Simple Sunday ~ Can You Believe It?!

My little special man is 6 months old today -- this is him at Gigi's house yesterday all determined to be a crawler -- he ALMOST  has it. Watch out :)

HAPPY 1/2 BIRTHDAY Baby Boy -- LOVE you to the moon and back -- to infinity and beyond!!

Joining Elaine at her Sunny Simple Sunday!

Don't forget to get entered in for the Quail Ridge Press Cookbook Giveaway!!

Easter Greetings!

Taking a break from all the preparations for tomorrow and wanted to spend a few moments to send a greeting and wish you all a blessed day as we reflect on the GIFT of Jesus and his love.

I will be hosting my family -- the kids and grandbaby and son's girlfriend's 2 little boys -- for an early dinner tomorrow. The menu is all planned, shopping is finished and most of the do-ahead work is done. The lilacs are early this year and I got out and cut tons of them to decorate the table with -- oh, how I LOVE the lilacs! There will also be eggs - lots of eggs and little boys for finding them. The menu includes Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin, Twice-Baked Cauliflower & Hash Brown Casserole (for the carb eaters), Strawberry Spinach Salad and my homemade rolls. Desserts will be both the Strawberry Cups I posted on Friday and Angel Food Cake and Strawberries w/Whipped Cream.

Beautiful Daughter #1 and Grandson Gabe at the Egg Hunt her work does for the staff and resident's children.

A Wee Bit O'Irish Luck

St. Paddy's Greetings!

For the first time in years, I had no plans to make a big dinner on St. Patrick's. Afterall, the kids are all out on their own and I had to work this morning. No one mentioned wanting to do anything and really, I thought I was pretty fine with that. Until this morning,on my way to work I thought about our usual celebration and it made me a little sad to think that it wasn't going to be this year. Things change -- change is good.

Then I got a text message from #1 daughter -- *Are you making St Paddy's food?*. My response was I didn't really plan too -- PULEEEEEZE!! She must have texted #2 son because he called within minutes asking what I wanted him to do for the dinner. Then #2 daughter chimed in that we NEEDED to do St. Paddy's. So as soon as I was able to get out of work, I stopped at the grocery store and loaded my cart full of the usuals -- corned beef, red potatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbages and the makings for soda bread. Change is good but so is tradition....this is one I enjoy very much.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

HAPPY Birthday to a SPECIAL Man in my Life!!

Dad & Mom on their 50th Anniversary 2010

I have a few very special men in my life -- 2 wonderful sons, my new grandson and my #1 man, my Daddy! Today he celebrates his 70th-something birthday. He has been such a rock to me and my family -- THANKS Dad, for all you've loved us through! I cannot wait to see you in May -- can you believe he is going to RUN a 10K race with my youngest sister and I?

On this day...

I became a mom for the third time. I am not quite sure where the last 19 years have gone but gone they have. Happy Birthday Son -- I am incredibly proud of the young man you have become. This last year has brought much growth for you - I look forward to what the Lord has for you in the next year. I am VERY blessed to be your Mom!

10 Things I LOVE About Winter!

Okay, remember way back at the beginning of Fall, I posted my 10 Things I LOVE About Fall list? That was so easy for me to come up with off the top of my head -- I truly do love fall. BUT I felt a little convicted - after all, I am to find joy in all circumstances (in Philippians, Paul exhorts his readers to be joyful 16 times)...that means EVEN winter. I don't hate winter, but having been raised in San Diego, winter on the Nebraska prairie tends to still scare me -- especially the driving in it part, lol. Then there is the whole TAX SEASON thing -- those things aside, I was able (with some thought, lol) to come up with my list for winter.

1. Snow – okay, I am not talking about driving in it or even shoveling it, but there is something very quiet and serene about snow. For that reason, I love it.


2. Hot Beverages – Yes, coffee is an important one and I am LOVING Gingerbread K-Cups but also hot tea, hot cider, cocoa – YUM – a warm-up in a cup!

3. Soup – The poster-dish of all comfort foods! The entire process of soup is warming – the simmering, the sipping.......


4. Quilts - Not just having them stacked for covering with, but having the quilt frame up and hand-quilting away the long, house-bound days.

5. Books - No guilt that I should be weeding or mowing or some other productive activity...that is why I am a winter reader more than any other season. I can lose myself in a novel guilt-free. My favorite indulgence -- reading in bed - under the warm quilts! Here is my PINTREST Winter Reading List. Anything else you want to recommend to me?

6. Seed Catalogs - Oh, the fun to see them in my mailbox and to dream about what I will plan and plant when spring finally arrives.


7. Flannel Jammies - I do, I do - I LOVE snuggling into a well worn (softened) pair of flannel jammies! (Not a fan of flannel sheets though -- jammies are my limit, lol).
8. The string of holidays that winter brings - Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day and finally St. Paddy's Day - not to mention the birthdays -- youngest sister, youngest son, my dear daddy and now grandbaby will be joining that club. LOTS to celebrate!

9. Cardinal sightings -- when the world has turned to black and white the streak of scarlet is so easy to see. I love the little red boys and although the one who lives in my area is around year-round, it is in the winter months that I see him the most.

10. A new year - that new-again feeling of January - fresh starts and resolutions -- LOVE it all!


Okay, now it is YOUR turn -- I'd love to see your 10 Things I LOVE About Winter list! HAPPY first day of winter!!

Baby, Baby, Baby ~ My Favorite Baby Gift to Make & Take!

Fair warning here. We are getting close to the time when our new little family member will be making his appearance -- I've done really well at sitting on my hands BUT you might want to know that baby posts are a coming :)

Have you ever noticed that babies kind of arrive in clusters? Some sweet friends from church just had baby girl #3 a couple weeks ago. Daughter was 1 of 3 pregnant at work - one baby born recently and another to be born about 6 weeks after daughter's. One of daughter's besties is having a baby due the week before her (a baby girl named Lydia -- our baby boy's first girlfriend, lol) and a niece is also expecting in the same time frame (another baby boy). Nothing like having babies around.


I tend to make and take the same gift to every shower or every first visit to a new baby. I recently finished the one I am sending to niece's baby and I thought I'd share it with you.

I use 2 1-1/4 yard lengths of flannel. Matching is fine but not matching is better. Right-sides together, stitch the 2 pieces together, leaving an opening of about 6-inches for turning. Trim corners to 1/4-inch of stitching. Turn right-sides out and top-stitch around perimeter of blanket, closing the opening you previously left for turning. Now you are ready to crochet your edging on.


Forevah I have used the same pattern book for my edgings BUT you can find tons of patterns available on the internet. I used #29 for this particular blanket.




I am very happy with the end result of this one. This baby will live in a very cold part of the country so that double thickness will be super warm. If for a summer baby, I have also used just a single-thickness and simply hemmed the raw edges before attaching my thread and crocheting.

Now that is complete and ready to tuck into the mail this next week, I have another one to start....


sshhhh...don't tell - this one is for grandbaby!

Posting to Susan's Metamorphosis Monday at BNOTP!

Going Green

I'm joining in the FUN at the wee Kathleen's for her 3rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Crawl. Be sure to visit and see all the creative St Paddy's Day celebrations.

I decided to keep my table very, very simple -- afterall, I am a simple girl with simple tastes. I also purposed to shop my house and come up with all the elements without spending anything -- I think I was able to do both pretty well.

When I think of all things Irish - the things that immediately come to my mind are Irish Lace, Irish Crystal and Belleek China. I own none of these things - but I found elements for my table that remind me of all three.

I started with a tablecloth I picked up Kmart last fall. It is from their Country Living line and I was able to score this beauty for a mere $6.00. While not actual lace, I love the lacy motif and the burlap looking background. Very attractive to me.
Next, I set the table with my favorite everyday dishes - French Countryside by Mikasa. Today though, I will refer to them as Irish Countryside. Is there anything more attractive than a beautiful set of white dishes? Simply stunning!!
I didn't like any of my napkins for this table so I dug into my fabric stash and came up with some lovely greens for 4 mismatched napkins -- I like mismatched!

A vintage shamrock shaped pickle dish will serve as a salad plate - I love these and over the years have collected a total of 6 of them.
Some sweet candle holders found last year at the thrifty stores. I both remembered that I bought them AND where I had stashed them, lol. They are perfect for this table.
One of my favorite African Violets as a centerpiece.
No Waterford on this table but I am using my favorite Dollar Tree goblets.
Vintage silverplate Calvalcade is the pattern name - I use these a lot.









Thank you for stopping by! I'll also be linking up to Susan's Tablescape Thursday!