Things I am Proud of..

1. While driving, I have never hit any of the many squirrels that scurry across our neighborhood streets.

2. One spring just before Gina was married I planted flowers, very pretty impatients, in the front yard for the deer to eat. Well, I didn’t want the deer to eat them but I am proud of myself for still loving the deer.

3. Although I said I would never do it, I started a Blog.

4. I figured out and love Google Reader – at a glance I know if one of my blogger friends has posted something new on their Blog.

5. I signed up for Google Analytics – I am proud to announce that as of Jan. 21st I have had 37 unique (not like weird) but different visitors to my blog. It is kind of fun to know stuff like that. You don't all post a comment. I wish you would. It would be fun if you did. But it is OK that you don't. It is enough for me to just know that you have been here, took a glance, or stayed and digested every morsel of thought and wisdom humbly provided. The end.

Ta Da
You can stop clapping now.
Thank You

One Down Three to Go

With the recent birth of Avery Jane, we now have 6 grandchildren. And we are happy to announce that there are 3 more on the way. Two more granddaughters and 1 more grandson.

The many faces of Avery.

Cakes

I forgot to paste the feet and toes onto the top of the cake. Luckily none fell off during transportation to the party. This little piggy went to market, this little piggy fell on the floor, this little piggy was smushed into Lisa's carpet. Whew. good fortune was smiling on me.
Julie's Baby Shower Cake - It's a Boy

Clark and Teresa's Wedding Cake - April 2007
It was such a pretty cake - I had to show it off again.

Wish I'd Thought of ...

I learned about these clever needles and hooks last night while watching a middle-of-the-night TV show in the ER room with Veldon. He had a fever and the nurse insisted that I take him to the dreaded ER. “Can’t he just take a cool bath?” I pleaded. “Or turn down the electric blanket? Or drink ice water?” No amount of whining would sway her. After several hours of channel surfing I settled in on The Big Idea. People share their stories of how they made a million dollars on things like......

Lighted Knitting Needles

Lighted Crochet Hooks

Check them out at La Knitterie Parisienne
After 2 anti-biotics, blood tests, Chest X-ray and an EKG, Veldon was released. We were home by 3:00am. We snuggled into bed. I picked up the remote, looked for more million dollar ideas but they weren't out there anymore. Good Night.

Wheat Bread for One Year

After performing some very tough Mathematical Equations by dividing and multiplying ounces, pounds, cups and tablespoons, I figured out how much stuff you need to make 6 loaves of wheat bread (or wheat/white bread) once a week for a year. And it is not that much stuff. I was surprised. And it is so cheap. And it tastes so good. Here is what you need. And where you can get it.

A combination of 40 cans of WHEAT BERRIES and WHITE FLOUR. Bishop’s Storehouse has both. Cost for 20 cans wheat berries- about $44.00. And 20 cans white flour $46.00. If you don't have a wheat grinder, you can get one at K-Tec for about $200.00. You can also order wheat at Walton Feeds.

2 gallons plus 2 quarts of OIL. Total Cost – about $15.00

2 gallons plus 2 quarts of HONEY. (35 pounds) Seven of these from Sam’s Club. Cost - $9.00/jar

4 packages of YEAST. (4 pounds) Sam’s Club $2.00 each.

4 round containers of SALT (6 pounds) Cost $.50 each


Total Cost for Wheat Bread for 1 Year = $178.00
Cost per loaf = $ .58.

If you decide, and who wouldn't, to turn some of the dough into cinnamon rolls you’ll need these:


JaNae's Wheat Bread

REALLY EASY WHEAT BREAD
(SOFT CRUST)

This is a 1/2 wheat 1/2 white recipe.
Mix:
7 cups wheat flour
5 ½ c hot water
2 ½ Tbl yeast

Mix in:
2/3 c honey
2/3 c oil
1 ½ Tbl salt

Add:
5-6 c white flour (until dough is no longer sticky)

Divide and place in 6 medium loaf pans (7x3x2).
Raise for 40 minutes
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes

Directions:
No real tricks...super easy. You just have to experiment a little if you haven't made bread so that you learn what consistency dough should be. Don't give up if you fail on a batch....although you'll want to. Your first batch won't be your best.

Another note: I also like to raise and knead at least one more time than the recipe says (how many...depends on how much time I have that day!). I think really kneading hard gives it a better texture--less crumbly. And letting it sit for a few minutes when you first mix it up will help the flour absorb...then come back and finish adding the white flour.

Photo Make Overs

Here is my new way to spend a great deal of time having fun on the computer. Look at how a simple, free photo editing program, Picasa, can improve your photos.
Do a little Cropping – it is always good to get rid of the extra stuff you don’t need in a photo. Use the Fill Light. Sharpen. Soft Focus can be a lot of fun to use. See how it adds fuzziness to the edges of a photo. And for extra fun - Use the Focal B/W – it turns the photo to a Black and White then it lets you put color in one spot.

Before

After

Before

After


Before

After


Download the Picasa program at Picasa.com
Have Fun!!

Backdoor Cat

After your mournful pleas, I almost opened the door a tiny bit to slip a bowl of milk out to you to satisfy your hungry cries. I had to count the costs – not of the milk, that would be silly – just pennies –well, maybe more since organic milk has taken up residence in our refrigerator. I had to consider the toll you feline creatures take on my eyes, nose and throat. Your loving appreciation causes tears, snot and wheezing. Then I would have to take a Benadryl and then a long nap. Hmm, the nap sounds nice. The throat constriction doesn’t.

No, I will not come out and rub your belly

Bread Making

Our east coast daughter-in-law makes delicious wheat bread. Eating and eating it while we enjoyed the Holidays in her home added a pound or two to my medium sized frame and instilled a desire to come off my 20-year bread making vacation. So, out of the dark recesses of my bottom kitchen cupboards I pulled my Kitchen Mill Wheat Grinder and my Bosch Bread Mixer. So, are you two trusty small kitchen appliances as excited as I am to try making bread again? 20 years ago we worked together like a well-oiled machine. Each week, we made bread and cinnamon rolls for a family of 7. Twice a week our oldest son churned out wheat bread delicacies and sold them to the neighbors.
Well, let’s get started on a renewed culinary adventure.

I think we have gotten off to a slippery start

Nativity Sets

This is the newest addition to our Nativity Set Collection. I loved it the minute I saw it. Joseph's tenderness. Mary's obvious love for her baby. But wait, is it really a nativity scene? Where are the wise men who followed the star and the shepherds who watched by night?

It finally dawned on me. This figurine depicts The Flight into Egypt and I love it.

We have a variety. And I love them all. Many early mornings Veldon took time to look at them all and ponder about the beauty of a Savior born in a manger. And hope of a resurrection. 

 Elegant

Whimsical

Simple

From Spain with glowing halos


Sweet

The Playroom

Yikes! This disaster is entirely my doing. I have no one but myself blame. 

From the disaster came a few finished products. A "rag" quilt made from hubby's no-longer-needed work and church shirts and fabric from my skirts and jumpers from the early 90's. No, I haven't been wearing them since the early 90's. Really, I haven't. I promise I am not the same skinny size I used to be in the early 90's when I was raising and chasing 5 kidlings. I saved them for this successful moment. I have a habit of seeing cast-off items fulfilling a future, useful life. May the shirts and skirts and jumpers go forth and produce warmth for our frosty laps and toes.


Scrappy Quilt. After our clever college daughter rescued fabrics from the give-away-pile and made a quilt like this one, I copied her and made one to match.

A fleece doll carrier for our east coast granddaughter's baby dolls.

Folded Flannel. I love flannel. On Black Friday, when all good shoppers are pushing and shoving for good deals on TVs, cameras, and other electronic toys, I can be found at JoAnn's Fabric store fighting for flannel. Pink flannel for girl blankets.

Did I mention that I love flannel. Blue flannel for the boys.

Yards and yards of fleece for future warm and fuzzy car seat blankets.

I could hear the words ringing in my ears, "Go to your room and don't come out until it is clean." Can you come and play?

Big Weather Day

This is what we woke up to on Dec. 17th. - about 1/32 of an inch of frost that had to be scrapped off the windshield of the Honda Pilot that my wonderful husband bought for me last year.

It is not that we don't have one of these - a detached 3 car garage - to protect the Pilot from big weather events.

The problem is this - no, not the handy husband. But, the cute 1960 corvette. Our good friend owns 4 antique corvettes and needed to park this one in our garage to protect his baby from the elements.

Food Storage

This year we figured out Food Storage. Yes siree, we have got it down. It is simple. Figure out what you eat and store it. We figured out that we were eating the same dang thing for breakfast every morning – so we decided to store what we were eating. Steel cut oats, almonds, raisins, other dried fruits and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Veldon is in charge. Since he is a stay-at-home-husband, he needs something to be in charge of. After all, when he was a working man, he was in charge of spending 300 million dollars on improving chemical plants. He needs to spend, track, implement and see results. I am not ready to give up doing laundry. He is allowed to wash dishes, clean the kitchen, clean toilets, pay the bills and cook on occasion. But not the laundry. So, since he is in charge, he buys, inventories, and cooks the oats in big batches that last all week in the fridge. Each morning he warms his oats, sprinkles on the goodies, pours on the milk and enjoys. I eat mine cold with the goodies and milk. We love our breakfast and haven’t tired of eating it. It is kind of nice to get up and while the brain is getting in gear to not have make a plan for breakfast. It gives a sense of security – no worries – just a happy start to the day.