Family Fun Friday

I'm trying out something new, beginning on this lovely Leap Day, by trying to give some rhyme and reason to my blogging. So, today has been Family Friday -- I left work a few hours early today and volunteered with T4's girl scout troop out in front of our local grocery store selling yummy, delicious cookies (tomorrow, too). The five third-grade girls did a nice job in their two-hour time slot. Then, we were off to pick up T3 from a local bus stop and then we all drove half-hour south to have dinner with T2. Plus, we got to see T2's new Explorer and she's letting T3 borrow her old truck for a while.

We were going to eat at Red Lobster but didn't happen to think about the fact it's a Friday night. They were totally packed so we went about .5 mile away to Sizzler. Less upscale, but filling and delicious. The youngest and I just made it home but what a fun girls evening since the boys were both working.

Tune in every day this week to see what's on my new blogging schedule!

Happy Birthday, T2

Well, twenty-two years ago, I was hanging out at Sunnyside Kaiser Hospital with my newborn daughter. We had just moved into our first home the day before and my water broke just as I sat down on the couch to watch the 11 o'clock news before tumbling into our freshly made bed. I remember bursting into tears, because I was young and knew what the night ahead held before I could hold my dear baby. We had no phone service yet and it was pre-cell phones, so Mike drove to my parent's house so my mom could come as stay with our youngest so we could drive forty minutes to the hospital. It was, of course, a bit icy for our long drive, too.Some days, being a parent can still bring me to tears but I love and cherish my babies. My sincere prayer is for a restored relationship among all my children, and that they all grow up to be God-loving honorable adults. You're on your way, darling!

Apron Swap Giveaway

Flirty Apron Swap: Leap To It --- Early Registration Giveaway

Details for a great apron giveaway just posted at my Flirty Apron Swap. Register for the swap before 2/29 to be eligible to enter and follow the directions to win this:

New Networking Site - Blissfully Domestic Living

View my page on Blissfully Domestic Living


Also check out Blissfully Domestic blog - tips, articles and fun stuff.

Menu Plan Monday 2/18/08

Monday - BBQ Chicken (didn't make last week)

Tuesday - Priscilla's Sweet & Sour Pork
Wednesday - Crockpot Mac & Cheese
Thursday - Crunchy Tacos
Friday - Rosemary Merlot Steak
Saturday - Chicken and Broccoli Stirfry

Sesame Street Personality!

You Are Cookie Monster

Misunderstood as a primal monster, you're a true hedonist with a huge sweet tooth. You are usually feeling: Hungry. Cookies are preferred, but you'll eat anything if cookies aren't around. You are famous for: Your slightly crazy eyes and unusual way of speaking How you live your life: In the moment. "Me want COOKIE!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Join My Apron Swap!

Hi friends!

I must confess I have been bitten by the apron bug and have been scouring fabric stores for fabrics and the internet for free patterns. I received my Emmeline apron pattern and can't wait to make a million. To aid in my obsession and lead others down the same rocky road, I've decided to host an Apron Swap. Won't you join me? If you don't sew, you can still participate by drooling over all handmade aprons at Etsy and sending one from there. Deadline to register is March 2, mailing deadline March 31.

Come visit the swap's blog with the details: Flirty Apron and Accessory Swap

Can't participate this time? Would you mind mentioning my swap on your blog and posting the logo with a link?

Want to advertise your own Etsy store? I'm looking for sponsors for a couple of contests, so if you sell something related (aprons, kitchen items, flirty fun stuff, foodie things) consider donating an item to the swap in exchange for free advertising!

Hope you can join my madness!!!
Shawnee

Tagged!

I'm slow respond to Dorothy's tag!
7 Random Facts Meme

Here are the rules, and they must be posted to your blog.
Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).


List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!


And now, my 7 things:
1. I started getting grey hair in my early teens, and have been coloring my hair since my 20's.

2. The only natural hair color I haven't tried is black!

3. I have some sort of mental block and have never finished a knitting project, even though I've been taught how to knit several times.

4. I prefer the the way knitted garments look to crocheted garments but I only crochet. So annoying.

5. I have a horrible memory for most things. I've even called my husband from medical appointments to have him fill in blanks for me. I can't even remember the exact time of day my last baby was born and I can't find her birth announcements (which I am so ashamed of because she asked me recently and I could only say "around 1").

6. I am double-jointed and extremely flexible, even though I'm overweight.

7. On New Years Day 1999, I slipped on the ice while 8.5 months pregnant with my last baby (see #5), and did the splits in our driveway without pulling a muscle (see #6). PLUS, that was actually a good thing because the umbilical cord had been blocking my cervix and she wasn't in proper position so I had been scheduled for surgery ... the fall moved the cord and popped her into place, and I was able to carry her for another 10 days.

And now, for the tagging:

1. Sharon Rose: http://needlegrrl.blogspot.com/
2. JD: http://crochet.craftgossip.com/
3. Sheila: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-0lhWGUkic6NhEPaAYenU04zDuxRwK7gs
4. Ginny: http://flyinghooks.blogspot.com/
5. Deb: http://debsboringlife.blogspot.com/
6. Laurie: http://knitwitarmywife.blogspot.com/
7. Pooch: http://yarnknitreadlit.blogspot.com/

Happy Crafting!

Some recent purchases ...

Taking a quick break from The Biggest Loser to post....
My darling daughter and I just finished Book 1 of the Spiderwick Chronicles. It was a fast read, so I'm hopeful we'll get through the series lickety-split so we can go to the movie soon! Costco's pricing is definitely better at under $7 each than Target, who charged me $9+. I really splurged to buy these .. I have such a book fetish, which I've been taming with frequent library visits but the wait is SO LONG for new ones.


While I was at Joann's for our CGOA meeting, I bought some things including the newest Crochet! magazine. I am so disappointed that I didn't look at it more carefully before purchase -- there is not one item that I desire to make! What a bummer!! And, I don't think it's just my "funk" talking ... what do you guys think of this one?

I also found some cool handles to finally finish off my karaoke Beads, Welts and Popcorns Bag. I used crystals in the body, so here are the handles I found ... I think they're going to look really nice together since I didn't have quite enough yarn to crochet the handles as per the pattern. This bag turned out much taller and narrower than I really wanted, but I'll be happy to make it "finished". Maybe this will be a Pay It Forward??

Crochet Funk

Well, I've been in a bit of a crochet funk lately. That happened right at Christmas, too, but crafting from my Ravely queue on the Boteh Scarf seemed to help. Now, it is back. I have so many WIPs but haven't hardly touched yarn in weeks.

I especially want to finish a thank you gift for my boss at work. Her family loves lambs and this is a lime green blankie with several lamb appliques for a new grand-niece adopted from China that lives on the east. I also want to make the baby's big sister a matching lime green scarf with lambs. Of course, she also has a a grand-nephew and grand-niece that live nearby so I really should make THEM lamb goodies, too. Maybe that's why I can't get anything done -- too much! LOL!! Actually, part of it is because the blankie is made with a slow stitch pattern (sc, dc repeats, back and forth) - cute texture but b-o-r-i-n-g to crochet.

On fun news, I finally attended a chapter meeting of the local Crochet Guild. I'm a charter members and we're just one year old but I haven't made a meeting in FOREVER. I brought said green blankie to work on but forgot the plan was to assemble charity blankets from squares the chapter president made. Actually, we ended up just laying out squares in eye-pleasing color combinations and then bow-tied them together. I took home one to assemble so there's a new WIP!

Menu Plan Monday 2/11/08

Monday - Pork Loin Ragout
Tuesday - Crockpot Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Wednesday - Pork Loin Ragout Lasagna
Thursday - Valentine's BBQ Chicken
Friday - Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops
Saturday - Smorgasborg