Faith Like Potatoes

Watching this with the youth from our church today...



POWERFUL!

We open our home twice a month to 10-15 rowdy teenagers and feed them.
We normally do a bible study.
Right now we are focused on the book by Jerry Brydges
"Respectable Sins"

It is also powerful.

It is changing how I live my life.

Seriously.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On another note, I know I haven't been around much lately but I've had a bit going on....

be back tomorrow with an update :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

All popped up and ready to go

It's no secret that I was floundering for ideas for pumpkins class for Valentine's Day after what I like to call the big candy cane fiasco!

And good old blog land came through for me once again.

Thank you to you all that sent me emails with ideas.

I so appreciated them.

I nearly made these ...

and I still might...

But then I came across this post

and like a bolt of lightning I was inspired!

What little girl doesn't like

ELECTRIC PINK POPCORN!

thanks to Alish and Whitney at Sisters' Stuff, I was on my way...

then in a moment of genious and a conversation with my mother...

We took it up a notch and added drizzled white chocolate and pink M&M's

Packaged so neatly with sandwich bag goody labels by the so talented Amy at Living Locurto
found here




oh the simpleness.
oh the completeness.
Oh the thankfulness for the simpleness and the completeness.



A big thank you to those that aided in making my 5 year old's Valentine's Day treat a success.

I am Super Mom once more...
for now....

January Block Swap

My mailbox has been overflowing with goodies for my month of the

Tethered Threads 2 block swap!

I couldn't be more delighted!

Here they are so far in no particular order...

So far I have received blocks from 6 of the 11 ladies in the swap...

I can't wait to see what treasures the other ladies come up with!

this final block is the one I made myself.

I wasn't happy with the positioning of the trees but I have seen and heard that many other ladies were also have a tricky time of it...

here's what Knittin Brit in WI had to say about it...

"Kelly, the secret to getting the trees on the triangular pieces the right way is to draw a template of the piece on scrap paper, then place it on your tree fabric so that the trees are in the right position and cut it along the diagonal line. Worked perfectly for me."

and then I had an "of course!" moment!

duh!

I'm going to try it tonight...

Dear John...

Two years ago today...
You are loved, you are spoken of often, your advice still taken, your memories remembered.
You are missed.

Love your daughter.

3 things I've learned today...

Number 1:

These,

however cute they are...

are harder than they look... (tutorial here)
Do you think pumpkin's class could share one?


Number 2:
Laundry does not do itself...
technically I already knew this
and yet I still wait in anticipation for the laundry fairy to drop by...

Hey--there's a tooth fairy--why not a laundry fairy?


Number 3:
Supper, not unlike the aforementioned laundry,
does not make itself...
I guess I'd better stop fussing with those candy canes
and come up with something for dinner...
any ideas?

I have something to say

and you might not like it

but I'm going to say it anyway...

This

Is not acceptable attire at the public pool.

Especially while swimming with toddlers

and 12 year old boys.

There I've said it.

Go buy a one piece.

or a tankini.

Keep your string bikini's for the beach.

I don't care how smokin' hot you think you are for your age!

Even if you're 40 and have the body of a 20 year old...

act your age--not your waist size!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

okay I'm done now.

yes.

I'm fine.

sound off :)

Rubbers, Wellies and Donkeys

I've got a thing lately for rubber boots

(or wellies or galoshes, what have you)

I have wanted a pair for my very own for a long time

and my brother made that dream come true this Christmas...

I know you're jealous!

But what I love more than my new galoshes

are rubber boot wearing donkeys!

and just rain boots in general!

Aren't these fabrics fabulous?!!

I've been wanting to make a fussy cut quilt like this for some time now

and couldn't think of a more adorable focus fabric

plus it's not cheap

so this way a little goes a long way :)

Designed by Laurie Wisbrun of Scarlet Fig

oh my

if you love fabric or you're just quirky like I am, you'll love her designs!

you know that song? "If I had a Million dollars...."

Well, I just need $20 and this fabric would be mine!

for the love of garlic

*EDIT*--some were having trouble clicking on the pic to enlarge the recipe so I've given the proper measurements through out this post :)

Creamy Blender Salad Dressing oooooohhhhhhhh
it's soooo yummy!

I make it the lazy way and use my hand blender right in the bowl
just 'cause I can't stand to wash out my blender after :)
I know, I'm lazy....

Okay here we go...

dump in

one clove minced garlic (YUM)
1 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)

Blend it all up!

my kiddos think it is so fun to watch it get all thick.
it gets REALLy thick!

then add the 3 tbsp. vinegar..

blend again and TA DA!

oh yum.

it's spicy from a serious hit of garlic
and oh so creamy!
if you love garlic you will love this on a caesar salad with bacon and croutons

The recipe is found in an old out of print cookbook

by Susan Mendelson
called "Let Me In The Kitchen"

I have tried and tried to get my hands on another copy, to no avail
if you've got it and don't use it,
let me know and I will seriously pay you for it!!

It's My Party...

Nothing says Happy Birthday better than flowers and a birthday wish from my mom!

Although, I have to say I don't think the balloon will be mine for long...

Thanks Mom and those that have made my day special!

Including Laurie, who made my birthday complete with some oh so yummy cake balls!

BIRTHDAY BALLS as it's seemed they've been named by the munchkins here :)
crazy kids!

Did I say come back "tomorrow"?

UHHHHH.... Yeah.
"Tomorrow" is only a figure of speech around here

like when hubby says,

"Hon, could you iron my shirt?"

"Ummm...yeah, I'll do it tomorrow..."

he irons his own shirts.

Onto the bathroom remodel.

mmmmm.... peachy....

although everything went

including the toilet and the tub

(I liked the avocado colour--hubby did NOT)

we did repurpose that cool mirror into the kids bathroom...

Good bye avocado...
Hello master bath surround and snazzy new shower!

they made a hole in the master bedroom closet

...don't know why...

It's got to be some..um...plumbing thing..

busted our the ceiling as there were no fans in either of the bathrooms

so we had to bring it up to code.

they were just going to patch up a few holes...

oh heck!

let's just take it all back to the studs!

Why not!

I was not initially party to the above mentioned decision to

evacuate all the plaster walls in my bathroom..

but by the time I saw it we were already looking good again!

Whew!

There used to be a linen closet here and one day they decided we needed more room...

so at 10 to 4pm they started rippin' her out!

again, not my call but now I'm so glad hubby and the designers did it!

mmmm.... yummy colours!

hubby no likey, even now....

but I really do!

Lovely ceramic

his and hers pedestal sinks

Lovely cabinets from Bed, Bath and Beyond

and my lovely matching toilet!

Not the initial lighting choice... however I'm very happy now.

I really wanted some pendants
but there just wasn't enough room to pull it off :(

TA DA!!!!

Sorry about the clutter...

but we live here!

And I know one of you decorating police (or my designer)

are going to show up at my door ranting about how my towels don't match,

but I just can't bring myself to spend $$ on towels when I have some!

I know, I'm so cheap!

Stay tuned and we'll look at the living/dining room extravaganza!

and then the kids bathroom--but that one is still in the decorating stage...