Learning the word "No"

No stitching this week. I have a baby shower to go to today so I needed to make a quilt for the new baby.

So, while I was making the baby quilt I decided to make a couple of Christmas quilts.

This week I made doughnuts, the kids loved them. Some had powder sugar on them others I glazed with vanilla and chocolate. I think the chocolate glaze should have been a little thicker.
Quick Doughnuts

5 C flour

3 TBS baking powder

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 C sugar

1 TBS Crisco

2 TBS butter

3 eggs

1 C milk

Sift dry ingredients. Beat eggs until thick, add to dry ingredients. Add Crisco & butter then milk.

Roll out on flour surface and cut doughnuts. Fry 350 Makes 4 dozen doughnuts 3" across.

Glaze-1 TBS milk, 1 C powder sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Add cocoa for the chocolate. Mix-add more powder sugar to thicken if needed.

Brandon and Kayden

Kayden is learning the word "No"!

Kayden is really getting around walking and sometimes he tries to run. It is too funny, because he can't run yet. He just gets excited and tries to move his little legs a little faster, usually he falls down.

Tuesday he was a hand full! He got into the dog food and was eating a piece when I got to him, then he opened up the turtle food and when I was trying to get it picked up he put a piece in his mouth. Then there was the dog bone he kept trying to chew on. I have had to close the door to the downstairs bathroom and keep the basement door shut.

Stress!

I've been stitching on Earthdancer, when I had time to stitch. It seems like I didn't have much stitching time this last week. But I am further then I was when I found the hole in the material of the old one I was working on. Picture here.

Blueberry Muffins

Muffin Mix

5 1/2 C flour

4 TBS baking powder

1/2 C butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C sugar

Sift dry ingredients three times. Cut butter into dry mixture, until it resembles cornmeal. Keep in frig for a week.

Blueberry Muffins

2 C Muffin Mix

2 TBS sugar

1 egg

3/4 C blueberries

3/4 C milk

Stir mix & sugar-form a well in center. Beat together egg & milk. Pour into center of mix-stir until moistened. Add blueberries & stir an additional 5 times. Batter will be lumpy. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake 425 for 20-25 min.

Kayden laughing was to darn cute not to video.

And he was walking at 8 months old.

The beginning of the week I felt really stressed out, but as the week went on the stress did lift. I've been working on a website for Bob's business (still waiting on a new price list from suppliers) and working on fliers that will be sent to customers this spring. I also added the business to several site for local business. I hope that this season we do a lot more then last year. Last year May and June were killer months. We started working before the sun was up and we didn't finish until the sun was down. So, I hope that people aren't freaking out over the economy and will still continue to purchase pools and keep up on the repairs of their existing pools and spas. We have sold our first pool this year and we have several things on the list once spring breaks.

Things People Say

This week I have been working on 3 different stitching projects.

Started stitching the name tag for the ILCS retreat in June, on my canvas bag. Talk about bloody fingers! I can only stitch about 20 to 50 stitches then my finger is sore from trying to pull the needle through the canvas.

I restarted Earthdancer I had posted a few weeks ago that the old one had a whole in the material. I found a piece of material that was in my stash.

And I have been stitching on a Christmas tree skirt. Started on it mid January and have been stitching on it at least once a week. It is hugh and I am not all that happy with the way it is looking. You can see a lot of the material through the x's.

Sorry no pictures yet.

Kayden is going to be a handful!

When you tell him "no" he looks at you then does what you just told him not to do. Last week he had a good sleeping schedule this week he has been wanting to stay up all night or get up at 2 or 3 in the morning. Kayden is making the click noise with his tongue. You know when you put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and pull in down. He loves doing this when we walks. He has taken up to 8 steps without holding on to anything and he is getting a little faster at crawling. This last week he started doggy sniffing. It is too funny. He does it when he gets excited.

Orange Cream Freezer Dessert

2 C graham crackers crumbs
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C butter, melted
1.5 quarts vanilla ice cream, soften
1 can (12 oz) frozen orange juice concentrated, thawed
Combine cracker crumbs and sugar, stir in butter. Set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Cover and freeze for at least 10 minutes.
Large bowl, combine ice cream and orange juice concentrated until smooth. Spoon over crust. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle crumb mixture, gently press down. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

I had a taste and it was a bit tangy for me. Dylan tried some and loved it. But when he put it back in the freezer he didn't get it laying flat and when he opened the freezer again, it came flying out and landed on the floor. Breaking the glass dish and the dessert was all over the kitchen floor. Dylan felt really bad when it happen and kept saying how sorry he was. I kept telling him it was okay. Then he says "I really liked that one". LOL! So, I will be making this one again, but I think I will put it in smaller single size dishes. That way he can just take one out at a time.

Things people say...As some may know I get a little down during the winter time. But this week it seems that my friends have been helping me out a little by the things they say.

Last week a friend I use to work with texted me during the day, but I was so busy with Kayden and was doing a few things for Bob at the time I didn't reply to her text until that night. I texted back "sorry was busy with Kayden, that is why I didn't reply earlier" Her reply was "U r lucky u have ur kids ur husband and lil kayden 2 keep u going. U have so much to be thankful 4. Thanks 4 being my friend." That really made me think and I was very happy that she pointed this out to me. I was feeling run down by all that I do and she just put it all in place.

Then I received a personal email from a friend, I replied and then when she emailed me back she said..."You just don't seem yourself". Wow I thought she is good. How did she get that out of "I am doing okay, can't wait for spring." I replied with all that was going on and in her reply..."Sounds like you have the house for the 'unwanteds'. That is so kind of you to be there for people. You have such a good, kind, caring heart! I truly mean that in all seriousness. Hope you have a great evening!!!!! Hug that baby!!! I am sure that helps!!!!" Again I had to stop and think! I am lucky!

Then I was tagged in facebook by another friend and she tagged me as a "strong women". Wow, I never think of myself as a strong women. It is nice to know how others see you.

So to all my wonderful and caring friends thank you for who you are and for helping out. You did more than you will ever know.

Things that make you say huh!?!

It was a good week to get all my commitment stitching done.

Tinna's quilt block for her daughter. Theme is coffee, tea or hearts. So, I put two of them together (coffee & hearts). Hope she likes it.

Mare's quilt block. Her theme is black cats. I hope she likes it.

And this is my block for the angel project at ILCS group.

This weeks sweet treat...
Triple Peanut Pizza
This is another family favorite, except for Dylan, I can't get him to try it. My MIL loves it and she says she doesn't like cream cheese. LOL!

1 tube (18 oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

1 C semisweet chocolate chips

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, soften

1/3 C peanut butter

1/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

10 chopped peanut butter cups

Press Cookie dough onto a greased 14" pizza pan. Bake 350 for 15 min. Let cool. I put it in the frig for about 3 mins.

Melt chocolate chips and spread on cookie crust. Freeze for 10 min.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy.

Spread over chocolate.

Sprinkle with peanut butter cups.

Chill until serving.

Refrigerate leftovers.


Been watching the news a little bit this week and a few things made me think for a few minutes. Tee-Hee! "Three years of a recession then we are in a depression, recession started in 2007" Not looking forward to 2010 now. I kept saying we were in a recession the they kept saying we weren't - now they say we were.

There was more, but I have gone brain dead. May edit this post later. Going for a fresh cup of coffee now. Have a great week. Hug your babies and kiss your hubby.