Meal Plan

Sat~Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, Salad
Sun Family Dinner~ Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Peanut Dipping Sauce, Fried Rice
Mon~ Calypso Beef Soup, Bread
Tue~ Briami, Bread
Wed~ Basil Chicken Hash, Salad
Thu~ Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili, Corn Bread
Fri~ Lasagna Toss with Spinach and Ricotta, Bread, Salad

Today ...

I cooked breakfast for Kenzie.

But I let Jaxon and Emily eat cold cereal.

(That's a rarity here.)

And made this mask out of the box...

I made some calls about getting a Bountiful Baskets site set up near us.

Just have to find a location.

I babysat two sweet grandbabies.

Tukker and Maveryk

Jaxon and Tukker had a blast with some empty boxes. Every kid's favorite toy.

They even pushed Maveryk around a little.

Franken-Tukker

The box was definitely worth more than the cereal. :)

I realized that my projects are piling up and I probably won't get time to do all the Valentine's Day projects that I wanted to.

So I gathered what I had and put together a little "vignette" on the sofa table.

(vignette seems too fancy a word for this group of stuff I had on hand)

There is still one project I'm really hoping to do for V-Day. We'll see if there's time.

I finished the cutting for Maveryk's quilt.

Cooked some dinner.

Washed and dry a million yards (roughly) of fabric for some quilts I need to make in the next week or so.

Then I ironed all that fabric.

While I watched some Big Love from Netflix

And then some Obama

 All of that, along with dishes, laundry and being Mom, made for just another day here in paradise.

And now I'm going to bed.

I have a million yards of fabric to cut tomorrow. :)

Making Cookies

Today is Emily's first day off track and she is bored already enjoying her free time.

Uncle Randy gave each of the kids a baking kit for Christmas so Emily made hers today.

Sugar cookies! To decorate them, she chose some sprinkles from the cookie/cake decorating supplies.

Oh look! Her cookies match her bedroom color choices. I guess she knows what she likes.

Focus on Christy!

I was hesitant to post this project because it was a personal gift for our friend (and "Other Mom" to our kids) for her birthday, even though I have posted pretty much all the gifts I've made since starting this blog. I don't know why I hesitated with this one. But I guess I got over it. Because:

1) She posted it on her blog. :)

2) I recently discovered Linky parties and I'm somewhat insecure and shamelessly in need of positive feedback. :P

So here it is!

Christy introduced me to the concept of the "Word Of The Year" a couple of years ago. Her word this year is FOCUS. I wanted to give her a gift that would have lots of sensory representations of her word.

So I looked up the meanings of colors and scents to get some inspiration.

I discovered that brown was a color that promotes concentration and study.

I learned that the colors and scents of Eucalyptus, Jasmine and Amber helped to provide focus.

So Kenzie and I went shopping armed with that list of colors (Green, White, Brown/Gold) and scents.

After some browsing we came across this gift set.

It came with the unscented candles, the plate, the diffuser reeds and vase,  the rocks and a bottle of sweet pea and jasmine scented oil.

It's really hard to find anything that is ONLY jasmine scented. Isn't that weird? Jasmine is such a beautiful scent all on it's own.

I don't LOVE these gift sets but it had all the elements we were looking for so we used it as a starting point.

We also bought a frame with a lovely brown finish and some coordinating scrap book papers.

Using these, I printed out the word Focus and a couple of it's definitions and framed it using the papers and some embellishments I had on hand.

I used the same scrapbook paper to embellish the candles and make a card to go with the gift to tell her how much we love her and how important she is to our family.

Kenzie and I also found some jasmine (plus another scent) milk bath and some amber scented hand lotion.

We put it all together in a box wrapped with plain brown craft paper. Just loosely scrunched around the box. really. I liked the fluffy look of it that way.

And then tied it all up in a gift basket bag from the dollar store.

It was a gift that didn't cost a lot but had great meaning for someone who means a lot to us. 

Linking to some fun parties! Go check them out. They're FULL of links to seriously talented crafters.

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on The Porch

(I can't figure out how to get her button so a clickable link will have to do till someone can explain it to me.)

Sweet Heat Cucumber Salad

Sweet Heat Cucumber Salad

Makes 4-6 servings

I found this recipe on the label of the Sweet Chili Sauce bottle. Looked so yummy I couldn't wait to try it.
I made it as the recipe said, but I'm changing it here. I'll explain later.

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons MAGGI Sweet Chili Sauce
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 Tablespoons diced red onon
pinch of salt
2-3 Tablespoons unsalted peanuts, chopped

Combine cucumbers, bell pepper, lime juice, sweet chili sauce, basil, onion, salt in medium bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

What we thought~ Roger, Kenzie and I loved it! So simple to make but so flavorful! I'm sure this will be showing up at a lot of summer dinners.
Either the original recipe made too much dressing (see how much of it there is in the bowl?) or our cucumbers were small. I think it was the recipe amounts. The cucumbers seemed perfectly "medium sized" to me. So I reduced the dressing a little for posting here. I guess you could also add more of the veggies. :)

I was inspired to make this because we got red peppers and cucumbers in our co-op pick up yesterday.
We are loving the co-op so much that we are considering being volunteer site coordinators, along with our friends across the street, in our own neighborhood.
Heather and Kayleigh and their families have also started participating. It's a really GREAT way to get lots of fresh produce for your family for a very low cost. 

Here are some other recipes I've made before that would make good use of the things we got yesterday.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Roasted Veggie and Pesto Sandwiches

Meal Plan

Saturday~Dinner out for us and baked ziti at home for the kids
Sunday Family Dinner~Biscuits, Gravy, Eggs, Potatoes, Sausage, Orange Juice
Monday~Homemade Pizza, Salad
Tuesday~Caribbean Black Bean Soup, Bread
Wednesday~Turkey Croquettes with Spinach Mashers and Pan Gravy, Cranberry Sauce
Thursday~Twice Baked Potatoes, Salad
Friday~Lasagna Toss with Spinach and Ricotta, Salad, Bread

Moroccan-Spiced Sweet Potato Medley

This recipe comes from Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes Vegetarian Meals.

I got this cookbook for Christmas and I'm enjoying it very much. We've tried several recipes and liked them all so far.

Morrocan-Spiced Sweet Potato Medley

Makes 4 Main Dish Servings

11 points per serving (not counting the yogurt)

Approximate cost for this meal: $5

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes

1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)

2 1/4 cups water

1 can (15-19 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup dark seedless raisins

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

plain low-fat yogurt (optional)

In non-stick 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add potatoes, tomatoes, bulgur, and water; heat to boiling over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in beans, raisins and cilantro,; heat through.

Serve with yogurt if you like.

I served this with a green salad.

What we thought:

Roger, Kenzie and I really liked it a lot. Kenzie made the comment that the first bite or two were just so so but then it got better and better.

I thought it was really tasty and I love the sweet (raisins and potatoes)/heat (cayenne) flavor combo.

The serving sizes are quite large. Roger asked if it was a Rachael Ray recipe based on the serving sizes. LOL

This meal was very filling thanks to all the healthy fiber. And Roger never asked where the meat was. ;)

Emily only ate a little and didn't say much about it.

Jaxon is still not eating very well. Unless it's peanut butter or chicken nuggets. But at least we've moved past the constant requests for "treats" that Christmas left us with.

I also liked that it came together really quick. You can peel and cube the sweet potatoes while the onions are cooking. It's all downhill from there and truly on the table in under 30 minutes.

We will definitely be having this again.

Twenty Three

Beautiful, smart, funny, inquisitive, open minded, accepting, loving, loyal, free spirited, daughter, sister, aunt

is 23 today.

I love her so very much!

Happy Birthday daughter!

I almost forgot!

While the girls and I made hearts for our tree, Jaxon worked on stringing beads.

So serious while he works! LOL

Heart Tree

While browsing for Valentine's decorations I found my way to The Shabby Nest and her blog post from last year about her sweetheart tree.
I LOVE the idea so I set about to make it happen.
I thought this yellow vase that usually sits on the sofa table in the living room, would be perfect for it. This vase was a gift from the principal of the Junior High where I was PTA president a thousand years ago and I've never known quite what to do with it. I think I finally figured it out!

I decided to cover the vase with a quick wrap of this snuggly chenille. I like the yellow but not so much for V-Day. I wish I had something pink or red but I'm trying to work with what I've got here.

The branches were $15 at the craft store.

Wait! What?!?!? I don't think so!

We're on a tight budget here and even $7.50 with a coupon is too much when I can get them for free from the field near our house where everyone dumps their tree trimmings. So that's what I did!

I did buy these little wooden hearts at the craft store though.

29 cents each. I bought 4 like this and 4 in a more folk art shape. Now THAT is more in line with our budget!

I gathered everything I could find in the craft room that seemed the least bit Valentine-y. Beads, buttons, fabric, paper, ribbon, paint, etc.

Since Kenzie and Emily were home from school today I forced invited them to help me craft some hearts for our "tree".

Kenzie was inspired to create some LOVE

and hugs and kisses

Emily announced that True Love...

...lasts forever.

And I couldn't stay away from the buttons!

(So inspired by Melanie!)

I learned that I prefer to Mod Podge with fabric rather than with paper.

I won't hurt your eyes with the failed attempt at paper.

But the fabric one turned out well.

And I put together this chenille one.

Because I love some serious texture in my fabric. A LOT!!

 

I think our heart tree turned out pretty sweet.

I think I'm going to leave the branches in the vase after we take down the Valentine's Day decorations.

I like the height they add there in front of the window.

Linking up to:

Valentine Pillow

We made a little trip to Target today and of course I made a quick check of the Dollar Spot. How could I not? They put it right there by the door!

They had this cute set of 2 napkins (17 inches square) for $2.50. they're nice and thick too! Almost like canvas.

So I grabbed them and made a pillow for my little creative project for today.

You know the routine... right sides together, stitch up the sides, leaving an opening for turning.

Turn it right side out, stuff with the fluff from an old, dead throw pillow (or buy some new fluff if you must).

Hand stitch the opening closed and TAH-DAH!! Another little spot of love around the house.

This will be the first year that I'll need a Valentine decoration tote to store my stuff in. :)

 

Linking up to these parties!

Check them out! So many super creative things to see!

Meal Plan (plus)

Sat~Grilled chicken caesar salads
Sun Family Dinner~ RR's Fake Baked Ziti, Salad, Garlic Bread
Mon~Turkey Burgers with horseradish and cheddar, oven fries
Tue~Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato Medley, Salad
Wed~Ginger Chili Chicken, Basmati Rice, Saag Panir
Thu~Great Northern Beans, corn bread
Fri~Cheesy Chicken Shells, Salad, Bread

It's been a very busy, very creative week for me!
Here's a little quickie project I did using one of the many sweet gifts that Melanie has given me over the years.
I love it!

I'm having fun adding these little love reminders all over the house. I have plans for lots more small projects to do along with some bigger ones.

She's Done!

Kenzie graduated from her CNA classes last night!
We're still waiting for the results of her certification testing. But I think it's worth celebrating that she completed the course which included over 60 hours of clinical work.
One step closer to her goal of being a midwife!
We're really proud of her for working so hard.

Kenzie with her favorite teacher where she took her CNA classes.

At least this one didn't get left behind.

Emily came home from school quite proud to have received an award for having mastered ALL of the State Core Referenced Tests given at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. So, fourth grade for her.

Of course we are proud of her and we aren't surprised that she did so well. She's a bright girl.

The sad part of this story is that she was one of only 4 students in her class of nearly 30 students who accomplished this.

Clearly some are indeed getting left behind.

Valentine Ribbon Wreath

I'm still working on Maveryk's quilt but I took a short break for a quickie project today.
In my search for all things Valentine-y I found a cute idea by Heather over at My Frugal Family.

A wreath made of ribbon and a coat hanger! How simple and frugal is that?

So I rummaged through my craft room for all the red/pink/white ribbon and trims I could find. It wasn't much. But I did find this pink tulle leftover from making Princess costumes for Amber and Kayleigh a million years ago.
(It's like an archeological dig in that room! So many remnants from past creations.)
I also grabbed this sweet little painting that my friend Melanie sent me a few months ago. Perfect!

Using wire cutters and lots of brute strength (when did hangers get so sturdy?) I straightened the hanger and then shaped it into a heart, cutting off the excess hanger. I covered the raw ends of the wire so I wouldn't cut myself while adding the ribbons. Blood is not the shade of red I'm going for with this project.

Next, I cut six inch lengths of all my ribbons and trims. I cut strips of the tulle about 2 inches wide and then cut those strips into 6 inch lengths. Then I began looping it all around the wire. I tied the painting to the center with some pink ribbon and then added a loop of the same ribbon to hang the wreath with. That was it. It took about 30 minutes, most of which was gathering supplies and wrestling with the coat hanger. My cost: $0. Love it!

Thanks for the great idea Heather!