Special Day for a Special Niece

Today my family had the privilege of attending my newest niece's baptism.  She behaved beautifully and didn't make a sound when the pastor put the baptismal water on her head.

She looked beautiful.  I am so glad that her parents wanted to baptize her in the christening dress the I made for her older sister. 

It fit her perfectly, much to her mother's relief. 

Her Grammy thought she looked beautiful too.

This Is What Saturday Morning Looks Like At Our House

Why don't you see the boy child in this picture?  Because he is 15.  He is still upstairs.  Asleep.  Until we drag him out of bed.  (Can't say that I blame him.  Sleeping in rocks!)

Remembering Challenger

This is one of those "do you remember where you were" kind of days.  Twenty-five years ago today the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded 73 seconds into its flight causing the death of all seven crew members, including the first teacher to travel to space, Christa McAuliffe.  It was a sad for us all and a reminder that there is risk involved in space exploration. 

My father was a solid rocket motor propulsion engineer for NASA and his job became very complicated after this explosion.  In short order he was assigned to a investigative committee and spent the next three or four months in Sunnyvale, California. 

I remember the day of the explosion.  During my last year of nursing school I took a community health rotation.  On this particular day I was at a clinic as part of this class.  At the time of the launch we had gathered in the waiting room of the clinic to watch on the TV.  At that time the launches were televised on every channel and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.  I was so proud of my father and all of the multitude of others that helped to get that enormously complicated machine off the launch pad and hurling toward space.  That pride was quickly replaced with horror as that beautiful and patriotic moment turned tragic as the shuttle just dissapeared in a huge plume of smoke. 

I haven't been able to watch another launch without thinking of this day. 

*This picture was downloaded from a Google image search.

New Heirlooms

I made this christening dress a few years back for the baptism of my niece Elisabeth Camille.  She is now three and we have a new baby in the family to baptize.  On Sunday my niece Jamie Lyn (Jae) will be baptized.  I am honored to have something I made involved in the baptism. 

I had intended (you know what they say about good intentions) to embroider Elisabeth's name and birthdate just above the hem detail in the back.  Now, let's just say that I have twice as much embroidery to do. 

I'll get around to it sometime before the next generation starts having kiddos. 

Planned Overs

I love it when I can manage to squeeze a few meals out of one.  I picked up one of those yummy rotisserie chickens at Costco a few days ago.  We enjoyed half of it with sweet potatoes and salad.  The other half got turned into creamy chicken pasta (daughter's favorite) that I served with roasted brussel sprouts and salad.  After dinner we have enough leftover for another meal.  Yea! 

BTW, if you haven't tried brussel sprouts in a while give them another shot.  Remember that they start off sweet and get more bitter as you cook them.  So - hot and fast is the key.  I baked a few slices of bacon on a baking sheet.  Removed the bacon, added the halves sprouts and tossed them on the pan with the bacon fat, salted lightly, and then baked in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  They are still slightly firm, a little browned around the edges and really tasty.  Topped them with the crumbled bacon.  I love them!  Heck, I love them cold out of the refrigerator when I want a snack.

School Spirit

Daughter once again had to cheer for a late game.  She was amazingly chipper for someone who had been going for 15 hours. 

Son has also gotten very comfortable hunting for outlets so that he can work on homework during the games too. 

 

 Notice anything out of whack about this scoreboard?

Goodnight all.  I am tired and I didn't even do homework and cheer for a basketball game. 

Cornice Board Project

I have been on a quest to collect wine bottle labels for about three years.  I have helped to empty a few bottles, I have asked friends to save bottles, I have even asked to take home an empty bottle from restaurants if it has a label that I haven't already collected.  I have gotten such a reputation that I have had friends who will leave boxes of bottles on my driveway.  Some people take home leftovers from parties, I take a bag of empty bottles. 

I started the quest when I got the idea to make a cornice board and cover it with the labels for my kitchen window.  Since I have a double window in the kitchen I was going to need gobs of labels to cover that much real estate. 

I really love the variety of artwork that is found on labels.  I also love the clever, snarky, or downright funny names of some wines.  If you stand and stare at my cornice long enough you are going to see the full gammit of labels here.  From a label from a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne that we received as a wedding gift and drank with our parents the night we brought our first baby home to some low brow labels from some tacky, classless friends. (You know who you are!)

 I am still collecting them (feel free to leave boxes of bottles on my driveway) and have also started collecting different tea labels and chocolate labels.  I am thinking that I might just make cornices for a couple other windows.  A girl needs a hobby, right?

Love Hand-Me-Downs

My husband and I had just talked about the need to get son a new sport coat.  His current one, which is just a year old, is laughably small now.  His wrists are showing and the body of the suit is several inches too short.  He is growing so fast right now.  A generous friend offered me three sportcoats that she was getting rid of. One sportcoat fit son well and the other two I am guessing will fit him in about 10 days at the rate he is growing. 

I love hand-me-downs - especially for growing children.  I remember seeing the same dresses and coats show up in different families at church over the years as they were passed from one family to the next.  I don't think it is cheap - I think it is frugal and rather sweet.  The clothes that you loved seeing on your children get new use for another family. 

I just can't figure out who gave this kid his goofy streak.  



Need Some Spice In My Life?

I drove Miss Daisy (Mom) to Sam's today.  I picked up a few things that we needed and realized when I got home that I must be craving a little more zip in my food.  Whatcha think?

Boredom +Ebay = Not Good!

After Christmas I had some minor foot surgery.  Nothing to write home about, just enough surgery to keep me down with my foot propped up for a couple of weeks.  This was dangerous.  You see, I spent my time playing around on Ebay.  I searched for my grandmother's china, which I inherited after her death, and found lots of it.  I have always loved it but never had enough of it to really be able to use it.  That is the situation no longer!  I found several sellers who I have to believe didn't know what they had!  I managed to aquire 8 more place settings, extra salad plates, service pieces - all for a small fraction of what Replacements, Ltd. wanted! 

It is really pretty and feminine.  I can imagine Allison's Juniorette club over for a tea.  I can imagine having a girlfriend's lunch and using this pretty china.  It would set a beautiful Easter table.  I just can't wait to use it! 

I can't afford to have any more surgery.  With all of the co-pays and the Ebays it is way too expensive.  :)

My Cheerleader

Daughter loves being a cheerleader at her school.  The girls aren't necessarily the most polished squad but they have great school spirit. 

 This is how I usually spend my time when we have home games. 

Hey, it beats getting bleacher butt, right?

Plant Slayer!

Over the holidays I received two very lovely poinsettia plants as hostess gifts.  Little did my well-meaning friends know that they had commited a travesty in the plant world.  They were sentencing these innocent, colorful specimens to certain death.  I am known far and wide as a plant slayer.  Nothing escapes my cholorophyl-strangling grasp. 

Well, that was until these lovelies came along.  These things just won't die!  They love the filtered light and cooler temps in my laundry room.  They don't mind sharing the space with our dog and all of our coats and shoes. 

At this rate I think I am going to have to start calling them my Valentine's poinsettias. 

Bruce!

In my opinion there isn't too much that is sexier than my husband loading the dishwasher. 

Just saying...

Dear Snow - Time For You To Go!

I am amazed that after 5 days we have so much snow left!  We have lots of ice left on our neighborhood roads - although the kids and I were able to make our way out of the 'hood today.  The kids were out of school yet again - a full week of weather days. 

The sunshine and above-freezing temps (33 degrees!  Woop!)  make the ice a little slushier but it is freezing back slicker than ever.  Hopefully the higher temps and rain that we are forcasted to get this weekend will help this snow melt on into our wintertime memories. 

Peaches will run around for a short time but then comes inside and hunkers down in her bed to warm up. 

She is ready to be able to chase squirrels and harrass birds without freezing her belly and toes.  

There's Been A Beheading!

On Monday morning when we woke up to a glorious snowfall we spent the morning in the yard creating our likenesses in snow.  I know that using the greenery for hair makes for pretty wild hair - but trust me, you have never seen our hair in the morning. 

This morning we woke up to a masacre in our front yard.  During the night someone knocked the heads off of all of our snowmen.  Kinda hate this because we rather liked them.  Son will be heading out in a while to set a head or two back on. 

Who would want to knock the head off this hip snowgirl?

Bullseye!

I have no doubt that this year's Christmas gifts were a direct hit.  The NookColors that we got for them have been in almost constant use.  

Good thing that the kids like them because we put most of our eggs in one basket.  When their aunts/uncles/grandparents asked what the kids wanted I encouraged Barnes and Noble cards.  I knew that the first thing they would want to do is start downloading ebooks.   

I have seen the backs of my kid's heads alot lately.  I love that the love to read.  Makes a momma proud. 

They Grow Up So Fast!

While we were out this morning playing in the snow I remembered another time that we got a good snowfall.  The punks had a blast playing in the snow and I snapped a cute picture of them that day.  Here it is:

I took another picture of them today in approximately the same place.  They have changed just a tiny bit.  Where does the time go?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

There is some serious gorgeousness happening outside right now people!  Woot!  I put my shoes back on, slapped my camera onto a tripod and went outside to snap a couple of pics. 

After all of the wind we have had over the last day or two while this front makes its way into our lives, it is now amazingly quiet outside.  It is so quiet you can hear the snow as it touches down on the leaves and branches.  All is calm, all is bright. 

Can't wait to see how it will all look in the morning!

Patient Peaches

Amy, this one's for you.  

Peaches likes hanging out with me during the day.  She shadows me pretty closely, moving room to room with me, plopping down on the floor until I am on the move again.  But Peaches loves hanging out with her littermates, er, younger masters.  She is sitting here, patiently waiting for them to finish their homework so she can have her time with them.  She lives for her play time with them.  She is the best dog (and sometimes my most well-behaved child.)

She's a keeper.  

Blankets of Love

Tonight I had the priviledge of meeting with my fellow GFWC Legacy ladies.  And our service club ladies had the priviledge of hosting our Juniorette club.  We teamed up with these young ladies to make child-sized fleece blankets to be donated to Operation Smile.  It is impressive just how much can be accomplished in a short time when you are enjoying yourself while completing a task.  I believe I can say that a good time was had by all. 

BTW, I know this is a "photo-a-day" challenge, not a "photo-album-a-day" challenge but, hey, what the heck.