Saturday, January 22, 2011

soo many projects, so little time

you can find the tutorial for this at Jones Design Co, Emily is amazing

I was off for 3 weeks for Christmas break. Every time I am on vacation, my creative juices start flowing....I feel inspired to do so many projects but the minute work starts up again...fizzle...my projects get put on the backburner. Sometimes I just have enough time to get home..cook dinner..eat dinner...clean up after dinner...finish homework with my boys....clean some more...you get the picture.

 This year, I am determined and motivated to complete more projects{with the help of hubby}.

 Here are a few that are on  my list:


you can find the tutorial for this at Jones Design Co, Emily is amazing

I have two chairs and a desk that I want to refurbish.......hopefully soon..

 I want to try to make these for my barstools on my kitchen island..
looking forward to sewing and learning how to slipcover a chair...soo exciting!


Miss Mustard Seed has a tutorial on how to make these.
 She inspires me to use power tools...maybe?
 Click here to read how.


I have hubby working on a framed chalkboard like the one you see here.
 I think it will look good in my dining room.

 

Grace and peace to you {energy to me}.

cookies

I felt the urge to bake tonight and was encouraged to do soo by my ever so supportive hubby {he has a major sweet tooth}. I baked oatmeal cookies, to be exact they are called Vanishing Oatmeal cookies. I used the recipe on the Quaker oats lid and it is delish! I like to add cranberries, raisins, walnuts to the recipe to give the cookies more texture. I'd like to think it makes them healthier...but hey..you don't bake cookies if you are trying to be healthy. I make sure to share with my sis or co-workers so we don't eat them all {though I could ...easily}



Time to enjoy........Grace and peace to you.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

My Garden Friends

Here are a few of my garden friends. I took some pictures of my garden even though it does not look great at this time of year. I have a 3 day weekend so I am going to take advantage and  prune some of my roses {hopefully I will get to all of them} so I can get wonderful blooms this year.
Enjoy some of my garden menagerie friends... I love a touch of whimsy.
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Mr. Hedgy, he is just visiting my garden. He will soon reside @ Forest Lawn at my nephew Christopher’s gravesite.  I know he will love him, I already do!
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Mr. Owl, lately I have been diggin owls of all kinds. I found him at one of my favorite five: Home Goods, luv that place!
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Mr. Bunny, he’s been living in my garden for many years. He was the first of my menagerie{as my hubby calls it}. I just love him- the bunny, and hubby too!
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isn’t he adorable. When the gerbera daisies grow, it  looks like he is gazing at them.
All my friends keep me company when I am gardening. I love looking at them.
Hope you enjoyed them too.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Indiana jones party food

My little one is home sick with a fever today which allowed me some time to do a bit more research on the party.{ He's taking a nap}.

After consulting with my son he told me he didn't want the snake cake but instead wanted this:

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The snake cake looked easy to make but hey, I'm up for a creative challenge. I consulted with my friend Sam who is awesome at making cakes among other things and she gave me some pointers.  Now to find the basketball cake rounds....


 I've been busy searching for the web for ideas on which food to serve. These are pretty fun.

Indiana Jones Party Food Ideas:
Monkey Brain (meatballs and pasta)
 or Indy Snake lo mein in these


Butterfly Wings (potato chips)
Worms (gummy worms)
Beetles (chocolate-covered raisins)
Alligator Eyes (grapes)
Cheese & Crackers
Ice Cream sandwiches

Jungle Poison (raspberry lemonade) in coconut cups and have the kids take "poison antidotes" (colorful M&Ms) right after having the drink.

Decisions, decisions. I'm off to take care of my little one...have a blessed day.
Maggie

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Indiana Jones Birthday Party




My son is turning 8 and he has requested to have an Indiana Jones themed birthday party. The past 3 years we have had his party at a jumping place with huge inflatable bouncers. Birthday parties are soo much fun and a time to connect with family  and friends that you may not see as often as you'd like. This year I wanted to do something different. It is challenging to plan a party in January with the weather but I decided to do it anyway. I hope mother nature cooperates.

I have been searching the web for ideas here are a few that I found. I love planning parties, {that may be the teacher in me}.

I found this cute snake cake that I am going to make.

Slippery Snake Cake

I think I will set up a camp with  a tent in the backyard so the kids can romp around and have fun being explorers.

We'll play find the Holy Grail. How fun.



 Well I'm off to do more research.... and hubby made me breakfast today...mouthwatering pancakes! yum.

Have a blessed day!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Albondiga Soup

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Albondiga {Mexican meatball} Soup is one of my families favorite. It is my hubby’s all time favorite. I must confess that i love making soup, a soup-a-holic if you may. This is what we had for dinner today.
Here are the ingredients:
yerbabuena {fresh mint}, garlic, masa fina, evoo, caldo de pollo {Knorr chicken bouillon}, organic tomato sauce, organic chicken stock, lean ground beef, secret ingredient: A-1 sauce, 1 egg, rice, salt,  and pepper.
&  lots of veggies: Mexican calabacitas, chayote squash, potatoes, onions, celery, baby carrots, cabbage.
DSC058721. Sauté in olive oil  2 chopped celery stalks, 1/2 onion chopped, 1 minced garlic clove, and baby carrots (about 2 cups). I like to use the baby carrots because they are sweeter and I don’t need to chop them. Sauté until they onions are transparent?
2. add 3 quarts of organic chicken stock, 2 cans of tomato sauce ,I like my soup very tomato-ie,  don’t know if that’s a word, and 2 tsp of caldo de pollo- this depends on your taste, you could use more or less. Bring broth to a boil on medium to high heat.
DSC05880 3. to make the albondigas:
to 3 lbs of lean ground beef add finely chopped fresh mint ,about two heaping tablespoons. 2 cloves of garlic finely minced, 1/2 white onion finely chopped,  a handful of rice {yes a handful, sorry, I didn’t measure}  an egg, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper.

DSC058834. Add the masa in chunks. {You can buy masa at a market where they make tortillas, you only need a bit, if you can’t find it you can omit it.} add 3 tbsp of  A-1 sauce, my secret ingredient. Traditionally you don’t use this but I like the flavor it gives the albondigas.


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5. mix ingredients with your hands until combinedDSC05887
6. roll the mixture  to make a ball a bit smaller than a golf ball and drop them into the boiling broth mixture.  I started to count how many albondigas the mixture yielded but I got distracted{the story of my life} and lost count. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer.DSC05893
7. While the albondigas are cooking, cube 2 large  white potatoes and  1 chayote squash, add it to the soup, continue to cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and the rice in the albondigas is cooked.
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8. cube  2 medium calabacitas and add it to the soup. These are Mexican calabacitas, they are squash and if you can’t find them at your grocery store you can substitute and use zucchini squash.DSC05902

continue to simmer at low heat for another 5 minutes. until the calabacitas are soft.
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9.Serve and top with thinly shredded cabbage, optional, but i love it this way . Add lime {i use Mexican limes} and red pepper flakes for some kick if you like chile. I do!
Enjoy, we did! Let me know if you like the recipe.
Almost forgot, makes about 8 big servings, enough for leftovers.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Inspiration

I just love the colors used in this playroom. I especially love, love, love the reading wall.

I am sooo wanting a playroom now.
I found this image via The Lettered Cottage post on Favorite Room Re-Do's,  it is from Whatever, now one of my many favorites.

I continue to be inspired and amazed at the creativity I have discovered in blogland. WOW!

Being that I am new to this blog world. I have not yet figured out how to post pictures or link up....pictures soon to follow....I hope! Edit: yay, I figured it out, turns out it is easier to do on the desktop than on my Ipad.

 Here is another favorite
you could find it here

I asked my hubby if he could make me one and he said yes,gotta love him!

I am off to make dinner for my hungry boys, albondiga soup- hubby's favorite.
Maybe I'll do a post on it, later.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Restoration, Life & Purpose



January is the month when many make resolutions to change or improve. I feel God has been doing this in my life slowly. I am his work in progress.

Hebrews 12:1
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with preserverance the race marked out for us.

This was what I so needed to hear today. You see, I am teacher by career. A few years back, I even thought I wanted to take on a position as a school principal. Now I realize that this is not the path I wish to take. My heart is at home with my family....this year I am going to follow my dream and make it possible.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year 1.1.11

After more than a year of being an avid follower, I was inspired to join the blogging world and encouraged by my sister to do so. Thanks Maris. Today seemed like a good day to start my blogging adventure. After all it is a new year, a new beginning. This year I've decided to be fearless and do more. Here is where my story starts. I have a feeling this is going to be a year full of blessings. Happy New Year!
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