay slices all over the top of the bread crumbs. Sprinkle dish with water and a little more brown sugar, and bake in a 375-degree oven, covered in foil, until done—about 45 minutes. Remove foil in last few minutes of baking to brown the top.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or Reddi Whip.

I didn't have any of the latter things to put on top, and it was still good! Pnut ate the apples out of hers, and Pilly licked all the sugar off of the apples and then put them back:)

What a Day!

So we had an interesting day. Last night, we were at Payless, and Pilly tried to climb one of the stools where you try on shoes. She fell down in between the stool and rack of shoes. She cried and was cranky when we got home, but I hoped she would be okay today. Sadly, every time she was picked, she cried. I believe that she bruised her ribs. There is nothing that can be done except Tylenol and healing. We rested quite a bit today because she was fussy. Then this evening, Joel was supposed to have a softball scrimage. It was canceled after we got there because of how soggy the field was, and Pnut was playing on the bench. She fell off. Into the mud. All over her head. Lovely. As one of my friends said tonight, it seems we always have a story. Something exciting is always happening here!

I hope your previous day has been less exciting:)

Salsa

1 14.5 oz can tomatoes and green chilies
1 14.5 oz can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)
4 t jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)
1/4 c yellow onion (diced)
1/2-3/4 t garlic salt
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t sugar

1. In food processor, place jalapenos and onions and process for just a few seconds.
2. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, and cumin.
3. Process all ingredients until well blended but still slightly chunky...not pureed.
4. Place in covered container and chill. It will get better with time.

Okay, so I was going to tell you to cut the jalapenos in half, but as I was typing it out, I realized that it was four teaspoons of them...not four tablespoons. That will make a significant difference in how spicy it is!

This is supposed to taste like Chili's salsa, and it really does. I was impressed with how closely it mimics the flavors. Theirs is one of the only salsas I like (honestly, I can't name any others). I doesn't taste canned, and there is no flavor of tomato paste in it. It shouldn't be too spicy if you make it correctly. Or perhaps you like it spicy. In that case, please use four tablespoons of jalapenos.

Oh brother, my dad is getting some tomorrow to sample. I told him we could cut the amount of peppers in half the next time. Now I will have to fess up about the mistake I made! He is going to plant the ingredients in his garden so we can make our own. I love this stuff! Pnut likes it too, which is great because she doesn't really eat vegetables except raw carrots so this is full of nutrition for her!



This picture is in no way salsa related. Enjoy!

Easter Photos and Wild Things

Here are my promised Easter photos:



Apparently, we didn't take pictures of anyone else with their painted eggs. That, by the way, is a thumbs up. I don't know what the tongue is doing.



My mom found the outfits for them. Aren't they so cute?!



This was the first Easter egg hunt for both of the girls. Pilly was a pro and even found a hard one in the top of the propane tank on the grill!



Don't let this relaxed pose fool you, he was a great egg hunter!



Pnut did well as well. She looked so sweet in her sunny yellow dress.



Laine is such a cute little girl! Her curls are sadly covered up by her hat.



The eggs were pretty evenly divided amongst the four of them, and they had a ball!



Here is just another picture of Pilly because she is just so sweet.



Here are my parents with their four grandchildren.



This is a better picture, just not centered.


And today, there was an adventure. A trip was taken to where the Wild Things live in a boat rowed with great skill by Pnut.



They danced and sang and were just like Wild Things.

It was lovely!

A Little Silliness

We had a wonderful holiday weekend, and we enjoyed our time with family quite a bit. I will put up some pictures tomorrow hopefully. Tonight I am almost out of time! I just wanted to share two pictures, not Easter related.



These are Pilly's feet. She is skateboarding. Here is her skateboard:



Have a wonderful night!

Tollippop Giveaway

One of my favorite blogs to read is Tollipop. She does charming little drawings for her 100 dresses project and tells lovely, whimsical little stories to go with them. She is having a fabulous giveaway over on her blog!! http://tollipop.typepad.com/tollipop/ You should really check it out! I'm not sure if I want you to enter because I really want to win, but I guess you can...:)

Easter Break

I guess you should consider me on Easter break. We have had a busy few days with more coming up. Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

I also would like to recommend a book: In Praise Of Stay At Home Moms by Dr. Laura. Excellent!

Tea Party and Other Mischief

There was a tea party at our house today. There was much clanging of dishes and distributing of sugar for tea.



Pilly loves to pour tea. She still needs some practice since she turns the pot almost upside down.



Pnut loves to have tea parties. She likes to put the sugar in and stir and make me eat imaginary foods. She is a wonderful cook!

And here is one more picture to make your night:



Baby in bag. Silly girl. She did not want to get out because she was being swung. She cried when her daddy put her on the floor.

I got a lot done tonight as far as my project. I also got my packages addressed for the fabric swap. Tomorrow to the post office!

Have a wonderful evening!

Shawna:)

Finger Painting

When I talked to my sister today, she basically told me I was crazy. Here is why:



Pilly is the same age as Pnut was when I first let her finger paint. She, of course as Pilly would, had to taste the paint. Thankfully, she must not have appreciated it so she didn't sample any other colors.



Pnut loves to paint. I think she would probably do it every day.



Pilly was quite impressed with her work. She has asked that it be displayed in a prominent place so that all may admire it.



And this is the silly face I get every time I ask her to smile at the camera now. I think I will only go for natural shots with her now!

We had to come up with some things to do today because it rained, again. I guess this is to be expected in April, but really? More rain? To make matters worse, the stroller was uncovered. The wind must have blown the tarp off, and it got all wet. I am hoping that it will be sunny tomorrow to dry it out so it doesn't get mildewed. Tomorrow is supposed to be a warm 46 degrees so I guess we won't be needing it then!

I was going to sew tonight, but the lure of a book caught me and I ended up spending a little more time than planned reading. I wish I could get paid to read! That would be a great job:) If you know of such a job, please contact me!!

Have a wonderful night of rest or day if you are just waking up!

Shawna:)

Sunday Nights...

I can't believe that it is Sunday night already. I used to hate Sunday nights. Well, for a while I was torn about them. I had youth group for a while on Sunday nights, and liked it because of that, but Sunday night meant that school was the next morning. I hated school! I am not exactly the most outgoing person, and school was the place of ultimate torment! I enjoyed learning and schoolwork (what a weirdo), but having to do so much interaction and the hated group projects was enough to make me sick to my stomach. Ugh. I can still feel that sick feeling and sense of panic. No joke, for many years, like into high school, I had to take Dimetapp to go to sleep before the first night(s) of school. I would actually write out the number for every school day starting at 180 and counting backwards and cross one off every day. Sad, no?! Now, Sunday nights are not so bad. I am sad the weekend is over but excited to have a new day with the girls tomorrow. I do like having our little routine and enjoy our time together quite a bit. Too bad Joel has to go to work, but on the other hand, he does mess up our schedule:)

I got to sew my strips together tonight! They are for a friend, and she has a blog so until I deliver them, I am not going to post any more pictures. I doubt she reads this, but I don't want to risk it! I haven't sewn in forever! It was nice. I am always surprised how long it takes me to do some things that seem like they should go so fast!

We went to a playground after nap today and then went for free ice cream for the girls at Bruster's. Is it wrong that we just get them their free cones and don't buy anything? We won't be able to do it for long. Pnut is four inches short of the line. She seems to be growing rather rapidly. They loved their treat!

Do you know what this is called:



Two little girls learning to share! They have a ways to go, but they are learning! I have a ways to go on not being as selfish as well. I am afraid that I am not the best teacher in this area!



This kid did not want to take her finger out of her mouth. She thought it was hilarious to stick it back in when I pulled it out...



This one doesn't like to look at the camera anymore.



She, however, likes to stick her face right up to it!



That, my friends, is what I think is called a "button nose." It looks like you should push it and pinch it and kiss it!

I thought I said I wasn't going to stay up this late anymore? How easily I fall into my evil ways! Now I won't want to get out of bed tomorrow...have a great night everyone!

Shawna:)