closed

i closed down my xanga site today.
i know it will just be a matter of adjusting for a few weeks and then this blog will feel like home.
there were so many people who couldn't understand leaving xanga altogether.
i guess those are the kind of people who like to keep a car for 20 years or more.
i kinda get tired of my car around the ten year mark and yearn for something new.
so if i only do that with blogs and cars i think i'll be okay

downeast maine has been a bit cloudy and a bit showery the past few days with highs in the low 70's.
today feels to be a bit more warm and humid, forecast is for sun/clouds/showers/80's.

my daughter in love, sarah, went for her first ultrasound yesterday and all is well. due date is 2nd half of february, but with ethan she was 2 weeks early.

that makes all three girls expecting at the same time.  just the thought of that is exhausting to me. but i am over the moon and ready to take on the challenge of being bubby to five bundles of joy!  i am as hands-on a grandma as i can be without actually moving in with them all!!! 

that means a lot of money on gas (thankfully they all live within a couple miles of each other and thats just 14 miles away) 

and a lot of time spent in the car (my best praise time is in the car ,by the way, listening to k-love radio)

and a lot of time cleaning (because i'm ocd and can't help myself, and they don't mind, so i've just decided to go with it)

honestly though, we are only 2 years new to this empty nest thing and i've got to find the time to devote more to my relationship with jeff (30 years and going strong)  or we stand to get lost in grandchildren the same way we lost ourselves in the kids while they were growing up.  definitely going to work on that!!!

*working through Hosea in my bible study.  really random, relevant stuff there!
*cooking-planning lots of yummy stuff for ethans party on saturday--i'll share when i do a birthday post
*crafting--taking a little break this week between doing for ethans party and starting for joeys 2nd and julie's baby shower.
*cleaning--with the weather flip flopping we were getting some ants in the house. especially during the real hot weather last week, so i deep cleaned the floor and cabinets and sprayed in a few spots. now they are gone.  ants are just a reminder to keep a cleaner house.

blessings from downeast maine!!!!

cooking

luncheon salad bar:  basic veggie salad with romaine lettuce, shredded or sliced carrots, sliced red pepper, sliced radishes, and sliced sweet onion.

in small bowls arranged on a platter: dry cranberries, sunflower seeds, pecans, bacon bits, black beans, shredded cheese, french fried onions, cooked chicken breast cut or sliced and hard boiled eggs

have an assortment of salad dressings

fruit platter of whatever is in season or on sale at the market.

cleaning/organizing

price book: i've been working on compiling a rough price book that i hope to make into a nice permanent one.

i took a plain composition notebook and decorated the cover and made quick category dividers. when i make a permanent one these may change. the categories vary from dairy to veggies, to automotive, etc...

each time i shop i slip my receipt into the book and then here and there when i have time i enter each item. store name, item, size, price, price per oz. or lb, etc.

then when i shop i can take it with me so i can compare prices and make wiser choices.

i put my name and phone # inside the front cover.

crafting

a local store called marden's surplus and salvage has a large fabric dept. i found elephant print baby quilt panels and fabric there. i purchased both the pink and the blue. i'm working on completing them both and when my son and daughter in law find out whether the baby is boy or girl i will give them the appropriate one and hang on to the other.

planning

finishing the quilts
continuing to organize and purge paperwork
begin to work on projects for the boys birthdays coming up this summer

praying

praying for my xanga friends. some i've been online friends with for a very long time. some are new friends.  it's a wonderful community of people and i'm thankful for them.

cooking

pasta & squash:
acorn squash-cook and mash with butter and garlicky seasoning.  tri-color pasta--cook and then mix squash mixture in. done!   i thought it was good and healthy & jeff did not say "please don't make that again!"

cheeseburger casserole: 
ground beef, 1 med.to large onion.--cook together in a fry pan take off  heat. add ketchup and a bit of mustard--enough to make it nice and moist.
 put in an 8x8 pan, cover with american cheese slices, cover that with crescent roll dough. i just laid the squares out to cover and then pressed edges together. you can brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them.
 cook at 350 for as long as it takes for it to be a bit bubbly and the top to be cooked and light brown.

lemon squares: 
1 box of angel food cake mix (the one-step kind) & 1 can of lemon pie filling.
mix them together and put in a 9 x 13 pan that you have sprayed.  350 until it looks
done. it's about the same as any cake. every oven is different, so keep checking.
nice and moist and low calorie.  you can put whipped topping on for an added treat!
you can change up the flavor by using any other pie filling.
 (btw-by one step i mean the kind that you just add water to.)

crafting

ethan's curtain

done and hung!

 

converted a couple pair of pants to shorts

 

cleaning/organizing

i've been going through saved bills and papers and shredding (haven't done it in a couple years)

planning

quilt for joe & bugs room--need to get the quilt batting and backer and edging
scrapbook for D & J--need to put pics in a folder and order online
make a project list for birthday parties

praying

praise for an unspoken $ issue & for our upcoming sunday school stint being switched to ART!!!
continued prayers for our country and unsaved family.

cooking

sunday family dinner

 meatball hoagies with sauteed peppers and onions, veggie salad, strawberries,  cantaloupe, & grapes
wild maine blueberry crisp with vanilla & coffee ice cream

i used the premade meatballs and torpedo (hoagie) rolls. i defrosted the meatballs in the microwave and then put them in a pot of jar sauce to heat up.  right before serving, i filled each rolls with meatballs, some sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. i lined them up in a casserole dish and popped them in the oven to melt the cheese and crisp the roll a bit.  oh, and i gave it a shake of parmesan cheese too.  i sauteed the peppers and onions and served them on the side.

cleaning/organizing

no major projects this week.  i think i need to make writing a list of things i need to do.  i'm a terrible procrastinator.

crafting

i finished my daughter & son in law's wedding scrapbooks.  4 books.  it took me 2 months of working on it as much as i could.  i'm glad its done


i also just finished sewing a curtain for ethan's room

planning

i will be starting another scrapbook--this one for someone we went on vacation with this winter.
i will begin to assemble the pics for grandson ethans scrapbook

i have a panel i want to quilt for the new baby/joey's room

i need to shorten 2 pants into shorts for my son

i need to go through old papers & receipts and reorganize

praying

my country, especially those affected by the terror attack in boston.

* i wanted to do this blog as a weekly overview of those things in my life that fall into "homekeeping" it is hard to stay focused. i have to try harder this week.

 

 

 

 

what i'm cooking

coconut fruit dip

8 oz. cool whip
8 oz. cream cheese
cream of coconut (in the liquor aisle)

cream the coconut and cream cheese until smooth then fold in the whip cream. soooo good!
it makes a lot, so it can be halved.
it would also make an awesome frosting

brocolli/bacon salad

2 heads fresh brocolli flowerets
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

toss these all together. then whip up

1 cup mayo
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

mix them together and top with 1 cup of cooked crumbled bacon

when i made this it went fast--everyone loved it!

what i'm cleaning/organizing

i found this idea on pinterest and so far its working out great! and it gave me extra cabinet space in my mudroom.

 

 

what i'm crafting

 

working on a scrapbook of my daughters wedding. trying to finish it this weekend. in the end it will be about 75 pages!

 

 

what i'm planning

 

i just bought a new sewing machine, so i'm planning on getting it out and mending some clothes and making a curtain for grandson ethans room.

 

 

i am also going to clean and organize my mudroom cabinets so that i don't have to struggle to find what i need. i'd also like it to look less cluttered in there.

 

what i'm praying for

 

my country to turn back to God.

unsaved family members

my families health and safety and prosperity

 

 

what i'm thankful for

 

answered prayers: 

 

ethans tear duct finally opened up at 8 1/2 months, right before he was to go get it checked out and possibly worked on.

 

son in law ben going back to work after a winter layoff (he works in a quarry) last week they weren't sure when they would have the financing and this week they called him to start back on monday.

 

i'm thankful for God's love and provision in my life and the lives of my family.