Mark finally loaded the software for Amy's video camera. Here's some of our goofy animals and our record setting SNOW from mid-February.
10 years ago
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Something new...
but first...
(Jasper with his darling pink nose being his cutie-pie self)
And now...
Several days ago an idea popped into my head. No idea where it came from but I knew I had to act immediately to put it in motion. These are my latest creations.... beaded crocheted necklaces and bracelets! They go together in minutes(about 15 total) and are super easy. I make them big enough to slip over the head so I don't have to put in a hook or closure but I plan to make some chokers too.
(pics taken with Amy's camera phone and not edited at all- sorry so blurry and washed out)
So far I've made 20 necklaces and 2 bracelets out of white, teal, red and black threads but plan to add a rainbow multi, marigold, and pink(among other colors) this weekend. My mom is going to send me a few handfuls of beads since I can't find what I'm looking for at our local Hobby Lobby or Michael's. They used to carry tubes that were color-themed but varied in shape and size. Now all I can find is assorted(very muted) colors in the tubes. Luckily I had a pretty decent stash to plow through because these them!
In other news...
I've been sick for over a week with a NASTY sore throat and sinus problems. Ugh! It is better today but definitely not gone. Last night Sparkle and Tallulah slept on either side of me, I think they knew I didn't feel good.
I've got to put my beans on to soak tonight! Homesick Texan's Ranch Style Beans are on my mind, been wanting to make them for a week now but haven't felt like it.
Tomorrow is supposed to be icky and rainy so it will be perfect weather for beading and bean eating. Mark has another 5K race. He won his age group last weekend and was 14th over all out of 200+. His friend, who is running because of Mark's encouragement, won his age group too(30somethings) and was 3rd over all!!! Hopefully they'll do well this time out too.
If I feel well enough we'll texture the walls on Sunday. I'm SO ready to paint!!!
If I feel up to it we'll texture the dining room walls on Sunday. I hope I do because I'm S
(Jasper with his darling pink nose being his cutie-pie self)
And now...
Several days ago an idea popped into my head. No idea where it came from but I knew I had to act immediately to put it in motion. These are my latest creations.... beaded crocheted necklaces and bracelets! They go together in minutes(about 15 total) and are super easy. I make them big enough to slip over the head so I don't have to put in a hook or closure but I plan to make some chokers too.
(pics taken with Amy's camera phone and not edited at all- sorry so blurry and washed out)
So far I've made 20 necklaces and 2 bracelets out of white, teal, red and black threads but plan to add a rainbow multi, marigold, and pink(among other colors) this weekend. My mom is going to send me a few handfuls of beads since I can't find what I'm looking for at our local Hobby Lobby or Michael's. They used to carry tubes that were color-themed but varied in shape and size. Now all I can find is assorted(very muted) colors in the tubes. Luckily I had a pretty decent stash to plow through because these them!
In other news...
I've been sick for over a week with a NASTY sore throat and sinus problems. Ugh! It is better today but definitely not gone. Last night Sparkle and Tallulah slept on either side of me, I think they knew I didn't feel good.
I've got to put my beans on to soak tonight! Homesick Texan's Ranch Style Beans are on my mind, been wanting to make them for a week now but haven't felt like it.
Tomorrow is supposed to be icky and rainy so it will be perfect weather for beading and bean eating. Mark has another 5K race. He won his age group last weekend and was 14th over all out of 200+. His friend, who is running because of Mark's encouragement, won his age group too(30somethings) and was 3rd over all!!! Hopefully they'll do well this time out too.
If I feel well enough we'll texture the walls on Sunday. I'm SO ready to paint!!!
If I feel up to it we'll texture the dining room walls on Sunday. I hope I do because I'm S
Monday, March 1, 2010
random stuff...
It has been seriously hard to blog without my own computer! Hopefully it will be fixed soon and I can get on with sharing pictures and so forth. Right now I'm sharing with Amy so I only have access to her pictures(and her camera broke so she's down to her cell phone). Here are some recent ones...
sunset over our back fence
the triplets
what really goes on in the girls' room
running with tiger at Long Park
In other news...
We were finally able to take a load of stuff to the local thrift store! Of course it barely made a dent; I'm still in the process of clearing out dresser drawers and closets! Maybe after another 3-4 loads we'll be to a manageable state. It would be nice to be able to get the last of the carpeting out of everyone's closet floors soon.
We've chosen one of the three paints for our kitchen/dining area so far; a nice super saturated olivey green for the dining area. I want to put orange in the kitchen area and a peacock blue or plum on the soffits to connect the two. Last week the kids helped peel wall paper but we still have a few small sections to go. Maybe today...(to see the paint sample go to http://www.valspar.com/explore-colors/choose-a-color.html; scroll down a bit and click on Creative Ideas for Color. Then click on Kids & Fun. Our oolor is the second green right above the word Kids; called Gecko). This is the color I've had in my mind's eye forever but for some reason I never came across the paint card(I think they just added the Kids & Fun line to our Lowe's store). It looks SO good with our warm wood stained cabinets and wainscoting.
I made a new dish last night and everyone scarfed it up! Its from Rodale's Naturally Great Foods Cookbook(1977 edition) and is called Dutch Kale with Sausage and Potatoes(or something like that). I simmered 4 medium sized potatoes(cubed) with a large bunch of curly kale(torn into small pieces) until both were tender. Meanwhile I fried a pkg of beef smoked sausage and an onion in a bit of butter then added a cup of milk. The kale and potatoes were drained and added to the sausage mixture along with a shake of cayenne pepper; some garlic powder; and black pepper. Simmer for a few minutes stirring to break up the potatoes a bit. This was YUMMY and all the kids ate it. We had no leftovers!! Tonight we're having chicken leg quarters; green salad; and parsnip patties(from the same cookbook).
We are planning an early spring camping trip out west to celebrate Mark's 44th birthday. Our destination is the Caprock Canyon State Park (you'll have to copy and paste this because Amy's comma button doesn't work so I can't make it a clickable link) http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/videos/state_park/panhandle_plains/caprock_canyon.phtml (video of the canyon worth watching!!).
And some sad news...
Our beloved guinea pig; Basil Ferdinand; died last night. He was old for a piggie and we noticed he'd been slowing down/losing weight over the last month. We'll miss his sweetness.
Now I must get busy doing something; I hear the girls stirring.
sunset over our back fence
the triplets
what really goes on in the girls' room
running with tiger at Long Park
In other news...
We were finally able to take a load of stuff to the local thrift store! Of course it barely made a dent; I'm still in the process of clearing out dresser drawers and closets! Maybe after another 3-4 loads we'll be to a manageable state. It would be nice to be able to get the last of the carpeting out of everyone's closet floors soon.
We've chosen one of the three paints for our kitchen/dining area so far; a nice super saturated olivey green for the dining area. I want to put orange in the kitchen area and a peacock blue or plum on the soffits to connect the two. Last week the kids helped peel wall paper but we still have a few small sections to go. Maybe today...(to see the paint sample go to http://www.valspar.com/explore-colors/choose-a-color.html; scroll down a bit and click on Creative Ideas for Color. Then click on Kids & Fun. Our oolor is the second green right above the word Kids; called Gecko). This is the color I've had in my mind's eye forever but for some reason I never came across the paint card(I think they just added the Kids & Fun line to our Lowe's store). It looks SO good with our warm wood stained cabinets and wainscoting.
I made a new dish last night and everyone scarfed it up! Its from Rodale's Naturally Great Foods Cookbook(1977 edition) and is called Dutch Kale with Sausage and Potatoes(or something like that). I simmered 4 medium sized potatoes(cubed) with a large bunch of curly kale(torn into small pieces) until both were tender. Meanwhile I fried a pkg of beef smoked sausage and an onion in a bit of butter then added a cup of milk. The kale and potatoes were drained and added to the sausage mixture along with a shake of cayenne pepper; some garlic powder; and black pepper. Simmer for a few minutes stirring to break up the potatoes a bit. This was YUMMY and all the kids ate it. We had no leftovers!! Tonight we're having chicken leg quarters; green salad; and parsnip patties(from the same cookbook).
We are planning an early spring camping trip out west to celebrate Mark's 44th birthday. Our destination is the Caprock Canyon State Park (you'll have to copy and paste this because Amy's comma button doesn't work so I can't make it a clickable link) http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/videos/state_park/panhandle_plains/caprock_canyon.phtml (video of the canyon worth watching!!).
And some sad news...
Our beloved guinea pig; Basil Ferdinand; died last night. He was old for a piggie and we noticed he'd been slowing down/losing weight over the last month. We'll miss his sweetness.
Now I must get busy doing something; I hear the girls stirring.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A recipe and a crochet pattern....
Some call it dinner and some call it supper. I've always used both words for the same meal but this time its definitely a supper kind of night.
Here is (sort of) what I'm cooking tonight. I've got it simmering on the stove now and its not even noon! It may end up being lunch as well, it smells soooo good!
Of course I made changes, I always do. Since I'm not a big fan of cooked carrots, I left them out along with the tomato sauce. Because we love spicy, I added a big handful of chopped cilantro, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, oregano, chili powder, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and beef broth(better than boullion paste). Also, I only put in two celery stalks, added an extra potato, used a whole red pepper, and subbed a can of salt free diced tomatoes for the whole tomato. My 5 quart stock pot is about 3/4 full so I'll have some to freeze for this weekend too. It is so nice to find recipes like these that can be customized to individual tastes. Woman's Day cookbook has one similar that uses mint for flavoring and it is awesome!
This is our second meatless meal in a row. Last night I had no clue what we would be eating until about 45 minutes before we actually ate. Colcannon was on my mind all day but I didn't have cabbage and my kale had already turned yellow. Sigh. Anyway, I did have some other veggies so I threw them all in the skillet with olive oil and boiled some rotini pasta. Here's the deal:
1 red pepper, chopped
7-8 large brown mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
red pepper flakes to taste
Cook in olive oil til tender, serve over noodles with lots of parmesan cheese! YUM!!
Amy accidentally messed up their camera and my computer is in need of doctoring so I can't post any pictures! Its driving me crazy because I'm making the CUTEST little 6-petal crochet flowers. I'll share the pattern with you though. Now this is something I came up with all on my own so YMMV(your mileage may vary). I used I Love this Cotton from Hobby Lobby(similar to Peaches and Cream but softer) with a size I(9 or 5.5mm) hook.
I don't know how to write out a pattern in crochet language so bear with me!
Chain 3. Make 12 double crochet stitches in the first chain loop(chain will count as 13th). Join with a slip stitch in the top of the ch 3(this is the tricky part for me because I can't really tell which one I'm sl in so make sure there are 12 loops around the outside of the circle including the the sl st). Chain 5, skipping next stitch, slip stitch in next stitch. Repeat 5 times from ch 5, ending sl st will be in the back of the starting sl st. If for "some reason" you come to the last flower petal and have two stitches to skip before the final sl st, chain 6 instead of 5 and do the sl st in the normal place. This has happened to me on a few of them(see above) but isn't devastating. Fasten off. These are super cute and super fast! I've made about 20 in a really nice taupe novelty yarn that has a gold thread, slubby things and "foof", hopefully they will be a scarf or part of a scarf, I can't decide how to use them. Maybe I can get Mark to take a picture or two with his phone.
Here is (sort of) what I'm cooking tonight. I've got it simmering on the stove now and its not even noon! It may end up being lunch as well, it smells soooo good!
Of course I made changes, I always do. Since I'm not a big fan of cooked carrots, I left them out along with the tomato sauce. Because we love spicy, I added a big handful of chopped cilantro, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, oregano, chili powder, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and beef broth(better than boullion paste). Also, I only put in two celery stalks, added an extra potato, used a whole red pepper, and subbed a can of salt free diced tomatoes for the whole tomato. My 5 quart stock pot is about 3/4 full so I'll have some to freeze for this weekend too. It is so nice to find recipes like these that can be customized to individual tastes. Woman's Day cookbook has one similar that uses mint for flavoring and it is awesome!
This is our second meatless meal in a row. Last night I had no clue what we would be eating until about 45 minutes before we actually ate. Colcannon was on my mind all day but I didn't have cabbage and my kale had already turned yellow. Sigh. Anyway, I did have some other veggies so I threw them all in the skillet with olive oil and boiled some rotini pasta. Here's the deal:
1 red pepper, chopped
7-8 large brown mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
red pepper flakes to taste
Cook in olive oil til tender, serve over noodles with lots of parmesan cheese! YUM!!
Amy accidentally messed up their camera and my computer is in need of doctoring so I can't post any pictures! Its driving me crazy because I'm making the CUTEST little 6-petal crochet flowers. I'll share the pattern with you though. Now this is something I came up with all on my own so YMMV(your mileage may vary). I used I Love this Cotton from Hobby Lobby(similar to Peaches and Cream but softer) with a size I(9 or 5.5mm) hook.
I don't know how to write out a pattern in crochet language so bear with me!
Chain 3. Make 12 double crochet stitches in the first chain loop(chain will count as 13th). Join with a slip stitch in the top of the ch 3(this is the tricky part for me because I can't really tell which one I'm sl in so make sure there are 12 loops around the outside of the circle including the the sl st). Chain 5, skipping next stitch, slip stitch in next stitch. Repeat 5 times from ch 5, ending sl st will be in the back of the starting sl st. If for "some reason" you come to the last flower petal and have two stitches to skip before the final sl st, chain 6 instead of 5 and do the sl st in the normal place. This has happened to me on a few of them(see above) but isn't devastating. Fasten off. These are super cute and super fast! I've made about 20 in a really nice taupe novelty yarn that has a gold thread, slubby things and "foof", hopefully they will be a scarf or part of a scarf, I can't decide how to use them. Maybe I can get Mark to take a picture or two with his phone.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Yesterday was a terrible day for breakable things at my house. Bright and early Tallulah knocked the dog food bowl off the counter and it shattered into a million shards. Then she was sleeping on the microwave and stretched out to push my favorite vintage crockery mixing bowl to the floor. It had another vintage bowl nested in it so two were lost at once. Later on Tibert jumped into my windowsill and caught his foot on a candle holder; sending it sailing. Lastly; he jumped onto a bookshelf and flipped an oval mirror off. I haven't lost so many things in the past 10 years!! Hopefully this will NEVER EVER EVER happen again!
(crock from Marshall Pottery)
Now I've got to protect these beauties from the cats! My brother got a nifty glass cutter from his girlfriend this Christmas. He finds bottles at their local recycling center/dump and can have as many as he can haul away. The beer bottle juice glasses are probably not dishwasher safe but that's ok. Three of the wine bottle coolers didn't survive the shipping and one juice glass broke but I have enough and he can always make more later. The blue ones are not mine but the green and brown ones are(except for the green juice glass). I LOVELOVELOVE them!! The kids helped me unwrap them and now Ryan wants a cutter so he can make some.
(cobalt juice glasses)
(beer bottle juice glasses)
(wine bottle coolers/iced tea glasses)
(crock from Marshall Pottery)
Now I've got to protect these beauties from the cats! My brother got a nifty glass cutter from his girlfriend this Christmas. He finds bottles at their local recycling center/dump and can have as many as he can haul away. The beer bottle juice glasses are probably not dishwasher safe but that's ok. Three of the wine bottle coolers didn't survive the shipping and one juice glass broke but I have enough and he can always make more later. The blue ones are not mine but the green and brown ones are(except for the green juice glass). I LOVELOVELOVE them!! The kids helped me unwrap them and now Ryan wants a cutter so he can make some.
(cobalt juice glasses)
(beer bottle juice glasses)
(wine bottle coolers/iced tea glasses)
Friday, January 22, 2010
O hai my computer has a sick...
Soooo I'm blogging and everything else from Amy's laptop(complete with misfiring or non-firing keys-there is no comma among other things). Which means I have no access to my pictures or my music. Drat. Hopefully it will be fixed in the next week so I can get back to the usual.
We are having the wildest weather these days! Friends in Arizona and California have on my mind all week long. Our area had tornadoes Wednesday night... in JANUARY! But the oak tree has buds on it and I saw a robin last week on the fence so Spring is just around the corner. I can't wait!
(Tibert stuck in a tree last summer)
We are having the wildest weather these days! Friends in Arizona and California have on my mind all week long. Our area had tornadoes Wednesday night... in JANUARY! But the oak tree has buds on it and I saw a robin last week on the fence so Spring is just around the corner. I can't wait!
(Tibert stuck in a tree last summer)
Monday, January 11, 2010
ICE
Sarah and Amy have had fun playing with ice this past week. Since we've had such whack-a-do freezing temps they've discovered things that would otherwise remain a mystery. Such as hammers frozen in ice filled buckets...
And frozen swimming pools...
Yesterday I told them about an artist I know named Margaret Oomen lives up north and has fun freezing objects in bowls and such to make beautiful, but temporary, art. We were going to go online and look but got busy doing other things. This morning when I took Sparkle out for her doggy time...
(Sparkle IS in this picture! Hint, she's in the round)
I saw the bowl and remembered Sarah telling me she had put some leaves and berries in it to freeze. I popped the ice out of the bowl and hung it on the fence so I could run get the camera. When I got back it had fallen and broke into 2 pieces but all was not lost...
And frozen swimming pools...
Yesterday I told them about an artist I know named Margaret Oomen lives up north and has fun freezing objects in bowls and such to make beautiful, but temporary, art. We were going to go online and look but got busy doing other things. This morning when I took Sparkle out for her doggy time...
(Sparkle IS in this picture! Hint, she's in the round)
I saw the bowl and remembered Sarah telling me she had put some leaves and berries in it to freeze. I popped the ice out of the bowl and hung it on the fence so I could run get the camera. When I got back it had fallen and broke into 2 pieces but all was not lost...
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