Dreadful

Today, I went boating with my family and some  friends.  We did all kinds of fun stuff.  Tubing, wake skating, wake boarding.  Ya, know the kind of stuff you do just to prove you are not getting old and show the kids, “Yes, in fact, I am awesome.”    We went yesterday too and when we were done, my hair was a big, big tangled mess.  I am in a growing phase.  Over the past few years, I grow it out and then cut and donate it.  I have done it 3 times.    Today, I thought to myself, “I will not fight that tangled mess again!” and took measures to prevent such an episode.  I placed my hair in a pony tail and braided that into 3 braids.  I then braided those.  Essentially, I made a rope, so when I unbraided all that stuff, I would have manageable hair.  Sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?  Well, it was NOT.  NOT. AT. ALL.    

I came in and unbraided my hair.  First the big braid and then each of the small braids.  As I unbraided, some inappropriate words flew through my mind.  This was not looking how I had planned.   And when I removed the large hairband from the top, I became clear to me that I had dreads.  They were completely knotted totally out of control dreadlocks.    Incredible. They were sticking out from my head every which way.  I looked like Medusa of the Lake People.  I wept.  Ok, I didn’t, but I wanted to.  I got into the shower with a comb and a bottle of conditioner.  5 minutes in, I pondered consuming a couple of margaritas and going all Britney on myself.   But, I guess vanity and sanity won out.  38 minutes later I emerged from the shower with a pounding headache, an almost empty bottle of conditioner (I spared a bit for my daughter, because she will weep), a hand cramp, a keen understanding of why they call them dreadlocks that could only learned by experience , ALMOST  all of my hair, and a desperate need for Advil.    I also have a need for a few more inches to achieve donation length because after this, I see #4 on the horizon.   The sooner the better! 

Tomato Pie

I just got back from a fantastic vacation to Jackson, Wyoming for my cousin's wedding.  It was exquisite.  We also spent a lot of time in Yellowstone park which means we ate lots of picnics along the way.  Lots of sandwiches and snacky things.  It was fine.  It fit what we were doing, but when I got home, I decided, I wanted real food.  My in-laws met us at the airport with a bag of tomatoes from their garden and our truck so we could go home.  I knew immediately what I would make with those tomatoes---pie!  I made mine based on a recipe by my Aunt Mandy.  The only thing I changed was the cheese.  She uses cheddar. I just happened to have some goat cheese in the fridge and I wanted to give that a try!

Here goes........

For the pie-
1 9 inch pie crust - bake according to package directions
About 2-5 tomatoes sliced
Salt and pepper
2 T fresh chives
2 T basil
1 t thyme
1/4 cup mayo
5 oz ball of goat cheese with herbs
8 slices of bacon cooked crisp and crumbled.

Note, I didn't actually measure any of this stuff. I am an "eye-baller" when it comes to things such as this.  I save precision for baking!

So, while the pie crust baked, I sliced tomatoes and chopped herbs.  Yes, I used store crust.  I use Pillsbury.  They tend to do fine in quiches and things like this and I have no patience for rolling out crust.  Sue me.  It is just not my thing.
When the crust got done, I filled it with tomatoes and herbs.  I just layered them in.  See, not so hard.

Then I mixed the mayo and the goat cheese and smeared that on top....................

And then I baked it for about 20 minutes at 350.  When it got done, I covered the top with bacon crumbles.

I believe it looks good enough to eat!  And when it is 100 degrees outside, I am happy to have my oven off for the day at 2:30!  

P.S.  I will tell you more about the wedding and Yellowstone later.  I have about 1200 pictures to WADE through before I can blog on that!  Just know, it was fantastic! 

New Projects!!

I am back from Big Cedar and rather than unpack or clean, I am starting some new sewing projects.  I did enjoy reading last week, but I am happy to have my rotary cutter back in my hand.  I love cutting out projects.  It is one of my favorite parts of the sewing process.  My least favorite part--pinning.

My first project is for my daughter's dance teachers.  It is a wine tote using a pattern by Atkinson Designs.
I usually avoid zippers like the plague, but I am going to give it a whirl.  I love her fabric more than mine, but I am still happy with what I was able to find.  Not a lot of laminated cotton running around out there!

The floral is my outside, the stripe is the liner, and the green dot is the binding.  I love the dots.  As usual.

The next project I am working on is the Michael Miller Clubhouse block of the month in the Cabana colors.  That is the blues, whites and creams shown at the top left. Again, I love the dots.  It is a theme for me.

 I love/hate the block of the month format.  I love that it is not overwhelming and there is only a little to do bit by bit.  I hate how slowly it comes together.  I get bored easily.  I have project A.D.D.  I have been known to be done with a project like this long before it was finished.  In fact, I have 2 BOM's that have all the blocks done that are not put together.  I cannot do that to myself again.  I really need to finish those and give them away!  Because of my history with BOM's I had to really debate and ponder this project.  But I love it so!  I am a sucker for blue and white because it reminds me of my grandma.  I would have gone for the Cottage in red and white too because I love red.  I would have also done the Casino version in red, white, and blue because it reminds me of my other grandma.  I clearly loved the pattern and loved the fabric in any combination, so skipping this one would have haunted me.  Speaking of haunted, I have a Halloween quilt 3/4 done.  What IS wrong with me?  I suppose I better quit blogging and start sewing!  Good night!  

Well, I have fallen out of the blogging loop again.  I don't mean to, but life just sometimes grabs you by the tail.  You know?!?    I finished my juice bag bags-- 19 of them because one of the early bags was not meeting my quality control standards.  The kids went wild.  I finished the teacher's quilt.  She went wild.  Well, not really, but I think she went as wild as someone who is characteristically steady and calm would.  It turned out great. I neglected, as I often do, to take a picture of the final product.
My niece was born.  They named her Isla.  She is a cute little lady and I cannot wait to meet her.  I was not able to meet her right away because of then end of school.  Just when I was ready to cut and run, we became aware of a hospital rule not allowing children under the age of 12 in to see babies.  This knowledge sparked anger and outrage in my daughter.  She wrote that hospital the nastiest letter that a dyslexic 8 year old could write.  She used words like stupid, adorable, and Dark Side.   When she stomped into the kitchen to deliver it, I was not sure if I should laugh or cry, so I did both.
Then the baby was put into the NICU for 7-21 days of antibiotics.  They found bacteria in her blood and don't want to send her out into that big nasty world fighting infection with the immune system of a 2 day old.  At this point, I was very sad for them, but rejoiced at the fact that I and my germy offspring had remained 350 miles away, and therefore, they couldn't have possibly been the source of the infection.  How crappy would that have made me feel?   How much strain would that whole "Your snot nosed kid tried to kill my 2 day old baby" thing put on a relationship?  Here's hoping the antibiotics work and they can take home a happy health girl who sleeps through the night  in the next week or so!
Oh, by the way, my snot nosed kid is not snotty anymore.  The adenoid surgery seemed to work!  We only need to go to the ENT on an as needed basis, which really stinks when you find a doctor you actually like.    

While all of this is going on, we are on our annual trip to Big Cedar on Table Rock Lake.  I am not sure who is twitching more....Me who left behind my sewing machine or Doug, who for the first time, left behind the boat.  The good part of this separation is I am catching up on reading.  I FINALLY got to pick Money Ball back up and I am continuing to enjoy it.  I may finally finish the 600+ page Forgotten Garden, which is a good story, but maybe not quite gripping enough for 600 pages.  350 pages in was too far to call it quits.  I am still interested in the story, but it does not have me like say The Hunger Games.  In between those, I am reading a collection of short stories written by a mother of 2 autistic and OCD children called "I wish I were Engulfed in Flames".  I do plan to elaborate more on these at a later date.  My very own Slice of the Rainbow book review!

And tomorrow night, we are going to erase any knowledge and insight I glean from these books by going to see the Baldknobbers.  Go ahead. Prepare your suburban dwelling selves and click on that link.  Feast your Eyes on all that toothless glory. Yes. The. Bald. Knobbers.  A Branson fixture since 1959.  The show that started it ALL.  How can something be called Baldknobbers and be a family show? I am embarrassed to say it out loud.  I am thinking it sounds more like something out of 50 Shades of Grey, which consequently, I am terrified to pick up because Access Hollywood was talking about how trashy, smutty, and dirty it is.  Really, Access Hollywood?  Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?   But, for better or for worse, I will be going to the infamous Jamboree.  I am afraid if I say the B---K------ word anymore, I will lose 3 of my front teeth.  It is once again a cry or laugh situation.  I am assuming I will choose both.

Slow going....

Well, I would like to say that George's adenoid surgery was a miracle.  It has not been.  Since then, he got strep, complains of frequent headaches (I had NEVER heard this before), and seems to be generally grouchy.  Hoping it gets better soon.  I would hate to think that the doctor inadvertently suctioned out all of the boy's charm, but for now, it appears so.  Booooo!
Juice bag bags are now going well. I have 8 complete and have come up with a method that works well after 8 bags.  I will do a tutorial on those now that I have a method.  Just be patient and begin drinking 14 juice bags.   No, not all at once.  Slowly, because the tutorial will take lots and lots of pictures and I am slow at posting those.  
The teacher's quilt it pretty.  It is plenty long, but a little too narrow for my taste.  I always have trouble getting length onto my quilts and this time it is width.  I am putting that project on the back burner while I stew over whether or not to add a border, which adds lots more work and lots more quilting.....Clearly I am running out of time, but I figure I can put off any decisions for 10 more juice bag bags.  Really, 11 because I am also making a gift bag for the teacher that she can use at the grocery store...because that is the way I roll.  
My daughter has a breakfast reception on Thursday and I told her I would make anything she wants.  She went for Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls.  They are truly not that hard, I just didn't calculate that into my projects of the week.  Maybe, just maybe I can talk her into me buying some sausage kolaches or as we call them Smoky Beefs from the local doughnut shop.  I doubt that will work.
But for now, my loyal few, I must rest.  For tomorrow, I must sew, and have lunch with a friend, and buy ballet tights, and do swimming lessons, and dance class....Oh my, when will I sew??

What's Up??

I have been on a blog hiatus.  It is not by design, just by being busy.
So, here is a sample of things that have been going on with me.....

1) Lindsay got Trailblazer award at her school.  It can be given for lots of reasons, but hers was that she is a hard worker.  I was extremely proud that she displays that characteristic at school.  In fact, she must use up her work ethic there, because here....I will stop and focus on the fact that she is doing a great job out in the world!

2) George graduated preschool.  I am glad it will be 13 years until he puts one of these on again.  It makes me want to cry.  

3) George had his adenoids out.   He and Elvis were brave little bears.  Here they are before surgery.

He did pretty well, but did not bounce back from the anesthesia.  I got him home and back in bed and my husband came to me and said, "Where's George?"  "In his bed" was my reply.  When my husband said, "Nope", I panicked and went on a search.  He had climbed out of bed and was asleep in his bean bag.  I have never seen him do this.

4) I am working on making juice bag bags for Lindsay's class.  I have 2 1/2 done and 15 1/2 to go before May 31.  I got this.......

5) I am also working on a quilt for her teacher.  It has some work to be done, but it will get there.

6) I mopped my floor today.  The dog came dashing through the kitchen and hid in her kennel.  She put herself in time out, but I couldn't figure out why she put herself in time out.  Well, I went to print something and I stepped in it.  But I didn't know it yet.  I walked around for a while before George said, "Jessie poohed on the floor and she has some thing hanging out of her butt!"  Only then did I see it was on my shoe and I was tracking it all over the kitchen and entry hall.  Fantastic.

7) I cannot bowl in a skirt.  We signed up for kids bowl free, so George and I have been getting some games in before school lets out and it is crazy.  One day, we were in the zone.  We each got over 100 in all of our games.  Today, we were not in the zone.  I think I was having mental issues about fearing showing my backside to the bowling alley because I was wearing a skirt.  That and there was a birthday party and the moms, not the kids, were screaming like someone got a Grammy every time a kid rolled a ball.  And by rolled, I mean recklessly tossed, not always in a forward direction.   I even saw a kid bounce, YES, BOUNCE A BOWLING BALL!  over the bumper into the next lane's gutter.  And people loudly cheered the, umm, accomplishment?!   George even said, "That's annoying."

8) I made some awesome water bottles today for George and his teachers.  My friend Corrie bought a fancy machine that cuts all kinds of stuff and this is what I created with its assistance.   Thanks for sharing your awesome toy!

9) I made Pioneer Woman Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner.  I add some Montreal Steak Seasoning to my meatballs, but otherwise follow the recipe exactly. YUM!

10) I am tired, but I cannot sleep. I fear that George might have Scarlet Fever.  I know this is not the 1800's and I can get him medicine in the morning, but I feel compelled to keep checking him and stress about which doctor to go see tomorrow.  The one who did the adenoid surgery or the pediatrician?!?   And I feel bad that he will quite likely miss his last day of preschool.

So, there it is in a nutshell.  I think I will try to sleep now.

Sometimes I forget....

Sometimes I forget.....

1)  How much I like music!  I went to a Sip and Doodle paint place last night and she played great music that either brought back memories or just made me feel good.  Today, my husband left the iPod running and I have had a wonderful soundtrack to make my afternoon more awesome.

2)  That having clean kitchen counters really does make me happy.

3) How wonderful a manicure is.  I just feel like a lady when I have perfectly polished nails.  Maybe it is because I look at my hands and think of the scene in Gone With the Wind when Rhett demands to look at Scarlet's hands.  He knows by her hands that she has been working the farm and that it is her hands, not her fancy dress that tell the tale.

4) How much I like a lazy Saturday.   Baseball was a rain out today and it left us with a day wide open.   It has been awesome!

5) My brother's birthday.  It is the same day as my Dad's and I completely forgot to call him.  Sorry little bro.  I am slowly losing it.

6)  How much I love champagne.   Not sure if we call this an honest mistake or a self fulfilling prophecy.

7) That working up a good sweat is a good thing.  My goodness, I have gotten LAZY lately.

8) Sometimes the trouble of getting all dressed (or packed) to go somewhere is worth it.

9)  I really do look much much better if I blow dry my hair....lazy again.

10) I really enjoy writing and blogging even when it is painfully apparent that I have nothing to say!