Friday, January 30, 2009
Giveaway
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Last Giveaway!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Finished!
So now my three month long project is finally done. I thought maybe I would take a break......
Monday, January 26, 2009
Dilemma's
Going Banana's?
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
1/3 cup melted butter
4 ripe bananas, smashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons strong coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted or raw
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 12 cup capacity muffin tin or use paper liners.
With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, coffee and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped pecans. Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
*Cook's note: To check to see if the muffins are done; with a toothpick insert into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, it's done.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Happy Birthday Jenn!
A few days late - but we did find some time to celebrate this week. And Jenn -thanks for being such a faithful friend and encouragement over the years! (not that she will ever read this, I think she is decidedly anti-blog.)
I just had to post this picture so you could see the funky vintage tumblers my parents gave me for Christmas! Aren't they cool? But alas, not dishwasher safe.
I also decided to try something new for dinner. I received a pasta press for Christmas from my mom, so we had real homemade lasagna for dinner. Yum. I have to say, (quite humbly of course) I usually make good lasagna, but the noodles definitely brought it up a notch! Maybe if you come for dinner sometime I will make it for you!
I also have to tell you about something I found last week as we wandered the aisles of Walmart while we waited for our oil to be changed. Now- I don't love Walmart, but a few weeks ago I was home with a sick Aidan, and my oil and battery were in dire need of a change. Now, there aren't many places in the Cities I feel like I can go to unshowered, without make-up and still pretty-much in pajama attire. Walmart is that place. So that is where we went for our auto work, and while there I found that Martha Stewart has a whole line of scrap booking stuff, and a whole line of homemade party decor kits. They are so neat! I hate to say it, but these kits are surely worth a trip to Walmart. (But I do have to say, I was so paranoid about my messy, dirty self I was sure we were going to get in a car accident that day and I would have to go to the hospital and see people I knew, or worse yet break a leg or something and be unable to shower even longer. That would be embarrassing, but it is even more embarrassing that I even have to admit I think about things like that!)
Aren't they perfect for a girlie birthday party? I was running late that day, so I only had time to make three and hung them rather poorly from the light fixture, but you get the idea.
Super cute!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
I have been putzing away at this wall since November when with one visit from friends half our photos ended up broken on the floor. ( I am exaggerating of course, but seriously, I have nothing better to do than pick glass splinters out of my feet.) I started covering foam-board with fabric and then pinning photos onto it, and then using some super-duper-double-sided foam tape to adhere them to the wall. Oh - by the way - even though the package said it was safe for painted wall, it isn't. So I am glad I putzed and I only made a few. So I now have even more reasons I need to cover that wall. Repainting the whole room isn't really an option right now, I finally like the color I have down there, and it took me probably 4-5 coats of various colors and techniques to arrive at this one, so it is staying.
So last week I was going to have some friends over for a birthday celebration, and I thought I would try and get my project completed before they came.
As you can see, our kitchen table became a workshop for a week or more, as I painted layer after layer over some old frames and pictures I found at the thrift store. I had this great idea to frame some fabric bulletin boards and than have a few magnetic boards as well, so we could display lots of photos and mementos.
The frames turned out great. Here are two of them. I love how they turned out.
The magnet boards also turned out just how I wanted, they were the right size and colors, EXCEPT after using an ENTIRE CAN of magnetic paint on the two boards, while they can hold magnets, if you try and hang a picture on them - no luck -they slide right off. Grrr. I was so irritated. They are painted such bright colors they need to be broken up, so rather than spend another $10.00 and one week layering on the magnetic paint, I decided to just frame some more fabric. But we (I) have been sick again at our house this week (tonsillitis, strep and pinworms.... no.....I don't have the worms.) and by the time I get home from work and put Aidan to bed, I have no energy! So the frames still sit on the stairs, waiting for their new home.
And the winner is.......
Thanks so much for playing everyone. I really wish I could give all of you a bag........
But I will have one last giveaway to celebrate this month, so keep checking back. I haven't decided which one to give - a scarf I really made for myself, or a cute springy bag. Maybe I will make random.org pick that for me too!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thrift Store Treasures
Monday, January 19, 2009
It's Called Winter Camping.
First you light a campfire.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
"I need a hero!" or Blog Anniversary Giveaway Number Two
That's right! The fun continues! But to win this one, you have to answer a few questions from my world.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Overheard during bathtime

Winner
And as it is so fun to give stuff away, (especially as a few of you who signed up have helped keep me in business the last few years) I will have to do it again this week. So keep checking back!
Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. (and Katy will you send me your address? thanks!)
Friday, January 16, 2009
What do you get
Last chance
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Sick days
We had some yummy chicken and rice soup for our colds.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Giveaway
This month I wanted to have a few giveaways from my Etsy shop (since that is one of the whole reasons I started a blog.)
So if anyone needs this purse for themselves (or a gift) leave a comment and I will randomly pick names on Friday evening. AND (in the interest of Second Street Designs) if you post this giveaway on your blog and direct others here, leave me a comment letting me know, and if you are the winner you will get two gifts. Sound like fun!?! And if this purse holds no interest for you, don't worry, maybe the giveaway next week will be more up your alley, so keep checking back!
Mocha Punch

SERVINGS: 20-25
TIME: Prep: 15 min. + chilling
Ingredients:
6 cups water
1/2 cup instant chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Chocolate curls, optional
Directions: In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add drink mix, sugar and coffee; stir until dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. About 30 minutes before serving, pour mixture into a large punch bowl. Add ice cream by scoopfuls; stir until partially melted. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream and chocolate curls if desired. Yield: 20-25 servings (about 5 quarts).
Monday, January 12, 2009
Can I brag a little?
So, back to Wal-mart. My sweet child picked up the basket and carried it around the store so "I wouldn't give my germs away." He also directed me to direct him to the items on the shelves I wanted so that I didn't touch anything, and yes, he loaded our goods on the conveyor belt too. He wanted to pay.... but I told him my money already had lots of germs on it, so a few more of mine wouldn't make much difference.
It's true, he is quite helpful.
Although today, as we were getting ready to go ice skating, he kept bugging me to hurry up. I informed him that if he wanted me to go faster then he could change the laundry loads. (He does this for me all the time.) However this time he looked at me smugly and said, "I don't want to help, because some day I am going to be a dad, and dad's don't do laundry."
Guess what James and Aidan are going to be doing this week.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Last Christmas Post!!!!
Hmmmm. I think this is me directing as we are headed out the door with the ambulance. I also have to add, I spent the night in my Grandma's hospital room, where I proceeded to come down with some bad food poisoning. All I can say is even in her feeble state she mustered up the energy to kick me out of her room. It wasn't pretty! Sorry Grandma. (And the rest of you, beware of McDonald's Southwestern salad.)
Grandma was released from the hospital the next day, so we were still able to have Christmas on Saturday. I have to add, I use the word "released" loosely, because Grandma informed me she "Told that doctor she was signing herself out!"
Practicing for the annual Jordison poker event.
The practice didn't do them much good however, as none of the above won.
The little guy in the middle with his baseball cap on won.
He is 16, and they all swear it was beginner's luck. He is a smart kid though, because the first thing he said was, "I am going to put all this money into my bank account."
Quiet at last. Ahhh... nothing like cartoons to wind them down at the end of the day.
One more note- as a mom, having to call 911 was one of the best visual demonstrations ever! Aidan and I frequently chat about all the "what if" situations; candy from strangers, a hurt mommy or daddy, etc, and it is hard to explain "911" to a 4-year-old in a way that he can totally grasp. So the whole experience was great for Aidan to see. Everyone remained calm as we checked Grandma's blood pressure and neuro status, moved cars and furniture, put blankets on the floor, etc. The First Responders were so professional and helpful, and although I hope we never need to use their services again, I am glad Aidan was able to be a firsthand observer to how it all works, and when it is appropriate to call them.
While they were loading her up one of the EMT's said, "Alright Iva, we are going to take you to the ER now."
And Aidan's little voice piped up, "Good! Now can the rest of us go eat supper!?!?"
And that, my friends, is the last of my Christmas photos.