Over the Backyard Fence

Togetherness

2012-02-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

We just finished our second Week of Togetherness. I told Dan, it feels like every day is Saturday at our house. Sure there are things that have to be done, but with all of us at home every day, things get a bit slack. There's no routine, stuff gets left out, everyone is home for three meals a day and the kitchen never gets a rest. It's like being in the movie Ground Hog Day, where at first it's kind of fun, but it soon gets really old, having every day be Saturday.

We're also sharing one computer which, as much as I love all my favorite people (see column on the right), it gets a bit crowded. I find myself escaping to the library whenever I can, hauling my book bag and a cup of coffee, to use a computer over there. (Remember the days when you wouldn't dream of taking food or drink to the library? Ours has a coffee cart in the lobby. Love it!)

However, things are slowly coming together. We've set a schedule for Emily and her online classes. She and Dan have worked out when she'll do her math, which is something they do together. She's pretty self-sufficient at the rest of her course work and is going gangbusters with the program. She's also helping her horseback riding instructor a couple days a week, feeding and exercising horses. And we're going to volunteer at the local food bank one day a week beginning next week.

Luke is settling in with school and work. His classes are in the morning, and he works at least two full days a week and is on call the rest of the week. He also works with his pitching coach a couple days a week and helps with baseball clinics on the weekends.

My part time job begins in about two weeks. In the meantime, I'm going through my list of "things I'd like to do before I start working" and another list of "things I need to do before I have foot surgery in late March" because that will put me out of commission for a few weeks, as far as driving and getting around easily. Lucky Dan will get to drive me to work. And drive Em to her stuff. So, there is a silver lining in every cloud. His severance package will give him some time to figure out where to go from here, and in the meantime it is a blessing to have him home. Today we rearranged furniture. I think he's going to be ready to go back to work soon.

Even though Joe lives only about 15 minutes from us, it seems I don't get to see him enough (insert whine here.) Isn't that the way it is, I complain about the way the kids move in and out, and then when they're out, I complain about that. I lure him over with home cooked meals as much as possible.

In the meantime, I'm getting a lot of reading done. It's a great escape for getting away from all these people in my house that aren't supposed to be here 24/7. Last week I read The Beach Trees by Karen White, (loved it), and I'm now back to reading New Mercies by Sandra Dallas. I'm making great progress on my mom's quilt. And for some odd reason, I have been keeping up with laundry like never in my life. I think it's because whenever I find myself floundering around trying to find my place -- which is a lot these days -- I throw in a load of wash just to keep moving. That has been a good thing.

In the meantime, there is still loads of snow on the ground. It certainly adds to the cabin fever we're all experiencing. I am already dreaming of tulips and crocuses and daffodils, and spending warm summer evenings on the back porch.

After the storm

2012-02-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

Our neighborhood got 20" of snow in about 36 hours on Friday and Saturday. In typical Colorado fashion, the sun came out yesterday afternoon and the melting began.

I love the way snow nestles in the limbs of the aspen tree.

Junipers bow to the weight of the snow.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted."

Friday Favorites

2012-02-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a foot of snow on the ground this morning, and it's been snowing all day. Nothing like being snowed in with all your favorite people (see column on the right). Except for Joe, who is out in sunny Southern California. (Little wave to Joey!)

I'm going to dig deep and find some good things about this week. In spite of the fact that my DH lost his job of 33 years on Monday. Yeaaaahhh. Who'd a thunk it would happen to us? I guess NO ONE ever thinks it will happen to them.

The good news is:

1. We will be okay. We WILL be okay. We'll BE OKAY.

2. Now that my daughter is home schooling, she'll have someone to help her with math, other than me. That's a very good thing.

3. I'm starting my little job in a couple weeks. Which, hey, will at least pay for stamps and ice.

4. I won't have to go to the office Christmas party anymore.

5. We'll get a whole lot of practice at looking on the bright side, and we'll build lots of character. Just what we need, a few more characters around here.

How was your week?

Hooking up with Susanne for Friday's Fave Five.

Friday Favorites

2012-01-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

My favorites this week:

Right this minute it's snowing. Blustery wind chasing tiny flakes that cover everything like powdered sugar. It feels right, because it is January, for heaven's sake.
Getting the oil changed in the car. That's done and I can mark it off my list for another 3,000 miles.
Chinese food
Meeting my brother at a mom-and-pop cafe for breakfast. Instead of the usual fancy coffee shop. Drinking plain old coffee and eating an English muffin. I think we'll do this more often.
Trading in a bunch of my old books at the local used book store and coming away with two new (for me) Sandra Dallas books. For free!
store credit at Kohl's
Friends and family who listen. And listen. And listen.
Lilly's ears. If you could feel how soft they are, they would be on your favorite list, too.

That's more than five, but still joining up with Susanne's Friday's Fave Five.

For the girls

2012-01-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

You know all those e-mail chain letters that talk about how important it is to have girlfriends in your life? "The power of girlfriends," those females in your life who always have your back.

They say things like, "Research shows that having girlfriends will help you live longer and reduce your chances of catching a cold." They claim that women who have lots of girlfriends have fewer chances of contracting chronic diseases or psychological impairments. Or if by chance you do have these things, having girlfriends will give you a better chance of healing.

Well, all these things are true. Especially that last one.

If it wasn't for my girlfriends, my psychological impairments would have done me in by now. My girlfriends know how to talk to me, soothe me with Godiva bars and insist I go get a massage by giving me a gift card so that I have no excuses.

Now, this isn't to dismiss the fact that I have a gem of a husband. For 28 years, he has been by my side and he's my rock. But, there's still room in my life for my girlfriends, especially since my husband is 1) a male and 2) an engineer.

We all know that guys just don't communicate the way girls do. Girls like to talk a subject to death. We like to sweep out the dirt from the corners, shake out the rugs, open the windows and let the air in. Then empty the dustpan in the middle of the room, and start all over again.

My husband doesn't see the point in all that. Most men don't.

So, if you haven't done so lately, reach out to eight of your girlfriends and tell them you love 'em. And then tell them to reach out to eight of their girlfriends. And then, those girls can tell eight of their girlfriends how very special they are. And soon, we'll all be feeling the love, which is the way it should be.

Because, really. Where would we be without our girlfriends?

This Weekend, I . . .

2012-01-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

saw a movie by myself. The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep, the story of Margaret Thatcher. Loved it.
had lunch with a friend
had a job interview
got a new job!
made spaghetti sauce. Lots of it, so I could freeze some.
went grocery shopping
watched I Don't Know How She Does It on pay-per-view. Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan. Dan and I both enjoyed this one.
Quilted. Quilted some more.
Talked to my dad on the phone
Talked to #1 son on the phone
Lost interest in football because all of my teams are out

How was your weekend?

Friday Favorites

2012-01-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

I'm overdue in joining Susanne's Friday Fave Five this year. Here are some of the blessings thrown my way this past week.

1. A softball scrimmage on Sunday. The weather has been so mild this month, it was hard to believe that we were outside, watching a game, drinking cold beverages and eating peanuts -- in January!

2. Eating out at a new Italian restaurant last night, with Dan, my Aunt Ann and Luke. A cozy foursome, red checked table clothes and a gracious Italian waiter. And the food was delicious!

3. Finding a new, independent coffee shop. Dan and I have been there twice and have a favorite table by the window where we can watch the pedestrians and traffic go by on an old fashioned Main Street.

4. Really, really good chocolate. My friend gave me a bar of Godiva -- a "just because" present -- and I savored it one.square.at.a.time.

5. Rediscovering the joy in quilting. Working the needle through layers of fabric and batting has a meditative, peaceful quality. I do a lot of thinking and praying when I quilt.

I hope your week was full of blessings, too.

Monday, Monday

2012-01-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

January 16, 2012

Feeling: Happy to be home today
Hearing: Let It Go by Tim McGraw

Outside today . . . the sun just broke through a very gray, cloudy sky. It is cold outside and everything looks a bit 'dirty' since the snow melted last week.

Around the house. . . washing machine is going, dryer is humming, dishes in the dishwasher are clean and ready to be put away. Just finished paying bills.

Martin Luther King Day . . . so there is no school. Dan took last week off, so he went in to work today. Kids are sleeping in, so it's quiet around the house.

I am reading. . . Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo and just loving it. I've even read passages aloud to Dan. What a hoot! Just what we both need.

What's cookin'. . . I have no idea. I need to go through the freezer and make up some menu plans.

I am sewing . . . on this quilt. My mother started it and never had a chance to finish it. It is a family quilt, all the squares made by my sisters-in-law, cousin, aunt, Mom and me.

It's a good day for . . . brewing a pot of tea. I found this teapot on ebay a few years ago. I love it, because it is just like the one my mom had when I was growing up, except hers was green. I remember how it was such a treat for us, when she would brew a pot of tea and we would have tea and "sugar bread."

Quote for the Day:
Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.~Samuel Ullman

How is your Monday going?

Stock Show

2012-01-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we took the day off from all of the myriad of responsibilities and to-do lists that we've been buried under, and went to the Stock Show. As in the National Western Stock Show, the super bowl of stock shows, a mainstay in Denver since it was a town with just a bunch of cow trails.

It was perfect weather. Snowy and cold, wet and sloppy, as we headed from the main coliseum to outlying buildings such as the horse arena and cow barns. Going from the freezing cold into one of the warm stock buildings is all part of the experience -- entering the building and being enveloped by the warm air and the smell of horses and hay and dirt.

Add a toasty, sweet funnel cake to the mix, and there you have it . . . the Stock Show.

We spent an hour or more watching Team Cutting. A team of three cowboys/girls on horseback are given the task of separating three calves from a small herd of 30. Not just any three. The little doggies are all numbered, so the team has to 'cut out' three specific calves . . . and gather them in a pen on the other side of the arena. Sounds easy enough, but the crazy little critters don't want to leave their friends. And the clock is running. The fastest time was 27 seconds. 27 seconds! I couldn't even get my three kids -- when they were just little guys -- into the car, in 27 seconds.

We spent a lot of time wandering through the horse barn. We browsed through the hundred million booths at the trade show. There were so many things for sale. Everything from earrings to cowboy hats and boots, to horse trailers and portable corrals, to beef jerky and ear tags.

We wandered through the cow barn and watched little 4H kids shampooing gigantic bulls and then using blow dryers to make their coats look like black velvet. And it reminded me that I need to go home and give Lilly a bath.

And then we went home and cleaned off our boots.

The End.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

Three of my favorite things: New Year's Day, a brand new calendar and a fresh start. For the past two years, I've written a letter on January 1st, sealed it and kept it in my desk to be read on the December 31st. I read my 2011 letter last night. Oh good grief, so many plans that I'd forgotten about!

And I think that's where I go wrong in making resolutions. Thinking I can use them to plan out my year. What's the saying about, "if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans?"

Last year, I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish, books to read, ways to help my family achieve Goals A, B or C. My kids are getting older, one has left the nest, one has one foot in the door and the other outside, and the third is in high school. So, I foolishly thought that I would finally get some semblance of control in my life.

That's when God throws me a curve ball and knocks me on my behind and I lay sprawled out in the dirt. Exactly which pitch He threw isn't all that important. He gets to choose the pitch. (Go ahead and cringe at my lame baseball analogies). But the point is He reminded me that I don't get to choose my challenges. I only get to choose how I'm going to respond to them.

My 2011 New Year's Day letter was filled with reflections about my life and how I would like to work on some things to improve myself. Before opening it on December 31, just a few days ago, I thought about how the year had gone and what I'd learned from it. Oh, and boy did I learn some things! In fact I was feeling a little smug about how much I've learned. Then, upon opening the letter, I had to laugh at how far the lessons were from what I anticipated and planned. It was as though God took my letter and put it through His great big shredder and rubbing His palms together said, "Okay, Miss Smartypants, here's the way it's going to be."

2011 was a year filled with lessons that I sure as heck did not want any part of. I was challenged to my core and forced to learn character traits that have never been easy for me. Patience, letting go of control, using a softer touch rather than always carrying a big stick. It was exhausting. Who am I kidding, it is exhausting, as I'm still learning.

Thankfully, unlike baseball, I get more than three strikes. I get God's gift of grace. His grace is like every day being New Year's Day or Monday. What I love about having a fresh start on the calendar, is a fraction of what grace is every minute of the day. God's assistance. God raining strength down upon me whenever I need it.

So, instead of trying to plan out my life this year, I'm going to concentrate on being a better receiver. And when those pitches come a flyin' I want to be in better form to learn my lessons and receive all that grace.

There's one tradition that I'm going to continue in 2012, and that is choosing a word for the year. The word I've chosen is a dull word, a word that even makes me yawn. It may seem contradictory to my reflections of being open to God's lessons. But, in order to be in my best form, I need to get serious about some changes in my life as far as my health -- physical and mental and spiritual. And for that I need discipline. I'm going to focus on seeing discipline in a new way.

I read a blog post recently that quoted a passage from Catholic author Matthew Kelly. I heard Matthew speak at program about a year ago and bought his book, Rediscovering Catholicism. I appreciated it for many of the insights that he presented about the Church, but one part I'd forgotten about was brought to my attention through this blog. And I wish I could remember which blog it was, but I just copied down the quote from the book:

Discipline is the faithful friend who will introduce you to your true self. Discipline is the worthy protector who will defend you from your lesser self. And discipline is the extraordinary mentor who will challenge you to become the best version of yourself and all God created you to be. (Matthew Kelly)

Discipline is such an old-fashioned idea. The very though of it is dry and tasteless and boring. But it is the means to so many of the ends that I want in my life. So, this year is going to be about Discipline.

(LOL). That's God laughing at me. We'll see how it goes.

Winding down 2011

2011-12-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

The week between Christmas and New Year's is one of my favorite times of the year. The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over and traditionally Dan will take the week off for a staycation.

The neat freak part of me is tempted to clean up the Christmas decorations and put every back in order. But for Dan it's a time that he can finally relax and enjoy the tree, read through the cards, and just kick back. Besides, the family hates it when I'm in cleaning mode. It makes them grumpy. And I hate to clean and organize when people are a) grumpy and b) present.

So, I satisfy my need to tidy up by organizing my desk and papers, buying a new 2012 calendar and setting goals for the new year. More about that later.

This Christmas, I gave myself the gift of letting go of a lot of stuff. I sent just a handful of cards and only baked two kinds of cookies. Amazing for me. For the first time ever in my life, I spent Christmas away from home! We rented a condo in beautiful Grand Lake, Colorado, and spent the weekend with my family. Twenty people and eight dogs! It was such great fun. On Christmas Eve, we were at a local ski resort, watching fireworks, a parade of skiers carrying torches coming down the mountain and giant snowcats in the formation of a Christmas tree.

Christmas Day included a morning walk in the brisk mountain air and in the afternoon a prime rib dinner. Everyone pitched in the side dishes with family favorites. I made Aunt Mary's Tangy Mashed Potato casserole, my sister-in-law made her famous spaghetti squash, and my niece made Gram's cheesecake. Another niece made crescent rolls that were to die for. Awesome, that these young girls are such great cooks!

One of the reasons we went to the mountains was so we could have Christmas Day with Luke, who was working at the ski school. He and his cousin were assigned to the toddler "sick and sad" room -- for little kids who aren't feeling well or are just "sad" and miss their mom and dad. I love that! And I could just see Luke, all 6'3" of him, consoling these little kids.

We took Lilly with us and she proved herself as a hunting dog! All that chasing butterflies and flushing out squirrels in the backyard has paid off. She didn't even flinch at the shot of the gun, and managed to find a few ducks in the process. Luke and my brother were very pleased.

I have to admit, it was nice to take a blogging/computer break the past couple weeks. But I'm eager to get back at it and come up with a new plan for 2012. More recipes, more 'nesting' ideas, and more visiting other blogs!

Enjoy what's left of 2011 and Happy New Year!

A Recipe

2011-12-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

I know I said I was taking a break, but just have to share my 'go-to' appetizer recipe for this season. My friend Liz served it at Book Club last month and everyone loved it. I made it for my dad's 80th birthday party last night and it was a hit! Serve with sliced baguette (slice 'em thin!).

Avocado Chimichurri

2Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 cloves of garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 avocados cubed
slices of French bread for serving

Prep:

combine the 1st 7 ingredients.
whisk in the olive oil
stir in cilantro and parsley
gently fold in the avocado
spoon onto the bread slices

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

We still have so much to do, and we're plumb tuckered out. I think I'm going to take a little blogging break. If we don't see you before the big guy in the red suit rolls around -- have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love to all from Over the Backyard Fence

So many books. . .

2011-11-30T21:13:00.000-08:00

So little time.

Best Turkey Pot Pie Ever

2011-11-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

I know that recipes for leftover turkey abound this time of year, but I made a Turkey Pot Pie yesterday that was so good, I have to share. I found the recipe on one of my favorite sites -- allrecipes.com .

If you have any bits of turkey left, all you need is a cup and a half (I used a bit more, just to clean it all up). I had everything else on hand, too, all left-over from Thanksgiving. I'll be making this again during the non-holiday season with chicken.

Turkey Pot Pie*

Recipe for double crust pie (10 inch) -- I used the kind that comes in the red box:)

4 Tbs. butter, divided

1 small onion, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, diced

3 Tbs. dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

2 cubes chicken bouillon

2 cups wtaer

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, set aside.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes and cook until tender but still firm.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 35 degrees F and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
*Recipe for Turkey Pot Pie I adapted from AllRecipes.com

Stocking stuffers

2011-11-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas stockings are a favorite tradition in our family. We always find our stockings filled a mix of old favorites and new surprises. For example, every year my kids will find a chocolate Santa and candy cane in their stockings and a supply of movie tickets to use during the year (my husband's idea).

It's always easy for me to come up with new ideas for my daughter, but my boys, especially as they get older, are harder. So, I decided to surf the net and see what ideas I could find, and share them here.

One idea I liked that was repeated in several places was to come up with a theme for a favorite sport or hobby. For instance --

A movie theme would include a new DVD, movie-size boxed candy, some movie tickets, some gourmet popcorn.

For the athlete, some golf balls and tees, baseballs and bubble gum and cracker jacks, wrist bands, foot powder!, a decal for their favorite team.

For the outdoorsman, how about a Swiss army knife, some hand warmers, and beef jerky?

For the teen with a car -- a key chain, car air freshener, tire gauge, car wax.

Here are some general ideas:

small flashlight

nail clippers

mechanical pencils

money clip

chapstick

ear buds

cologne (small sample sizes are fun)

batteries

quarters for laundry for college students

sunglasses or strap for sunglasses

razors

a hacky sack or yo-yo (boys will be boys)

fun boxers!

socks

playing cards

Leatherman tool

dog toy for his favorite 'fur buddy'

If you have some suggestions, include them in a comment!

This morning. . .

2011-11-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

I woke up to this. . .

. . . .and started making a mental list of my plans for the day.

* Shop for groceries for Thanksgiving. (I hope there are still some nice, big, fat turkeys left.)

* Take the Girl Child to horseback riding lessons.

* Plan menus for the week.

* Get out china, silver, tablecloths and figure out a centerpiece.

* Clean off my desk and clean out my purse. Because when these two things are uncluttered, it helps my brain get uncluttered.

* Clean a couple bathrooms.

* Make a chore list for my kids so they can help me get the house company ready.

So, in the words of a wise woman. . . . "I'm off like a terd of hurtles."

Friday Favorites

2011-11-18T07:17:00.000-08:00

Time to look back over the week and find the gold nuggets. I always jot down a list on paper and end up with more than five. That's a good thing. Thanks, Susanne, for hosting!

1. High School teachers. I spent a couple of days at my daughter's school this week. Whenever I'm there, I am struck by how dedicated the teachers and staff are to the kids. They go so far above and beyond what they are called to do as educators. God bless them.

2. Free internet radio. There may be others, but I listen to Pandora. I've created several stations -- Country, Classical and an electic station labeled "Dan Fogelberg." I just created a holiday music station. There's a limit on how many free hours you get each month, but I've never reached it and sometimes I play the music for hours.

3. A new closet. When our son moved out, I gained an entire closet in what is now a guest room. Yesterday, I put away all the tablecloths that have been stuffed in a cupboard in my sewing room. They're all on hangers -- Christmas, Thanksgiving, lace, spring -- freshly ironed and where I can easily get to them.

4. Dinner last night. The Middle Child is home from college, the Firstborn came for supper and the Girl Child was physically and emotionally present. I made lasagna, salad and garlic bread. We forgot to put the leaf back in the table, but it was all the nicer, all squished together.

5. Laundry. As odd as it sounds. As my kids get older and I struggle with what to do or say to help them through certain situations, I find some satisfaction in being able to at least provide them with clean, freshly laundered clothes to wear. Clean shirt, clean socks, a fresh armor to face their day.

Hope you find much to be thankful for this week:)

Monday, Monday

2011-11-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

I love Mondays. It's a brand new week, a fresh new start. My favorite way to start the week is to clean the house and sweep out all the weekend rubble. Then I make my lists for the rest of the week. To-do lists and menus.

Today, however, Dan and I are going Christmas shopping. We'll go to breakfast, break out the lists, brainstorm ideas, and then do some window shopping and actual shopping to get started. Then we divide up what's left of the list. Divide and conquer. It's a good strategy.

Some other plans for the week:

Plan Thanksgiving menu
Buy batting and baste layers on a quilt
Continue to gather things that Joe left behind (Firstborn moved out this weekend and is in his own apartment:)
Deep clean above child's empty bedroom
Find a storage cabinet for a bathroom
Get used to cooking for just three instead of four
Until Friday, when the Middle Child comes home for Thanksgiving break. Then, we are four again.

What's on your agenda this week?

Veterans Day

2011-11-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

To Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Andy, Uncle Dick, Uncle Bill, Matt and RJ ~~ THANK YOU

Love, Karen

Friday Favorites

2011-11-11T05:42:00.000-08:00

I don't know where the week went, but here it is Friday already! Looking back on my week, I'm thankful for so many things. For one, Susanne of Living to Tell the Story. She keeps me on track, focusing on the good things and living in the moment, with Friday's Fave Five.

Here are some grace points from the week.

1. This week was about feeling connected to so many special people in my life. I wrote a letter to a friend, talked on the phone with my brother, visited my aunt for a long chat. My sister-in-law from California was in town and I got to spend time with her. Earlier in the week, we celebrated a family birthday and I got to meet some extended family from Australia. And today, my dad came for lunch:)

2. Fall soups and stews. I made a lentil and tomato soup today, and made it heartier by adding some elk sausage that was in the freezer. It was delicious! Elk is very lean and the sausage is flavorful and not at all gamy. With some toasted garlic bread, it made a yummy supper.

3. This morning, I made a pan of lasagna for a teachers' conference at our school, and while I was at it, made two more pans to put in the freezer. Planning ahead for busy weeks before the holidays. I am so thankful for my freezer:)

4. I saw Sarah's Key yesterday. Such a treat to see a movie in the middle of the week and a treat to pay only $6 for a matinee. The book is a powerful and moving story. The film was extremely well done with Kristin Scott Thomas in the lead role.

5. Finally, finally backed up all the photos on the computer. Actually, Firstborn Child did it for me. Big sigh of relief. I really need to learn how to do these things for myself. But, in the meantime, I am very thankful for computer savvy children.

How was your week?

A Daybook

2011-11-07T07:29:00.000-08:00

FOR TODAY, November 7, 2011

Outside my window...it's a sunny day, but snow is on the way!

I am thinking...that today is my aunt's birthday She blesses my life in so many ways. We're having a party at my brother's house later today.

I am thankful...for friends and family who stand by me through thick and thin. They're the best.

In the kitchen...my menus are set for the week, I went grocery shopping yesterday. I'm set for the week. Feels good.

I am wearing...sweats -- cleaning house today.

I am creating...a quilt.

I am going...nowhere until 4:00 today! Gotta love days like this.

I am wondering...how much snow we'll get? Supposedly just a couple inches.

I am reading... The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

I am hoping...for a calm week.

I am looking forward to...the holidays. It's all I can do not to set up the Christmas village right now.

I am hearing...Matt Lauer in Namibia

Around the house... The usual shrapnel from a busy weekend.

I am pondering...life in Namibia. I would love the simpler lifestyle, but not sure I could handle all that sand.

One of my favorite things...fabric stores.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .a quiet week ahead, so I'll have no excuses not to get some projects done.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...from Auntie Ann's birthday six years ago. The kids have all grown up so much since then! But Auntie Ann looks exactly the same. So glad I have her genes:)

Thank you, Peggy, for hostessing A Simple Woman's Daybook. To join in or read more Daybooks, go here.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cake

2011-11-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

I made this for my husband's birthday. His family is not into traditional birthday cakes. As a matter of fact, until I married into his family, I didn't know you could put birthday candles on pie!

This is delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
12-oz bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream and vanilla; blend thoroughly on low. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add gradually to the beaten mixture.

Pour half of the batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture and half of the chocolate chips over the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture and chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack.

Friday Favorites

2011-11-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the best parts of my week ~~

The sunrises have been gorgeous. This morning the eastern sky was all streaky in shades of pink and orange, and the trees were jet black silhouettes. I wished I had my camera when I took my daughter to school.

My friend, Pamela, was in town all week. On Wednesday we spent the day together. We had coffee and scones at my house, then went shopping and out for lunch. The stores are putting out all of their Christmas stuff and it was so much fun to do a little Christmas shopping when the displays are fresh and new. It's been years since we've been able to do that. We shared ideas for stocking stuffers and those hard-to-buy-for teenage boys.

Getting organized. I organized my Christmas lists and found a great website that has cute forms and tons of ideas on how to do this. Organized Home will even send you daily reminders to keep on track. They think of everything and you could plan Christmas at the White House using their system. We've simplified our holidays, so I'm using just a few ideas, but it's a fun way to get organized and plan ahead.

A cancelled softball tournament. Isn't that awful to admit? but I know I'm not alone. We now have the whole weekend without any commitments. Dan was out of town this week, so it's even more delicious, having all that free time.

Text messages from the Middle Child. We text or talk on the phone once or twice a week. Sometimes it's about school, usually he'll just share something like, "it's snowing!" or "physical therapy went great today!" His arm is getting stronger every day and I know he can't wait until spring when he can throw at full speed:)

How was your week? If you'd like to join Susanne's Friday Fave Five, go here.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

November 1

2011-11-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

My blog has fallen by the wayside for the past couple weeks. It happens now and then. I wish I could say that I've just been so dang busy, enjoying the fall season, getting lots done and saving up all sorts of good ideas to write about.

While I've been baking lots of pumpkin bread, doing some fall cleaning, and piecing together a long-forgotten quilt, for the most part the past month or two hasn't been exactly hunky dory here, at Over the Backyard Fence. Life served up a healthy dose of reality that has been both challenging and humbling to say the least. For a time, I shut down my blog, feeling hypocritical writing about recipes and seemingly superfluous things, when "real life" has been far from perfect. I didn't think anyone would notice until a few readers asked why they were having trouble getting into my blog. So, I 'flipped the switch' and opened it up again. And I found myself sitting at the computer, staring at a blank screen, wondering what on earth could I write about?

Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage, hosts a meme called Reality Thursday. It's a chance to let down your hair, so to speak, and post pictures of real life -- the messy desk, the disaster in the kitchen rather than the perfect recipe, the incomplete project -- instead of what we typically show on our blogs. I like that. Heaven knows, most bloggers don't blog to show that life can be lived perfectly.

However, I do think that most of the time I want my blog to celebrate the blessings in my life and to look for the roses among the thorns. Susanne, at Living to Tell the Story, hosts Friday Fave 5, a week-end meme that challenges us to find and name the good things that happened throughout our week. As I've participated in this for the over a year now, I find that in the midst of my week I'm noticing more and more things to add to my list of five.

I've missed writing on my blog and the 'good energy' that flows from it, in the form of my blogging buddies. The following quote sums it up better than I can.

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny. ~~~Gandhi

October

2011-10-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Reality Shot Thursday

2011-10-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is a meme hosted by Claudia at Mockingbird Hill. As much as we all love seeing perfection in decorating blogs, and even in our own pictures that we choose to share on our blogs, we all know -- it's not reality. Claudia invites us to loosen up a little and share some "real life."

Here's mine. This is how I keep the top of my desk clean (most of the time).

It's important that I keep the file drawer open at all times, so notebooks are within easy reach!

If you'd like to share a touch of reality, join Reality Shot Thursday.

Friday Favorites

2011-10-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Such a good week! Here's some good stuff that blessed my days. . .

1. Watching re-runs of Reba. It is such a funny show and my kids laugh at how hard I laugh. Laughter. Good stuff.

2. A new table runner for my kitchen.

3. My kids' orthodontist. He is one of the most generous, kind individuals, and my kids think he's "chill." Yesterday evening, he met us at his office to fix a broken wire that was digging into my daughter's mouth. On his own time. He gives so much to our community and to our church. Just a good man.

4. Last night, we had to close all the windows, because it is so cold outside. Fall is here.

5. Pizza. It always seems like a party when we have pizza for supper. I'm happy, because I don't have to cook. The kids are happy, because they love pizza. DH is happy, because I'm happy. And it's one of the rare times that we eat supper in front of the t.v.

How was your week? If you'd like to join in on Friday Fave Five, check in with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

Feathering the nest

2011-10-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

I was out shopping yesterday and came across some of these:

I suppose you would have to be at least as old as I am to know what drawer liners are.

Since I had spent the previous day cleaning out my closet and dresser, I decided to buy some, to freshen things up. I remember when my mother used to do her spring or fall cleaning, she would go through our clothes and pack away the things that weren't in season. Woolens went in moth balls, summer clothes got put away in a box downstairs. It kept the closets and dressers neat and tidy, and it was actually fun getting out our clothes the next season, when they all seemed 'new' but comfortably familiar. Anyway, once a year or so, Mom would change the paper lining in the dresser drawers.

Scented drawer liners (and matching hangers) were a popular wedding shower gift years ago. I wonder if young girls do that anymore?

I find that even if it's just a utility cabinet under the kitchen sink, if I take the time to put down some pretty contact paper, it inspires me to keep that area tidy and clean. I'm a nut for pretty paper and pretty fabric, so it's one more way to support the habit:)

Saturday doings and a recipe

2011-10-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'm obviously deep in nostalgia these days, as evidenced by the photos in my blog header this month and last month. But, I guess it's a mother's (and a blogger's) prerogative, after all, to display photos of her kids;)

We're throwing the chore list aside today, and taking a drive up into the hills to see the fall foliage. We plan to drive for a while and then stop for lunch in one of our favorite mountain towns.

In the meantime, here's a recipe I tried last night that was a huge hit with everyone. It involves a few more steps than my normal Friday night cooking (ordering pizza!) but Dan was gone this week and the weather has been nice and cool, so I felt like making something special. The aromas that filled the house while this was cooking were to die for!

Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

I served this with egg noodles, but couscous would be a delicious side dish, too. This recipe is a revision from the Martha Stewart Cooking magazine.

1 small butternut squash, peeled, cubed and seeded
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken leg quarters (2 1/2 pounds) split into drumsticks and thighs
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and, in two batches, cook, skin side down, until skin is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate; pour off fat from pot.

Add 1 Tbs. oil, squash and onion to pot, and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sage, flour, coriander, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broth and cook, stirring up and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in squash mixture, add cranberries, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

A Daybook

2011-09-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY, September 26, 2011

Outside my window...It's already dark and it's only 7:30 p.m.

I am thinking...about the busy weekend we had. Emily went to her first Homecoming dance. Dan and I drove her and a friend, and we had a few hours to 'kill' until it was time to pick them up. We found a microbrewery with patio seating and had a late dinner, then shared dessert.

I am thankful...that I am still able to be a stay-at-home-mom, even though my kids are teens and one is a young adult.

In the kitchen...Salmon on the grill, butternut squash, and a new recipe with red quinoa.

I am wearing...shorts and a t-shirt. It was 89 degrees today!

I am creating...a menu plan for fall and a new plan for household budgeting.

I am going...to bed early!

I am wondering...what my grandmother would think, if she could see our lives today.

I am reading...

A Confident Heart by Renee Swope

Escaping Into the Open by Elizabeth Berg

I am hoping... to get the rest of the windows clean in my house before the week is over.

I am looking forward to...shopping with my aunt and my sister-in-law on Thursday.

I am hearing...the sound of the fan in my office, the television downstairs where Dan and Emily are watching a show.

Around the house...I decorated for Fall today. Just a few things, a fall garland along the mantle, a few pumpkins here and there, some scented candles.

I am pondering...these words:
Drudgery is the touchstone of character. The great hindrance in spiritual life is that we will look for big things to do. "Jesus took a towel. . . and began to wash the disciples' feet." (Oswald Chambers)

One of my favorite things...fall-scented candles from Yankee Candle

A few plans for the rest of the week...Have lunch with a friend, parent-teacher conferences, a birthday party for my nephew, have the dog groomed.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...early morning at Lake Granby, Colorado.

Thanks to Peggy for hosting The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Friday Favorites

2011-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Looking back over the week, can you think of five moments or five things that blessed you? That's what Suzanne at Living to Tell the Story encourages us to do with Friday's Fave Five. Here are mine:

1. Today being the first day of Fall. The air has cooled and the maple tree in my front yard is turning gold. How I love Autumn.

2. My favorite shows had season premiers -- The Good Wife and Modern Family. The latter is one that Dan and I watch together. It makes us laugh -- really laugh -- every single time. Nothing like laughter to lift your spirits. The Good Wife is 'my show' and I love the 'me' time I get from it.

3. My book club met at my house this week. Our group has been meeting for 10 years! Our kids have grown from babies and toddlers to teens and young adults. We've read great books and not-so-great books, but our time together is always golden.

4. I made a new recipe this week. Pasta Carbonara. It requires just four ingredients -- linguini, bacon, Romano cheese and egg yolks. I added chicken. So simple, but so good.

5. The Firstborn turned 22 this week. 22! We'll celebrate his birthday tonight, when the Middle Child gets home. It will be good to have everyone around the supper table tonight.

How was your week?

AWOL

2011-09-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been AWOL for the past week and, boy, did it feel great. A week ago Friday, I took off for a trip to Pennsylvania to see my friend, Pamela. I stayed with her and her husband, Jim, in their beautiful home in the Poconos. They are now empty nesters, and my time there was so peaceful and I came home renewed!

Pamela and I have been friends since junior high school, and Jim grew up in my hometown. Needless to say, we have a long history together. Pam and I had a ball, shopping at the flea market, at outlet stores, going into New York City, and visiting my Aunt Riz one day.

When we were "young moms", Pam and I spent a lot of time together through our involvement in MOPS, hanging out together with our kids, and regular afternoon tea while cheering one another on during the tough times and celebrating the milestones. When our oldest kids were three, and her daughter was just eight months old, she and Jim moved from the Denver area to Tokyo for a few years. We missed one another terribly and wrote letters to each other at least once a week. Back then, phone calls were extremely expensive, so they were reserved for rare occasions.

Through the years, I saved her letters and she saved mine. So, last week, I took her letters with me and one day we spent the whole day, reading through them. What a treasure! A priceless account of our lives as young moms, raising toddlers and trying to figure it all out. We read through them for hours, taking breaks for meals, but ended up each taking the remainder of our letters to bed, still reading.

When they returned to the states, Jim and Pam settled on the east coast. I wish I could say we kept up our correspondence, but by then email and inexpensive long distance plans had taken over, so we have only a few letters from that time.

We've both promised to take up writing again, even if it is less frequently than before. We still have a lot to say, as we navigate this part of lives.

Friday Favorites

2011-09-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of the week is writing my Friday Favorites post. Looking back over the the week and mining for the good stuff, the gold nuggets, the grace points.

1. The used book store in town. The young woman who owns it is just a delight. She always has a pot of coffee going and a plate of cookies. It's a small shop, but she's managed to squeeze in a couple of overstuffed chairs. There are always one or two other shoppers in there, browsing the shelves in companionable silence. It's become one of my favorite haunts.

2. Our Keurig coffee maker. I love it. Some mornings I wake up, and it's the first thing I think of, enjoying a cup of rich, flavorful coffee, while enjoying the early morning on the back porch. It's what gets me out of bed, as I'm not a morning person.

3. My husband. Always. After 27 years, he still makes me laugh, makes me swoon and I love 'im.

4. September. The sky is bluer, the air is clearer, it's such a welcome change after the long, hot summer months. I love the anticipation of fall and the new beginnings. September has always been my "new year."

5. Sending a care package to The Middle Child. I remember how much it meant to get mail when I was in college. Even though it's easier to communicate these days with texts and phone calls, nothing says "i love you" like a package in the mail!

I hope you all found lots of blessings in your week! I'm linking up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five.

Judging Mom

2011-08-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I've been recording and watching re-runs of a TV series called Judging Amy. It aired on CBS from 1999 to 2005. I don't remember watching more than a few episodes back then. I'm pretty sure that on the rare occasion that I did watch TV, it was a Disney movie or Teletubbies. Remember them?

I love this show. It's about a judge (Amy Brenneman) who is a single mom to a young daughter. They live with Amy's mom (Tyne Daly) who is a social worker. Each episode involves some kind of dispute in Amy's courtroom, as well as a situation that Tyne Daly is dealing with. They both specialize in juvenile issues, which has a lot of appeal for me since I tend to specialize in those, too;)

There are some other extended family members in the series. It's fascinating and entertaining to watch the interaction between all of them, especially the mother/daughter relationships. I also love the close relationship Amy has with her younger brother because it reminds me of the one I have with mine.

I like that no matter what societal ills they may face during the day, they all have one another to come home to. Not that they always get along, in fact they frequently do not. But, that they can deal with huge issues and solve them in an hour, usually with common sense (this is television after all), is refreshing.

And that Amy, a judge for heaven's sake, still learns so much about life from her mother, this older and wiser woman that she is so fortunate to have in her life each day. I envy her a bit. Especially on the days that I'm struggling with one issue or another and want to wail, "Why can't someone just tell me what to doooo!"

Amy's lectures to the courtroom are logical and reasonable, delivered with coolness and acumen. I wish I could do as well explaining things to certain people in my household. But then, Amy does have a scriptwriter.

There is one tip that I've learned from her that has proven to be useful. Yesterday, things got a bit heated with certain members of my household. I found myself raising my hand and calmly but firmly advising, "Let's take a five minute ~~recess~~ break, and then reconvene at the kitchen table." Someone whispered, "She's been watching Judging Amy again."

Just wait. I'm sure ebay sells gavels. And, maybe black robes?

Book Review

2011-08-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

I'm the last person who should be writing a post about a book that has the word "diet" in the title, since I have tried SO many over the years and haven't found one that suited me.

But, when invited to participate in a blog tour for All Diets Work: That's the Problem by Jen Brewer, I was immediately taken with the title. Because, yes, they all do work . . .if you follow them to the letter. And therein lies the problem.

What we eat is such a personal thing, that to follow someone else's plan seems so restrictive to me. Yes, Marie looks great, and I'd kill to have a figure like Valerie's, but following someone else's diet plan just feels peculiar and artificial. It's temporary. At some point, I have to figure things out for myself. And Jen Brewer's book is just the ticket.

All Diets Work will help you debunk fad-diet claims and peel away the hype and fancy packaging. It will help you identify your own strengths so you can build your personal arsenal of weight-loss tools that truly work for you today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life.

This book is a perfect guide to assist me in coming up with my own nutrition plan. I call it the "Karen Plan." Jen's motivational tips and her list of 25 "tools" allow me to pick and choose what works for me, to build my own tool box for planning and eating a healthy diet. Most of the tips are things we've all heard before. After all, this isn't rocket science. But it does involve learning what works for you. And it does require learning a little bit about nutrition, which Jen explains simply and with diagrams (for the visual learners among us.) There is so much information and common sense packed into 132 pages.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! Even if you think you've heard it all before. Jen says, "Simply learning more will not motivate you. Somewhere along the way, you must put into practice what you are learning." Her book offers a well-organized plan for doing just that.

If you'd like to "meet" Jen, her website is here. If you're interested in getting your own copy of All Diets Work, the link is here.

Friday Favorites

2011-08-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Linking up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday Favorites.

1. This was the first full week that my kids were in school. It is the first time in 16 years that I'm not driving someone to school in the morning! DH leaves at the same time as my daughter, so he drops her at school. I feel deliciously spoiled, not having to get out of the house first thing in the morning.

2. Kathy and I had our 'end of the summer pool party' yesterday to celebrate back-to-school. It's an exclusive event -- she and I are the only ones invited. And her dad. Since it's his pool. He comes for lunch, but the rest of the day it's just the two of us, on our rafts, looking up at the blue sky, talking and sipping iced lattes or drinks of choice.

3. Seeing The Help on Wednesday morning. Geez, I've been spoiled this week. I wrote about this in a previous post. My book club went to an early show -- 10:00 in the morning for just six bucks -- since we had read the book together last spring.

4. This happened last week, but I'm still so tickled about it. I found a teapot at this Etsy shop that goes with my mother's childhood tea set. I think it's a pretty good match. I have been searching for a long time and I'm so delighted.

5. We continue to have hot, hot days, but the early mornings and evenings are cooler. Perfect weather for porch sitting and morning coffee.

How was your week?

Tuesday night

2011-08-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm too tired to even form a sentence. In bullet points, here's what's been happening:

Luke is settled in at school and loving it. I miss him, but we text occasionally and he's called twice. Once to ask me to send a form he needed and today to tell me he was awakened by an earthquake last night.

Tomorrow I'm going to see The Help with my book club. I loved the book and have heard great reviews about the movie!
I went for a walk today and saw some critters.

It's so hot. In the mid to high 90s all week long. Tonight I made scrambled eggs, fried up some leftover potatoes, and we had fresh fruit with it. The power went out, just before the eggs were done, so DH fired up the grill and finished cooking the eggs. In a skillet on the grill. Did I even have to say that? Yes, I'm tired.
I'm recording all the "Judging Amy" reruns and watch an episode (or two) every night. No commercials. Woohoo!
It seems like I had more to say when I started this post. Hmmm. The past week has been crazy, as I'm in cleaning and decluttering mode. It does make me a bit crazy.
I hope you're all having a good week:)

Monday, Monday

2011-08-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today is back-to-school for the Girl Child. It's her first day of high school and she is the last and only one of our children still in K-12 school. This morning was a far cry from the days when I had three kids all excited and scrambling to get out the door.

I celebrated anyway by hanging the flag, a family tradition described in this post. . .

. . .and eating the last few pieces of leftover Sesame Chicken, and the last scoop of Blue Bell Cookies & Cream ice cream for breakfast. Oh, yes I did.

I took my son shopping for jeans, sneakers and stuff for his dorm, and then we picked up lunch from our favorite sandwich place. Today was not a good day, nutritionally.

I got my haircut.

I'm making grilled salmon and baked potatoes for dinner.

I'm dreading Thursday when I have to take the Middle Child and leave him ~~all alone at the ends of the earth,~~ at college.

Friday Favorites

2011-08-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

School starts next week! It's hard to believe that this was the last week of summer vacation. Nothing extraordinary this week, just finding pleasure in the "small things."

1. The temperatures have dropped ever so slightly and the mornings are wonderfully cool. This morning there is the slightest breeze, suggesting that summer won't last forever.

2. The painting in the kitchen is finished! For now, at least. It's so nice to have everything put back together and it looks so bright and cheerful.

3. Lunch with Aunt Ann yesterday. It was spur of the moment, both of us needed a break, so we went to our favorite place, The Egg & I. I deviated from my usual favorite -- the Chicken Walnut Salad sandwich -- and tried a salad. It was good, but the sandwich, served on raisin bread, is still my all-time favorite.

4. Buying school supplies. Em and her friend went shopping and bought all the same things, just in different colors. Remember when you had a best friend and loved to have things that "matched"?

5. This book. Oh, it's such a good read. My Ruby Slippers, The Road Back to Kansas is beautifully written, as Tracy Seeley explores the back roads of Kansas and eastern Colorado in an archaeological dig of sorts, to find the homes and the stories of her childhood. In her quest, she raises the question for all of us, what exactly is home?

Linking up with Susanne at Living to the Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five! Where I just found out I won a Starbuck's gift card!! Thank you, Susanne! Such a treat!

Kitchen Reveal

2011-08-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it isn't quite finished, but I'm going to 'reveal' the kitchen makeover anyway. I'm even going to take this blog to a whole new level and show you, step by step, how I painted the cabinets. Even though there are plenty of other people out there who are far more qualified than I, to show you how to do this. Just Google "painting kitchen cabinets" and you will have all the info you'll ever want or need.

The only "before" picture I can put my hands on right now, is from before we bought our house. But it gives you an idea of what the cabinets looked like -- medium colored oak. They weren't in bad shape, in fact they were in fairly good shape, but just not my style; Dan's style, but I prefer painted cabinets, so how we got here is a whole 'nother story.

So, before:

And after:

The cabinet without a door is going to be left open, I just need to paint the inside. And the one on the far left will have a door with glass. "We" have big plans for the island, so just ignore that for now. And as for the lower cabinets that aren't painted, I am leaving them as they are because I like the look of mixed finishes and everything not being all "matchy-matchy" especially in the kitchen.

Here's the elusive valence:)

I started by sanding the doors and cabinets . . .

Then, because oak is such a grainy wood, I used some textured wallpaper that is suitable for painting in the center of each door and on the sides of the cabinets. The texture looks like bead board. It gave the doors a much smoother finish than if I had just painted the wood. The paper was soooo easy to apply.

I caulked around the edges to give it a smooth finish and to reinforce the edges of the paper so it wouldn't come off.

Here are several of the doors. . .

You can see the bead board pattern . . .

It was finally time to paint. Each door got a coat of primer and two coats of glossy latex.

Dan helped me put the crown molding up (as in, he cut all the angles and pieces and held them in place while I used the nail gun to attach them:) It gives such a nice, finished look.

For fun, I lined the inside of one door with cork board. . .

. . .and painted the outside with chalkboard paint.

I really like the way everything turned out. I don't care for the blue walls, and will probably be painting them red. I love red and yellow accents for a kitchen.

And that's it! I love my "new" kitchen and how much brighter it is.

Happy Anniversary to Friday Fave Five!

2011-08-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is Susanne's 150th edition of Friday Fave Five. Wow! It always amazes me how quickly time flies when you're blogging. I never would have thought, four years ago, that I would keep my blog going all this time. But I love it, and have loved getting to know so many other bloggers. Susanne (my long lost twin) has become one of my favorites:) and I dedicate this edition of FFF to her.

1. On Wednesday, my brother was in town (unexpectedly) and treated Luke, Emily and I to lunch at Red Robin (kids' choice) Such a nice surprise.

2. After driving for a 100 miles and looking at every store that carries curtains (I'm exaggerating, but not by much), I found a new valance for the kitchen. I will post a photo when I do the kitchen reveal as soon as the cabinets are finished. Which will be soon!

3. Luke got his cast off and is now wearing a lightweight splint. He's a happy camper. Thank you to everyone who has been asking for him. He's doing great!

4. My husband. I should have listed him at #1. He should be #1 through 5. I married a gem of a man. I love him for many, many reasons, but this week I'm reminded of how much he does for us and how many times he puts his own projects aside (which are usually projects he's doing for me) to help me with mine. Like spending an evening cutting crown molding for the kitchen cabinets because I decided that I wanted to paint the cabinets and wouldn't they look nice with crown molding on the top?

5. New movies! There are several that I want to see -- why is it so often feast or famine when it comes to good movies? -- but I'm especially excited to see The Help which comes out on Wednesday. Loved the book!

How was your week? If you're so inclined, head on over to Susanne's and join in the 150th edition of Friday's Fave Five!

Soup du jour

2011-08-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

Joe made up a huge pot of delicious Chicken and Corn Chowder last week, and we feasted on it for days! With some good rolls and a glass of wine, it was the perfect supper. (If you're looking for something low calorie. . . this would not be it.) Here's the recipe.

6 slices bacon, diced

4 green onions, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 large potatoes, diced

4 cups frozen corn kernels

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves - cut into cubes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 cups half-and-half

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, and set aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Saute the onions in the bacon fat. Add broth and the potato to the pot. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn, chicken, and thyme. Cover. Simmer until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir half and half into soup, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with the bacon and scallions. Serve.
*From Allrecipes.com

August

2011-08-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to August being the crowning, lazy month of summer, trying to squeeze in all the pool time that you can and taking a vacation? It seems that August has become cheated over the years, with the start of school in our area inching up just a bit more each year. In two short weeks, right smack dab in the middle of what should be a month-long culmination of a long summer holiday, is the kids first day of school. This year, Em starts on the 15th and Luke leaves on the 18th.

Instead of spending the next couple weeks lolling about in summer stuff, we have business to tend to. There's shopping for a few new items for school clothes and buying school supplies. Shopping for dorm stuff. Packing for college. Fall softball practice begins next week. Shopping for new cleats, downloading registration forms and making sure health forms are in order. A doctor's appointment this week to remove Luke's splint. Dan's travel is picking up again, so fewer nights of sharing G&T's on the back porch.

If the temperatures weren't still in the high 90s, I would swear it's almost September. But the hot days and warm nights tell me that August still lies ahead. We'll keep cooking suppers on the barbeque, adding some new recipes to change things up, enjoy lots more baseball as the Rockies struggle along, take advantage of the local farmer's market as well as take in the sights at the county fair this week. And in just two weeks, I guess we'll have to throw in six or seven hours of school a day as well.

How about in your neck of the woods? When does school start?

Friday Favorites

2011-07-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

Haven 't had much time for blogging, but I can't pass up Friday's Fave Five -- an opportunity to look back at my week and count a few blessings.

1. Luke's surgery went very well. I'm so thankful for people who love medicine and aren't squeamish about blood and stitches and seeing icky stuff. I am not one of them. But thank God there are people like Dr. S who like that stuff. And I discovered a whole new application for engineering, as he and Dan (an engineer) discussed how Luke's elbow should be put back together. I was flattered when Dr. S looked at me and asked, "Are you an engineer, too?" To think he even suspected I might be that brainy. "No," I confessed, "I work from the other side of the brain."

2. A free car wash. The place I take my car to be serviced always washes it and vacuums inside. I love having a nice clean car to drive around.

3. 50 cent ice cream cones from McD's. 54 cents with tax. Such a cheap treat.

4. Reba reruns. I absolutely.love.this.show. It makes me laugh out loud, and that has been a huge blessing this week.

5. Dan and I have been taking turns getting up in the middle of the night to give Luke his pain medication. One night I stayed up until my "shift" and caught up on some scrapbooking. I love these two pages. Nothing fancy, just spending time on the back porch. Just a note: I'm obviously not a "serious" scrapbooker, but love paper and stickers and pasting. Shoulda been a kindergarten teacher.

How was your week? For more Friday Fave Five, head over to Susanne's at Living to Tell the Story.

Book Review

2011-07-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Adrianna Mueller may be a world-renowned concert pianist, but when she wakes from a coma after a serious car accident, her ability to perform has disappeared as completely as her memories. As she recovers from her injuries, she struggles with the expectations of her family, friends, and fiance, Brock -- who all want everything to go back to the way it was.

Everyone except Gavin, her brother's business partner, who finds himself drawn to the woman she is now. But he has his own problems. As he tries to recover from a former employee's embezzlement, he fights his growing feelings for Adrianna. And then a trip to the emergency room shakes everything up, leaving her to stumble as she tries to regain her footing all over again.

I found this to be a delightful summer read and couldn't put it down, finishing it in an afternoon. In the early pages, I recognized a familiar plot line, however Heather Justesen carries it off well, writing a suspenseful storyline with likable and charming characters. I grew fond of the characters and after finishing it, found myself wondering how how their stories might continue. They all grew from their connections with Adrianna and I wondered what my reaction would have been, had I been in their shoes.

If I have any criticisms it would be that there are a number of typos. This is unfortunate because the story is so well-written it deserves better editing.

Here are some links for purchasing Blank Slate.

For a hard copy, go to here. For the Kindle version, go here.

And, from now until the end of July you can purchase Blank Slate from Smashwords for $1.49 with the code WV49Z! Check it out!

To learn more about the author, check out her blog or website.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book to review. However, I feel no obligation to "like" a book, simply because someone sent me a free copy. I really liked this one! So there:p

A Brain Dump

2011-07-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

In just three short weeks, it will be the "night before school starts," for the Girl Child, and "the week he leaves for college," for the Middle Child. It seems the summer has dragged on forever. Really. What was supposed to be a full season of softball and baseball got cut short due to Luke's injury. Due to work schedules, it was too late to plan any kind of vacation. And teenagers aren't exactly fun to "hang" with since their idea of fun is to go somewhere to spend my money. I think we'll all be happy to get back into a fall routine.

Early last week, Luke and I drove to the far southeastern corner of our state for Freshman Orientation at the college he'll be attending. It's about a four hour drive through miles and miles of prairie. I found it rather pretty. Not surprisingly, at 18, Luke found it rather boring.

For the first half of the trip we followed the interstate before picking up a two lane highway that stretched for miles through open space. Few towns break up the drive, but each one of them boasts a small museum, usually a railroad depot and buildings dating in the first half of the last century. There wasn't a lot to see, save for the ghosts of the settlers that lived in the area when it was rich in agriculture. Still, the prairie has a beauty of it's own and changes colors and texture.

As we neared our destination, the land was more green and fertile. Further south there are a few larger towns and some areas for fishing and camping, so it's not exactly in the middle of nowhere. We had a really nice day meeting faculty and coaches, registering for classes, and seeing the dorms. It was my first visit, so it was all new for me.

Emily finished summer softball and starts fall ball in a couple short weeks. And I am still sanding and priming and painting the kitchen cabinets. Luke has his surgery tomorrow and I doubt he'll feel like doing much for a few days. So, I'll have lots of time to continue working on my project, when I'm not waiting on him! He won't have use of his right arm for 10 days. After that, he'll have to take it slowly before he can do anything.

So, that's all I've got. Check in tomorrow for a book review for a great summer read!

Friday Favorites

2011-07-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Just squeaking in under the wire for Friday Fave Five. . .

1. This week, I found a way to combine my morning routine of reading and journaling with getting some exercise, by riding my bike to the open space near our house to work. My bike basket is just the right size to hold books, notebook, and a go-cup with coffee. The mornings have been cool and pleasant, thanks to all the rain we've had.

2. Thunderstorms. Every night for eight straight days. Huge bolts of lightening, deafening thunder. Sitting on the back porch, watching the pouring rain. It's humbling.

3. Second chances. And third chances. And fourth . . . "If at first you don't succeed. . . "

4. Fresh white paint! Last weekend, I took the plunge and decided to paint the kitchen cabinets. This isn't the first time I've done such a project, in fact I knew it would be a matter of time before I would dive in and change them. You would think that after doing this twice, we would have just bought a house with a white kitchen. You can be sure I'll do a 'big reveal' when the project is finished! Meanwhile, here's a sneak peek!

Out with the old . . . in with the new. . .

5. We learned a couple of weeks ago that our son Luke will need surgery on his right arm -- the UCL, or "Tommy John", a common injury for pitchers. Today we met the surgeon for a consult. HUGE blessing. He is gifted and extremely knowledgeable, and we know that Luke is in good hands. It will mean a change of plans for his first year in college, as he'll 'red shirt' and rehab. But he is showing such maturity about the whole situation, and that has been a blessing as well.

How was your week? Leave a comment and/or head over to Susanne's and join FFF:o)

Mexican Corn Salad

2011-07-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm making it a point to try some new recipes this summer. Last week, I made this Mexican Corn Salsa, a recipe from our local supermarket ad. It was a nice change from our usual fare. I served it with marinated grilled flank steak and sweet potato fries.

Mexican Corn Salad

2 cups corn kernels (I used canned)
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 Tbs. red onion, diced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. lime juice
1 Tbs. cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. each, salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Friday Favorites

2011-07-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and that means it's time to link up with Suzanne for Friday's Fave Five. Here's a look back at my week.

1. On 4th of July, our neighborhood had an impromptu block party. We've been in our house three years (already?!) and though we've gotten to know lots of folks that live close to us, on Monday we got to meet all the 'farther down the street' folks. Like the guy who has the coolest Halloween decorations, and the people who live in 'the pinkish color house'. It was loads of fun.

2. Met my friend Renee for coffee at Starbucks one evening. We sat on the patio, at a table under an umbrella while it rained.

3. Dan and I went to see Larry Crowne. Love Tom Hanks. Love Julia Roberts. It was fun and kinda quirky, and we both enjoyed it.

4. Tried some new recipes this week, as I attempt to expand my summer repertoire.

5. Yesterday, I dropped Emily at the amusement park to meet her friends for the day, and spent the time downtown. While Em was riding roller coasters, I was doing geeky things: I went to the Denver Art Museum and spent a few hours looking at my favorite exhibits in the Western American Art gallery. I also went to the Denver Public Library, which is huge compared to our little town library. And, just so my daughter doesn't totally give up on my coolness, I should mention I went shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond:)

How was your week?

Have a Happy 4th!

2011-07-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

July 3, 1995

Cucumber and Mango Salad with Chili-Spiced Pork

2011-06-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Main dish salads are a nice change for light summer suppers. I've been having fun trying new recipes, mixing veggies and fruits with meat, poultry or fish, and tossing up something cool and refreshing for hot summer nights. Following is a recipe I tried last night and it was a hit with everyone. The dressing is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy with just a hint of spicy.

Cucumber and Mango Salad with Chili-Spiced Pork

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 boneless pork chops (3/4 to 1 inch thick, about 1 lb. total)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

4 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

1. In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Pat pork dry and season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Cook until pork is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Let pork rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, honey and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add mango, cucumber, and lettuce and toss to combine. Divide salad among four shallow bowls and serve with pork.

~~~From Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine.

I'm linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for "Cooking Thursday."

Friday Favorites

2011-06-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

A book just finished -- Cutting for Stone by Abraham Vorghese, and a brand new book arriving in the mail for a blog review next month.

For the third week in a row, my husband has been traveling for work. I always carefully mark the kitchen calendar, noting the flight times on the day he leaves and the day he arrives home, my touchstones for when the house will return to some semblance of normalcy. This week, the familiar "LV (time)" marked Monday, and my hastily scrawled arrow covered the remainder of the week up until Friday, with no note on the arrival time. He phoned yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. To say he was on his way to the airport. "Coming home tonight?" Hallelujah!

Back porch conversation with Oldest Son. Sharing with him my tears of frustration over the never-ending antics of the Girl Child. "A teenager on steroids," I sniff. "So, be the Mom on Steroids," he replies.

Two hundred acres of Open Space a short walk from my house. Strolling through fields of wheat, listening to birds chattering, a soft breeze playing in the highest branches of cottonwood trees. The sound of my feet on the gravel path. The solitude is delicious.

BLTs and iced tea with lemon. We live on these in the summer.

I'm linking up with Susanne and Friday's Fave Five. Join us?

Lazy days

2011-06-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was sure it had been a month since I last posted on my blog, but I see it's only been a couple weeks. Graduation already seems so long ago! We are now knee deep in summer.

The geraniums are potted and thriving on the front porch. The freezer is packed from the last trip to Costco -- meat, fish and poultry for barbque, including hamburger and brats and buns. Also, popsicles and of course ice cream with sugar cones in the pantry. Because what is summer without spending evenings eating dripping ice cream cones, melting faster than we can lick them, while we're all gathered on the back porch?

My mornings consist of early rising (so much easier when I don't have to be up) and an hour on the back porch, with coffee, journal and a new favorite devotional book. The kids all get to sleep in, but not for too long as this is the first summer that all three of them have jobs! Joe has been working full time since last fall, Luke is coaching for little league baseball camps and Emily has a job with the city as a Junior Ranger -- cleaning up parks and gardens. Hard work, but at 14 she's thrilled to be making money! It's only half days, for five weeks, as the city tries to give as many kids as possible an opportunity to work.

All this, and baseball and softball games and practices. On Wednesday, I realized I had been at games or softball practices for nine days straight. Hauling the cooler which is filled with water and Gatorade and assorted snacks, and my new lawn chair that has a footrest and umbrella.

Last weekend, Emily had a tournament in Colorado Springs and Luke had one in Denver. So, Dan and I split up, he took the one close to home since staying in a hotel is somewhat of a busman's holiday for him. Emily and I splurged on a nicer-than-usual (for us) hotel and had a girls' weekend. Such fun!

I am trying to savor each and every moment of this season of bright sun and outdoor time and playful days.. With the help of this book, this summer will be an exercise in living in the moment versus rushing through each day. It's one of those lessons that I need to learn and relearn and take remedial courses. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is my morning reading, along with my favorite Oswald Chamber's Daily Devotional "My Utmost For His Highest." I love it when something I'm reading in one reflects the other. And I need that. A nudge in the side and a hit over the head at the same time, as if to say, "did you get that?"

I hope to get back to posting some more, but the lazy days of summer seem to be taking over many areas of my life. You should see the laundry room!

Til next time . . .

18 years flew by

2011-06-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend my family was together for the third graduation in as many weeks. Two of my brothers and I have children who graduated from high school. It has been a lot of fun, gathering with my family every weekend, and knowing when we said goodbye, it would only be until the next party. We all live in Colorado, but not in close proximity to one another. Saturday was a culmination of all the parties and we made a long weekend of it, staying in beautiful Grand Lake. Here's a photo from the deck of the lodge:

A picture that has been running through my mind is one taken 18 years ago, when the "three amigos" were all less than a year old and we were at a family gathering. Someone had the idea to sit them in my dad's lap. There he sat, with arms full of infants, one squriming (Brandi), one looking slightly confused (Luke) and another posing pretty (Elsa).

And here they are today:

All three of them will be attending college with athletic scholarships. Luke graduated first, two weeks ago. He is actually the youngest of the three kids, by just a month. You've heard me gush on about him a lot these past few weeks. He will be attending Lamar Junior College this fall, playing baseball and studying Criminal Justice.

My niece Brandi (in the middle), the oldest of the three by a couple of months, graduated the next weekend. She is an awesomely, incredibly fast runner -- lithe, petite, brown-haired and beautiful. She will be studying business at the University of Tulsa, running track and cross country.

And this weekend, my niece Elsa received her diploma. She is tall, blonde, brown-eyed and gorgeous. Elsa will be attending the University of New Mexico playing volleyball and pursuing a career in nursing.

They are all three just great kids and I loved being able to celebrate each one.

Just for fun, here's a photo of me with my three brothers.

Mark (Elsa's dad), Andy (Brandi's dad), me, and Matt (father of Tommy, my favorite 6-year-old). I have so many good memories, growing up with these three. And I love that every time we get together, we just keep making more.

Friday Favorites

2011-05-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I've joined in with Susanne for Friday's Fave Five. As we come up on Memorial Day weekend, the kids are done with school and summer is here!

1. Luke graduated on Saturday and turned 18 on Tuesday. We had a houseful of friends and family at his party and he was "celebrated" in style. His was the first of three graduations in my family this year. Two of my nieces are graduating in the next two weekends, so two more big parties!

2. The weather was cloudy and wet most of the week. On a walk earlier this week to the Open Space on the edge of town, I had the place to myself. Except for these guys, who loved the damp weather:

3. Dan is checking an item off of his Bucket List this weekend and going to the Indianapolis 500. He left yesterday with four friends, driving in one of the guy's huge RV. They were like kids going to camp, giddy in anticipation of six whole days without ~~parents~~ wives! Thirty years ago, these same five guys were heading off to the mountains for a weekend of tent camping. In the years that followed, wives, kids and campers were added to the mix. My, times have changed.

4. On Tuesday, after a particularly trying day, I snuck off to a movie by myself. Something Borrowed, a silly chick flick, but it was just the thing I needed.

5. I'm looking forward to our drive through the mountains today, as we head off for the weekend to my niece's graduation party. It will be a "girls trip" with Emily and my Aunt Ann. Dan is in Indy, the boys have work or baseball. We'll spend the weekend and be back late Sunday.

Any favorite moments in your week? Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Flying the Nest

2011-05-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

I visited the owls again this morning. I must have been there during the morning nap because the three chicks, who aren't so little anymore, were snuggled down in the nest and Mama Owl had found a branch to perch on nearby. There just isn't enough room for her and her growing brood, each of them measuring about a foot in length. In fact, yesterday, one of the babies stepped out on a branch to perch for a bit. I could imagine him saying, "Everybody's pushing me! I want my own room!"

Reminds me of my own 'brood' of three. We are fast approaching the time when our nest will feel noticeably emptier. Our oldest is making plans to find his own place this summer and the Middle Child will be going away to college in the fall. The Girl Child wishes she could move out, but at 14 she'll have to tolerate her hopelessly old-fashioned parents for just a few more years.

I wonder if Mama Owl has any idea what lies ahead. Her instincts tell her that 'enough is enough, I've got to start teaching these kids to be independent.' But does she remember what it was like to fend for only herself, eating when she happened to see a tasty field mouse running by, spending lazy afternoons snoozing on a tree branch, nights out on the town? I wonder if she's yearning for those days.

Will she be a little confused when the day comes and the nest is empty and her job is done? A couple summers ago, a family of robins took up residence on our back porch. For weeks, we watched them, waiting for the eggs to hatch, then listening to the cheeping and then the ruckus as the mama bird worked all day to keep them fed. I remember the day they flew the nest, the three of them lined up on the rafter. I never got to see any of them actually leave, but I remember watching the last one who hung back for hours as he tried to make up his mind if he should go for it or not. I was surprised that the mama bird was nowhere to be seen that day, although I imagined she must be in a nearby tree, coaxing him. And then, there were no little chicks left. And the mama bird came back with a big fat worm in her mouth. She looked a bit confused, as though she forgot that this was the day her babies were moving out. Maybe her instinct for feeding her babies was so strong that she couldn't let it go. She eventually dropped the worm and flew away. I cried for her.

Will that be me someday, coming home from King Soopers to an empty house lugging two gallons of milk?

Most days, I take it in stride. I haul gallons of milk into the house, buy laundry detergent by the case, and fling shoes up the stairs when I'm tired of tripping over them. (Those size 14 cleats do require a bit of a windup and a straight aim, and I'm getting pretty good at it). But, admittedly, there are days when I feel like that Mama Owl and I long for a branch to sit upon, away from the chaos. I just have to remind myself that it will come soon enough.

Friday favorites

2011-05-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

I'm looking back over my week and finding five things that made me happy. Linking up to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, for Friday Fave Five!

* Yesterday, it rained all day long. It did wonders for the grass in our backyard. It may not be so pathetic for the graduation party after all.

* Today I had lunch with Kathy to celebrate our birthdays, which are just two weeks apart. We usually try to schedule lunch in between our b-days, but life got in the way this year. We had a delicious meal at PF Chang's (the Coconut Curry Veggies are my absolute favorite) and then went shoe shopping.

* I stayed up late, two nights in a row, to read PW's new book. Loved it! I've read most of the story on her blog, but the last section (which is new) made it worth buying the book. Which I didn't buy, but received as a gift. But if I hadn't, I would've bought it.

* Oh! This is exciting! (Tiffany, you'll appreciate this). On Mother's Day I entered a raffle at Emily's softball tournament -- an easy raffle, where I bought two hot dogs and Cokes for Dan and I, so I was given a raffle ticket -- and I won an autographed Todd Helton jersey! Which I promptly gave to my husband, because Todd is his favorite baseball player.

* There were lots of good moments this week, so I'll squeeze the rest into #5. Lunch with my dad, time spent with my mother-in-law, playing nerf guns with my nephew, getting the laundry caught up, and planting two new rosebushes.

How was your week?

AWOL . . .

2011-05-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

But I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.

Just so you know, I haven't totally given up on my blog. It's just that the past couple weeks I've been busy:

* Checking out the baby owls at least once a day. Now, they are so big that Mama Owl has to sit on a branch outside the nest.

* Planting rosebushes, columbine, and daisies every place I can fit them in, and potted geraniums for the porch.

* Praying over the back lawn every morning, that the grass seed we planted in the bare patches will hurry up and grow in 10 days.

* Watching softball tournaments

* Getting excited for my senior who is going to graduate in 10 days. And trying not to get all wild eyed and gnash my teeth as I plead with him to please make sure he's met all of his deadlines and crossed the t's and dotted the i's. I even stayed calm when he called today explaining we need to fed ex his final for his online class TODAY, so he'll have his credits in time to graduate. The last two weeks have been one surprise after another. I am going to party SO hard when this kid gets his diploma.

* Working out at the gym. Yes, you read that right.

* Surviving my turn at being sick, following son's sinus infection and husband's bronchitis.

* Trying to be the compassionate, kind soul that I'm NOT when other people around me are sick.

* Reading The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. Loved, loved it!

* Seeing "Water for Elephants" with my daughter. Except for the scene where she sobbed uncontrollably (she can't stand it when animals are mistreated, even if they don't "show everything" -- Do you want to leave? No, no, no), we both enjoyed it.

* Capturing the beauty of springtime before it's gone and summer is here.

I have missed keeping up with my blogging friends, and will try to get around to everyone soon!

A walk in the park

2011-05-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

From now through July, our weekends will take on a familiar routine. Emily has started softball season and her team plays weekend tournaments pretty much every week. Early on Saturday or Sunday mornings, I'll drop her at the ballpark for a two-hour warm up with her team and go look for a coffee shop. I plan to do a lot of reading this summer:)

Yesterday and today we were in the town of Loveland, which is an hour north of us. The community is an art lover's dream, a mecca of sorts for artists. Bronze sculpture is the most popular medium, and the city is rich with galleries and foundries. Hundreds of pieces of sculpture are placed strategically throughout the town and in parks.

The morning was sunny and a bit on the cool side, but nonetheless, I got a coffee and enjoyed an hour or so walking through the Benson Sculpture Garden where more than a hundred pieces are displayed in a beautifully landscaped park.

A few of my favorites:

Maude and Lottie by Cammie Lundeen

A child swinging on a rope. It looks like it is attached to the tree, but it is free standing.

Freedom of Youth by Rosie Sandifer

Colorado Sun by Gerald Balciar

I just love this portly gentleman.

The Actor by Dee Clements
(The plaque reads, "All the world's a stage. . . ")

Great Blue Heron by Hollis Williford

I think this lady is delightful!

Nocturne by Barbara Chen

Best Friends by Linda Prokop

This piece is fittingly placed in the pond.

Dragonflies in Composition by Jack Kreutzer

'Children' frolic in the Children's Garden.

Circle of Peace by Gary Lee Price

This sprightly lad was another one of my favorites.

Keep the Ball Rolling by Jane DeDecker

When my kids were small my mom and I took them on a picnic to this park. It was a perfect place for them to run and play. I have such fond memories of that day.

Owls

2011-04-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

My dad came over for lunch today and afterward we went to the open space near my house to pay a visit to our new neighbors.

This is part of the open space, looking west from the tree where the new family has set up a nursery. Look at all that snow up in them thar' hills!

One little guy kept craning his neck to see what all the fuss was about. I was sure he would topple out of the nest. But he didn't.

Here's a closeup I took through a spotting scope. The mama owl has three of these little cuties to care for.

"Mama, why are those people looking at us?" "They wish they had a house with a view like we do, sweetheart."

And air conditioning, too!

Wednesday Daybook

2011-04-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY: Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Outside my window. . . the sun is shining, skies are blue. The blossoms on the crabapple trees have already reached their peak, and the falling blossoms are being replaced with green leaves.

I am thinking. . . how tempting it is to start planting, but how foolish that would be!

I am thankful for . . . my husband of 27 years.

From the kitchen. . . pork chops and applesauce!

I am wearing. . . Jeans, white v-necked knit top, a new bracelet watch (bday gift from DH and the kids). And new sneakers:)

I am creating. . . plans for a graduation party.

I am reading. . . The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, by Cynthia Bourgeault

On my mind. . . trying to live in the moment, just breathe, and savor each day.

Around the house. . . things are so neglected! So much going on in the past few weeks.

One of my favorite things. . . the owl that is nesting in the open space near our house. I have been stopping each day to peek at her through my binoculars. She's beautiful!

A few plans for the rest of the week. . . It's already Wednesday and its been such a busy week. Tomorrow my dad is coming for lunch and we're going to have a look at that owl through his spotting scope. Friday, Dan and Em have a date to go to the baseball game, so I'll spend the evening with girlfriends. This weekend Em has a softball tournament.

A small window into my life. . .

Linking up with Peggy at the The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Alleluia!

2011-04-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

In just a couple of hours it will be Easter Sunday, one of my favorite days of the year. And to top it off, it's also my birthday! I am thrilled that my birthday falls on Easter. And here's a fun fact: The last time Easter was on April 24th was in 1859. The next time will be in 2095. Yes, I like to Google odd little facts like this.

My Aunt Riz, who has a delightful blog called Gifts from the Sea, sent me the loveliest Easter/Birthday package. I didn't get a photo of it when I opened it (dang) but nestled in bright colored tissue, I found jelly beans and Easter chocolates, as well as a lovely teapot, tea crackers, jam & English breakfast tea, and some Easter towels and potholders, Peeps!, and a sweet little chick. I felt like a little girl, seeing my birthday and Easter all wrapped up in a package. It made me smile:)

This evening we went to mass for Easter Vigil and tomorrow we're going out for brunch with my dad and stepmom, and my brother, sister-in-law and my favorite 6-year-old:)

Happy Easter, Happy Spring to everyone!

Rant

2011-04-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Our day started this morning at 6:30 at the ball park. I wish I could get a hold of the person who scheduled the softball games for today. One at 8 a.m. The next at 3:30 p.m. Luckily, we live about 15 minutes away, so we can come home for the few hours in between games.

I decided to put the time to good use and immediately got home, made a cup of coffee and sank into a soft, comfy chair on the back porch, propping my feet up and enjoying the sun. After half an hour of kabitzing with Joe and Luke, I decided I'd better do something constructive, so I unloaded the dishwasher.

I hate my dishwasher. I hate that I have to inspect every glass and put half of them in the sink to be washed by hand. I hate that the silverware tray is on the door which means it lies flat to load it and I have to throw the knives and forks in sideways. I hate that the utensils never look clean. Truth be told, I don't like dishwashers and for years washed all of our dishes by hand. Now, as busy as our family is, it is such a convenience and I can't imagine what the kitchen sink would look like without a place to 'store' dirty dishes.

But, this morning I contemplated pulling the whole thing out and leaving it on the curb for the garbage man. And using the empty space for recycling. Or a place to put the dog bowls. Or a place to hide from burglers. Of course, I could just duct tape the door closed and throw out all of our dishes, replacing them with paper plates. Or. . . I could bite the bullet and go buy a new one, hoping the washing machine doesn't catch wind of it and decide to lay down and die. Right now, the washer is in the throes of what sounds like a near death experience and I just know it's contemplating how to make a dramatic exit from this world.

What to do, what to do. I couldn't decide, so instead I sat down to write a blog post, to get my mind off of it. And it's been so long since I've written a post, I wanted to come up with something profound, witty and pertinent to this stage of my life. But this is all I've got. Yet another post about my 'exciting life' and a sinkful of dirty glasses>:(

Countdown to graduation!

2011-04-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

And I wonder why my kids procrastinate. Luke's senior poster is due tomorrow. This is what I've accomplished so far.

I'm off to Walmart for poster board.

* Note to Pamela: SEE! The big reveal! I'm not as organized as you think I am;)

April . . .at last

2011-04-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Dan and I went to the Rockies home opener. It was a glorious spring day! (Not like yesterday, when it snowed and the game was canceled.)

My favorite part. Members from all of the armed forces, police and fire departments in the area unfurl a giant flag on the field.

In addition, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are represented by color guards that parade around the field. Here the baseball players applaud the real heroes of the day.

A shot of the scoreboard just before the game started. All the stats are sent to zero. A brand new season!

Is there a better time of year? I don't think so!

Book Review and there's a giveaway!

2011-04-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today, I get to introduce you to a very cool book. This is one of those little inspirational books that reads quickly and is uplifting to any mom who needs to laugh! And don't we all?

I took The Crazy Daze of Motherhood, by Jane Isfeld Still, with me on Thursday to read when I had the oil changed in the car. I thought it would help pass the time for the hour. There I was in the car dealership lobby, chuckling and snorting in my Coke as I breezed through chapter after chapter. I'm sure the young man next to me, using his laptop, thought he was sitting next to a crazy woman. (News flash: he was).

Jane had six children in eight years, and has lived to tell about it. With her sense of humor and no nonsense common sense, she and her husband, Rick, raised their kids to be strong, healthy, contributing members of society. Isn't that what we all want? Jane has a great philosophy about parenting: "You're not doing your job unless your kids are worried about being seen in public with you."

This little book would be a great gift for any stage of motherhood. It would be a huge encouragement for young moms. And as a mom who has seen most of it, I have to tell you, I loved it!

To order, go here. (It is small and light enough that you could order a couple of copies and send them in lieu of cards for Mother's Day!) To read Jane's blog go here. (She's a hoot!) And if you become a follower of her blog and leave a comment that you're a new follower, you could win one of three great prizes:

1. Mother's Daze basket, soap, chocolate, lotion, decorative candles, and recipe cards

2. Box of blank cards with a smattering of Canadian chocolate

3. Chocolate

I've participated in a number of book giveaway/reviews, but this one really touches my heart. Thank you, Jane, for the copy of The Crazy Daze of Motherhood. It made my day!

Random thoughts

2011-03-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went to the mall to use a coupon before it expired. Spending money to save money:) I loved looking at all of the spring styles. It makes me happen to see that ruffles are "in" again. I grew up in an era when ruffles were everywhere -- on little girls' socks, window curtains, baby bottoms and even aprons. Ruffles are so pretty and feminine and they make me happy. I need to find a pretty, spring-colored ruffly top.

It's nice to be back in a "groove" again after spring break. This morning I cleaned the master bedroom, including the closet, and came up with another bag. That makes 9. Some people have asked, How big are the bags? I've decided that each 'container' counts as a bag. Some are the 30-gallon trash bags, some are just grocery bags. My friend Mary suggested I use lunch bags! Whatever, it all evens out in the end, and the main thing is that I'm decluttering and it's fun! The problem is that I love decluttering and organizing, but cleaning? Not so much. I think the main idea behind this project is to clean like crazy as you go, but I'm not sweating it too much. However, I do find I'm more motivated to clean once the clutter is gone.

Baseball/softball season has begun, and on Friday, Dan and I are going to the Rockies home opener with some friends. The weather is supposed to be in the 70s! so I'm really looking forward to a great day. Go Rockies!

It's hard to believe that the school year will be over in less than two months. All of a sudden, I'm counting down the days and making plans for another graduation party. Wasn't it just last year that Joe graduated? No, it's been three years. I can't believe my middle child will be turning 18 in less than two months . . . just days after he graduates. I've been having weird dreams, where the whole family is on a trip and we lose him!

Yesterday, I picked up some potted basil at the grocery store. I don't know what that has to do with anything, but it seems like a happier note to end on than that last paragraph.

Spring was here for a week

2011-03-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Whoa, when I wrote about Spring Break I had no intention of taking a break from blogging. We got so lost in being on break last week, that the days just all blended together. It was hardly a 'vacation' but it was sooo good to not be on a schedule. At all. Here's what got done:

* The side yard landscaping was a shambles, so we spent two days tearing up all the old mulch and ground cover and rocks, making several trips to Home Depot for pavers and then laying out a nice, smooth, new pathway. Which is really nice for hauling garbage cans and the lawn mower and bikes.

* Put up a fence to keep a certain spazzy dog out of the garden. Filling holes in the yard created by same spazzy dog. Putting up some lattice around the bottom of the porch to keep (you got it) spazzy dog from digging. All this required more trips to Home Depot.

* Not going to mention how many hot dogs were consumed from the hot dog stand in front of HD. So convenient for lunches.

* I managed to fill up a couple more bags for 40 Bags in 40 Days, for a total of 7.

* We had some fun, too! The kids (Joe was working all week, but the other two were our slaves) were released in the evening to see friends. Dan and I took in a movie, and we all went out for dinner one night. It was a very low-key kinda week, but I think that's what we needed. The weather was gorgeous and Emily got a couple of horseback riding lessons in, so she was happy as a clam.

This morning we woke up to a wet, sloppy snow. Dan is out of town, Emily is back in school. Luke has another two days of break before he starts school on Wednesday. It's a bit of a let down, kind of like the scene in Mary Poppins when Burt's sidewalk chalk drawings all start to melt away. Come back, Spring!

Friday favorites

2011-03-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Some highlights from my week:

Talking on the phone with Pamela for an hour. Joe came home for lunch and we were on the phone. He left to go back to work and we were still talking. He shook his head in amazement, but he wasn't surprised.

St. Patrick's Day dinner with Matt and Lois and Auntie Ann. And Tommy:) Sitting around the table, telling and retelling old stories, laughing our socks off.

Getting a free, department store makeover today with Emily.

Spring Break! Slept in this morning and stayed in my pj's for a while. Emily's break starts today and Luke's starts on Monday. We're doing a "staycation" and Dan will take the week off.

My dogs. They always greet me with big grins and tails wagging. It's cliche, I know, but it's a blessing all the same.

How was your week? Join us at Susanne's for Friday's Fave Five.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

One of our traditions for St. Patrick's Day is my Aunt Mary's Irish soda bread. For years, she would show up on my door step, fresh baked bread set on a doily with a little green ribbon tied on the bag.

Aunt Mary never missed a St. Patty's day, through two hip surgeries and the births of 15 grandkids! But about two years ago, she set me loose and I have learned to bake her recipe myself. I love the process of doing so, mixing the dough and gently shaping it into a round loaf and then the delicious aroma that wafts through the kitchen while it bakes.

Tonight my brother Matt and his family, and my aunt will come over for a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner.

An Irish Prayer

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Blessings to you all on this St. Patty's Day!

Taming the beast

2011-03-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I gathered bag #4 for 40 Bags 40 Days. I'm not sure I'm going to get 40 bags total, but every little bit helps. I should add that I haven't brought another thing into the house since my transgression with the horse.

In the meantime, I've been doing a Lenten study with a small group of friends. We're reading Richard Rohr's Wondrous Encounters, Scriptures for Lent. A year ago, I was on a retreat led by Fr. Rohr, a Franciscan priest whose messages on spirituality are universal.

A couple of days ago, one of the daily readings in WESL was about temptations and how most of the time the things that tempt us are "good" things, but made "evil" because we become self-centered about how they are used. Food for example. We must use discernment to eat it in a way that is healthy and beneficial to our physical and spiritual being.

It's clear to me that one of my 'beasts' is the amount of time I spend on my computer. In and of itself, my computer is a great resource. But there are days when it's also a time killer and a brain drain. So for the next few weeks, I'm going to be more selective about how I use it. Less blog hopping* -- which is one of my favorite things to do because there are so many great blogs out there. Limit the number of times a day I check email. Just limit the number of times a day I log on "just because."

And with all the time I'm saving, just think how many bags I can fill:)

*I'm not giving up on my blog or reading blogs! I just have a habit of reading a comment on someone's blog, taking off to go visit and before you know it I'm down the rabbit hole, cruising blogs while my laundry piles up, my family goes unfed and my dogs forget who I am. I am not disciplined enough to give up my blogging buds:)

40 bags, 40 days. Fail.

2011-03-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

For Lent this year, I decided to join in the with Sarah at Clover Lane and a bunch of other bloggers to declutter my home. In the 40 days of Lent, the goal is to get rid of 40 bags of "stuff." When Spring arrives, our homes will be lighter, our hearts will be lighter and all the junk will be gone.

My friend Mary is doing this with me, because we always have more fun when she and I do things together. This morning I worked on some of my kitchen cupboards and by the end of the morning I had a big box ready to go to the thrift store. Oh, it felt sooo good, I can easily find things in my cupboards and I even have some empty space!

I got to the thrift store and there was a nice young man ready to help me unload the big box, plus a couple of old lawn chairs and a stray golf bag I grabbed from the garage. I was feeling all pleased with myself when I spotted the cutest little toy glider horse. I couldn't believe, upon closer inspection, that someone would dump it at the ARC store! It was not only cute, but obviously very old. I forced myself away from the horse, got in the car and drove away.

But I couldn't get it out of my mind. And then a picture of it jumped into my mind, in the empty nook above our staircase that I've been leaving empty, waiting for just the right thing. I quick whipped a u-turn and headed back to the store, sure that someone would see the gold and grab it before I got there.

Jubilation!, it was still there and I asked the nice guy who had helped me unload my stuff just minutes before, could someone give me a price on it? He called Pauline over. She was quite firm and would not price the item or let me buy it as it needed to be "displayed on the floor first." I used my sweetest voice and explained that I once bought a chair from the back dock, so couldn't. . . . Pauline stood firm. I harumphed and said, "I've only donated hundreds of items here, but I'll go to the front of the store.

So I did. And asked the cashier if it would be possible to see an item in the back. She said, "I'll call Pauline." Dang!

Eventually, the horse came out, and Pauline gave me her price. I gulped. I was hoping she didn't know what she had, but she did. I consulted with the nice man in the back and we both agreed it was well worth it, after all, it's an antique!

So I paid the eighty-nine dollars and rode off ~~on my horse~~ with the horse in the back of my car, watching his head bob in the rear view mirror.

Then I called Mary. "You'll never guess what I did. It's only Day 2 of Lent and I've sinned. I'm gonna burn." (If you have a Catholic upbringing, you'll understand).

Mary said, "From now on, we're getting you a designated driver to go to the thrift store." Then, she jumped in her car to come over and see the horse.

And while she was on her way over, I went online to see exactly what I had purchased. AND. . . I kid you not, I got more than my money's worth.

Mary said, "It's God's reward to you for doing the 40 bags!"

We jumped up and down with excitement, and I said, "I can't wait to see what He gives me tomorrow!!"

The End

Linking up again this Friday with Rachel Anne and the Company Girls!

A short short story

2011-03-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

This is a fun writing exercise from Jenny at Off On My Tangent. We're given a writing prompt to be used in a short short story (100 words in addition to the prompt). If you'd like to join in, the link is here.

Here's mine. (Prompt is in bold).

She climbed into her car and slammed the door, ears pounding and head damp with sweat that trickled down her back. Her suitcase was heavier than she expected and her arms ached from dragging it down the stairs, the bumpity-bump on each step taunting her with betrayal.

Within minutes she was driving down the highway, heading for the bank. Constantly checking the rear view mirror, she pulled up to the ATM and grabbed her wallet from her purse as she rolled down the car window. She held the shiny silver card in her hand and said a silent prayer. Everything depended upon this single card.

Now We Are Six

2011-03-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I spent a long afternoon with one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, my nephew Tommy.

We had a lot to do in just one afternoon. We . . .

made monsters and snowmen and funny animals
played chess, checkers and dominoes
drank chocolate milk for a snack
make an entire fleet of paper airplanes and shot them down with nerf guns
watched Star Wars
had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for supper (his choice)

(Sigh) It was so much fun being 6 years old again.

But now I am six,

I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six

now and forever.

~~ A. A. Milne

Friday's Fave 5 and Company Girls

2011-03-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Just squeezing in at the end of the afternoon, to join in on Friday's Fave Five. Looking back at my week, there were many moments of gratitude. Here are just a few:

1. Last night, we went to see my mother-in-law, 'we' being Dan, Luke, Emily and I. Luke has an ear and a heart for music, and enjoys all different kinds. He made up a CD of his favorite country songs, knowing Dan and I like country music. We listened to it on the drive down and there were some songs that neither of us had heard of.

2. My MIL is doing great! She had major surgery two and a half weeks ago to have a benign brain tumor removed. She is in a rehab center for another few days and then will get to go home!

3. I joined a gym (again) and I'm loving it! All of the machines have their own t.v.'s, so I can watch House Hunters on HGTV while I work out, guilt-free!

4. I won't go into details, but I was shown a kindness this week when I least expected it, in fact I was prepared for a confrontation. The rest of the week, I found myself "paying it forward." Nice.

5. This little corner of my living room just blesses me all the time. It's my favorite reading chair and the bookcase is from my parents' house and holds special mementos. The books are my grandmother's, my dad's when he was a little boy, and a collection of Dan's favorites. The pieces of blue delft are from my mom's collection. There's an eagle statue that Joe received when he got his Eagle Scout award. And the flag was flown with my brother's unit in Iraq. The pictures on the left are from my grandmother's house and I remember them so vividly from when I was a little girl visiting her.

If you'd like to join in, link up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm also linking up for Coffee Talk with the Company Girls at Home Sanctuary. They're the nicest group of girls! Grab a cup of coffee and join us.

Random thoughts

2011-03-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

To use the proverbial expression, March came in like a lamb today. It is absolutely gorgeous outside! I keep looking for signs of tulips and daffodils, but nothing yet. Still, the sky is clear and soo blue, it's a lovely 66 degrees outside and it feels like Spring. Love it!

We received a rebate for one of our credit cards a couple weeks ago, so DH and I decided to splurge and buy one of those Keurig coffee makers, the kind that makes one cup of coffee at a time? He likes decaf and I drink regular coffee, so it makes sense for us. I just picked the machine up at Costco this afternoon and am sipping my first cup of coffee. It's a little weak, but I think that's because I used the setting for the large mug. I rarely drink that much coffee, so I'll set it for the smaller size next time.

Took Lilly to the vet this morning and she got a couple of shots and a clean bill of health. Then, when Emily got home from school, she noticed that "something's wrong with Lilly's eyes." I'll say, she was swollen up all around her eyes and nose, so that she looked like a St. Bernard! We put her in the car and drove back to the vet, which is just down the street, and he gave her some Benadryl, which seems to be working.

This morning, I went to visit my mother-in-law who is recuperating nicely from surgery a couple of weeks ago. She is staying at a rehab center to regain her strength. My drive took me through the neighborhood where Dan and I lived when we started dating. I drove past the site of the restaurant where we had one of our first dates. It was such a beautiful day, so like the time of year when we first started going out and it brought back a flood of memories! I'm sure if anyone was watching, they would wondered about my goofy smile as I drove along.

My comments section just went bonkers in my last post! It's so nice to meet new (to me) bloggers! I linked with a meme from Home Sanctuary, which is one of my favorite new blogs. Rachel Anne is all about making home "a refuge and a place of grace." I just love that, and it fits in with my own goals for home care.

Have to share what I found today . . . I love anything that has to do with paper, stationery, and books. I always carry a small notebook in my purse to jot down ideas, and this one just shouts out springtime. Cute, eh?

How 'bout you? Did you do anything special today, to welcome the month of March?

Friday

2011-02-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a Frosty Wonderland this morning. After I dropped Emily at school, I went for a walk and took some pictures. I know that in the midst of my crazy week there were still blessings to be found. But on my short walk this morning there was an abundance -- the easy camaraderie of other walkers and runners, the friendliness of a dog I met on the trail, the warmth of my car afterwards, and the beauty all around me. I'll just share what I found through five of my photos.

I'm linking up with Susanne, at Living to Tell the Story, and Coffee Talk at Home Sanctuary.

Bring on the Nyquil

2011-02-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

I'm in the middle of the winter blahs, and to make matters worse, I have a rotten cold. It seems we've been plagued with all sorts of maladies lately. The week before last, the Girl Child had a migraine that kept her home from school for several days.

This week, the Middle Child has been home with a sore throat, fever, ear ache, you-name-it-he's-got-it. Except for strep. The test was negative.

Yesterday, I couldn't drag myself out of bed. Luckily, DH was home and he took over. This morning I felt better enough to go to the grocery store to get bread, milk, and cough medicine for the Middle Child. About half way through the grocery store, I suddenly had no energy and wanted to crawl into the cart and curl up and go to sleep. But I didn't. Instead, I went down the frozen foods aisle and grabbed a pint of Ben & Jerry's coffee ice cream, because it really is the best thing for a sore throat. It's been scientifically proven.

Between naps and watching endless episodes of Clean House and House Hunters, I've been buying books on Amazon with my Swagbucks. And finishing up some library books that are now past due. One is called Don't Dump the Dog by Randy Grim. It is the best and the funniest dog training manual I've ever read. This book will make you feel better about your dog, about yourself, and -- unless you don't have a pulse -- have you laughing out loud with stories about rescue dogs and advice for curing any type of canine misbehavior. Even if you don't have a dog, you will love the humor in this book.

The good news is that the Middle Child is now feeling well enough to make our tea. I just texted him to please put the kettle on and brew me a cup. I got a :) back. Gotta love technology.

Cooking Thursday

2011-02-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, for her Cooking Thursday party. Check it out for some more great recipes!

Salmon cakes are one of my family's favorite suppers. Which is a wonder because I never make them the same way twice. It's like meatloaf, I just have a recipe in my head (sort of) and I go from there. But, Monday night I found this one in my recipe box and decided to follow it exactly. These are the best salmon cakes ever! I served them with baked potatoes, Le Sueur canned peas and applesauce.

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients:

2 - 6 oz. cans skinless, boneless salmon

1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp dried basil

5 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Drain salmon and combine with 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 eggs and seasoning in a large bowl. Mix well. Form into patties and set aside. In three small bowls, prepare the following ingredients: 3 beaten eggs in one bowl, flour in another, and the remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in the third. Dip each patty into the beaten eggs, then in the flour, and lastly in the bread crumb and Parmesan mixture. Saute in a skillet until batter is golden brown, then finish heating in the oven set at 350 degrees F for 7 miinutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Monday Daybook

2011-02-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

For today . . . February 21, 2011

Outside my window. . .it is a hazy and chilly day. The snow has melted, it is gray and cold. A good day for brewing a pot of tea and reading a favorite book.

I am thinking. . .that Spring is still a couple months away, so I need to live in the moment and stop "wishing" it would get here sooner!

I am thankful for. . .my husband's canceled business trip this week.

From the kitchen. . .Salmon cakes, baked potatoes and broccoli for supper. Chocolate chip cookies. The tea kettle is on for my son who has a sore throat.

I am wearing. . .jeans and a sweatshirt.

I am creating. . .a plan for spring break.

I am going. . .to lunch with a girlfriend to celebrate her birthday. To the doctor with my son to get a strep test.

I am reading. . . Your Aging Dog and The Wonder of Girls. Exciting stuff.

I am hoping. . . for a solution to the turmoil in the world.

I am hearing. . .the national news on t.v.

Around the house. . .the kids are home from school. I don't expect to get a lot of housekeeping done today, but there are sheets to change, bathrooms to clean. I think I'll take advantage of the free labor.

One of my favorite things. . . Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion from Bath & Bodyworks

A few plans for the rest of the week. . . Looking forward to getting my MIL out of the hospital and home again! Softball practice, pitching practice, daughter to eye dr., dog to vet.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . . .

Many thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook for hostessing this meme. It continues to be one of my favorites. It's a great way to start the week! If you'd like to join in, here's the link.

Blueberry Almond Muffins

2011-02-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

I try to sneak healthy ingredients into my recipes whenever possible. This muffin recipe contains some of the "super foods" I've been reading about, including blueberries, almonds and flaxseed meal. My family loves them! (Recipe adapted from Penzeys Spices)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup milled flaxseed
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbs butter, melted
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaton
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Make a well in the middle. In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, milk, almond and vanilla extracts, and eggs. Pour into the well and combine the liquid and dry ingredients. Don't over mix.

Gently fold in the blueberries and almonds. Pour batter into paper lined muffin tin. Bake 25-27 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm! Delicious for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

This is the 28th Valentine's Day I've spent with my Sweetie. For our first one, we were engaged and he surprised me with pearl earrings. They're still my favorite pair.

These are just a few of the reasons I love him:

He is my rock. He is even tempered and easy going. Whether it's a minor disruption or a major disaster, he responds calmly and takes action. Especially the time I ran into our garage door and knocked a few bricks off the house.

He always finds time for our children. When they were little, he claimed bath time and bedtime as his time with them. They loved that. I loved it even more. He'll take time from work to attend school programs and loves having 'traditions' like having lunch with them.

He provides for us and never, ever complains about it. This includes early hours at the office so that he can get off early to attend a baseball game, traveling out of town, sometimes having to leave on a Sunday evening and working hard so that we have a nice home and more than we need. I don't thank him enough for this.

He always reminds me that it's "you and me." He puts me first. He adores our kids. But I know I'm his favorite:)

I'm one lucky gal!

Happy Valentine's Day, Dan. I love you xoxo

Happy Friday

2011-02-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

It's Friday, and time to link up at Susanne's to share the best parts of our week.

1. Yesterday, after I dropped Emily at school, I took my usual route home and saw two Bald Eagles perched in a tree in the open space near our park. It was thrilling to see the pair of them! They looked so regal, looking over the snow covered fields, surveying their domain.

2. Is it weird that sometimes I like having my kids home sick? Not because they're sick, but because it means I don't go out anywhere. I tend to work on projects that keep me close to them so I can keep an eye on them, feel their foreheads, bring them ginger ale and sit on the sofa next to them every so often to catch up on episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place. I love that show. Don't tell anyone because it's written for 10-year-olds.

3. Talking to Kathy on the phone. I haven't talked to her in two weeks, so we had lots to catch up on. While I had cleaned up the kitchen, fed the dogs and then stretched out on the sofa and twirled my hair for 20 minutes, we got all caught up with each other and had solved many of the world's problems. I love having a friend like that.

4. I cleaned out the pantry and re-stocked. I feel like I have King Soopers in my back room. Everything I need, all neat and organized.

5. Meeting new bloggers! I found some new blogs this week and have met the nicest people. It's a Very Cherry World is filled with vintage charm! Check it out.

Happy Rednesday!

2011-02-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm playing along with Red Wednesday (Rednesday!) at It's A Very Cherry World. If you love red as much as I do, you'll love browsing through the links on this one!

Photos from my kitchen:

Thinkin' out loud

2011-02-08T21:44:00.000-08:00

Years ago when Emily was little, we went to a Renaissance Festival. It had been a long time since I'd been to one, and it was a small festival at that. Emily had never been. Both of us were excited about the day ahead, but not sure what to expect.

We had such a good time that day. There were plays and craft booths and lots of food to eat. People dressed in costume, jesters put on shows and there were jousting tournaments with live horses. Emily was thrilled to have a princess veil to wear. Her favorite part of the day was meeting Mother Goose and getting to hold a snowy white goose on her lap.

Later in the day, she rode an elephant! Afterward, I said to her, "Did you ever think, when you woke up this morning, that you would be riding on an elephant today? You just never know what a new day will bring."

Fast forward about ten years to this afternoon. After four days of feeling miserable and getting no relief from yesterday's visit to the doctor's office, we ended up at urgent care at our local Children's Hospital. Sitting on the bed, looking at the intravenous needle in her arm, Emily remarked, "Well, I never thought I'd be doing this today."

Before I go any further, let me say that Em is fine. As it turns out, she is suffering from a migraine -- suffering being the operative word here. Poor girl. She also had a few symptoms that were throwing the doctors off and they were hesitant to diagnose a migraine and send Em home. As Emily was put through a variety of tests, my anxiety level was increasing.

Dan is on a business trip out east, but we were in regular communication with our cell phones. I know that as hard as it was for me to sit there and wait for results, it was much harder for him, being so far away. I was supposed to meet some girlfriends this evening, so I texted my friend Mary and told her I couldn't make it and why. She texted right back, that she would pray, and "Know I'm with you every breath of the way." I'm not one to cause undue alarm, but when my friend Pam had texted me earlier that day, in my response to her I mentioned Em and asked her to send up a quick prayer. She assured me that she and her husband were "on it."

If you've ever been in a room for an MRI, you know how incredibly noisy it can be, even with the ear plugs they give you to wear. I sat in there while Em had her test, trying to pray. I couldn't find words and all of the rote prayers that I know just kept getting jumbled up in my head, either from nerves or from the roar of the MRI machine. I was feeling very sympathetic for Christina Aguilera at this point! But, knowing that my husband and friends were there with me, as Mary said, 'every breath of the way' and praying for Em, and me. . . well, I knew we were covered. And my prayer became one of just knowing God's embrace, knowing that whatever lie ahead was in His hands.

How often that in the tumult and racket of every day life, it is all we can do to just have faith and to lean on those around us. It is so comforting to know that my husband and my friends -- whether they were right across town, or literally across the country, were actually right beside me today. Each morning is a new day, and who knows what it will bring. But I do know that whatever happens, I'm not alone.

How was your weekend?

2011-02-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

sorted and cleaned through all the files in my office. Ahh, feels good to be organized.
watched "Every Day" on pay-per-view, starring Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt and Brian Dennehy We'd never even heard of this movie, but Dan and I enjoyed it.
made potato skins and buffalo wings for snacks for the Super Bowl.
felt old watching the half-time show, when I wished aloud that they'd bring Paul McCartney back.
met a girlfriend for breakfast at Panera.
sorted through old Christmas and greeting cards . . .

and gathered up all of these that I could find . . .

and sent them here, where the cards will be recycled, and along with the coupons will be used for fundraising for this worthwhile cause:

So, how was your weekend? If you'd like to use the button at the top of this post, just grab it and go for it! Be sure to leave a comment, so we can come visit:)

It's Friday!

2011-02-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

Friday's Fave Five is a time to look back at the week and find the blessings, big and small. This has been a great week for me, but I'll try to limit my list to five:)

1. Last weekend my sisters-in-law stayed with us to celebrate Dan's parents birthdays with a dinner on Saturday. Sunday morning the two of them fixed a wonderful breakfast of biscuits and gravy. It was such a treat. Breakfast is my favorite meal, especially when someone else does the cooking;)

2. I need to write an entire post about this, but on Monday my friend Pam was in town. We had the whole day to visit, she stayed overnight and we both made it a point to get up early so we could talk a few more hours. Pam is a lifelong friend -- we met in junior high -- and we have a long history together!

3. The freezing cold temps. It barely made it above 0 on Monday and Tuesday. I loved staying indoors, drinking lots of tea and having the fireplace going. The kids were out of school for two days. Yesterday I made a new recipe in the crockpot. It felt like a holiday this week.

4. Sleeping in! Emily didn't have school today, because of a teacher in-service day. I slept in until an embarrassingly late hour! Today we're going to get Em's haircut and go out for lunch.

5. A new book. Joey gave me a gift card for Christmas and I bought a copy of Pride and Prejudice. It's on my list of books to read for 2011.

How was your week? Join us at Susanne's for Friday's Fave Five!

Oh, and before I forget -- just want to give a shout out to Robin and Lori at Homestead Chimney. Thanks so much for reading my blog ladies!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-02-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

For Today. . .Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Outside my window. . . it is a cool 7 degrees Fahrenheit, with about two inches of snow. The sun is shining bright in a clear, blue sky. We have the fireplace going and a pot of tea brewing.

I am thinking. . .this is the second day that the kids are home from school. I don't ever recall the schools being closed due to cold weather. I guess there's a first time for everything.

From the kitchen. . . leftover enchiladas for lunch.

I am wearing. . . jeans and a long sleeved tee-shirt.

I am creating. . . Valentine cookies!

I am going. . . no where! I had an appointment this morning and I'm glad to be home again.

I am reading. . . "Get Out of My Life, But First Can You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall" and "Your Aging Dog." At this point, I'm more optimistic about the dog.

I am hoping. . . for a calm rest of the week.

I am hearing. . .A sitcom on t.v. and Lilly, our English Springer Spaniel, whining to go out. It is soooo cold, and she just doesn't get it! Nobody wants to play outside.

Around the house. . . kinda messy. Unmade beds, a sink full of dirty dishes. We're very relaxed today.

One of my favorite things. . .Valentines, handwritten letters, Crabtree and Evelyn lavender soap. (Yes, I know. That's three!)

A few plans for the rest of the week. . . we had a super busy weekend, so this weekend will be spent working on a few projects around the house (DH is redoing our kitchen island -- I will take before and after photos!).

A picture thought I am sharing. . .

I'm linking up with The Simple Woman's Daybook.

There's hope

2011-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our local library left a message that a book I've been waiting for was ready for me to pick up. Without having opened the book yet, just the cover alone has given me solace. The worn edges and tattered corners tell me that a lot of people have sought answers from this book. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone.

Pita Pizzas

2011-01-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

Pizza at our house has taken on a new, healthier and whole lot cheaper meaning at our house of late. I found this recipe for individual pizzas. Even the pizza connoisseur among us thinks they're pretty great.

Take some whole wheat pita bread. If you'd like, you can brush the top with a bit of olive oil, but I always forget that step and they taste just fine.
Spread some Italian tomato paste on top. For the five of us, I use two of those little cans, and it makes one or two pizzas for each of us.
Add your favorite toppings. I chopped and diced some leftover chicken and veggies that I had in the fridge: broccoli, red pepper, mushrooms, red onion (soak for 5 min in balsamic vinegar to sweeten the taste), and a few slices of pepperoni for the die-hard Dominoes fan. I also opened a can of sliced olives, some pineapple chunks, and put out some grated mozzorella cheese.

Everyone makes up their own pizza. Save the cheese for last, so that it will melt and hold everything together!Set the oven for Broil and put 'em in there. An old, weathered cookie sheet works best:o)

Oh, yummy. I think I've given up Dominoes for good!

How was your weekend?

2011-01-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

This Weekend I. . . is a meme that my friend Becky started, and she said I get to take over hosting it! It's a fun, easy way to look back over your weekend and answer the question, "So, what did you do this weekend?" Just make a bullet list, add photos if you'd like, but keep it simple. Nobody needs to stress out on a Monday:) Add your name to the Linky List below, so we can come see you! And be sure to grab the button on my sidebard!

This weekend, I . . .

baked chocolate chip cookies
had a nice chat on the phone with my dad, who is snowbirding down south for a few months
danced a happy dance when Dan and the boys took the Christmas lights down!
stayed home all weekend, and even sent my #2 son to the grocery store with a list so I didn't have to go out
took a long walk with my husband
prepared make-your-own pizzas for supper Saturday night
basically, had a very calm, relaxing weekend
finished reading this book, which I can't recommend enough. If you haven't read it, go find a copy right now!

So, what'd you do this weekend?

Friday Fave 5

2011-01-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

Looking back over my week, here are some favorite moments . . . . Precious time spent with my girlfriends. . . Mary & Barbara. . . . . . A snowy evening, having a supper of baked potatoes and toppings, gathered around the kitchen table with my kids, watching them and listening to their stories of the day. . . Laughing so hard that I cried, sharing stories with my friend. . . anticipating a visit from my friend, Pamela, later this month!! . . . Valentine's decorations.

Susanne is hosting Friday's Fave Five. Link up over here!

Neat and simple

2011-01-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

Organization seems to be a popular theme for bloggers at this time of the year, with everyone wanting a fresh start to the new year. I thought I would share my system for organizing recipes and household ideas.

I like to use 3-ring binders because they allow so much versatility. I just spiffed up the one for my recipes and menus. The old one was too small, so I found larger 3-ring-binder that I already had, went through some old office supplies for dividers, and used some scrapbook paper and stickers that I already had on hand. Cost of the project: $0

The dividers are a mish mash of designs, but that doesn't bother me. As long as I have a system, I can overlook it. Besides, did I mention the materials were 'free'?

I created sections that make sense for me: main meals, side dishes, desserts!, for my everday recipes. I like to keep things simple. Then, I added a section with a pocket for my coupons and blank sheets to plan a weekly menu. Finally, there are sections for holiday recipes, and -- this one I find very useful -- menus and notes that I've used for special occasions in the past. This way when I'm planning a special dinner, I can reference back to what I fixed last year for that particular holiday, or what I prepared the last time we had a special family or friend gathering.

I have two other binders. One is for Home & Garden, where I keep records for my garden, such as the tags from rosebushes so I can remember what I have! and gardening tips that I cut out of magazines or the paper. There's a section on organizational tips, gift ideas to make or buy, holiday decorating, and just general home care such as cleaning guides and maintenance tips.

Finally, the third notebook is full of decorating ideas. I have a section for each room in the house with paint and fabric swatches of materials we've used or ideas that I want to use. This notebook is loaded with magazine clippings, from curtains I like to wall arrangements for family photos or plate collections, to light fixtures or flooring samples. Will I ever use all of these ideas? Probably not, but it's fun collecting them and I do see patterns emerging as to what styles and colors I really like.

So, that's my system. Not terribly unique or fancy, but it works for me!

This weekend, I . . .

2011-01-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

It was a long weekend, with MLK day yesterday, and the kids were home from school. I got this idea of a list to recap my weekend from my friend Becky.

This weekend, I . . .

. . . did a consumer taste test for egg nog and got paid $30 for it!

. . . went for a long walk with Dan and Lilly.

. . . gave Lilly a bath (see above).

. . .went to a holiday party for Dan's work. They always have it in January.

. . . organized a new binder for my recipes. I'll show you how it came out in another post.

. . . went to see Dan's parents with Dan, Luke and Emily. Had a mini, early b-day celebration for my father-in-law.

. . . received text messages from all of my brothers on Friday. It was my mom's birthday. She would have been 78. It was sweet to hear from all "the boys."

. . .Watched "Salt" with Dan on Pay-Per-View.

. . .Made cinnamon rolls using this recipe. It's our favorite!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun or exciting?

Simple photo project

2011-01-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

I've been having fun doing small projects lately. This is one with old family photos, my favorite thing.

I took a print of Dan and his brother and sister, enlarged it and printed it in black and white.

Did the same with a print of our three kids when they were "little."

And I already had a 5x7 of me and my three brothers.

I bought some inexpensive black frames from Walm*rt. They look so clean and fresh on this wall, which is a pale, celery green. It looks kind of blah in the picture, but trust me, it's a beautiful shade of green:) I love how the black and white prints makes it look rather timeless.

Have a nice weekend!

Ironing board cover

2011-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those people who enjoys ironing.

It can be a satisfying task if you have a good iron and a well padded ironing board. The key is in the padding. I've never been able to find a good ironing board cover that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, so I make my own. This one took about an hour to whip up. I used a very old quilted cotton bed spread for the padding (two layers of it) and a very old cotton tablecloth. I've heard that old woolen army blankets work well for the pad, too. You want a natural fiber that will absorb the steam from the iron.

Using the ironing board for a pattern, I cut the two pieces of quilting and the tablecloth about two inches larger. I sewed them all together into one layer. Using bias tape, I made a casing for a drawstring, just around the ends. When I put the cover on, I just had to pull the strings and tie them tightly on the underside of the board. The cover stays on nice and tight. You could do it the "right way" and use elastic, but I was using materials I had on hand and I find it easier to make a bias casing than to work with elastic. That's just me.

I like that the cover looks old and vintage, like something my mother or grandmother would have.

What about you, do you like to iron?

Friday

2011-01-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

TGIFriday! Even though my week doesn't involve a traditional Monday through Friday job routine, I still feel the joy of Friday, that deep sigh of relief and relaxing of the shoulders that comes with knowing I can put my feet up at the end of the day and that tomorrow will be less structured and more spontaneous.

It has been a week blessed with:

Transitioning back to normal. The party atmosphere of the past couple weeks has wound down, but remnants linger in the air. In my mind's eye, there are still pieces of streamers stuck to light fixtures and deflated balloons caught under the furniture. In reality there are a couple of broken candy canes in the candy dish, a late Christmas card arrived in yesterday's mail, and the rum cake has taken hold of my hips. The flowers have wilted on the Christmas cactus and a few holiday photo cards are stuck on the fridge.

Writing letters. I'm taking part in the 52 Letters 52 Weeks Challenge and got off to a big start with some thank you notes for Christmas. My handwriting is somewhat out of tune, but it felt good to have that neat little stack of envelopes, stamped and addressed, ready to send on their way.

Salads. I'm back to healthier eating,which means salad for lunch and lots of water. Also, my daily routine of taking Em to school and then taking the dogs to the dog park. They romp with Bella the Great Dane and their new friend, Chloe the Boxer. I've met a new friend, too, a nice young college gal who just moved here from Texas.

Photos. I made a small dent in the photo project that I'm taking on this year: Organizing the past two years worth of files. I love the digital age for the ease it provides in taking lots and lots of pictures and the ability to edit them. However, out of sight, out of mind, and now two years worth have accumulated and only a handful have been printed and none put in scrapbooks. I have my work cut out for me.

Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea. Celestial Seasonings makes this yummy tea. I'm trying to cut down on the amount of coffee I drink, and this is a delicious and satisfying substitute.

I'm linking up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five.