Blanket for Madison

I am pretty excited about how this turned out.  I started making these squares just after I finished Holly's blanket.  I finished it today, October 20th.  56 squares.  It called for a plain double chain border, but I added the same border that I used on the Daisy Blanket.  I thought it made it look even more feminine.  :)  I hope Madison, my neice, enjoys her blanket. 

Holly is crawling!

I know I haven't been on here in forever!  I thought you all would like to see this, though.  She started crawling on October 5th and has only gotten faster and more into EVERYTHING!

 

Finished Holly's Blanket

I am so excited to say that I finally finished Holly's blanket.  This was a blanket made with front post double chains and back post double chains...neither of which I had stitched prior to this effort.  I love how it turned out.  I began when I was six months pregnant with her and it took me until she was four months old to complete.  During my last few months I was too tired to stitch, and since I've had her I've been too tired to stitch.  I'm sure she'll love it when she is old enough to understand.  Now to decide what unfinished project I will move to next. :) 

Alive and Well

I just wanted to let everyone know we are alive and well.  :) 

Happy "Feast" Day

JMS's preschool class had lunch with the pilgrims...as you can see they were all a bunch of little indians.  He was so excited, they made their beaded necklaces, and their feather hats.  The school did a nice job providing the meal, we just supplied the desserts.  It was well attended and very memorable. 

There is only one little girl in his class...and she was sick today, so it was just a bunch of boys. 

Horse Mania...Preschool Style

We had to decorate a horse and return it to school...parental homework, I guess you call it.  It was in support of the local World Equestrian Games going on.  So, we took the stickers that we hand out to kids who stay seated in shopping carts...and decorated JMSs horse.  I think we did a pretty good job.  Mack suggested calling him Clarence...and we spun it and named him Clearance. :) 

New Year's Resolution Complete

So, for 2010, I vowed to learn how to make a "granny square" in terms of crocheting. And...I DID IT!!! Here is proof. I spent the last three months working on this blanket for my neighbor.  I made it in an assembly line fashion...first all of the flowers, then all of the green, then the white edge, then the green edge....then attached all the squares and added the decorative edging.  The white outer edge was the most fun to make.  My neighbor had a baby girl about two weeks ago...Mara Belle Lucas.  I really liked this blanket so much I wanted to keep it for myself, but Mack said he'd tell on me...and JMS too...so, now I'm moving on to my next project for my own little girl. 

Surprise Birthday Dessert for Dad

So a few days ago I told JMS that we were going to go to Grandpa's house to visit him for his birthday.  He asked me if Grandpa was going to have a party.  I told him yes.  He asked me...are we invited?  I told him yes.  He asked me what kind of cake he was going to have...a basketball cake? a race car cake?  I said...what kind of cake do you think Grandpa wants...he said a football cake?  I asked him what else Grandpa needed for a party and he said....balloons and something to cover the table. 

And so it began...we had two days to get some folks over to my mom's house to surprise my dad and ensure that JMS's Grandpa had a birthday party. 

On Saturday we travelled to Cincinnati....Mack and my dad went and played a Par 3 golf course while JMS, Grandma and I went to the playground.  Then, my dad and mom went to church and the magic started....we picked up dinner from Outback (don't you love my gourmet cooking style) and I iced the 16" x 13" football cake that I had baked the day before.  We spread the table cloth and put out the dishes....we ate dinner when they returned from church and had an excuse to sit around for an hour before touching the dessert...we were full!!! 

Here is a picture of the cake...

Then...folks started arriving around 7pm.  First, Uncle David and Aunt Pam.  Dad, wasn't quite sure why they were there.  But, they were.  Then, Aunt Marge and Uncle Bill showed up....now he's starting to scratch his head.  Meanwhile, JMS keeps telling him that he is having a party.  Hint, Hint: listen to your grandson...he cannot keep a secret.  :)  Then, Aunt Cindy shows up....all wishing him a Happy Birthday...and giving him cards/gifts.  Too funny.  He finally realized what was going on.  It was a small crowd, but just enough to make it a party.  The cake and ice cream was tasty...I must say.  And, I was impressed that everyone recognized it for a football.  :) 

JMS helped blow out the candles.

 

Dad had a random phone call....so JMS was licking the candles.

Grandma was pretty relaxed...

First Day of Preschool

JMS's first day of preschool...yes, he was excited!  He is going on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 8-11am - Lexington Christian Academy. 

JMS sayings...

So, I needed to document these before he outgrows them....

"Mommy, you got for to buckle me up!"  He mixes up the word FORGOT and it is too funny when he says it. 

"Mommy, I can't know how?"  He uses can't instead of don't.  This one drives his dad crazy.  :) 

Word for candy cane - candy treats; grapes - green berries; inhaler - the puff; cream cheese - the white stuff; his bed - the Red Bed.

And....we cannot forget his interactions with his future sister...."Mommy, I hear the baby laughing in your belly."  "Mommy, shhh...the baby is sleeping in your belly."  "My mommy has a baby in her belly."  "Mommy, here is a blanket for you...and here is a blanket for the baby in your belly."  "Mommy, the baby is holding my hand....(as his hand is laying on my belly)." 

Paint Job

Over the past week Mack has been painting apartments in Cincinnati for my dad.  On Tuesday morning, JMS asked me, "Mommy, where is Dada?"  I replied that he was with Grandpa painting.  He asked me, "Is he going to bring his picture home with him to show us?"  I had to explain that he was painting walls and only using the color white, so no he wouldn't be bringing a painting home with him.

(two days later...)

"Mommy, where is Dada?"  I replied he was with Grandpa, again, painting.  He says to me, "Did he remember to take my water paints [colors] with him?"  I laughed...and had to tell him no. 

JMS and the doctor

JMS was diagnosed with an ear infection yesterday.  When we first met the doctor she asked him what was wrong.  He said, "I have a cough.  My head hurts. My nose is running."  She said, "well, it just seems that you are falling to pieces." 

12 hours later...

JMS wakes up this morning and crawls in bed crying, "Mommy, I don't want to fall to pieces like the lady said." 

Precious. 

HOT CROSS BUNS...with the breadmaker

My mom makes Hot Cross Buns all the time...and she uses her bread maker to do the dirty work.  Well, I can't seem to wrestle the recipe away from her, so I found my own.  This recipe was great!!! I don't like raisins, so I left those out...but the rest of the bread is super flavorful.  My hardest part of this recipe was the WAITING.  It was like watching paint dry.  I was a little impatient.  :)  Now, my breadmaker has made it back into my kitchen...I actually had to dust it off.

HOT CROSS BUNS
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter softened
4 cups All Purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons quick active dry yeast
1/2 cup dark raisins (optional)
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Top...to brown
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Break 2 eggs into 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 1 1/3 cups. Measure carefully, placing egg mixture and remaining bun ingredients except raisins, 1 egg and cold water in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add raisins at the Raisin/Nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends.

2. Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycle. (Total time will vary with appliance and setting.)

3. Remove dough from pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest 10 minutes on lightly floured surface.

4. Grease cookie sheet or two 9-inch round cake pans. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet or 1 inch apart in pans. Snip a cross shape in top of each ball, using scissors. Cover and let rise in warm place about 40 minutes or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

5. Heat oven to 375°F. Beat egg and cold water slightly; brush over tops of buns. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet or pans to cooling rack. Cool slightly.

6. In medium bowl, mix all icing ingredients until well blended. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Make a cross on top of each bun with icing. Serve warm.

July already?

I cannot believe that it is July already.  So much is going on in our lives.  I just want it all to slow down.  For those of you who we don't talk to regularly, here is the BIG update....

I'll start with Mack.  Mack turned in his resignation to Amazon.com and started the MBA Graduate Program at the University of Kentucky on July 6th!  We are excited that it is only a 12 month program and that the Post 911 GI Bill is covering most of the expenses.  We felt that it was a perfect opportunity knowing that we would not be relocating, promoting, or doing anything too drastic over the next 12 months (so we thought).  I'm a little bit jealous, but keep reminding myself that I'll get my turn soon enough. 

JMS...well, he is 3 1/2 years old and is completely potty trained.  We are officially out of the pull-ups even when he sleeps through the night.  His favorite toys of late are Mighty Beans (silly little jumping beans); they remind me of Garbage Pail Kids....as far as their names and cartoonish descriptions.  He also is ready to start preschool on Aug 24th.  He is going to go to a half day, two day program to start...sad to say, it was the best fit for my work schedule.  As far as activities this summer...he is trying to get us to read enough books to fill up his library poster so he can earn a free book.  He loves going to the swimming pool. And, despite the weather, still likes to burn energy at Monkey Joe's.  Lastly, he is a great gardener...he let's us know when the tomatoes have turned orange enough to bring in to set on the counter.  And, when there are worms on the tomato plants. 

As far as me....I have been the store manager for 5 months now....can you believe?  The building, despite how old it is...is still standing.  I've had a few quit on me...and I'm on a few corporate "focus" lists...that are not good...but for the turn-around that I've been asked to do...I'm okay with it.  On a personal note...I am now...15 weeks pregnant with #2.  We are very excited, but so busy that it is going very quickly.  We should find out the sex around week 20...and of course, we will let everyone know.  At this point we are just praying for a healthy and happy baby...no talk of names, registries, nursery decor....nothing.  I'm starting to grow out of my regular pants...but the silly bands that JMS collects are holding them together for now.  I bet the designers of those stupid things never would have thought....prego lady uses these to hold her pants together.  Ha ha. 

And for those of you who follow me for recipes...let me not disappoint:

Minestrone Crock Pot Soup...
1/4 cup Italian Dressing (do not over do this...it will make the soup broth greasy)
1 Onion, chopped
1 stalk Celery, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 can (19 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed
2 cans (14 oz. each) vegetable broth
2 cups Water
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups small shell macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and seasoning; stir. Cover with lid. COOK on LOW 6 hours
STIR in macaroni; cook 10 to 15 min. or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Garden Pests...eww

Yesterday while out doing yardwork, my husband noticed these guys (yes, two of them) on one of my tomato plants.  I had to look up on the internet to learn that they are "cartoonish, hornworms...that will eventually turn into moths....the size of hummingbirds."  They eat so much...that in one day they can devour an entire tomato plant...leaves, and fruit!  Well, these buggers got the leaves and fruit on one of my six plants...hopefully, I don't find anymore.  JMS and I plucked them off and drowned them in a cup of soapy water.  JMS asked if we could cut them open and look at their insides....I told him no, but thought..."what a boy!"  So, I know the pictures make them look big...but seriously they were as big as my middle finger...each of them was this large! 

Look at our garden grow...

I'm not sure if it's all the rain we had in the month of May and early June...or if its the dirt....or if I'm just plain lucky...or if I have a really green thumb....but everything is growing like weeds this year.  And, it isn't just the weeds. :)  As you can see my hostas are doing awesome...and the Easter lilies I planted last year....and the tomatoes...and the petunias....

And...in this last picture...while we were in South Carolina...JMS was helping grandma and his cousin Drew water grandma's flowers...I think grandma squirted JMS and this was his reaction....I can't wait to pull this out when he's 18!!!  I call it "JAZZ HANDS." 

June Vacations

JMS left at the very beginning of June and travelled to Michigan with my parents.  They spent the week "exploring" the woods with lanterns, catching minnows, playing with a little white dog, and looking for all the toddler friendly playgrounds in northwest Michigan.  Needless to say, my parents needed three days without JMS to recover from his exploding amounts of energy. 

As soon as they send photos of their trip...I'll share.  Until then, I will talk about the vacation we took with him the following week to Myrtle Beach with Mack's family.  We went to Kingston Plantation again...since it worked so well the previous summer for our families.  So here are the pictures.  

The boys walked out to the very end of the pier and we actually saw jelly fish...alot of jelly fish.  We also saw some variation of sting ray...four of them swimming together.  If he could have his pick, JMS preferred the swimming pool.  One of my nephew's...baby Josh...isn't much of a baby anymore. 

(jelly fish photo that I couldn't get moved up on the page...)

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

This weekend we had my parents, and sister-in-law over for food and fun in the sun.  She brought her two boys...William (6) and Eli (2).  They enjoyed playing in the sprinklers...eating steaks...(well the kids had corn dogs)....and ice cream sandwiches/popsicles.  It was good to see them all play together.  It sure brightens grandma and grandpa's moods too. 

On another note....a few weeks back we tore out our front landscaping and put in rhodies and azaleas...here is a picture of the final outcome.  The bushes will hopefully have white blooms next year. 

And....also a few weeks back, check out this rainbow that Joseph and I saw over our neighborhood!!!! He wanted to go look for the pot of gold b/c it was so close.  Super cool.