Just stopping in for a quickie!

Its been a few days since I posted, but I have been busy! This week I worked at Zach's school, which was fun and exhausting.And last week I met a new friend in Kansas City for a play date, and that was fun for me. I am still working on the quilt but have halted cause I don't know where to go from where I am at. I am going to consult a few folks and some books to see what I need to do now.
I did start working on fabulous new bag for moi, and since Sharon sent me some fabric for Zach he wants some new pajamas.
I made a new flavor of marmalade I am calling Sunshine cause its pinapple and orange and its just darn good and sunny. Zach and I made our own peanut butter this week too, now I am going to crank out a few loaves of bread and I will be all set, for some PBJ's. Anyways that's all for now. I could really use some quilting vibes about now, so send em' if you got em'. Evie

Skirting

Okay I have tons of fabric and no summer wear, so when I finish the quilt, soon I hope! I am going to make myself so simple easy skirts to wear. I found a great link with lots of skirt patterns and I just wanted to share:
http://craftersjourney.com/free-skirt-patterns/
Anyways happy skirting everyone.

I went for a quick thrifting yesterday am, and here's what I found:

This giant jar filled with goodies for only $6.00, I would have paid that for the jar.
Here are the items outta the jar:


All kinds of neat little do-dads, and a snap thingy, to put snaps on clothes and such. Cool huh?
I don't know what I am going to do with it all but there is some nice thread in there too I am sure I will make good use of.

Garlic Jelly

Well its made and I am done. The house smells amazingly garlicky. I made a whopping 14 jars of this amber delight. YUM, I saved a little for us to have this weekend on some crackers with cheese. I found several ideas for cooking with garlic jelly and hope to try some of them soon.


And now the sad news.. Zach has taken over the computer and I am now competing for some darn computer time. Darn little stinker!

Our trip to the Nature Center

OKay..so I forgot I did have something quick to blog about..lol
I took Zach to the local nature center for a class about the rainforest. He declined to join the class..(yay, saving me the $3.50 it cost to go to the class). Instead for free we walked around and did some activites ans played in the preschool room it was awesome and fun!





OKay, I just want to say how much I love the prarie dogs OMG, they are just so darn cute!
I really need to get us out the door so I can make that garlic jelly today. toodles

What no post??

Okay so I have not posted in a few days..but I have been busy trying to sew that darn apron for Zach. It is giving me fits!! Nothing to blog about either. We made a cherry pie at Hy-vee the other day a free class offered there, and that was fun. Zach has taken up residence in some costume we got at the Social Service League, he thinks its a power ranger cotume, but I think its a Special Police forces costume, but hey who am I to judge? LOL He wears it every moment we are home and the only reason he is not wearing out is because I won't let him. He will not let me get his picture in it..but I going to sneak up on him! I am planning to make some jelly this week since we are home. I am looking for a garlic jelly recipe to try. Its really good on yummy baked things like chicken and pork...YUM-O

Pie Day Friday

On Friday morning Zach woke up and proclaimed he needed to make a pie. This was brought on by his new cooking kit I got him for valentines day. When he wants to do something fun like this who am I to question him? We found a crust recipe and made up the pie filling. The results were really good. Since we had one pear and one apple, he choose the pear. What a wise boy he is! The pie plate is tiny, as seen in the first picture, so one pear was all we needed. We made it like you would make an apple pie, lemon juice, fruit, cinnamon and sugar. I am making him an apron, since the one that came with the kit was a flimsy piece of plastic, which he torn the first time he wore it. I will post pics of the apron when I finish it.

Hot Date Friday

Well its finally Friday, and I have a date tonight. Well as datey as you can get when you are married...lol. The school is providing the fab service of babysitting for a few hours. As of this morning we are still quite unsure of where we are going to eat, but are positive that our night will end at the ole'Replay Lounge. This is where we will meet up with our other parent friends and commiserate our married lives, remembering our drunken youth which many of us spent there at the Replay.
Valentines Day yielded little in the way of flowers and other great items. I did get a whopping 4 chocolate sampler from DH and DS, I just love how generous DH is ...Cheapskate
His financial contribution to the holiday is dinner and paying for babysitting, you can bet I will be ordering something expensive.
The pickled eggs and beets are a super hit with DH, he loves them and told me they are super yummy!
Also I made some kick arse salmon the other day and wanted to share the recipe, because I never plan on making it any other way, this recipe rocks!

Super awesome salmon:
1-2lbs salmon cut into serving pieces
2T olive oil
2T melted butter
1T dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked fresh black pepper(I used a pepper blend)
3T lemon juice
1 tsp dried parsley
2T white wine (I used a reisling, its what I had)

Mix everything in a decent sized bowl. Making sure to crush the herbs with your fingers before you add. Place the salmon flesh-not skin side down into bowl, for about 5 min. Cook for 15-20 min at 400 degrees, in a non-stick or foil covered pan. Save any remaining marinade and add to rice before you cook it. Any leftover juice in the pan, after fish has been cooked should be added to rice also. This was super yummy and I rounded the meal off by cooking some zucchini and tomatoes with garlic in a skillet and adding some chopped feta cheese before serving. Talk about some happy eating....

Hmmm...

What's this you ask???
Well let me tell you. It's homemade pickled eggs and beets, ewww you say?
Hmmm..it's Gene's valentines day present, and its what he likes, not me though!
He has been super whiny, with "I want pickled eggs" lately. He even made a trip to walfart last nite just to buy some and he forgot them..haha. And since he is incredibly hard to buy for voila! If this does not make his day, I do not know what will. Of course he will have to sleep on the couch for the next few days, cause, well you get the point...
Man does my house stink right now, there is just something wrong with the smell of chocolate and pickled eggs. tata

Treats

Well yesterday I made 2 and 1/2 cases of yummy jam. Here's a progress pic:

The two flavors I ended up making are Peach Almond(seen here), and my first maramlade Mandarin Peach. Both turned out fabulous!

Today is a baking day. Treats for DH peanut butter cookies with Reeses cups in the middle.


And just cause he is so darn cute, here's yet another pic of Zach.

We are headed to open gym today, he's hoping there will be someone to talk to!

ME

HI! Here I am. Just wanted to do that... Things have been pretty quiet around here. I am in the mood for jam, so I think I am headed to the store for supplies. I am checking out my jam book for a new jam flavor/idea. Mmmm..the possibilities are endless. I am leaning towards something citrusy, since I hardly ever make that kind.

Menu and expenditures 2/10-2/23

Menu:
Monday: Meatloaf, mashed pots, steamed cauliflower
Tues: Taco salad made with leftover meatloaf
Wed: Homemade chicken strips,and steamed butternut squash
Thurs:Happy Valentines day! BBQ(crockpot) Pork ribs, coleslaw, baked beans, rolls
Friday: Out to Eat for the Holiday yay!
Sat: Homemade asian chicken wings, pork fried rice(use leftover pork)
Sunday: Baked salmon, steamed brocc., rice
Monday: Homemade pizza and salad
Tues: Baked potatoes with fixins(Chili, cheese, brocc, salsa, onions, sour cream) they make thier own, so everyone is happy right??
Wed: Fried tofu stirfry and chinese noodles
Thurs: Hamburgers and tots, carrot and celery sticks
Friday: Red beans and rice made with spinach and smoked sausage
Sat: Chicken stuffed with red peppers and cheese and sweet pots
Sunday: off to the store do it all over again!

Grocery receipt:

Bagels 1.19
OJ 5.76
Bread 2 loaves 2.56
Nitrate free bacon 3.29
Nitrate free brats 3.29
Stoney field yogurts 2 2.28
Bulk granola 1.64
Bulk popcorn 1.80
Local hamburger 5.50
Organic apple juice 2.98
soyjoy bars 2 1.23 one of them was free!
Organic milk 4.48
Bologna(yuck) DH requested it! 2.50
Lite sour cream 1.59
Half and half 2- 1/2 pints 1.36
lite cream cheese .98
green pepper 1.28
Organic salad mix 2.99
Smart chicken chicken wings total 3 packs: 7.58
1 large salmon fresh 6.47
organic bananas 1.47
Organic apples 3 1.77
Organic cauliflower 2.99
cabbage 1.09
organic firm tofu 2.00
Blueberries 2.49
shredded mozz cheese 2.49
Tax 5.58
Total: 82.10
Saved : 1.23 on free soyjoy bar
.30 canvas bags
.50 coupon
total saved 2.03

Okay so I went over budget again, but I did get some rewards, every time I spend $75 at Hy-vee you get 50 gas points, when you get 300 of them you get a $10.00 free gas card, so I am earning something in return right?
Happy fooding everyone. Feel free to email with and ? and requests for recipes!

Inch by Inch

Well little by little I am getting some work on the quilt done. I am juat about done working on the middle and now need to start focusing on the outside and the back.... as requested by Deb, here are some new photos, I hope you can see them better!

And hopefully a closer up photo:


In other news we got to hang with some other couples last nite and had a really great time, here's to making new friends!

Chili equals YUM!

Yum, we made chili yesterday and boy was it good!

Here's the recipe:
Homemade chili seasoning:
1 TB unbleached flour -- or: all-purpose
3 TB dried onions
3 TB chili powder
1 ts seasoned salt
1/2 ts crushed dried red pepper(or more depending on how spicy you like it)
2 ts sugar
2 TB ground cumin
This equals one packet of store bought.
Add to:
1 1/4 lb ground meat browned (I used Amy's local grassfed)
3 cans chili beans ( that beans with sauce on them) 2 mild, one medium
1TB brown sugar
2tsp powdered mustard
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes(I used Muir Glen)
1 can tomato paste
1 small can V8 or tomato juice(4oz)
2 cloves garlic finely minced
dash of cinnamon( just a tiny bit)

Directions: Brown hamburger and garlic together. Place in Crockpot, add remaining ingredients.
Cook on high one hour and low until ready to serve (2-4 hours) or on low if cooking all day. Also if I plan on cooking this all day I often add 1 cup shredded carrots.
Serve with sour cream, fresh diced onion, cheddar cheese, and crackers. YUMMMMMY!

Snow Day!

Alas we are snowed in..no big deal, it just means I have to be productive right?
Goals for today:
Clean our bedroom
Bake something
Make chili for dinner
be crafty with child
work on quilt..
Those last two will be harder than it sounds, as Zach can sometimes be craft resistant, and does not want to let me sew.
It's such a snowy day that even the college(KU), is closed and that has only happened 13 times since 1972. So we are not going anywhere, and and I praying that school is open tomorrow, cause I really enjoy my free afternoons. And since I enrolled Zach in a third afternoon(friday), I will have more free afternoons..yay!
Gene has finally agreed on another kiddo, seriously he did, but he said when Zach is 5 or 6, but I am going to try to convince him that the sooner we get it over with,the sooner I can enter the workforce. ( thanks grace for that wonderful advice..lol) I have my speech all ready and I am just waiting for the right time to give it.
We have an evening out, thanks to Zach's school which offers babysitting on frday the Day after Valentine's Day for parents who need time out! For the bargin price of $15 for the whole evening! Thanks LCNS you rule!

Illness lingers

Okay, I thought I was getting better, but alas I feel worse than ever. My throat now an aching ball of fire, I broke down and began taking anti-biotics, an older not expired prescription which I had squirreled away some time ago in MASS, when I actually had health insurance.
I realized I need the meds because after 4 days of illness, then it got worse well...I know we can't afford a trip to the ER or the low-cost clinic for that matter either. So I hope these damn drugs work because I have things to do! I am so bummed I am going to miss my first meeting of Craft Crew, if I don't feel better by 5pm. Thy drugs be quick!

Groundhog cake

Happy groundhog day everyone!

This was so pathetic that I have to post it!


Sad little fellow isn't he, oh well at least we tried...lol

Pluck

Okay.. I know this happens to everyone, but have you ever forgotten to pluck? I came to realize it had been awhile for me because one of the dear kind childern at my son's school pointed out to me that I have hairy eyebrows... Thanks kid, really. I guess that the child (whom I will not name) felt this way because his waify well coifed mama, has none to speak of. This being told, so I felt like a wookie when I went to the bathroom to check. The kid was right cause I thought about it , and guess what I had not plucked since I lived in MASS!! Because I fell ill later on thursday, I did not pay any attention to the problem until this morning... to those of you who had to bare witness to this tragic error I apologize. I literally had to wipe all the hairs off of the sink when I was done. NASTY, I know. thanks for loving me anyways, hairy eyebrows and all.

In other news, yes Thursday was my first participation day at Zach's school. Although I collapsed into bed when I got home due to my illness, the day was a great success.
I know why we chose this school, it is a wonderful caring environment. The teachers go to great lenghts to make sure everyone is cared for and made to feel valid. The lesson was awesome, I know Deb will appreciate this: a lesson on lines. It was fantastic and amazing... the teacher drew different kinds of lines, to get the children to understand that a line does not have to be straight, they disscussed and looked at works of picasso, they talked about how he used a single line to create some works of art, never picking up his pencil. Then they were encouraged to do different stations of art that were all connected to lines! It was amazing! They did chalk drawings using both hands, glued strings onto cardboard, they used waxpaper over regular paper to create line works then painted the paper to reveal thier wax drawings, also a painting station, and a hands on station that had pipe like things that you could put together to create structures. Again it was awesome.... I such a good time helping, and reading to the kids, and getting to know them in general. Of course everyone knoews how crafty Zach is..lol he did not do anything but build. I got to see Zach's first show and tell, John Deere tractors of course. I almost cried! He was so big and proud answering questions and telling them about his tractors.
I broke bread with the kiddos, and served my new favorite snack peanut butter balls..mmm recipe to follow. Anyways, I had a blast and am so proud of my boy!

Peanut Butter Balls
2 cups dry non-fat milk powder
3 cups granola
2 cups peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons flax meal
2-3 tablespoons flax oil depending on how moist it is.
1 cup honey

Grind 1 cup of granola in food processor. Add honey, peanut butter, milk powder, water, flax and flax oil. Mix into a pasta, add unground granola. Make into about 40 1 inch balls, store in refrigerator, until served.
Hide from children, eat them yourself!
No really this was a great hands on activity for zach we had fun making the balls together.