The She Bear of Eleven

My Quest For Perfect Bread

2010-10-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

I've been baking my own bread for several months, now, and really enjoy doing it. I wrote a post when I first started and showed pictures of my new mill I had ordered and some loaves of my first attempts at bread baking. The bread had a wonderful flavor and my family seemed to like it, but they were using it more for toast than sandwiches. It came out on the small side, not rising well and sometimes a little crumbly. So, I started researching and experimenting with different recipes. I'm happy to say I've found the way to make sandwich size loaves of bread with great flavor and holding together just like store bought. I can attest that peanut butter and jelly tastes so amazing on it, just like the old white Wonder bread I remember, but this is whole wheat.

This is the "sponge" when it is ready.

Second rise is complete and bread is ready to bake.

I start out heating up a cup of water to no hotter than 110 degrees. I add it to 4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast that I have ready in my Kitchen Aid bowl, mix together until well blended by hand with a whire whip. I then grind about a cup of hard white wheat berries on the fine grind and add it to the yeast and water mixture and mix it in with the wire whip. I then cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave it for about an hour. This is called making a "sponge." When I return the mixture is active and bubbling. To protect the yeast I add 1 1/2 cups of warm water with 2 more cups of the freshly ground hard white wheat mixing it in by hand, still, and then add 1/2 cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 cup of high gluten flour. By now I'm tired of mixing by hand, so I put on the dough hook for the Kitchenaid and start it on low and add about 1 to 2 more cups of hard white wheat flour. You don't want the dough to sticky or too dry, so I add enough flour to where the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and to where when it is ready to rise I can pick it up without it sticking to my hands. I let the Kitchenaid knead the dough for about 10 minutes. My daughter's Kitchenaid couldn't handle the 10 minutes, so we divided the dough in half giving each a turn for the 10 minutes, mine does just fine. After the 10 minutes I take the dough out and rub some olive oil on it and return it to the bowl for the first rise, covering it with the kitchen towel. The first rise is done when the dough has doubled in size. Time to punch it down and divide into two and shape each one into a loaf and set in bread pans. Cover, again, with towel and let rise until bread is risen 1 inch above rim of loaf pans and then bake in 350 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes. I find my bread is done in 35 minutes in my glass loaf pans. I like to use lecithin to grease the pans, my loaves fall right out when done cooking. This recipe makes 2 loaves of delicious bread. My family eats 6 to 8 loaves each week, keeping me busy baking bread!

Sliced and ready to eat.

Tomatoes and More Tomatoes!

2010-09-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

I've been overwhelmed with tomatoes this summer. I planted fourteen tomato plants and have been given flats of them from a produce market for free. I've made lots of spaghetti sauce, salsa, used them in salads and sandwiches and have dehydrated them and then ground them into a powder to make my own tomato sauce this winter.
I was looking at my recent pickings from the garden and decided to make another spaghetti sauce for the next nights dinner. I didn't feel like blanching them so remembered reading a tip on how you can freeze the tomatoes whole and then the peels will come right off under running water. So that is what I did and it worked amazingly well. So easy and quick.

I skinned them all and put them in my crockpot on low until they were all soft and easy to mash. After mashing I let them cook for several hours more in the crockpot and then added fresh basil, tomato paste, tomato sauce, onions, brown sugar, oregano, salt, elk meat and a chili peppper, we like spicy. I then left on all night on low, still in the crockpot. Served over angel hair spaghetti noodles and today over roasted zucchini squash. So good.

Fall Garden Time

2010-09-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

In a couple of days it will be offficially fall. The summer has gone by so fast, I really wasn't ready for the change in season, just yet. But, time marches on and time to get ready for cooler weather.
In the garden I've picked all the onions and chopped them with my hand held food blender and then put them in a tupperware container in small sandwich bags ready for cold weather soups and casseroles. I learned this year that when you plant onions they need to be seperated and not planted in clumps. Result was my onions didn't get as big as I would have liked because they were crowded.
I've been picking my herbs and then putting them in ice cube trays and freezing after adding water over them. I then put the cubes in a large gallon baggie for storage in the freezeer. Works great as I can just add a cube or two to the dinner I'm preparing over the winter months. Speaking of herbs, my spaghetti sauce I canned was so tasty after using fresh basil from the garden. Much better than the dried that I'm used to.
I'm still picking lots of tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash, but I've noticed the plants are looking a little wilted and at the last of their production cycle, yet there are still many green tomatoes. Last week I shredded some of the zucchini and made bread, which I will be doing, again, this week and then freezing the loaves.

My onions all ready for the freezer, the hand held blender makes the chopping so easy!

My one and only pumpkin, pretty small, but there is still time for more growing.

One of the Butternut squashes, I think.

My pickings for today, a huge bowl of tomatoes and squash.

My herbs ready for the freezer.

The winter squash are growing nicely and I'm excited to have quite a few of them this year. I like to cook them in the oven and add brown sugar and butter, so delicious. I have one little pumpkin growing, I wonder how big it will get before I have to pick it. For some reason, I had many flower on the vine, but only one made it. I will be looking up tips on growing pumpkins for next year's garden. Oh, well, I still have so much to learn. I wish I had learned to garden as a young wife, I would really have a lot of knowledge by now.

Guess Who Came To Dinner

2010-09-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

We had dinner guests on Friday evening. Five of our granchildren enjoyed some time with grandma and grandpa. I think they will remember it for a long time. Grandma went to pop some pop corn in the microwave for the movie time and to her and the grandchildren's surprise the bag caught on fire! Good thing there was a box of baking soda on hand. After all the excitement and a fresh bag of popcorn, movie went on as planned and we all had a fun time.

Enjoying My New Pressure Cooker

2010-09-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

I have memories of my mom using a pressure cooker when I was a young girl. The sound of it hissing and sputtering throughout the kitchen was intimidating after hearing the horror stories of ones that blew up if not used just right. Those stories are the reason I never felt good about getting one myself. But, after trying water bath canning this summer and liking it, I wanted to then get into pressure cooker canning so I could can the lower acid foods which couldn't be done safely in the water bath method. So, I recently bought my very first pressure cooker and chose the Fagor model, a 10 quart size. The first time I used it I was very nervous that I was going to make a mistake and blow something up, but it was so easy to use. I canned spaghetti sauce, 17 quarts, and am quite pleased to have been successful. I have since used it for cooking meals, making potatoes, carrots, pinto beans, string beans and rice. I like how fast it cooks and am going to be trying many more recipes. Today, I cooked carrots and it took about 2 minutes after pressure. All I did was put in a small rack in the bottom, added a cup of water, sliced carrots. Put on the lid, closed it and turned on the burner to high. Soon, a yellow valve popped up telling me it was at pressure and then the hissing sound of the steam. I then turned it down, but still hearing the steam and turned on the timer for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes I removed it from the burner and waited until the valve released. So easy!! The white rice I made over the weekend in it was the best white rice I have ever had. So moist and delicious. With the rice and pinto beans there is some soaking time, the rice one hour and the beans four hours. The white rice took just bringing it to pressure and then taking the pot right off the burner, so quick! I then added lime juice and a little salt, The beans took 20 minutes of cooking time which I then turned into refried beans for a dip. Pressure cooking is amazing and economical, saving time and energy and I am glad to have made this purchase.

First Day Of School Blahs

2010-09-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

Granddaughter, Chloe, on her first day of second grade. She's unhappy her friends from last year were put in the other class.

Free Food

2010-08-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

I was given 250 ears of corn and about 60 bananas, today. That's right, given, translated, free!!! My husband and I got busy and shucked, then cut off the corn from the cob on all these ears of corn, taking several hours. I loaded all nine trays on my Excalibur dehydrator with the corn, packaged the rest in gallon size bags and put in the refrigerator waiting for their turn on the dehydrator. I just don't have the freezer room so dehydrating is my way of preserving all of it for winter. The corn will be used in stews, soups, and corn muffins all winter. I'll then put some of it in canning jars with oxygen absorbers and sealing most of it in food saver bags. After all the work with the corn we peeled the bananas and then put them in gallon size bags ready for the freezer, which I had to use a shelf in my mom's freezer. I really need to go through our two freezers and try to free up some space. We'll use the bananas for smoothies and banana bread and muffins. Receiving all this was such a blessing and I'm so thankful, but tired!

Summer

2010-08-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

When I think of summer I think of eating ice cream, going on bike rides, swimming and relaxing. I've eaten a little ice cream and gone on some bike rides, haven't done the swimming, yet, and the relaxing part has not happened. But, I've had time with the grandkids and have enjoyed seeing them do all of the above.
Summer is flying by and it's been a busy one for me. It's been the summer of produce. My daughter, Christy, knows the owner of a produce store who has been giving her fruit and vegetables that are not the prettiest to sell, but still good enough to make jams and sauces with. Also, milk that has just expired that I make yogurt with. Last night I helped her package ripened bannanas freezing them for smoothies, there was lots and lots of them that we peeled and then put into gallon size baggies. She was also given a flat of tomatoes that I took home and processed, today. I was in the kitchen for hours, blanching the tomatoes, which means putting them in boiling water and then right into ice water. It makes the skin easy to peel off and then I cooked the tomatoes into spaghetti sauce. I seasoned the sauce with my garden basil and with onions I had grown along with other spices in my kitchen. I was quite pleased with myself after my tastebuds had declared it a success. I felt rather pioneerish, ( I may have made up a new word). I'm used to opening a jar of Ragu which is a lot easier, but making it myself felt better. I was telling Christy I think God has blessed us with all this produce so we could finally like being in the kitchen. We are both kindred spirits in not liking dealing with food. Processing all this food has given us a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in being together.

How Does My Garden Grow?

2010-08-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

This year's garden got a slow start due to lots of rain and cooler weather. I've been picking squash, a few tomatoes, one cucumber, onions. The strawberries have already quit producing and we enjoyed what we got, but I thought with two large raised beds, there would be alot more. Our cherry tree was loaded last year and we picked cherries till we were sick of them, but this year, to my dismay, we were only able to pick a small amount as the tree just wasn't productive. I am pleased with the tomatoes as they are loaded with green tomatoes and are slowing turning red. With fourteen plants, we will have our fill of them. We planted cauliflower and broccoli and something kept eating the leaves, they were so pitiful with lots of holes. There was several servings of broccoli that I cooked, but gave up on the cauliflower. I learned something about onions, you need to seperate them, instead I planted them in a bunch. They have grown, but would have gotten much bigger if I had seperated the plants. We also planted watermelon and have one on the vine and more flowering. The peppers are growing and I love watching them get bigger every day. We have hot peppers and bell peppers. We have used up most of our compost for the beds and need to start another compost pile. I am still in awe how our peelings, coffee grounds, leaves, grass clippings all turn back to a rich wonderful soil. Gardening opens up your eyes to the wisdom of God and his creation.

Canning

2010-08-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Christy and I got together and learned to can jam, today. It was one of my goals after learning to make bread. It sure fits, bread and jam, they taste so good together. We didn't get started until afternoon and worked at it for several hours which included 6 children to tend to, also. We were both under the impression that it was going to be hard to do, but after canning 16 jars of blackberry and rasberry jam we both agreed it was rewarding and not a big deal. We used the water bath canning method that meant submerging the filled jars in the canner and boiling for 12 minutes. We both loved hearing the seals pop as they came out of the canner. I had also made bread and my sons and grandchildren, plus a neighbor boy enjoyed eating slices smothered in the warm jam, so good!! My next goal is to can using a pressure cooker.

My Recent Finds

2010-07-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

I needed a larger purse and was happy to find this one for $2.00

A pretty serving plate, $1.00

Two wooden candle holders that sit on my bookcase, $2.00.

A pair of crystal pitchers for $5.00

A pair of sconces with candelabras, $5.00

One of my favorite finds is this elephant made out of leather, $3.00.

Getting Away

2010-07-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, my sweet husband surprised me with a night away at a little cottage about an hour away from home. He told me before bed to have a bag packed and ready to go the next morning. So, the next morning I packed, made some bread, cleaned the house, did some laundry and finished up a curtain project for my daughter-in-law all by late morning! So much for "spur of the moment" and easy get away. Moms can't just pack up and leave without lots of preparation, even if most of the five at home are grown. I had to take a picture of my packing versus my husbands, quite funny.

His (I kid you, not!)

Mine (A girl needs her stuff!)

Relaxing by the stream.

The happy couple.

We had a relaxing time, we were in a town of 400 posted as it's population, so it didn't have much to offer in the way of entertainment. It was a time of being together, sitting by the little stream that ran by our cottage and catching up on some reading. It was nice, we both agreed two nights away would have been better, but thankful for the time we had together.

A Small Project

2010-07-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

We have four of these fans hanging from our living room ceiling. We have lived in our home for 21 years and I can't remember not having them so they are old, but still running without a problem. After redecorating the upstairs this past spring they really started to bug me. They were outdated and didn't match the decor or flow of the room. I knew to replace them was probably going to be about $75 to $100 dollars a fan so the decision was to redo instead of replace. These fans are running daily all summer long and are a must in our large living room with it's large windows covering the front of our home. They help keep the room bearable as all the windows bring in the heat. Chuck agreed to tackle the project, which meant taking down each one, cleaning accumulated dust of 20 plus years from the insides with his air compressor, then applying two coats of spray paint to the blades and base of the fan. The first coat was a dark brown, and then the second coat was Rust-Oleum American Accents Stone which gives a unique textured finish. I'm pleased with the results and the fans add to the room instead of detracting.

This is the blade of the fan after the second coat of the textured paint.

` They are all up and running, again, and I love the new look.

A Nice Long Weekend

2010-07-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to have a four day weekend. We got together with family, did some work around the house and then by Monday, we decided to get the bike out and go for our first bike ride of the season. We're a little late, but have been busy and the weather has been more rainy than usual. The weather was wonderful and so we went for a long ride and found a walking path along the river that was shady and peaceful. So, it turned into a bike/walk ride. It was nice to be alone with Chuck and to be out amongst nature. We have a greenbelt that runs throughout the city where we can bike, walk, or jog. A large portion of it is along the river which is so pretty and home to many birds and wildlife. On this walk we saw some swans and geese. We also got into some interesting conversation with an older couple who told us they had lived on a sailboat for many years. What an adventurous lifestyle that would be! We shared with them about raising a large family which was our adventure and then we parted ways richer for our conversation. We arrived home, refreshed, a little tired and looking forward to our next bike ride.

Making Greek Yogurt

2010-06-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

Mmm, this was my breakfast this morning and I enjoyed every bite. I had some extra milk that I had bought on sale and needed to use up before it expired so I made yogurt. I had made it before, but this time I decided to try making Greek yogurt. I had heard it was thick, creamy and very good. Well, what I had heard was right, this yogurt was delicious and now I'm hooked. I felt like I was eating a fattening, rich dessert, but it was all in my head as I had used low fat milk and no sugar. A wonderful way to start the day!

I took half a gallon of low fat milk, heated it while continually stirring so it didn't burn to a temperature of 180 degrees. Took it off the burner, covered and went for a nice walk. Returned and had time to read awhile until it cooled to 110 degrees. Then I added about 6 tablespoons of store bought yogurt and stirred well. I poured into clean canning jars with lids and set in my Excalibur dehydrator and turned it on to 115 degrees, leaving it alone for about 12 hours. Before I had the dehydrator I used to make regular yogurt by wrapping the jars in a heavy blanket and putting it in a styrofoam ice chest and leaving it for the same amount of time, it worked. After the 12 hours I took a strainer, lined it with a coffee filter, I then placed the strainer over a bowl, poured one of the jars of yogurt into the filter and covered with a dish towel. So the yogurt didn't sour, I put it all in the refrigerator and let it drain until all was left was a thick yogurt. I had read that the liquid that had drained was very nutritious so I froze it in ice cube trays for adding to smoothies later. To sweeten I added stevia which is an herb that is very sweet and has no calories, but honey would be good, also. Adding berries or other fruit makes it extra good and nutritious, I'll be making this often.

Does He Look Like He Likes His New Job?

2010-06-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

I laughed when I saw this picture my husband took of Alex on the first day of his first job. Alex needs to smile at his customers!

My New Mill

2010-06-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

I was visiting with my son and daughter-in-law, recently, and was given a piece of her delicious homemade bread. Jessica had purchased a mill and used it to grind her own wheat for the bread giving it a great flavor. So, I had to have one! I've been determined to make my own bread for quite some time, but after making some I wasn't impressed with the flavor and consistency, neither was the family! I'm a visual learner and so Jessica made some while I was there and then I knew I could do it, too. I did some researching on the type of mill I would like to purchase and I came across this one and it had wonderful reviews. It's called the Wolfgang mill and is made out of solid beech with tongue and groove, making it a pretty appliance to display in the kitchen, not taking up much room.
I was so excited in receiving it today that I got busy and made three loaves of bread and lots of waffles. I used hard white wheat and I'm very pleased with the results and so is my family.

Chicken Talk

2010-06-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

We've had our chickens since early spring, now, and we are happy with our brood of eight. They are giving us at least 6 eggs a day, sometimes on a good day, seven. We have so many that I've been able to give some away to family and neighbors which they have been happy to take.

We have a coop in which they sleep and lay their eggs, then a fenced enclosure where they can take their dust baths and that is also where our compost pile is and they love hunting around in it. You can tell when they tire of that and start hanging around the gate to be let out into the grass yard which is where they spend most of their day .They enjoy wandering the yard, scratching, looking for worms and fighting over the big ones. When they see Chuck digging with a shovel they'll run over, hoping for more worms, it's really funny as he often has one climb onto his shovel as he scoops. We cook them corn on the patio in a crock pot and when Chuck whistles you should see them come a running from wherever in the yard they are, making us laugh. We've had some problems to deal with. One of the chickens found his way into the neighbor's yard several days in a row resulting in Chuck having to climb over the fence to try and retrieve him. One night he couldn't catch him and the chicken spent the night in the bushes. He finally learned his lesson, though, after getting chased by two dogs till he had no energy left and was finally rescued. He now stays in our yard. Another problem was I decided to extend the garden and plant some vegetables and herbs in the upper yard where they wander. They scratched my newly planted vegetables up, so we put a temporary fence around it and they found their way into there. I finally gave up and put another bed in the lower yard. Another day they got in the front yard and scratched in the flower bed around our waterfall and clogged it up with bark and dirt, resulting in three hours of draining the waterfall and cleaning it out. We tried another temporary fence which worked this time as they haven't gotten out in the front, again.
We had one of the chickens, the littlest one which is a banty chicken, decide to stay on her nest for days. We got concerned as we had read about chickens becoming egg bound. After calling for expert advise we were told she probably had a strong nesting instinct and was trying to hatch some eggs. The other chickens were laying their eggs right by her and she was sitting on all of them trying to keep them warm. Since we don't own a rooster, it's not going to happen, poor girl!

Loves, Likes and Hates

2010-06-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Julie over at The Hopple Family I have to list 12 likes, 1 love and 8 hates. Thanks Julie, this will be fun and challenging. Here they are:

I like laying in bed at night listening to my waterfall, a nice walk, morning coffee, a clean house, organized cupboards, a good hair day, a whole day to spend with my husband, hearing my children laugh together, a good movie, reading to my grandchildren, good conversation, spending time with my kids.

I love my family.

I hate having to rush, being stuck in traffic, camping, abuse of any kind, big bugs, long meetings, ill fitting shoes, and being cold.

The likes were the easiest and I could have listed a lot more. Now, I'm suppose to tag three people. I'm choosing Jessica at ~Working On A Full House~ mommyx12 and Six Parris Kids And Counting

More Saturday Treasures

2010-06-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

This is what we've been dealing with here in Boise. Cloudy skies with lots of rain for days on end. Not good weather for yard sales, so I was so pleased to wake up to clearer weather on Saturday. I was on the road by 8:00 a.m. after picking up my mom anticipating some fun finds. Typically, our husbands are with us, but they had other plans, which means we buy what we want!!
.

I spotted this lamp with a $10.00 price tag and liked it's leather lamp shade, color, design and uniqueness. It is taller than a regular table lamp and gives some added height to a side table downstairs. Plus, I got it for $5.00!

This candle holder is attractive and I thought it would look good on my mantle. It also had a $10.00 price tag, but after bargaining, I got it for $5.00. Then I went looking for a candle to go with it and ended up with this pretty teal and butterscotch one for 25 cents.

After seeing this plate, I had to have it for my plate holder in the dining room. It is a sweet picture of two sisters and says at the top, "Sisters are Blossoms." Great price at $1.00.

Another find for $3.00 and I don't even know what to call it. I thought it would add character somewhere in my house. It has four drawers that open up, I have it on our landing right now at the bottom of the stairs. Not sure if it will stay there, but I'll find a place, anyway, I really like it.

These finials were only $1.00. Had a store tag on it for originally $29.00 and then a 50% mark down on that price so $1.00 was a steal! I thought I'd put it away for a future project. I'd like to add some drapes or curtains downstairs and it would dress up a rod after adding stain.
As you can see it was a successful yard sale morning. Had a good time with my mom, lots of laughing and enjoying one another's company.

The Best Salad Recipe

2010-06-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

My daughter introduced me to this wonderful salad and it's now a favorite with our family. She found it on the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. It's packed full of vegetables with linguine noodles and an Asian type dressing. Basically, you just cut up Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, spinach, package of bean sprouts, any color bell peppers you like, cucumber, cilantro, honey roasted peanuts, linguine noodles. I like to add grape tomatoes, slices of apple, a can of mandarin oranges. The sauce is 8 tablespoons of soy sauce, 8 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, juice of 1 lime, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger, 1 to 2 chopped jalapeno peppers. It's a lot of chopping, but it's so very good. We had our son, Chad, and his family for dinner and served it along with chicken and potatoes.

Happy 36th Birthday To Amy

2010-05-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

This is Amy. She is our first born and today is her 36th birthday. She was born to parents just coming out of their teens and weighing only an ounce under five pounds. I remember her being so tiny with a small patch of curly hair and the sweetest little face. She was the first grandchild on both sides and so a "first" for the whole family and we all fell in love with Amy. She was a bright child having an extensive vocabulary at the age of two and reading 60 words on flashcards at three. As she grew she became the big sister to so many and was such a help to me. If you gave her a job to do it was done right and she is still that way, today. After high school she went on to college and got her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She enjoyed the nursing profession and was sweet and caring to her patients because that is who she is in character. She worked at our local hospital for several years until she married and had her two children. Now, she is a loving, caring mother to Chloe and Isaac and a wonderful wife to Nels.

Amy, Dad and I are so blessed by you and so proud of who you are. You are a "light" wherever you go!

Love,

Mom

Garden Update and Great Finds

2010-05-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

My last post I talked about the unexpected change in weather with snow and how I was worried it would kill my vegetable plants. I am happy to say that all is well except for some of the basil leaves are blackened, but not all the leaves, so I think they will recover. Whew, what a relief to find all okay and now on their way to abundance in harvest time.
On Saturday, before the snow arrived, we went to quite a few yard sales. I was happy to find some clothes for me, this time, and only $5.00 for the lot. They included, one pair of board shorts, one pair of black capris, one pair of jeans, one sweater, a tank top that will go under summer shirts, and 2 shirts. Several of them are my favorite brands. Good deal!!
Later, that day, 3 of my daughters came to visit with one of the husbands and 7 grandkids. We were getting caught up on Katey's trip to Romania, she is safely home and had a great time. She was telling us about the church work they did and the tours of the beautiful buildings and the people. She and her brother, David, were glad to come home after 10 days. It was touching to see David's girls greet him at the airport with tears. They sure missed their Daddy. I'm glad to have my kids back home on United States soil.

The Woes Of Gardening

2010-05-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

This is my backyard, today, May 22nd. I can hardly believe I have snow in my backyard at this late date. Normally, this would not bother me and I would just dress for the weather and enjoy the scenery. But, the next two pictures is why I'm upset. My garden has all been planted, my tomatoes and lots of other plants were grown from seed and nursed along until I could finally get them planted. I waited until the last frost date and excitedly got them in the ground.
Oh, I hope and pray that all will be okay! Temperatures are not suppose to get below 37 degrees, tonight. I hate to think of buying new plants and starting over!

Pillow Decor Gone Wild

2010-05-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

Guess who came to visit?

Happy 34th Birthday, Nathan

2010-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, May is a busy birthday month, here. Yesterday's post was Joe's birthday and today it is oldest son, Nathan's birthday. Nathan's name means, "gift of God," and he has truly been a gift since the day he was born. An ideal oldest son in that he is a good example to follow for the rest of his siblings. He has been happily married since he was nineteen to Sunny, and is a loving, fun, father to his four children, Maddie, Jacob, Judah, and McKenna. I have often commented that I think Nathan's motto in life is, "I just want to have fun." He has a lot of responsibilities with owning his own business, raising a family and all that comes with it, yet he and Sunny make life fun. They are leaders of the young married group at church and enjoy friendships with other couples and so their house is "the party house." I don't think there is hardly a person who has ever met Nathan, who hasn't liked him. Even as a boy he had that charismatic personality and enjoyed people. God has blessed him with wisdom and he has used it in his life making wise decisions and giving counsel to others which then bless them. I'm so very proud to be his mother.
Happy Birthday, Nathan.
Love,
Mom

Happy 21st Birthday to Joe

2010-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is Joe. His official name is Joseph, but somewhere along the line it was shortened to Joe. He is our 8th child and keeps us laughing or ticked, sometimes at the same time. You can't stay mad at him, though, because he'll just make you laugh. He thinks most everything is quite funny and enjoys a good prank. Joe has been gifted in music and expresses it through playing the keyboard and bass guitar. He also has a great singing voice and leads the Christian band he is in. Funny memories of him as a toddler was that he loved to play in the toilet and we would often find him sitting, dangling his feet in the water, also at one point, he threw all the toothbrushes in it and flushed!! As a bigger boy he would amaze his older brothers with his ability to lift weights along with them and became quite the pool shark winning many a game. He also became quite good at riding a unicycle choosing it instead of a regular bike.

It's hard to believe he's 21, today. Happy Birthday, Joe! God has great things in store for you. I love you. Mom

Bathroom Remodel Pictures

2010-05-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

After four weeks we finally finished the bathroom remodel. It started with removing the old fiberglass tub enclosure which my husband did with mostly a hammer! He wanted to be careful not to cut into any plumbing otherwise he would have used a power saw. It took an evening and he was able to get it to come out in manageable pieces filling up a trash bin in time for the next day's pickup. Next step was putting in the new tub which was a tight squeeze and resulted in the door jam having to be removed and one of the walls being damaged. Not in the plan, but I've learned with household projects the unexpected will happen. So, another unexpected was the plumbing didn't line up with the new tub and so we had to wait several days for the plumber.

With the old tub being a fiberglass enclosure and the new tub being a standard tub meant that the walls would have to be covered in cement wallboard for the tile. Another wait was for our son to have time to fix the door jam, which he did beautifully. Then we tiled the tub area and the floor and put in a copper penny colored glass tile border around the tub and on the floor. I picked out an orange color for the walls and copper switch plates that match so nicely. Last step was to find a shower curtain, window covering and some pretty towels. I found the best deal on the shower curtain at Burlington Coat Factory for only $10.00, so I bought two of them and then did a "no sew" by just cutting one of the shower curtains down to make a valance for the window and used that great invention, iron on tape. So easy and didn't have to get out the sewing machine! I love my new bathroom, it was worth all the work.

A Good Weekend

2010-05-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

I always look forward to the weekend. On Friday night we went to Twin Falls to watch our two sons, Joe and Carl, compete in "Battle of The Bands," put on by an area church. It was fun watching them perform making this mother proud. Joe handles the crowd so well and I love hearing him sing. Carl plays the electric guitar and keyboard and does a great job. It was 2 hours there so Alex got to get in some more driving practice, he's almost ready for his license.

On Sunday, our six unmarried children took Chuck and I out for dinner for a Mother's Day celebration. Normally, on a holiday, the kids all come over and we have dinner, but on Mother's Day it's a time for Mom to be pampered. We went out to the "Cheesecake Factory," and had a nice dinner together. Their lettuce wraps are so good and of course their cheesecakes are wonderful. It was also a chance to say goodbye to Katey, our 25 year old, who is headed to Romania on Tuesday. She and our 28 year old son, David are going with other members of their church for a mission's trip and will be gone for 10 days. I'll be praying!

Diego's Day

2010-05-05T23:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday was grandson, Diego's 3rd birthday. Celebrated with a pinata, cake and snacks with good weather.

More Bargains

2010-04-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week. We have been remodeling one of our upstairs bathrooms and it's been a nightly event, getting to bed past midnight. It's coming along, but not quite ready to post pictures, yet. When I asked my husband how long a project he thought it would be, he said three days. Well, we are on week three, now, the way it goes with house projects, they always take longer than anticipated.
I didn't get to post my last weeks yard sale finds and here it is almost time to go, again. In fact, tomorrow I'll be going with my daughter, Christy, and taking 6 children with us. Plus, it's cold, again, the weather teased us making us think warm weather was here to stay and then it laughed and pulled a fast one with wind, rain, and cold. There is no rain predicted for tomorrow, though, so I will venture out and look for the bargains, spending time with my daughter and grandchildren. Here are some pictures of last weeks finds. Great deals, nothing over $2.00 except for my favorite find which I didn't get a picture of, a rice cooker for $7.00. I've already used it and love how moist the rice turned out and it's so easy to use.

A Big Family Birthday Party

2010-04-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

My husband, Chuck, turned 56, yesterday, and he was blessed with all his children and grandchildren celebrating it with him, along with his mom, sister and in-laws. When you get that many together, there were 37 of us, 19 of them children, you have quite a party. We had mexican food, enchiladas, spanish rice, refried beans, salad and lots of desserts. I had planned on good weather, the day before was actually a warm day, but wouldn't you know it, the sky turned dark and cloudy, wind came up and then came the rain! A jump house was planned for the kids for outside play, so of course with rain that didn't happen. So, 19 children had to find fun in the house. Which they did with my dress up box, cupboard of toys and our open hall way that they turned into a running game going from the living room into the hallway and back again in a circle, laughing and having the best time. I enjoyed watching them and all the fun they were having. Our sons kept us laughing with their antics and conversations, they are quite the witty ones. We ladies watched over the children, served the food, and enjoyed each others company. Having a large family is such a blessing and as I sat there and watched them all, I felt very rich, indeed!

A Productive Weekend

2010-04-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the weather was wonderful and so a great day for yard sailing. It's been a long winter, I was so ready for good weather and back to hunting the bargains. I made a mental list of what I was going to look for and one was a plate holder for the bare wall in my dining room. I found it and then started looking for plates to go with it. I did find a plain green one in the color I was looking for and a smaller one that went well, also. It's now hanging nicely on that bare wall and looks good. The bargain price was $2.00 for the plate holder and a $1.00 for each plate. I bought a pretty serving plate for displaying on my hutch, too, I think it was $2.00, also. Other items on my list was a picture to go in the master bathroom and material to recover the patio swing cushions. Found both, the picture goes well with my colors and I only spent $2.00 on it. I was very pleased to find enough material for only $5.00 and have already recovered one of the cushions. I'll have to post a picture of it when I'm finished. It was a fun Saturday, time spent with my husband and my mother.
Chuck and I also got some weeding done in our garden beds and he spread out compost from our compost pile. We got in on a sale at Home Depot, one day only, on vegetable and herb plants, buy one and get one free. I happily loaded the cart with many plants, an addition to the many seedlings growing at home. I'm anticipating lots of vegetables from my garden this year. I started an herb garden last year and bought several more herbs for that, too. It's nice to just walk out in the yard and pick them when I need them. With our short growing season here in Idaho, I'll have to wait another 4 weeks to plant them outside. Patience, patience.

Call It Pistachio

2010-04-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

We invested in a Vita Mix blender several years ago and with it the family enjoys making smoothies. I purchase fruit and then we freeze it and then blend. This blender is very powerful and will blend whole pieces of fruit very quickly. I like to start out with a frozen banana, add another fruit or two along with plain yogurt, a tablespoon of honey, sometimes a couple of dates for added sweetness. Then for added nutrition I add a large handful or two of spinach which then turns it this pretty pistachio green color. Today's smoothie is banana, peach, papaya. If you choose a darker fruit, like blueberries or raspberries, the green won't be as pretty, but still packed with nutrition. I like to put granola on top of my smoothies for an extra treat. If the color bothers you, call it pistachio, it helps.

That Time Again

2010-04-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again, planning the garden. This shelf is a new addition this year that holds all my pots with the new seedlings and I have it filled to the brim. My dining room window has the best lighting for the plants and for the shelves that don't reach the window I have fluorescent lighting hooked up. This is my third year, so I still feel like a beginner, but every year I learn more and more. This year I made the mistake in getting my soil right from my raised beds to start my seedlings and it became to compacted in the containers not retaining moisture and needed frequent watering. I should have bought potting soil and used that instead as my pepper plants had low germination success resulting in only 6 pepper plants. The rest of the seeds, tomatoes, beets, basil, radishes, and broccoli did well. I am trying over with the peppers, hoping for more plants for the garden in May. Otherwise, I'll have to buy the plants as we like bell peppers. My dining room will look like this until my planting date around May 15th and then the shelf will become handy in my storage room. I'll also be planting different types of squash, peas, beans and cucumber, but you sow those seeds outdoors at planting time. Looking forward to a profitable season of gardening!

Happy 25th Birthday, Katey

2010-04-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today, our sixth child, Katey, is 25. She was always such a quiet child, always observing, with her big eyes taking it all in. She was so quiet that I remember taking her and another daughter in the car to go shopping, when we got to the store, I had forgotten she had come along until she hopped out of the car. She hadn't spoken a word the entire way. Mistakenly, we thought she was shy, but that turned out not to be the case. A friend once commented to me that you have to watch those quiet ones as they change around the age of fifteen. Sure enough, at sixteen, Katey surprised us with a nose piercing. Her dad made her take it out and heal, but we were surprised all right! We had a few other surprises that make us laugh now when we reminisce about them, and now are so pleased that Katey came through the teenage years just fine. Today, she is a beautiful woman of God, so sweet spirited, going to bible school, serving in church. She's the favorite aunt who's asked to babysit and is wonderful with the children.
Katey, Dad and I are so proud of the woman that you are, God has a wonderful plan for your life and I'm so pleased to get to watch it unfold.
Love, Mom

Celebrating Easter

2010-04-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

We had a good time with family celebrating Easter at my daughter, Christy's house. Her house is on the small side with a wonderful backyard full of kid's toys and equipment for the grandchildren to have a good time. The weather man had predicted 50 degree weather with clouds which was on the cool side, but it all worked out, the kids had their egg hunt and got warm by all the running and playing that kids do. The adults caught up on life, ate good food and enjoyed being together. A happy day, good memories for tomorrow.

City Chickens

2010-03-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

Last fall, after watching the movie, "Food, Inc." we decided to get some chickens so that we could have organic, free range eggs every morning. Chuck and our oldest son, Nathan, built a nice hen house and with a few more things to finish, winter hit and so the chickens were put on hold until spring. Well, it's officially spring and so Chuck bought some chickens that are ready to lay eggs instead of baby chicks. More like "instant gratification." So far, only two are laying. One is the little banty that you see in the far left corner and one of the big girls. Chuck remembers having a banty rooster in our younger years and enjoying it, so ordered the banty chicken. It's so cute, but the bigger chickens are not too nice to it. I think she needs a "kindred spirit," so another will be here, soon. So, far, having city chickens is working out, I love looking out the back door and seeing them with their funny walk, forever searching for whatever chickens are searching for.

Our Work Rewarded

2010-03-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

After about 8 weeks of work, which included putting hardwood in the dining room, hallway and a small entry into the master bedroom, plus the stairs leading down into the basement, repainting all the woodwork, installing new baseboards, some canned lighting. I can finally say we're about done. One of my posts I had remarked how one thing leads to another, well it sure did as we ended up getting new carpet in the living room and master bedroom to finish it off. The carpet was on the "later list," but decided to just do it, and I'm so glad we did as the old carpet was 12 years old and getting to the worn look stage. It gives the house a new, fresh look. We're going to take a small break, get the garden started, wait for warmer weather and then start the main bathroom. With the house being 31 years old, now, there's always a project!!

Happy 31st Birthday, Christy

2010-03-13T23:08:00.000-08:00

Reflecting back on Christy's childhood, I first remember the beautiful baby girl who liked to sleep and smile and the only baby out of eleven to have a full head of hair at birth. She liked to sleep so much that I would wake her to make her play with me. Such an easy-going baby that turned into the happy, friendly young girl. She loved to talk to people and make friends and I would often hear her trying to befriend a stranger. As she grew she liked to babysit and was kept quite busy by the families who hired her. She became very good with money and even had her own checkbook at the ripe age of eleven! Then, she became the independent teenager who was strong in her beliefs, influencing friends for the better, leading them on the "right path." Funny, she is still the same. Now, she is the woman who likes to make friends, befriend and help strangers, instead of babysitting she is mothering her five children which leads to having to be great with money!

Christy, You are amazing!! I love you,

Mom

Recovering Chair Pads

2010-03-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

We're still working on the dining room redo, which included going from carpet to hardwood, painting the walls green which were a burgundy color, window coverings, wall decor and now, recovering the old chair pads. I bought some drapery material for $10.00 on a clearance table and set the old pad on top of the material and just used it as a pattern. I had a tablecloth in an off white color that I used for the backing and pinned in place all around and stitched by hand. I then made the ties and covered the buttons with a kit I bought at the fabric store. The kit made covering buttons easy and I got Julie involved making most of them. The cost for making my own pads was a little over $4.00 apiece, the most expense was the button kit which was $2.49 for 4 buttons which I had bought on Saturday. The next day a 40% off coupon was in my Sunday paper. I hate it when that happens!

Happy 23rd Birthday, Marc

2010-03-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of Marc I found on his facebook. He looks like he just played a joke on someone and is smiling as he watches their reaction. Yes, he loves a good joke and has a great sense of humor. I would recommend to never leave your facebook page open and leave the room with Marc around.
As a child he could be quite challenging as you never knew what he would say. Yet, he looked like a little angel with his blond curly hair and sweet face. I distinctly remember a neighbor coming to our front door and Marc answering and telling him he was fat just as I came up behind him. What does one say to that? Another time my parents were here on a visit from another state and he greeted them with, "Do you want grass in your face?" Also, when he would get in trouble he would tell you he didn't care. Like I said, challenging, yet I am quite proud of the man he has turned out to be. God does answer prayer!
Marc is a kind, considerate son. Fun, loving brother, a good friend, and compassionate to those in need. We sure love him and so blessed he is our son.
Happy 23rd birthday, Marc.
Love, Mom

Time With Dad

2010-03-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

I was blessed with the opportunity to see my dad, recently. He lives over 1,000 miles away, so it's been quite awhile. I was dismayed at his mental condition, how much his dementia has worsened. It wasn't as apparent during our telephone conversations as seeing him in person. He was confused and emotionless at seeing my daughter and I. It was a hard time for me as I kept thinking about the "old dad," the one who would have greeted me with a big bear hug and a warm greeting. For days after, the tears flowed, but I've had to comfort myself with thoughts of, he seems happy in his "world," he's not in pain and has his routines, is well fed, has a warm bed to sleep in. Staying as positive as I can and sometimes, when I can handle it, remembering the good times when he was whole.

Before and After

2010-03-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we stopped by a thrift store on a hunt for some simple bar stools. We found them, along with this ugly chair. We had been looking for a computer chair for our new desk top computer. It needed to be a short one and comfortable. I spotted this and tried it out, found it to be very comfortable despite it's ugliness. It was a little taller than we wanted, but knew it could be cut down to size. That night, Chuck took it apart, so I could cover the chair pad and back rest with some material I had already purchased on a bargain table for under $5.00. The next day, he cut two inches off the legs, then sanded the wood parts finding it to be a beautiful walnut. He then stained and put a protective coating on the rest of it. After it dried we put it back together and are very pleased with the results. It was a fast, fairly easy project and very rewarding. Also, the first time I'd ever recovered a piece of furniture.

Anytime Fun

2010-03-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

I know it's a little early for Easter eggs, but I've been known to get out the dye anytime of the year and let the grandkids color eggs. It's fun, not too messy. They sure enjoy it.

A Young Mom's Poem

2010-03-01T23:04:00.000-08:00

It's my youngest grandson's first birthday, today. I found this poem years ago, when I was a young mom, and have kept it in my files as it is so sweet. Thought I'd share it with you other mothers, especially to you, Jessica, as this is Joshua's day.

Cyclone
It's quiet now,
the cyclone passed,
destruction in its wake.
The room is filled with limp balloons
and smeared with chocolate cake.
As I survey the damage,
I feel strangely close to tears.
An eras....passed.
A door has closed.
I can't slow down the years.
I watch them now,
my giggling brood,
so earnestly at play.
And stoop to brush
the crumbs aside,
The baby's one, today!

Do It Anyway

2010-02-27T21:27:00.000-08:00

I came across this code that Mother Theresa lived by and it spoke to my heart so I wanted to share it in this post.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
   ......Forgive them, anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
   ......Be kind, anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
   ......Succeed, anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
   ......Be honest and frank, anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
   ......Build, anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
   ......Be happy, anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.
   .......Do good, anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
   ....... Give the world the best you've got, anyway.
You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God.
   .......It was never between you and them, anyway!

One Thing Leads To Another

2010-02-21T22:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting much since I've been so involved in an overwhelming do-it-yourself project. I was searching Craig's list and found unfinished hardwood for $2.00 a square foot. We had just finished tearing out carpet on our stairs and were still in the process of redoing it in hardwood when we went and bought my find. What a deal! For $800.00 there was enough wood to cover the dining room, our extra long hallway and a little entry to the master bedroom with leftover wood to sell. But, then came the process of installing it, sanding, staining, and coating it. Also, we had decided to tear out a buffet that took up a lot of space in the dining room which then meant repairing the wall and a new paint job. While installing the hardwood in the hallway, the wall got damaged, so another repair job and new paint. Reminds me of the book I used to read the kids called, "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie," a book about one thing leading to another and then another. The hardest part has been the nightly top coat that Chuck applies right before we go to bed as it can't be walked on, so we have to wait until our "night owls" are all in bed. We've been working on it, daily, for about three weeks, now, counting the stairs, but so much progress and what a change. Soon, I'll be able to post pictures of the finished project.

Sour Milk

2010-02-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Julie poured herself a glass of milk this afternoon and then made a face. Oh, no, sour milk. It doesn't happen often, but when it does I'm not too happy, and for sure Julie wasn't happy by the look on her face and her gagging remarks. Reminds me of the old saying, "Don't cry over spilled milk," here it's "over sour milk," especially when we're paying over $3.00 a half gallon. Hmm, resourceful, thrifty, me got to remembering my dad telling that my grandmother used to leave milk out to sour it for cooking with. I got on Google, which I do often with my questions, and typed in, "cooking with sour milk." Sure enough you can and whatever process soured the milk in the first place is killed in the baking process. I found this coffee cake recipe and went to work.

Sour Milk Coffee Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons cup softened butter
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sour milk

Streusel topping:6 teaspoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons softened butter

Mix together the dry cake ingredients, then cut in the butter until crumbly.

In another bowl, combine the beaten egg and sour milk. Stir into the dry mixture until batter is just moistened (will be lumpy).

Make the streusel: combine the dry streusel ingredients, then cut in the butter until crumbly.

Spoon half the batter into a 9x9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel. Top with the remaining batter, followed by the rest of the streusel.

Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden

It turned out to be delicious. So no more crying over, "sour milk!"

Family Gathering Time

2010-01-30T19:04:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to have a family gathering at least once every 4 to 6 weeks. I slacked off last year and I really missed the frequent get togethers. We number 37, now, and so when we are together there is lots of noise and laughter. The grandchildren love to get together and play, eat and have fun. The adults catch up on each other's lives and enjoy debating different subjects, which I love listening to.
So, this past Friday night was our first family time of the new year. I decided taco salad would be easy after finding already made taco bowls at the store. I made homemade beans and seasoned ground beef along with spanish rice. Then I delegated the rest. The married ones brought desserts and a topping for the salad and the older ones, at home, purchased the drinks and paper goods. Note to self...have the known late comers only bring dessert if you want to have all the ingredients on hand for hungry on timers!

It was a good night.We enjoyed seeing all of them, hearing their conversations, reading books to the grandchildren, holding the babies. We are blessed!

Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver

2010-01-23T22:14:00.001-08:00

As I was putting some Christmas decorations away, I noticed I had some decorative golden apples and the verse in Proverbs 25:11 came to mind, "A fitting word is like apples of gold in settings of silver. I began to ponder how important words really are. I thought back to when someone's words had blessed me and how it made me feel so much better as a person, encouraging me on. I also thought about the times when my words had encouraged and when they hadn't. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could undo any unkind word we had ever spoken? We can't, but we can press on and ask the Lord to help us live out the proverb He gave us.
As a reminder of this scripture I decided to make a table centerpiece for the dining room to remind myself and all the family to speak a fitting word to each other and to all we meet. I gathered some candles, a few pine cones and my silver platter and made this arrangement.
Now, I'll press on!!!

He Who Finds A Wife Is Blessed

2010-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Three of my sons are now married. I am so blessed by these three girls as I see how they complete my sons and make them happy. Today, is my daughter-in-law, Jessica's 26th birthday. She is married to son, Chad, and I wanted to thank her and honor her with this post on her day.
Jessica, I have watched you grow into a beautiful woman, both inside and out. You entered our lives when you were just a young teen and brought fun and laughter with you. I'll always remember Katey and you giggling over anything and everything, and how you enjoyed our busy household with all the kids.
Then it was Chad, Katey and you," the three musketeers." getting into mischief, keeping us on our toes. And then it was just, Chad and Jessica, young and so in love.
God knew who Chad needed as his soul mate and you have filled that role, beautifully! Thank-you for being such a wonderful wife to him. As a mother, I am at rest knowing my job is done and he will always be loved and happy with you as his wife.
Love,
Kathy

Happy 19th Birthday Carl

2010-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

We were blessed with our 9th child, 19 years ago, today. I think God thought I was getting tired and needed a rest so he gave me Carl to mother and enjoy. He fit right in with our busy family and went with the flow. Being the sixth boy and the third one in a row he had lots of brothers to toughen him up, but it just seemed to make him easier going. As a defense though, he became quite the tease and is one to this day. As a little guy he would tease the siblings and his eyes would dance with delight.

As is usual with boys, Carl loves food and a funny memory I have of him is his love of Taco Bell at two or three. We would have to divert his attention while driving by Taco Bell otherwise he would put up a fuss to stop there and eat.

When he got to school age he was homeschooled and was very independent and enjoyed working on his own. He had and still does, a love of reading and enjoying many different series of books. Another love is music and he is talented on the keyboard and guitar. He, with his brother, Joe, are in a band and enjoy playing at church and concerts.

His plan is to be an electrician and start working toward that goal in the spring. God's richest blessings on you, Carl.

Love, Mom

Teenage Driver

2010-01-17T14:47:00.000-08:00

See this boy? He just got his permit and now his father and I are passengers in our own car. For at least six months there will be no more relaxing drives with casual conversation. It will be conversation like this, "Slow down, now speed up, check your blind spot, watch out, pedestrians have the right away, listen and don't argue, I don't care what your teacher said, we have been driving longer than you, quit fiddling with the radio, adjust your mirrors before you drive, the other car has the right away, use your mirrors, did you see that car, use your brake, etc. etc. etc. I wonder why Alex keeps saying that he can't wait to get his license and not have to drive with us? Could it be we make him nervous, too?

It Pays To Coupon

2010-01-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to coupon every week, now. Every Sunday we receive 4 newspapers so that I can get 4x more coupon inserts. I take them out and then file them into a binder after writing the date on the front of each insert. With this organization, it has helped me immensely. Before, I couldn't seem to manage to use them once I had cut them out. They would end up in a drawer and I would forget about them until later and then they would all be expired. I finally got inspired to try again by my daughters when they would tell me of their great deals. Christy gave me the binder and got me organized.

So, last night I went over to her house and we made out our list and figured out each transaction, getting organized before shopping, writing it all down and separating our coupons using a plastic baseball card organizer. We were able to get doublers which is an even greater savings as it doubles the coupon value. It takes time to plan each transaction as each one needed to add up to at least $20.00 to get a better deal. You buy the transactions separately, paying after each one. I'm still learning and get so tired and stressed by the time I'm done. Christy laughs at me as she is so easy going and she breezes on through. I'm a poodle in the dog world and she's the basset hound! But, I'm happy with the savings and it's worth the time and effort. Soon I'll be an old pro at it and breeze on through. Here's a picture of all my loot. I spent $76.98 and I got 27 (14 oz.) boxes of Cherrios, 4 packages of butter, 20 cans of Progresso Soup, 9 packages of frozen vegetables, 12 jars of Skippy Peanut Butter (15 oz.), and 4 packages of 6 double rolls of toilet paper!

It's Fun Being A Grandparent

2010-01-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

You know what's nice about being a grandparent? You can drop by and create chaos and then leave. Grandpa brought some of his stockpile of balloons, filled them up and let the fun begin. By the time we left, balloons had popped, baby had cried, their mother's nerves were frayed. But, the children had laughed and had fun.

Best Blog Award

2010-01-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

I'd like to thank Trisha at mommyx12 for awarding me the Best Blog Award. What an honor! I'm so glad you enjoy reading my posts. To accept this award I'm to post the award on my blog and a link to the person who presented it to me. Then I'm to choose five new bloggers that I enjoy reading.
I'm choosing.....aunt spicy.........Crafty Sisters..........Living Large In Our Little House.........Finding Myself In Alaska..........Living In Alaska-Life In The Last Frontier.

Grandkids and Cookies

2010-01-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

I always enjoyed Grandma's molasses cookies when I would visit her. If I was at her house while she was making them I would get to roll them into balls and then into a small bowl of sugar before she placed them on a cookie sheet. They were a fond memory of my childhood and so I made up a batch when I found out some of the grandkids were coming. Forget putting any in the cookie jar, there wasn't a one left.

Recipe:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and molasses and beat until well mixed. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt and add to the mixture. Stir until combined. Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter and then roll into sugar. Place 1/2 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten balls with a fork or your fingertips. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

A New Year And An Anniversary

2010-01-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all. There is something about the first day of a new year. It's a fresh start with new ideas and plans. With myself, I start thinking of home projects to accomplish, dejunking and getting things in order. Every year after Christmas, Chuck takes the week off through New Years and so this past week he painted the downstairs ceiling and also the kitchen cupboards. We shopped and found some tile on sale for our spring project of redoing the main bathroom. Our plan is to take out the old tub since it's 30 years old, then tiling around it and the floor. Chuck is so handy that he is planning on doing it with the offered help of #2 son, David.
I got alot of cupboards cleaned out with our week off. I tackled the grandkids's toy cupboards and got them organized, getting rid of unneeded items. Along with a nice coat of paint, the kitchen cupboards were organized, too. I even tackled the junk drawer!
Our daughter, Christy, is planning on moving, so she returned my hutch I had given her. I didn't realize how I had missed the extra room it gave me as it holds so many of my fancier dishes that aren't used everyday freeing up alot of cupboard space. So, I got that done, too. I am a homemaker at heart and enjoy making my house a home, so it feels so good accomplishing these jobs.
Also, today, is our 21st year here in Boise. The years have flown since our big move from Southern California, arriving here with 7 children and 1 on the way, no job, but alot of faith. God has been so good to us and provided so richly. He led us here and gave us the grace and faith we needed to start over. Our children have prospered and been blessed. So, I reflect every year on this day and thank the Lord for his guidance.

Happy 15th Birthday, Alex

2009-12-05T23:18:00.000-08:00

On a cold winter day, fifteen years ago, our youngest child was born, our seventh son and eleventh child. He was brought home in a snow storm on slippery roads and a prayer on our lips. He was welcomed, adored and quickly spoiled. With ten older siblings there was always someone to hold him and to get attention from.

Alex was a happy child, but with a serious nature. He was the only sibling to win the "don't smile" contest his dad would play with them. Chuck would say, "I'll give you a dollar if you don't smile." The brothers and sisters couldn't do it and would break into smiles no matter how hard they tried, but not Alex!

His favorite toys as a small child and to this day are anything electronic. He learned to love the computer at the age of three or four and amused us with his new "computer language." "Don't touch the computer, I'm downloading." We barely knew at that point, as computers were so new to us, what downloading was. He would go from the computer to the nintendo and on to videos and I would have to remind him to go outside and play.

Alex has homeschooled all of his school years except for the year he went to public school when he was eleven. He learned from that year that homeschooling gives him the freedom to learn at his own pace and choices in books and subjects. He is doing well and if we have a question we need answered, he usually has the answer.

He keeps busy in church activities and is on the dance team and helps teach the younger children. I often see him reading his Bible and know he has the desire to do what's right.

Alex has started driver's training this month. I know he'll learn quickly and will be a concientious driver. But, I just got through his sister learning and am still recovering. Bright side is he's the last one!!

Alex, Dad and I are very proud of you and know you'll make good decisions as you grow.

Love, Mom

A Letter To Kevin

2009-12-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Kevin,

Today, is the one year anniversary of your accident. As I reflect back to that traumatic day, I recall all the emotions and tears that all the family and friends were feeling. It was so hard to see you just laying there with no response for over two weeks. You had so many people praying for you and showing love and support to the family that it just had to have a good ending. You have come so far this year in your progress. You're back at school, have a job, even a girlfriend! But, best of all is your desire to grow in the Lord and your love for Him. I see such a change, a wonderful change. When I think of you I have such a joyful feeling and I just have to say a quick thank-you prayer.

Today is a day to reflect and be thankful and then to have faith in the good future that God has planned for you. It's a great one, Kevin.

Love,

Aunt Kathy

Making Biscotti With Amy

2009-11-30T21:11:00.000-08:00

My daughter, Amy and I got together and made biscotti last week. She's a great cook and has enjoyed cooking since she was a girl of 10. We work well in the kitchen together as she likes to create and I like to cleanup.We made two kinds of biscotti, Almond Cherry, and Nutty Chocolate Chip. Here are the ingredients for the Almond Cherry Biscotti: 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (8 oz.), 1/2 cup toasted almonds, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1 (11-ounce) bag white chocolate chips, 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, 1/2 teaspoons of rum extract. For the Nutty Chocolate Chip Biscotti: 1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough(16.5 oz.), 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon rum extract, 1 1/2 cups of chopped almonds, lightly toasted, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. The demonstration pictures are of the Almond Cherry recipe.

Get a little helper to chop the almonds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts in one layer on ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

I recommend parchment paper, easy cleanup! So, line two cookie sheets with the paper.

Open sugar cookie log and put into large bowl, then add toasted almonds and cherries, vanilla and rum extract. Press into dough with hands, mixing in well.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions. We doubled the recipe, otherwise you would only have two balls.

Take each ball and shape into 8x1 inch log. On cookie sheet, place logs 3 inches apart: flatten each log until about 1 1/2
inches wide.

Now, they're ready for the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. While they are cooling reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees because they will be going back in.

After they have cooled, with a serrated knife, on a slant carefully cut log in half as it makes it easier to work with.

Take each half and still cutting on a slant, cut 3/4 inch slices. Each log makes 8 to 10 slices.

On same cookie sheet, place slices, cut side down. Return to oven; bake 1 hour. Remove cookies from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

In small microwavable bowl. place chocolate chips. Microwave on High 1 minute. Stir; microwave 1 minute longer, stirring every 15 seconds. Dip 1/4 of each cookie into melted chocolate; or, like we did, use a baggie filled with the melted chocolate, corner cut with scissors and drizzle on.

Here's a picture of the Nutty Chocolate Chip Biscotti. The same directions for the Almond Cherry can be used for these using the ingredients I listed.

These will make nice gifts for neighbors, family, friends. Wrapped in cellophane tied with a ribbon and placed in a basket with some coffee beans and a mug would make a great gift.

Relaxing

2009-11-27T18:54:00.000-08:00

It's Black Friday and guess who didn't go shopping? Sleeping in was more important than the bargains. After all the cooking and serving I was like my cat here on the fireplace hearth. But, congratulations on the bargains for you who did!

Counting My Blessings

2009-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Since it's Thanksgiving I counted my blessings and they were so numerous, but at the top

are this couple, my mom and step-dad, Lois and Larry.

Larry is my mom's soul mate, a perfect match. He has been a wonderful and caring husband to her for 40 years, now. When he married my mom he took on 3 kids and all the joys and troubles that come with the job of "step-dad." Poor guy, I'm sure there were many moments of him thinking, "Why me God?" We were not the easiest of children to parent, but he pressed on and I knew I was loved. Describing him is to say he's one of the nicest men I know, always ready to help someone and who is called upon, alot, by many people at their worst moments. I know as I've had those moments like mice, fire, floods, etc. and he was there!! I'll always be thankful that he was there for our big move, 21 years, ago. He traveled 1,000 miles with us, driving one of the vehicles and after arriving at our new home, helping us get it ready to live in. It sure was hard to say goodbye to him at the airport.

My mom is like him, she is always willing to help whoever needs her, family, neighbors, friends, strangers. I have appreciated all the help she has given me over the years, especially when I would have my babies. I kept her pretty busy with the birth of 11 children. But, she always came and fed us and cleaned my house and took care of my kids. If I was sick she would drive 60 miles to come and help as we lived in different cities at that time.

In describing her I would say she is a very "fun loving person" with a positive attitude. I know she will laugh if I share something I think is funny as we have that same sense of humor. I think my mom wakes up every morning with the thought of "what fun can I have today?" She also has the knack of getting herself in the oddest predicaments because of her giving nature and then we laugh about them.

Every seven years my mom's birthday falls on Thanksgiving and today is one of them. Happy 74th birthday, Mom. I love you.

"God gave us memories so we could have roses in winter and Mothers forever."

Monopoly Aggression

2009-11-21T21:05:00.000-08:00

Son, Alex, loves, loves, Monopoly! I remember playing it as a child and enjoying it alot, also. The challenge of buying as many pieces of property as possible, especially trying to own the same colored property so you can buy hotels and charge high rent bankrupting your teammates. My goal was always to own Broadway and Parkplace.
We played the game Friday night along with husband, Chuck. Those two were so aggressive and competitive leaving me with little money and no chance to buy hotels, and I kept landing on the "go to jail' space, losing my turn with little to do but watch and munch on popcorn! And to my chagrin Alex bought Broadway and Parkplace.
Just wait until next time, they'll be sorry!!

A Simple Toothpaste Recipe

2009-11-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

I've been using this recipe for homemade toothpaste for quite awhile and love how clean my mouth and teeth feel after using it. I always have these ingredients on hand and it's quick and simple to make, also cheap.

In a bowl I measure out 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 teaspoon of tea tree oil, 10 to 12 drops of peppermint oil, and 12 drops of liquid stevia. It makes a drier paste than regular toothpaste. I really enjoy making my own products when possible.

Easy Hem On Jeans

2009-11-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

I'm now in love with Gap jeans. Over the weekend I was given a pair in my size and am very happy with the comfort and fit. So, I decided to purchase another pair at the store and when I saw the price on the tag, $50, I went on a hunt to the second hand stores in my area. Several stores later I found them, $15, but this pair needed to be hemmed. I hate to hem jeans! But, being on the "somewhat short" side I've had to hem many a pair. But, I didn't like cutting off the original hem as it was hard to duplicate it to the original look. This time I googled "how to hem jeans," and found a youtube video telling me how. I tried it and it worked great, no cutting and trying to match the top stitch thread, keeping the original hem.

Here's what you do. Put on the shoes you would normally wear with your jeans and turn a cuff on the outside of the jean at the desired length, then pin in place. It's nice to have someone pin in place for you. Remove jeans and then measure cuff including the original hem. Let's say it measures 2 inches, divide that in half and repin it, but don't include the original hem in the measurement. So, you would be turning up the cuff 1 inch. Since my sewing machine was at my daughters, I stitched by hand right below the ledge of the original hem where my red pin is, using a dark blue thread. Make sure you don't stitch on the original hem, but as close to it as you can. Then turn it right side out and iron it flat. With a machine it could be done very quickly, but by hand it took me about 20 minutes per leg. I was careful to make small stitches. I am very pleased with the results and you can't tell they were hemmed.

This new method takes the pain out of hemming!

What's For Breakfast?

2009-11-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Like my rooster? He gives the family daily encouragement!

Well, I thought I'd share this new granola recipe that I found in a magazine. It's a keeper as it turned out delicious! Over the years I've tried many a granola recipe and never found one I liked. Once in a while I'd buy it and then would cringe at the price. Also, when looking at the calorie count on the package I was surprised it being so high and the serving size 1/4 cup! I assume it is the oil content that racks up those calories. So, when I made this batch I controlled the oil and used about 1/2 what the recipe called for.

At our house granola is used for cereal, smoothie topper, mixed in with yogurt, and for snacking. I buy my oatmeal in 25lb. bags for $10.00 so making it is definitely a frugal endeavor.

This recipe makes 4 cups.

2-1/2 cups of old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup sunflower kernels

2 Tbsp. of flax seeds

1/4 tsp. of salt

1/3 cup water

1/6 cup of canola oil

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the water, oil, brown sugar, and honey. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Small Bathroom Project

2009-11-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Seems like we're always working on a home improvement project. We've lived in our current home for almost 21 years, now, and I don't think we'll ever be done! But, I enjoy the planning and doing, love making my home a place my family likes to be.

This is a recent "low budget" one, the boy's bathroom.

The room had been painted not too long ago, so my focus was on replacing the mirror, which was too small, choosing "something" for under the mirror, new curtains, and wall decor. Also, new rug and towels.

I went to TJ Maxx and found the mirror for $80. A good price considering the size and decorative frame. On to Home Depot where I found the stone tile that I'm so happy with as it really enhances the mirror and is such a focal point of the wall. Chuck took maybe an hour to put it up on the wall and then the next day he grouted it taking another hour. About another $80.

The valance is actually two valances. I put the blue valance up first on a rod and then I cheated with the brown valance by just draping it over the blue and then pinning it in place. I didn't feel like sewing it and you'd never know! I had a gift card for $25 and I had to add another $5.

Wall decor was inexpensive as I found a wooden box at a yard sale, and a trivet, costing under $5 for both. Chuck painted the box brown along with a little shelf I already had with some spray paint, a wonderful invention. Fast and easy and it dries quickly.

I chose a brown rug and towel after trying other colors, I don't remember now what I payed for them, but the whole project was about $200.

Making Tortillas

2009-10-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

On a recent Saturday, I was out shopping in a Mexican grocery store when I came across this tortilla press priced at around $12.00. I asked some "how to use" questions of the clerk and he took me back to the kitchen part of the store and had one of the cooks show me how to use it. It looked easy, so I bought one. Purchased a 4lb. bag of masa for $1.99 and tonight I made a batch of corn tortillas for a dinner of tostadas.

It's so easy to use. I didn't even measure the masa, just scooped some in a bowl and added enough water to make a ball and then separated the dough as I went into smaller balls. Taking a small ball I opened the press, layed down a piece of plastic wrap, put the ball on top, covered it with another piece of plastic and then closed and pressed. With the plastic on top and bottom the tortilla is sandwiched between. This way it doesn't stick to the press and then you just peel the top plastic off and place the tortilla in an oiled skillet, cooking both sides until done.

The 4lb. bag of masa will last me a long time and I like the idea of being able to make my own.

Try It, You'll Like It

2009-10-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

With little room left in my freezer, I realized it was time to use up some of the bags of grated zucchini I had stored away from the abundance of my garden.
So, I decided to make some zucchini bread. Most of the recipes call for alot of oil which means higher calories and I wanted us to enjoy it without so much added fat.
I found a recipe and then instead of a cup of oil it called for I replaced it with a cup of applesauce instead. Then for a different twist, I added some chocolate chips, not too many, though, because I still wanted it to be low in fat.
The recipe made two delicious loaves of the moistest bread! With the addition of the chocolate chips, it's over the top. A success here at home.

3 eggs
1 cup of applesauce
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of grated zucchini
2 teaspoons of vanilla
3 cups of flour
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup of chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in applesauce and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts, chocolate chips, stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

A tip my oldest daughter recommended was to prepare the loaf pans, using parchment paper instead of oiling and flouring them. You cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to fit into the loaf pans covering the bottom and sides then filling the pans with the mixture. When the loaves are done and cooled you then lift the bread out by the top of the paper. Clean up is then so easy!!

Nice Find

2009-10-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

I found this gadget at a yard sale and love it! It's called a Le Presse, and I paid an amazing price of only $5.00!

It comes with many attachments, but I am stuck on just one of them. One of these days I'll try the other ones, but for now I'm enjoying the attachment that makes french fries.

Today, 14 year old Alex pressed 15 unpeeled potatoes through this in 10 minutes, brushed olive oil on, sprinkled with seasoning salt and put them in the oven for about an hour. Sooo easy!! I love easy and kids that can cook.

October Garden Update

2009-10-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

The garden has wound down to a stop. Today, I picked the last of the tomatoes, alot of them were still green. Last year I wrapped them individually in tissue and they ripened nicely. So, I will be doing the same with these. I sliced the red ones and put them in the dehydrator to dry over night. I will use them this winter for my stews and soups. So convenient.

I also picked the rest of the peppers and the few onions that were left. I cut up the peppers and froze them for omelettes and set the onions in the sun to dry out for a few days. Also went out to the herb garden and cut basil, mint and oregano. I froze the mint leaves in water in ice cube trays for winter tea. I have discovered hot mint tea with stevia, so good on a cold night. Did the same thing with the oregano, but with the basil I used my food saver and sealed in bags and refrigerated. I need to do some researching and find out how long it will last this way. I'm new to growing my own herbs and still have alot to learn.

Chuck turned the compost pile for the last time before winter and rototilled the garden beds. I had the boys clean out the garden beds and it was put into the compost. I'm still in awe how plant matter is recycled back into rich soil. All year I've added our fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc. and I'm amazed how much waste goes into the compost bin instead of the trash can!

I've enjoyed my gardening season, but am ready for a winter's rest. Like all she bears, I'm tired and need to hibernate.

Some Yard Sale Finds

2009-10-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

I just love decorating with my yard sale finds. It's amazing what I find for such a small price. Found this picture at a yard sale and loved the colors and flowers in it. I thought the frame was very pretty, also. I decided it would look good on one of my dining room walls. I chose one of the colors that were in the picture and then matched it to a paint color. This was last years find so it's hard to remember exactly what I paid, but it was under $10.00 because I'm cheap. This lamp was a recent find, I payed $7.00 for the base as it didn't come with the shade. I like the shape and bronzed color, and it's a good reading lamp.

The wall decor on the burgundy wall was one I found a few weeks ago. It was $7.00 and gives this wall so much character. At first my husband thought it was ugly, but once we got it up on the wall he likes it.

Fall, My Favorite Season

2009-09-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

I enjoy all the seasons, but fall is my favorite. I love the colors, the smells, cooler temperatures, and routines after the long, lazy days of summer. I also look forward to wearing my jeans and long sleeves, not running the air conditioner and opening the windows and doors and enjoying the crisper air.

I'm noticing the leaves on some of the trees are beginning to change to the orangy-red color that I so admire. Soon, I'll be getting out my candles and enjoying the spicy pumpkin smells and making more soups and stews. Plus, reading those books I've set aside for when it is more relaxed with longer evenings.

I like to keep it simple when it comes to seasonal decoration, so here is my simple table decor to celebrate and welcome Fall.

More on Dehydrating

2009-09-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Chuck and I spent the day together on Monday doing business and then went looking for good prices on fruit. We went out to the farm areas and found some fruit orchards. We spent about $25.00 on all this fruit you see in my pictures. The large box of plums were only $4.00, The larger box of peaches were $5.00, and the smaller box was $4.00. The biggest expense was the gala apples at $12.00 a box.

Took it all home and have spent the last two days processing it. The small box of peaches I froze for smoothies, the apples I've been dehydrating, along with the other larger box of peaches. It is almost done and then I'll start dehydrating the plums.

This summer I found this apple tool that cores, peels and makes the apple into rings and then all I have to do is spray them with lemon juice and place on the dehydrator racks. I found it yard sailing for only $2.00. It was on my list of items I wanted to find, in fact my daughter, Christy, found another one for me, too, so now I have two of them. She also paid $2.00. Now I can get one of the kids to help me and get the job done faster.

We are enjoying the dried fruit and it's so good in oatmeal and snacking. I'm so glad I found the website http://www.dehydrate2store.com/ Her videos have helped me learn how to dehydrate and are so worth watching. You can take advantage of fruit in it's season and the prices at the orchards.

Happy 40th Lynette

2009-09-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today, my youngest sibling and only sister is forty!!

She was born when I was fifteen and she became my guinea pig getting me ready for motherhood four short years later. I changed many of her diapers, became one of the few who could get her to eat her Gerber strained baby food, and endured her getting into my makeup. I was so proud of her that I took her to my high school childhood development class to show her off. I can still see her with her blond hair and little red poncho being cute for my classmates. I even took her on some of my dates with my then boyfriend, Chuck, who is now my husband. This was before carseats were mandatory, we would put her in the back of Chuck's corvette and off we would go.

After I married she would come and stay with us and at the age of four became an aunt to our newborn, Amy. She enjoyed playing with my kids and seemed more like my own child than a sister. It wasn't until she married and began having her own family that we became adult sisters on common ground.

I've been very happy that she is living close by and that I get to enjoy being a part of her life, the phone conversations, meeting for lunch, getting together to talk.

She is now the wonderful mother of four great kids, Kevin, Kelly, Krystin and Cortney and a loving supportive wife to her husband, Wade.

Lynette, I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with you. I see His hand on your life, especially this past year and how he has brought you through. I'm so proud of you and how you handled the emotional upheavel and so immensely grateful that Kevin is here with us and doing so well. What a story, huh?

Have a memorable birthday, 40 is a big one!!

Happy 37th Wedding Anniversary to Me and My Better Half

2009-09-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

I look back to 1972, two 18 year olds, fresh out of high school starting a life together. It has gone so quickly, yet seems so long ago.

I watched my young husband grow into a man and was amazed at what talents and abilities surfaced when the need arose. He watched his young wife become a nurturing mother of his children and happy keeper of the home.

We've been through alot of lifes ups and downs together, the challenges of raising alot of children, economic hardships and our opposite personalities. But with the challenges came the rewards, the rewards are our wonderful children. The economic hardships made us strong and strengthened our faith. Our opposite personalities drew out our sense of humor and made us more balanced and besides where would salt be without pepper? The lyrics to this song are fitting.

Baby aint it something,

How we lasted this long,

You and Me,

Provin Everyone Wrong

Don't think we'll ever,

Get our differences patched,

Don't really matter,

Cuz we're perfectly matched!

I love you, Chuck, happy anniversary.

My New Chair

2009-09-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

I've had a fun summer going to yard sales. I'll be posting some pictures of my finds, soon. This past Saturday I was on a hunt for a new chair for the master bedroom. Several years ago, we bought a chair for this same room at a local furniture store and payed $300 for it. I decided to give it to son, Carl, for his new room and find another for me.
I wanted something with more color and character and not so bulky as the other one. This time I wanted it to cost very little. I was very pleased to find one in the colors of my room that matched perfectly and for only $30 this time, ten times cheaper than the first one. The woman who sold it to us said that her mother loved this chair, but never sat in it, so it was almost new. It is very comfortable, too.
This coming Saturday I will be looking for a small floor lamp to go behind it and maybe a small footstool. I love the hunt!

Happy Birthday Jackie

2009-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today, my mother-in-law is 80! Jackie was born in 1929 to deaf parents. She was the youngest of three children, growing up in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in the Great Depression and remembers being poor, but the family was fortunate that her dad was employed throughout that time.
Jackie married at 19 and had six children by the time she was 30. She was a wonderful mother and along with her husband, Carl, gave their children a happy and secure childhood.
I entered the picture when she was 40 and I was 15. I had met her handsome son, Chuck, and we began dating and going together. I remember her easy laughter and her welcoming ways. Her household was busy and lively with lots of children as she also babysat for extra money. Life seemed to center around her kitchen as parents would often stay at the end of the day for conversation and a cup of coffee as they picked up their children.
As her family grew up and married she became the grandmother of 20. All of her grandchildren have felt the love of this wonderful woman and it has blessed their lives with many happy memories. It has extended, now, to the great grandchildren which number sixteen.
Jackie has always amazed me with her boundless energy and her positive mindset. In her childbearing years she read a book that told her childbearing should not be painful, so she believed and it wasn't! She gave me that same book and it didn't quite work that way for me! Then, later, no perimenopause for her, she just sailed on through! Would you believe she lived with us for two years and we got along? Not many daughter-in-laws can say that. Most older women will talk about their aches and pains which is annoying to her. She can still outshop me and is still employed working seven days in a row, with seven days off schedule. Alot of those hours are on her feet. She says she would be bored if she didn't work. Who works at 80?
Jackie, you are amazing and I have been blessed to have you as my mother-in-law.

Fall Nesting Party At The She Bears Den

2009-09-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's time for the Fall Nesting Party over at The Inspired Room at

http://theinspiredroom.net/ It's an enjoyable blog about decorating and has great pictures and like it's name, inspires me.

I'm to take a picture or two of a room in my house that needs help and if I win I'll be given a gift card for $200 to use at TJ Maxx to put toward redecorating that room.

I have chosen our 18 year old sons' room. Our older daughter just moved out and Carl is very happy to have his own space, This is his first time to have a room all to himself, coming from a large family of 11 children there just wasn't enough room until now.

It's very sparse and plain and needs some wall decor and window treatments. If I win I will concentrate on the walls and window, keeping it masculine and take Carl shopping with me.

Swine Flu 1976 & Propaganda

2009-08-29T22:13:00.001-07:00

Scroll down to bottom to pause my music so you can view and hear this important video. It takes some time to load so please be patient.
Swine Flu 1976 & Propaganda
Uploaded by Dianequiose-4. - See video of the biggest web video personalities.

Grandma Bliss

2009-08-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Her Gift

So wee a gift-yet wealth of so many lands

Could never buy it in the richest marts!

So frail a gift, and yet those baby hands

Take mighty hold upon two human hearts

-Burges Johnson

I've been busy this week giving our daughter, Christy, some help. She has adjusted well with the new baby and seems to have lots of energy. Baby Lucy sleeps five hour stretches at night and nurses about every four hours. She looks so much like Christy as a baby that I feel I'm enjoying Christy all over, again! Her two older brothers, age two and two and a half love her lots, but want to be babied, too. Christy has her hands full!!

Happy 17th Birthday, Julie

2009-08-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

After giving birth to three boys in a row, we were blessed with our 4th girl, our 10th child. She arrived quickly after a short labor and I'm a little embarrased to say, born on the bathroom floor of our local hospital. We used to tease her and say we almost named her Flora.

We brought her home to a very busy, noisy household. She fit right in and was a happy little girl with a wonderful disposition, with lots of love to give. In her home schooling journal she kept when she was little she would always begin it with, "Dear Mom, I love you so much."

Growing up in a large family and being the next to the last and the baby girl has given her character! Her sisters have been more nuturing, but the brothers have made her strong! For instance, when she was a baby her grandma bought her a special crib with netting because they had been caught trying to drop heavy objects on her. Her young years were sprinkled with alot of teasing and recently, pictures taken at "awkward moments" and then posted on facebook would make any girl not enjoy being little sister. But, she has taken it in stride, and has also tried to think of ways to get even!

Julie has been a joy to raise and is easy to please and is fun to be with. She loves people and social events. Has an artistic flair, an ability to do hair, make-up and put an outfit together. Katey and I often ask for her advice and by her expression know if we can leave the house or not. She talks of going to beauty school and becoming a beautician and then at other times not sure. She does know she wants adventure, excitement.

Julie, whatever the Lord puts in your heart, I know you will follow, as His plan will make you the happiest. I love you and can hardly believe my baby girl is 17!! Enjoy this last year of being a girl, before you know it you will be an adult woman. So I quote this song," You're gonna miss this, you're gonna want this back, you're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times, just look around, you may not know it now, but you're gonna miss this."

Love, Mom

Bittersweet

2009-08-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

Last night, our 24 year old daughter, Katey, told us she will be moving out next week. She will be moving in with one of our married sons and his wife and family of three little girls. They are housing a student from out of state and thought it would be nice for Katey to be her roommate and she agreed.

Katey is a joy to have around with her easy going, peaceful ways. We've been blessed having her home this long as most of her siblings left at a much earlier age. Every time it's a new adjustment for me. Each one leaves an empty spot that not another can fill. Julie is not too happy as she now will be the only girl amongst the brothers.

On a lighter note, when 18 year old, Carl, found out he got a big smile on his face and said, "Yes!" He's been eyeing that room for quite awhile now. Being child #9 he has never had his own space and is already talking about buying a mini refrig and a new bed, he's got big plans.

I found this poem that I can relate to at this moment.

A Mother's Mixed Emotions

How does a Mother let go

Of the children that she's borne

How does she let them know

That her heart can be so torn

To keep them by her side

Would not be just or fair

And let them have a free ride

Would mean she doesn't care

She knows she taught them well

And that they know right from wrong

Now....only time will tell

If they can be as strong

But watching them go through the door

Makes her feelings sway

She must cover the tears....and more

And pray for them each day.

Melissa Simpson

Cucumber Salad

2009-08-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Mmm...this is a good summer salad and has been a great way to use up my abundance of cucumbers from the garden. My son, Nathan, shared this recipe with me, recently. You need 3 cucumbers, 1 avocado, tomatoes (as many as to your liking,) olives, fetta cheese, I didn't measure the olives or fetta cheese either, just what looked good, 2 T. olive oil, about a half cup of rice vinegar, one teaspoon of basil, salt to taste. Mix together and refrigerate for a couple hours. It tastes better when it's chilled and allowed to marinate. The grocery store I shop at (Winco) now has an olive bar so I like to choose different types of olives instead of the typical black ones. Thank-you, Nathan.

Newest Grandchild

2009-08-13T21:43:00.001-07:00

Lucy Alyssa was born, today. She is our 16th grandchild, 8th granddaughter. She is a beauty and I was fortunate to be at her birth. Her mommy was a real trooper and labored for many hours. It was hard to see my daughter in pain, but I also saw her strength and courage and I know with each birth comes new growth in each woman who goes through it.

Watching my son-in-law giving her love and support through each contraction was such an awesome sight to see.

Glad you are finally here sweet, precious Lucy!

Morning Coffee

2009-08-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

When I smell the aroma of coffee brewing it brings back the memories of the comfort and coziness of my grandmother's kitchen. I started drinking coffee in Grandma's kitchen when I was just a girl. I would spend the night, sleeping between her ironed sheets and when I would wake up she would be sitting at her kitchen table, reading her morning paper drinking from her vintage 50's mug. She would make me a cup of her fresh brew, later I learned it was more milk than coffee, lots of sugar and I would feel so grown up. Coffee became a comfort to me as I enjoyed those times and would think of Grandma and our time together.

In my early marriage years it would be Grandma, my aunt and mom who would be sitting around the table with me early morning having our morning coffee, laughing and sharing some time together. I had moved 90 miles away and so when we got together they would usually spend the night or weekend. I look fondly back on those times.

Another move, 1000 miles this time, and I'm still blessed to have morning coffee at times with my mom. Grandma and my Auntie Cele are both with Jesus, now.

My coffee has gotten fancier. A couple of years ago, Chuck bought me a Starbuck's Barista coffee maker and it has saved me alot of money as I have made many a cup for family and friends and no need to run to Starbucks. I even bought paper cups with the lids so I feel like I've been to the coffee shop. My favorite is a mocha with a little mint.

When it's just me, I like to go out on my front deck to enjoy the view and quiet of the morning, still a time of comfort, also a time to reflect and pray.

Here's to you, Grandma!

August Garden Update

2009-08-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

I've been picking lots of zucchini, different types of squash I forgot I planted, cucumbers, tomatoes. The strawberries have dwindled down to just a few once in awhile. Last year I really enjoyed the few cucumbers I planted and so this year decided to plant extra. Well, I have so many I don't really know what to do with them. I have resorted to dehydrating alot of them and will be looking up recipes to get some ideas. I do enjoy them in a vinegar, salt mixture, and when the grandkids were here they enjoyed dipping the sliced ones in ranch dressing.

I found a recipe on the internet for oven roasted tomatoes. I sliced up the tomatoes I recently picked, put them in a bowl with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 1 to 2 teaspoons of basil, oregano, and an Italian seasoning that had marjoram in it. Mixed them up in the mixture and then put them in my stoneware cookie sheet on 200 degrees for about 12 hours. They turned out so tasty. I'm planning on using them on a pizza.

Today, I picked some more tomatoes and this time added my zucchini and onion and will be roasting them the same way. Also, found a good zucchini bread recipe and had Julie make some loaves. I have lots of grated zucchini waiting for more bread to be made in my freezer, I just need to convince Julie it's fun.

Missing You

2009-08-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

One day

When all the smoke

Has cleared away

And gone are the tears

Of anguished dismay

I shall see you

In a brand new way

And we will start anew

Dedicated to my dad who suffers with dementia.

"Happy 28th Birthday, David!"

2009-07-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this she bear produced a lion cub 28 years ago. I know bears don't usually have lion cubs, but this time it happened. The traits of a lion are that they are strong-willed, decisive, productive, leader, enthusiastic, outgoing, energetic, assertive and these all describe David to a tee. This lion cub had me running from the time he could get around on his own. One time my sewing scissors were found on the roof, and he let an expensive bird we owned out of his cage never to be seen, again! If left out in the back yard he would escape and I would often be seen running frantically to find him. He learned to ride a two wheel bike at three and would do tricks on it like the "speedway racers," he would say. It didn't take long for his bike seat to look thrashed. One time he had a loose tooth and tried to hit it out with his dad's hammer. Bee stings didn't stop him, he would just pull out the stinger and run. David was our first child to break a bone, his arm, jumping off a large boulder in our back yard. And later at 17, he shot a large nail stapler through his wrist resulting in surgery.

But, this same boy at 17 met his wife, had a home built, and had to wait a week till he was 18 to sign papers to buy the home. He is now a loving husband to Jessica, dedicated father to Olivia, Emily and Elsie, caring brother and son. His job title is pastor and teacher to a church here in the Treasure Valley and his love for the Lord and others is apparent to all.

So, when you produce a lion cub, pray for strength, keep your shoes on (you'll be running alot) and trust that the Lord will raise up a lion for Himself! Most of all, love that cub!!! I love you, David. Happy Birthday.

Love, Mom

Our Crowns

2009-07-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 17:6 tells us that grandchildren are the" crown of the aged. " Friday we were able to spend time with 11 of our crowns! I babysat for David's 3 girls for the afternoon, Christy came to visit and brought her five and Amy came over with her two. In the evening we met Chad and Jessica and went with them to look at a house and then had ice cream in the park with their 4 children. At the house the cousins played with our supply of toys and enjoyed our dress up box. The girls helped me serve them all lunch, I wanted a very pregnant Christy to be able to just go home and put the kids down for a nap and get one herself without having to do lunch at home. It was good being with them, my grown daughters and their children, watching them interact with each other, laughing and talking, cousins spending time together. Then later having time with our son, Chad and his family, eating ice cream, watching the kids play, these are my joyful moments.

Love My New Washer

2009-07-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, on my last post I wrote about our need for a new washing machine. After discussing it we decided to just get a top loader model and not put out the extra money for the one I really wanted, a front loader. So, I was very pleased when Chuck came home and told me he had ordered the front loader after the salesman had told him the extra savings in water and electricity was worth the extra money in the purchase price.

I washed my first load, today, and used just a little bit of soap. The spin cycle really gets the water out and so when I went to dry the clothes in the dryer I only had to let it run for just a bit and then took them out and hung them up to finish drying. I was so intrigued that I watched through the door of the washer for awhile and was amazed at how little water it used, too. Also, it holds more clothes than the typical top loader.

I have gone through many washers in my 37 years of marriage, this one "takes the cake." I'm in love with this new appliance! I would have really appreciated it thousands of loads ago!!!

Spring Cleaning in the Summer

2009-07-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

I've been looking around my house and it's like I have a "get rid of it" virus. I'm on a roll to get rid of unnecessary stuff. I like this one website called Flylady and she helps women to do just that. I listen to her podcasts and she has what's called a "27 fling boogie." You pick 27 things a day to declutter and that way you are not overwhelmed and eventually, depending on how much clutter you have, the job gets done.

Chuck and I tackled two of the downstairs closets and decided that one of them will be our extra pantry. We worked and worked and it feels so good to have that extra room. The unnecessary's have already been taken to a charity organization so that next step has been accomplished.

Cleaned out one of the kitchen cupboards as I have so many extra dishes that I don't need. Why does one need eight or more mixing bowls?

More than two or three pie plates, especially when I don't make pie?

Tonight it was the laundry room, got started and then discovered the washer had a leak. Chuck and our sons removed the washer and tomorrow we will have to go buy another one as this one is too old to repair. So, now I have laundry room items sitting on the table in the dining room and the door to the laundry room is sitting in the hall way. We've pretty much decided we need to replace the flooring in there, too. So, now I am feeling overwhelmed. The "27 fling boogie" was working well until the washer issue.

I'll get back on track and keep on "flinging!"

A Brother's Love Note

2009-07-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

Recently found this note on the boy's bathroom mirror. Brothers have their own "love language."

A Birthday Celebration

2009-07-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

Chuck surprised me with a little trip to McCall in celebration of my 55th birthday. It is so pretty there and the weather was so nice, in the 70's with clear skys.

For the first time since we've had children we just took off without having to arrange different places for the kids to go . We did call before bed and made sure they locked up and were okay, but it was so different from what I've been used to. She bears are always very protective and I'm learning to relax a little more as the cubs are all almost grown.

Our first stop was at a cabin retreat that our son, David, wife and family were staying. I didn't realize they were in McCall and Chuck had arranged to see them as a surprise. He pulled in front of the cabin and I could see and hear my granddaughters running to greet me. I was so pleased to see them and then we stayed for lunch and visited awhile.

One of my favorite things to do in McCall is to go to the Poderosa State Park and walk on the hiking trails. It's so wooded and the trail takes you deep in the coolness of the trees and winds around up and down. You can hear the birds calling to each other and see little chipmunks scurrying up the trees. The word "bear" entered my mind, but I kept telling myself that we would have been warned.

In the morning we had a relaxing walk by the lake and watched the boaters and skiers having fun. We remarked to one another that even though the water was cold the little kids didn't seem to notice and played and splashed anyway.

Another "first" was that we got a senior discount on the hotel room. Now that was something to ponder as only "old" people get senior discounts. It has been said that the 50's are the "youth of old age," so we're still young, right?

July Update

2009-07-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Like I said, before, I'm such a novice when it comes to gardening. This being the second year I know a little more than last year, but I've got alot of learning to do. My squash is doing well, I've been picking some. The picture above shows one I didn't see until it got huge and now I don't know if I'll be able to use it. Maybe I can shred it for soup. The cucumbers are doing great, I've been able to pick some and there is so many flowering and growing out of the beds. Only a small amount of pea pods flourished, but the ones that did, tasted so good that I picked them right off the vine and ate them. Next year I will be planting alot of these.

The beets didn't grow well at all, and my peppers are small. I've been picking strawberries almost everyday, and there are alot of tomatoes. I'm excited to dig up the potatoes when they are ready as the plants are growing well. In September I'll start spinach, again, for the fall. It did well for the small container it was in. Tonight Chuck is going to figure out a new watering system as the garden is getting too much water.

This garden project makes me have alot of respect for the farmer, it's harder than it looks and I would hate for my family to have to rely on me for all their food!!

Catching A Rainbow

2009-07-12T20:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday started out hot and sunny and then in the afternoon a cloud covering with showers and wind. I enjoy a summer rain, it clears the air and a cloud covering cools the temperature down. I think 75 degree weather is perfect so when we get some rain in the summer and it cools down the 85 degree plus we are getting, I am happy. Chuck was out picking up Alex and caught a rainbow in these pictures. Thought I'd share one of "God's surprises" to his children.

Superb Brown Rice Recipe

2009-07-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

I have found a new way to make brown rice and my family really loves it. For years we had white rice because I couldn't get my kids or husband to eat the brown rice and I didn't like it myself. Until the recipe! Now white rice is out except for the occasional spanish rice. Here it is.

You need a casserole dish with lid. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 5 cups of water, filtered is best, 2 cups of brown rice, 1 Tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of salt into the casserole dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 75 minutes with lid on. It turns out great. Over the weekend I made a taco soup to go with it and just spooned the soup over the rice. So, if you've never really enjoyed brown rice this recipe is for you!!

"Kids Say The Funniest Things"

2009-07-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

One of the many things that I miss about not having little children around me daily is that they say the funniest things. It seems I laughed daily at something one of mine had said. I would choose ages 3 to 5 for daily laughter. Mine are now at the ages they either laugh with me or at me. But, that can be funny, too, as some of my kids are very witty.

Well, today, I got to enjoy my five year old granddaughter's funny saying. I had taken 14 year old, Alex, across town to a party and Chloe had ridden along. After dropping Alex off I was driving us home, she was in her booster seat in the back and we were talking and then there was a lull in the conversation, after some silence Chloe pipes up and says, "Anya,(her pet name for me) are you awake?" About as funny as the time 4 or 5 year old, Alex, asked me if I had been at the first Thanksgiving!