Signs of Summer Ending

Progress picture-Chrystal Tree-All the x's are in and I started on the back stitching, but ran out of thread, Thursday night.

Friday night I started a new piece. Eek a freebie from San-Man Originals 2003.I was going to take the turtles out to their outside pen, when I found them like this...aren't they cute.
Meggie & MyrtleMade a new cookie this week it is called Chocolate Cherry Surprise Cookies.
Have you came across a recipe that you thought would be really good, then try them and they weren't what you thought they would be? The Chocolate Cherry Surprise Cookies were like that, they were good, but not good enough to make again.

Then I made the Peanut Butter Fingers. Yummy!!!

Peanut Butter Fingers-1 C flour, 1 C oats, 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 C butter (softened), 1/3 C peanut butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 egg. Mix all ingredients, until moisture forms a soft dough. Grease a 12x8 baking dish. Press mixture in bottom of greased pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 mins. Let cool completely. Melt 1 C of chocolate chips in microwave spread over bars. For glaze mix 1/3 C powder sugar, 2 TBS peanut butter, 3-5 teaspoons milk. Add enough milk to make the glaze drizzle. Drizzle over chocolate frosting. Cut into bars.

Kayden just after he ate a peanut butter finger. Doesn't he make them look good. So good he had chocolate on his eyelid.

The neighbors are moving and had a yard sale, I saw that they had a few toys out so I thought I would go over and see if I could find something for Kayden. I bought Kayden an Elmo toy. It is the one that was for sale a few years ago and everyone went crazy for. Elmo laughs and then rolls over on his back and belly. I thought Kayden would get a kick out of it so I brought it home. OH MY WAS I WRONG!!! It scares him. As soon as Elmo goes to his back, Kayden starts crying. The only thing we can think of is that he thinks Elmo is in pain. Kayden has started watching Sesame Street. It is the only show that he watches.
My other find was for me, a little chopper. It works great. I had the chop slappy, Brandon used it a lot, the first time I used it I broke it. LOL! So, this was a good find for only $2.00.

Kayden, if you say "thumbs up" to him, this is what he does. But he forgets to put his thumbs up.

The signs of summer ending...school starting, pool closings and labor day weekend.
Two out of three.
School started a week ago Wednesday. Dara (17-senior) went to the tan the day before school started and they must of changed the bulbs, because she was burnt and sore the next day. She is in the program at school where you work, then go to school. Her choice was the hospital, she will get to job shadow. The first week they learned CPR and other things like that. Dylan (15-sophomore) said this year was going to be his best year.
One day last week a girl walked home with Dylan, I had made some fruit salad and offered her some, she was still here when I started supper so, I invited her to stay and eat with us. She liked everything and told me I was very creative. She normally just eats things that come out of boxes, like Hamburger Help. Good to have someone that is welling to eat what I make. Most of the time the kids will not eat what I make and make there own food (out of boxes or cans).
We closed our first pool for the season. This always put a little sadness in my heart.

Well, supper is in the over and dessert is made.

Delicious Devil's Food Cake.

A few new toys

Crystal Tree progress..So close to having all the x's in. I still need to collect some of the charms.

Waiting for Dara & Brandon to come home with Kayden, almost killed us. Picture of Bob and Cooper. Bob moved the glider so he could see them coming. LOL! We were calling them every 1/2 an hour to 15 mins after they reached Indianapolis.
Kayden is home!!! Doesn't he look happy!Kayden loves setting on my lap and I love it too. He fells asleep on a regular basis now, just setting with me.Kayden playing bubbles.
My new turtle...Maggie. Dara brought her home for me.
I found out how to tell if the turtles are boys or girls. Myrtle is a boy and Meggie is a girl. Millie was a girl also. Maggie & Myrtle

My new toys are...the Shark steamer, Tri-Fitness Plus HealthStation and a new find Callus Eliminator.

The Shark steamer was in Saturday's mail. Guess what I did Saturday? You got it, I cleaned all the 1st level floors in the house. I love it! Then on Sunday I clean the upstairs floors. Here is my review... The kitchen floor (that is where I started) I went over it four times. I could not believe the stuff it kept picking up. When I through the pad in the washer I was looking it over and I even saw a flea on it and we use frontline on our pets. I then went to the office/craft room, living room and dinning room I removed the area rug and cleaned under them. Then I used the carpet glider and sanitized the rugs. The office, living & dinner rooms are all old hardwood floors and it did good job, also used it on the mop boards. Off to the bathroom, where I found that it didn't want to pick up the cat hair. I don't know why but the cats hang out in this room a lot. Then I did the kitchen floor one more time and it was still getting stuff off the floor. I think the flooring in kitchen is very old. I know it is very ugly. The upstairs is all hardwood too and it did a good job getting the dust bunnies out Dylan's room. My kids are suppose to be cleaning their rooms regularly, but Dylan isn't doing it.

The Tri-Fitness Plus HealthStation measures body weight, body fat, body water and muscle mass. This is what I got for using my points from my bank. I came in Friday's mail, so Saturday morning I stepped on the scales...weight 107.6 (Oh my I haven't lost the 8 pounds I gained last winter!!!). Body fat 23.9 (for women age 40-49 22-30 is optimal). I really thought that one would be a lot better, because of the work I do, the walks I take with Kayden (sometimes 4 a day a mile or more). Body water 55.5 puts me in the optimal range. Basal Metabolic Rate 1178. BMR is the energy (measured in calories) expended by the body, at rest, to maintain normal body functions. Muscle mass 33.6 (normal muscle mass for women is greater then 34%). Again I though my should have read better then it did. Must start working out on the total gym again!!! Then I set it up for Dylan. He is just too skinny. It would only read his weight. Then it would read err, which means his body fat is lower then 5%. Also did Dara's and she had good readings. Bob hasn't tried it yet.

I try once a week I give myself a pedicure (sometimes schedule doesn't let me). My feet have a lot of callus, have as long as I can remember. I use to go get a pedicure, but I didn't feel like they did a good job and that I could do a better job at home. A few weeks ago I found "Callus Eliminator" at Sally's and I love it and am going to see if they sell it in a larger bottle next time I go. I am always amazed at how much comes off.

Now that is what I call progress!

Earthdancer she was growing and growing, then the frog came for a visit and landed right on top of her head. Have to rip out the very top of her head and restitch it. So, she went back into the cabinet. If you look at last weeks blog you can see the progress I made just in one week.

So I pulled out Crystal Tree. This is what it looked like when it pulled it out of the cabinet.

This is what it looks like today. Very happy with my progress on this one too. The little blue thing in the corner is my stitch counter I made at ILCS retreat last June.
What to do on a Friday afternoon? Bob and I made a pool for Myrtle, for his outside pen. LOL! Other things going on this week...
Dara, Brandon & Kayden were in GA all week. When I called and asked to talk to Kayden, he would start crying. Broke my heart!!! I miss him so much! They will be home tonight sometime. I can't wait to hold, hug and kiss on him. Oh, ya I miss Dara and Brandon a little too.
With just Dylan, Bob and me home it has been really, really quite. I only have to do laundry every other day, instead of everyday. And I sweep the floors every other day, instead of everyday. That is why I had such great progress on my stitching. Plus Dylan went to work for me on my birthday so I did office duty.
Yup Wednesday was my birthday. I had problems sleeping was up before 4 am so I started watching paid programs and I bought myself a shark. I have been wanting one of those of a long time. Hope it works as good as they say it does. It will arrive in a few weeks.

Stitching!

Kayden's Christmas stocking is done!!! Dara was really happy with the way it turned out. For Dara, Dylan and Bob's Christmas stocking I used there favorite colors. But since Kayden can't tell me what his favorite color is I picked out colors that look good on him. Close up of Kayden's Stocking
Kayden playing in the back yard. Brandon, Dara & Kayden left for GA Thursday. I have been calling them everyday. I am really, really missing Kayden. Wish they were on there way back now. But they won't be home until next Saturday.

Picture of Dylan. Man it is really hard to get a picture of him these days. He is always covering his face, when I try to take a picture of him. (Dylan 15)
Earth Dancer. This what it looked like before I stitched on it that the ILCS retreat in June.Earth Dancer. This is what it looked like after the ILCS retreat.

Then I put her away and stitched on Kayden's Christmas stocking, until it was finished.

Earth Dancer today. I stitched on her for a good 6 hours today. Slow but sure progress. I plan to keep stitching on her until September, then I am going to stitch on a Halloween piece, that I have been waiting to do.

Work - we are running a new ad in the local newspaper. Hope to stir up new business. And the fall newsletter is done, will be mailing them out next week.

Another Week

Well, I thought I had the problem was fixed. I put up foam board and tied it on with wire, so the turtles couldn't get out. It worked great for days.

I would take them out during the day and then back in the house at night.

Until one day we were leaving for work and I thought-Oh I got to put the turtles back in the house. But then something else caught my attention and I forgot. While working I got a call from Dara saying that Myrtle escape from the pin. Oh, I was really up set and it would be a while before we could be back home. When I returned home, I looked everywhere and the new neighbors came out and helped me look, for a good half hour. I thought that was so nice of them.
Well, come to find out it wasn't Myrtle it was Millie that ran away.

So once again Myrtle is lonely and we are looking for another turtle.

How did Millie get out? She dug under the pen.

Myrtle & Millie

Went out with some friends last Saturday night and Bob got up an sang!!!
John

Bob and Brandon have gone fishing a couple of times. We finally but the company name on the cargo van. I think it looks pretty good.

Yesterday we went on a river float and stayed at the campsite. I fixed breakfast for everyone. They really liked it. It was nice to get to stay. Usually Bob and I have to leave between 5 and 6 am in the morning to get back to work. But we worked really late Friday night so we could stay. Everyone thought they were going to give us a hard time about not staying around for breakfast and cleaning up. Ha-Ha we showed them. Picture of the float is in the post before this one. There wasn't as many people as there was last year, but we still had a really good time. Except for the rain, burr! It really made me cold and I tried to become one with my surroundings, but I just kept shivering. Bob & I waited in the boat under the trees, while it rained-trying to stay dry, but once the leaves in the trees were soaked the rain drops started coming through, so we decided to go for it and try to get to the end of the float. Just as we were pulling the boat up, it stopped raining. There was a couple of young guys camping right were we pulled the boat in and they offered us a warm fire, dry seats to set in and something to drink, while the rest of our party showed up. We didn't have a ride back to the van, until they were all back. The van had all my dry clothes in it.

Stitching - no picture up date, but I have all the stitching in Kayden's Christmas Stocking, I just have to add the beads to the last section.