My Week of Projects

LAST WEEK I filled my days with projects.  Fun ones!  I made a couple of palette signs.  I love using the sawzall to cut through the nails.  It takes like, 5 minutes to break down a palette that way.  Before a friend told me about using the sawzall Cheryl and I used crowbars and it took us days and days.  And there's something about using power tools.  It's scary yet empowering at the same time.  

I have an idea about inventing steel toed crocs to work in.  Not that I'm a croc wearing crazy mom.  I just have a pair for wearing in the garden.  When I bought those $1 green crocs from the garage sale, I made a promise to myself that I could only wear them around the yard and not beyond.  The same promise I made to myself about the yellow moo moo that I wear on Mondays to do laundry.

Another exciting thing for me this week when I was putting together the palette signs was using John's nailer.  Another power tool.  I  love it!  I just want to go around nailing things with it.  So fun.  I've noticed a change in my mothering this week.  I was a lot more patient with my children.  I think using power tools get a lot of built up emotions and aggression out so I'm not yelling as much. I should try to use it every day.



My first attempt at painting a chevron print.
This was for Kelly O'Reilly, soon to be Kelly Cahoon
I like this picture of me.  It makes me look skinny.



I finally finished our American Flag palette.  I loved how it turned out.  I'm glad that I didn't make this before we learned about how to display flags in cub scouts last month.  I would've painted the "union or field" {the blue square and star} on the wrong side.  Look at me show off my knowledge of our flag. The things I learn in cub scouts.  I finished this and placed it by the front door just in time for 9/11. Patriot Day

 

 We are having an abundance of peppers in our garden.  I guess that's what happens when your husband plants 2 dozen pepper plants. I'm going to be making a lot of these. 

 

I love making these.  Cussing tarts.  So named by Carrie's aunt Jan because some times the little
#!**#!!!tarts don't want to come out of the tart tin.  Maybe she might have cussed when that happened.  I may have done the same thing a few times.  But it's okay because they are called cussing tarts.  She made the most delicious desserts.  Well, I got to make these twice this past week for two special occasions.  Maddy Bowman's mission farewell open house and Kelly O'Reilly's bridal shower. 

What a wonderful, fulfilling week.  I try not to think and say, "Look.  I made this."  Brian Regan ruined that phrase for me.  If I get caught saying that to my family I am ridiculed.  I like what President Uchtdorf says about creating something. "The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul."  Oct. 2008. He also said this, "Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children."    Wait there's more...."We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fullness of joy.⁴ Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things."  

Just go here to read more.  It's wonderful and go create something this week.

What Have I Done for Someone Today?

I'm able to go to church now since my incision is almost healed and it doesn't hurt to sit up. I go just to Sacrament Meeting for now. The talks were wonderful. I especially loved Kim's inspiring talk about Pres. Monson's talk, What Have I Done for Someone Today? It gave me a lot to think about. I realized that I've been missing this in my life this past month. I've been recovering from surgery and haven't done much for others. Family and friends are serving me. Every day I get a call, a letter, an email, a package, lunch, dinner, flowers, house keepers {thanks D.A.}or a visit from one of my friends or ward family. It's really brightened up my days. I know it's one of the reasons I'm doing so well. I feel so loved. How can I be down or feel sorry for myself or situation when so many care about me and do so much for me? I can't. I felt a resolve to find someone to serve or do more for my family.

But after Sacrament meeting I headed to the grocery store. Yes, you heard me right. I was going to the store on the Sabbath. I know. I felt terrible about this. I can't even remember the last time I have been to the store on the Sabbath. A long time. And I can't believe that I'm actually writing this for my posterity to read 100 years from. I kept hoping that somebody out of the blue, possibly following a prompting, would call me and ask me if I needed croissant roll dough so I wouldn't have to break the Sabbath {you know? #4 of the 10 commandments}and go to the store to purchase the most important ingredient for this most delicious main dish. It's the one thing I forgot to get on my Saturday night run to Stater's. I'm making my family's favorite: Chicken Pillows {recipe to follow if you read this long post, it's like a little reward for enduring to the end} So in the store I went in my pink skirt and pink flats, looking really churchy. I told myself that I was only going in for the one item. But as I stood in line with my croissants roll dough I noticed that the candy bars were on sale, 2 for $1. And I felt prompted to get two. Yes, prompted!

There was just one person in line in front of me. It was an older woman who looked very stiff and down. I couldn't help over hearing part of their conversation. It sounded sad. So when the woman left with her groceries I asked the checker what was wrong. She and the bagger told me that when they wished her a Happy Valentine's Day, she commented that she's all alone. Her husband died last year and her son joined the army and is stationed in Afghanistan. Then the checker said the woman started to cry. Nobody gave her a hug or offered her any kind words. They just froze and took pity on her with no words of comfort. Poor lady.

As I walked out to my car I could see her pushing her cart to her car and wiping her tears. So I pulled out the candy bars {thankful for promptings} and went over to the woman and said that I was behind her in line and I gave her the candy bar and wished her a Happy Valentine's Day. She started to cry and gave me a hug. I started to cry. Not just for this woman but for being able to go to church and learn the things that Heavenly Father intends for us to know so that we can make it back to Him someday and to help others along the way.

So many have helped me in my time of need, especially this past month. Through their kind actions and loving words I have felt Heavenly Father's love for me and that has made all the difference.

We talked for some time in the parking lot. I learned a lot about Charlotte. I'm glad I had something to give her, chocolate, a hug, and a listening ear. In return I felt a little closer to my Savior.

Now, here's the recipe. Let me know if you try it.

Ricks College Chicken Pillows
4 – 6 cooked chicken breast
1 roll of refrigerated croissant dough rolls
Italian breadcrumbs
Dried or fresh herbs
Fresh garlic or garlic salt
Cheese
8 oz cream cheese
1-cup sour cream
½ cup butter

First boil the chicken breast in little water for 20 minutes, cool, then chop up, set aside. In a bowl mix cream cheese, sour cream, chopped parsley or other herbs like thyme, press fresh garlic or sprinkle some garlic salt to taste, salt & pepper to taste, and ¼ of a cup of any cheese like cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan. Mix in chicken. Roll out croissant dough one triangle at a time on a lightly floured surface until thin and big. Place spoonful of chicken in center of dough. Fold up, seal with water. Dip pillow in melted butter then in Italian breadcrumbs. Bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

100th Post - I'm Doing a Give-Away

What an accomplishment! Some may think not...But a few weeks ago on my nineteenth wedding anniversary John brought home a very thoughtful gift for me. He had our blog all printed up and what a sweet bundle that was to receive.

How good it feels to have our life for this past year written down, never to be forgotten.

I want to celebrate this grand day in true blogger fashion by hosting a give-away. Hm mm, what to give away?

I already gave away our old deep freezer...

There is a little something that I just sewed up the other day. It might entice one of my nine followers to make a comment on my not so famous but infamous blog.

This cute bright, cheery ruffle apron:

I found the idea from this cute & fun blog.

I added the top part to "make it my own"

So here are the rules for my very own give-away:

1. You need to make a comment stating your name (that links me to your blog or email) and your favorite post that I wrote and why. IE: Martha Stewart, I just loved the post titled Bonus Buy Week. It made me laugh so hard. You're so funny. (I have a feeling that she stalks my blog and didn't I quote her accurately?)

I guess that I only have one rule.

Then on Wed., July 29Th some time in the morning I'll have Peter pick one of the comments from a glass jar. I'll be in touch with the winner and probably drive it over to your house that day, unless it's my friend or sister-n-law from WA and I'll mail it.

Good luck everybody. I know you are all just dying to win this exciting give-away.

Shh, quiet please...

I love swaps. Cards, clothes, fhe packets, recipes. And now, quiet book pages. This is such a fun project. Cheryl came over today with her quiet book pages. So cute! Inspired, I went to work with my scraps and a simple pattern. The cousins played nicely together. And for a few hours I went to work figuring out Jonah and the whale. Really, I love this stuff. And this time I'm not radioactive.

In fact, my blood work came back and all is well. Yeah!!! Picture me jumping up and down like I just won the Price is Right showcase. I'm very happy with this good news. What a relief. And so Sister Carlson, you were right. Nothing to worry about. So why did I worry so much? Lesson learned. Stop worrying and stressing over things, especially things out of my control. And be a little bit more faithful & hopeful. Oh, I have so much to learn. I'm hoping I learned my lesson this time.

I Made It!

Imagine that! The things a mom can accomplish in a day by locking herself in a messy room with a year supply of crafts supplies and unfinished projects. That was fun. All my ribbon is wound or rolled up and organized by color. Is two drawers of ribbon too much? I didn't think so.

No more mending pile. I fixed 3 shirts, 1 pair of pants, 1 skirt, and finished a cute little purse that Meagan needed help with. And then I made the 'America' picture. Doesn't it make you smile?

I'm smiling...because phase 1 of my testing was completed today. My whole body scan turned out great. Nothing lit up which means no detectable thyroid cells or thyroid cancer. Now I'm anxiously awaiting phase 2: the results of the blood work. A few more days and back to my thyroid medicine and normal meal time, minus 90 % of the diary. It's just so fattening.

Who Needs Pottery Barn?

Before

After

My weekend project {our family's magnet board}.

I found this old ugly huge brown picture frame at a garage sale a couple weeks ago for $20. I spray painted with red paint and that was it. John bought a sheet of metal for $13 and screwed it into the wall and then screwed on the frame. Viola! I love it. So does Peter. Thanks Pottery Barn for the idea.

"Eat [use] it up. Wear it out. Make do, or do without."