tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26947943543282389712012-01-30T21:52:15.547-05:00Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.comBlogger1181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-83693940543169613902012-01-28T20:37:00.000-05:002012-01-28T20:37:24.819-05:00

After discussing some birthday ideas with my almost-7 year old, such as a craft party, etc, she settled on a book exchange.  We have harder times with ideas for her, since the weather here is so unpredictable in January.  She absolutely LOVES books, and goes through them very quickly.  She currently has a fixation on the Rainbow Magic books, and also still loves Magic Treehouse books (and FYI if

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-20240578506782929762012-01-26T21:08:00.000-05:002012-01-26T21:08:29.681-05:00

I grew up knowing this as Broccoli Quiche, but think there's enough veggies in this one to call it a veggie quiche.  I just love it because it's full of veggies, where many quiches are mostly egg.  I usually throw in some extra broccoli because that's just how I like it. I also grew up with Bisquick in the original recipe.  I don't use the stuff, I think it's scary, at best, and prefer to use

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-28723909028173117292012-01-24T21:42:00.000-05:002012-01-24T21:42:13.320-05:00

If you've made too much... layer your pancakes, waffles, or french toast in parchment and place them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag.  You can defrost in the microwave for a minute, then if you like them a little crispier, you can stick it in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes. Sometimes I make too much on purpose.  I love the leftovers on random mornings.  I also like to plan a special

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-26936751615751498482012-01-19T21:30:00.000-05:002012-01-19T21:30:45.116-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a short trip to Raleigh, NC.  We were going to be meeting family for dinner, but decided to spend the afternoon doing something fun with the kids.  So we decided to head to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, a free museum with many exhibits! I had heard about one of the permanent exhibits, a living conservatory, where live butterflies accompany you through the room

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-47472999890461749382012-01-15T20:59:00.000-05:002012-01-15T20:59:12.520-05:00

Just a simple plan for decorating the bar.  A tray, a picture,a terrarium, some inverted wine glasses, and candles.  All things I had in the house. Terrariums are very simple to make, I made this one in a small hurricane and inverted a chunky candle holder as the lid.  I've had this one going since last spring, and have only added a bit of water once.  If you look closely enough, you can see my

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-61689377400526447032012-01-14T22:43:00.001-05:002012-01-14T22:45:10.321-05:00

I spent just a short time outside this afternoon, right after my youngest daughter went down for her nap.  I got to see some of our 'pets' in the backyard.  I love getting up close and personal with wild birds, they are so beautiful, and I love listening to them.  As a bonus, as the sun was setting this afternoon, we spotted another beauty.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Sparrow (we

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-9797587939759868732012-01-12T20:36:00.000-05:002012-01-12T20:36:30.656-05:00

We had a nice quiet Christmas dinner at home.  I made a more formal dinner for the occasion, and made a decision to include homemade rolls on the menu.  Being that it was Christmas weekend, I wasn't able to find time for any yeast breads, so I decided to hunt down a good recipe from my collection of books. One of the books I perused was Lee Bailey's THE WAY I COOK.  It's a large collection from

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-42827359860456859932012-01-11T18:56:00.001-05:002012-01-11T18:56:00.358-05:00

This bag was given to me for Christmas.  I just wanted to share it with you because I love it.  I love how substantial it feels, how it stretches (so I can stuff it when I need to), how it safely holds a laptop... I also love the colors, they're so fun.  It is now one of my personal 'good things.'

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-90744604646548876812012-01-10T20:51:00.000-05:002012-01-10T20:51:04.007-05:00

Tonight I was working on making Cilantro Lime Pesto for my pasta dish.  The recipe was on a piece of paper.  I work on those clear cutting sheets that are very handy to have around when you don't need a full cutting board!  I realized that I could place the recipe under the cutting sheet, and keep working.  Simple, yet so easy and saves your paper recipes from splatters, wet fingers, etc.

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-30508915158569001612012-01-07T23:14:00.001-05:002012-01-07T23:17:15.237-05:00

I made over the mantel after Christmas.  I picked up a few things, and used a few things from around the house.  The glittery branches came from an after-Christmas clearance sale, and I thought the colors along with the glitter would be wintery.  The weather here has been far from wintery!  I'd love a snow day this year- complete with glittery snow, angels, and hot chocolate! Nighttime sparkles:

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-30823197413363438382012-01-05T17:36:00.001-05:002012-01-05T17:36:00.059-05:00

Photo from Country Living There is an innate desire within me to create. Hope everyone has started off the new year with wonderful things.  I'm always excited for fresh starts.  I have some wonderful things planned for sharing, so I hope you'll be back to see!  My husband painted our dining room, I redecorated the mantel for winter, a fabulous recipe and so much more to come.  Stay tuned. 

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-3485051662096378452011-12-30T18:43:00.001-05:002011-12-30T18:43:00.209-05:00

We had a dear friend come for dinner, someone I have known for many years.  I picked up some fresh cranberries and pears, and decided I would make a pie for dessert.  I made a simple olive oil pie crust.  I don't carry shortening in my house, I actually haven't bought any in maybe a decade.  The olive oil crust suits us perfectly, and tastes delicious with the sweet and tart fruit filling.

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-74338611351352101572011-12-29T17:43:00.001-05:002011-12-29T17:43:00.501-05:00

It's not often I post recipes from other websites, but if they turn out fabulous, I'm all for sharing!  We recently had brunch with my family, using someone's new Belgian waffle iron.  (I'm jealous.)  They didn't have a good waffle recipe, so I went upstairs and got on my mom's computer to do a little research. I knew they had buttermilk and wanted to use it, and so I was on a mission to find a

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-67218188990060962592011-12-23T09:18:00.001-05:002011-12-23T15:37:31.254-05:00

Last night our family read from 1 Peter 5: 1-7. We talked about what it means to be humble, what greed is, and putting others before us. Then we sat down at the table with strips of red, green and white foam (could be construction paper), a stapler and some pens. On each piece we wrote someone or a situation to be praying about. I didn't count, but based on how much I think I cut out, we

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-15269183859949011672011-12-20T20:07:00.000-05:002011-12-20T20:10:07.232-05:00

Last year we officially started the advent tradition of opening a new Christmas book and reading it to the children.  My mission was to find a book that reflected the true meaning of Christmas, and yet still captures the heart of a child. If you read my post from last year, you know that we read a great book called The King's Christmas List, which is such a heartwarming story, and presents the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-71159004141002169022011-12-19T19:51:00.000-05:002011-12-19T19:51:58.875-05:00

  My mom had a Christmas party this weekend.  There were around 50 people in her home.  There was a lot of food, so that everyone could have a 'floating' dinner.   Mom asked if I could make signs for some of the food items, so that people would not feel the need to ask what certain things were. I came up with these little bags that contain soft peppermint sticks.  I took some copper wire and

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-1948121425188984792011-12-18T22:06:00.000-05:002011-12-19T19:51:02.633-05:00

Shortbread cookies are so often overlooked by more popular cookies, but I'm here to tell you that they are near the top of my list.  Where else can you find so many cool things to do with them?  In the past I have stamped them with a cookie stamp and hand painted them with edible paints.  Also I have sprinkled them with colored sugar crystals before baking. This year I... Dipped in milk

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-23201244096836597752011-12-15T20:51:00.000-05:002011-12-15T20:51:24.102-05:00

So this is really a semi-homemade dinner, but I had to share for a few reasons.  One, I liked it a lot.  Two, my 6 year old daughter liked it so much she wanted me to make more for her LUNCHBOX (which I didn't actually do because I wasn't sure how to keep that warm).   Three, it's so easy. I know I have talked before about The Fresh Market.  I've been a fan since childhood.  My mom and I went in

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-72798231747752481042011-12-13T20:25:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:09:41.141-05:00

This past weekend was full of fun Christmas activities for us, including baking Christmas cookies and brownies.  This year we added in scripture to talk about creation, from Genesis 1, to tie in to our creations.  This year, many of our goodies will be headed to my mom's Christmas party.  I set aside all of my favorite baking recipes this year and tried some from the book Kids in the Holiday

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-21092640540298267372011-12-05T20:22:00.000-05:002011-12-05T20:22:34.423-05:00

I love homemade pizza.  Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil... Tonight I made some pizza sauce, too.  I used to buy some great pizza sauce, but I can't find it at any of the stores here locally.  So I set out to make a sauce that my family could love.  It is so easy to make, I don't know why I haven't done it sooner. This recipe makes enough sauce for 4-6 pizzas!  I was able to put 2 pints in the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-47196656261502012752011-12-02T21:02:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:11:41.219-05:00

My friend Rachel wrote a blog entry that I wanted to share.  Think about this as you are preparing for Christ's birthday.  Christmas is a time of giving, and are we giving for the right reasons?  Are we giving to the right people?  Are we following our instincts? I'm once again doing 25 days of Advent with my girls.  Our focus is on giving, not getting, at Christmas. I have changed some of it,

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-67059612250184116232011-11-29T22:46:00.000-05:002011-11-29T22:46:00.929-05:00

What to do with all of those leftovers... The weekend before Thanksgiving I made a 21-lb. turkey for my small family of 4.  I did it for several reasons. I love turkey. I bought it for $0.77/lb!  Yes, I spent about $15 on my huge turkey!  This is an incredible way to be frugal.  I bought 2 and kept one in the deep freezer for early spring. I can make it go far.  Turkey sandwiches with

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-30010717228684099762011-11-04T21:36:00.000-04:002011-11-04T21:36:00.281-04:00

I did some experimenting last weekend in the kitchen.  Turned out pretty good!  The butternut squash took on a sweet flavor that I thought was much less powerful than the traditional taste.  If I make it again, I think I'd double the parsnips, I just love their taste, and they help cut the sweetness in the broth as you're eating. I froze this in lunch sized portions.  I had some for lunch on

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-48176657313840758522011-10-30T22:01:00.000-04:002011-10-30T22:01:11.206-04:00

When your kids love to craft... and craft... and craft some more...  turn it into your decor.  These things kept popping up all over the house this week.  Coasters.  She was on fall break from school all week.  We brought her to a place where she had spent her entire summer.  They let her make stuff.  She made a lot. Needless to say, she loved my idea to display them elegantly, and I loved not

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-78037871837729432862011-10-12T20:52:00.000-04:002011-10-12T20:52:51.748-04:00

I remember my mom making cherry squares growing up.  I'm not sure how often she made them, but they were dangerously delicious.  They still are.  I decided that they can still be delicious, but be made a little healthier.  I'm not saying my version is healthy (after all, it's still a dessert), just more so than the original.  The taste was not much different!  Did you know that cherries are known

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-14322217081450145182011-10-10T12:22:00.000-04:002011-10-10T12:22:14.551-04:00

On Saturday night, our family picked up a loaf of Panera's Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, which we had them slice in the 'small' slices.  Our plans were to make French Toast after church.  The idea came to me as I thought about what I could do to add some 'wow' to the french toast.  Then the idea came to me. So I sliced up some Empire apples, about 1 apple per person, maybe a little extra.  I

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-23431864221430583952011-09-20T20:10:00.000-04:002011-09-20T20:10:00.094-04:00

I love making granola.  When my daughter's school had granola on the needs list for their fundraiser breakfast, I offered to make some.  I had already made my Banana Bread for the same breakfast, but there were some items that didn't get signups, so I decided to help some more. There are a lot of granola recipes out there, and they vary so much.  I will say from experience that I do not

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-69978220183602223092011-09-12T20:30:00.000-04:002011-09-12T20:30:32.244-04:00

As you may already know, I try very hard to provide foods that are made from whole foods.  I have not banned processed foods altogether, but I'm getting more and more concerned about what food companies are sneaking into our foods. About once a week we have breakfast for dinner.  Sometimes it's eggs, sometimes pancakes or french toast.  For pancakes, we usually use my homemade mix that has oats

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-81050249182877279852011-09-06T20:48:00.000-04:002011-09-06T20:48:40.416-04:00

Two Saturdays ago, the girls and I weathered the storm, Hurricane Irene, at home.  We were very fortunate to have power most of the day.  It went out about a dozen times through the day, but each time came back on within 60 seconds.  We were in the minority, for sure! We played games, did some crafts, and baked cookies.  It was a good day of mother-daughter bonding.  I altered a recipe that I

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-45460202432725938802011-08-18T21:12:00.000-04:002011-08-18T21:12:36.076-04:00

 The Red-Bellied Woodpecker (My backyard)I know.  I've taken quite the hiatus from blogging, haven't I?  Here are some things I've done since strawberry picking and tart creating: Making Strawberry Jam  ~ Family Time ~ Picking BlackberriesMaking Blackberry Jam ~ Family Time ~ Freezing berries for year roundPhotographing Birds in our Backyard ~ Dance Recital ~ Picnics in the BackyardTending to

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-28498284463258076982011-04-23T20:37:00.000-04:002011-04-23T20:37:11.054-04:00

I took a week of "stay-cation" this past week.  One of my favorite springtime activities is picking strawberries, and it was the perfect week, because the weather played out just perfectly for strawberry season to begin on my week off!  I took my oldest daughter with me.  We picked 2 big flats of strawberries.  I froze many of them.  On Friday morning we had whole wheat pancakes with real whipped

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-65859216509819473352011-02-16T20:33:00.000-05:002011-02-16T20:34:10.801-05:00

I wrote this early last month, but didn't ever get around to editing and publishing... but I think it's still relevant, so here it is: January is a month where many of us are uninspired to do anything.  Christmas and Thanksgiving put us into overload, we're recovering from all the activities, parties, cooking, baking... for me January is very inspiring.  When the snow comes here, it is very

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-59520017865716523722011-02-13T22:09:00.000-05:002011-02-13T22:09:26.779-05:00

Am I the only mom in the world who has kids that don't peel their crayons?  This year I decided to melt crayons into heart shaped ice cube trays, but the most difficult part was peeling all those crayons!  I used the double boiler method with some leftover food cans.  They turned out fine, but I think I took on too much this year, with 2 kids, we had to do enough for about 25 kids.  Hopefully

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-76120067781767571442011-01-10T17:00:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:14:15.145-05:00

Are you baking muffins but want instant gratification?  Or, do you have a little bit of muffin mix left after filling your muffin cups, and don't want to risk over-filling? You're in luck!  There is a simple thing that you can do to have a muffin in a minute: Grease a standard microwave-safe mug.  Put 1/4 cup (estimated) muffin mix in the mug.  Microwave for 1 minute.  You can use a toothpick

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-77586263580113360692010-12-08T22:10:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:09:41.139-05:00

So far we're really enjoying our Advent plans; our girls are enjoying it, especially the older one.  The little one is still to little to really get into some of it, but I think we have a good balance this year for both of them to enjoy it.  Today we had an unusual opportunity.  My husband got off work early, so we picked up the girls from school together and headed over to our local convention

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-79499038141573833352010-11-27T07:43:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:09:41.139-05:00

We had 3 goals in creating this plan for the Christmas season, or as some call it, Advent (which means the coming of Christ).  Our minister has been preaching a series titled "Advent Conspiracy,"  We have always done Christmas differently, at least since having children.  We have always had presents, though in a modest way (with a very small budget).  We have not done Santa, however.  We do not

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-36263136098081892522010-11-25T09:32:00.000-05:002010-11-25T09:32:07.292-05:00

 "In all things give thanks..." 1 Thess 5:18Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I hope yours is filled with friends, family, and good food!Don't you just love fall?  I think one of the things about fall are the warm, hearty foods, and the flavorful desserts to follow! I made this quick crisp for the family.  Hope you'll try it! Cranberry Apple Crisp 3 large sweet-tart apples, such as Cameo, or go

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-38537430826577926722010-11-09T21:30:00.000-05:002010-11-09T21:30:54.845-05:00

Our Scenic Drive through the NC Mountains Getting closer to the apple farm, and saw some wonderful waterfalls Apple farm Last week we drove 6 hours to the NC mountains in hopes of picking apples.  What we didn't know was that all of the 10 orchards in that one town were not going to let us pick.  We were really bummed.  When we got to the random orchard we chose, we realized that it was

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-17985752295751099132010-10-23T21:23:00.000-04:002010-10-23T21:23:49.387-04:00

My oldest daughter has to have lunch packed daily for school.  I actually started doing this when she started summer camp, which was a day camp that she went to all summer.  I will say that I enjoy having fun with this, but I do not go to quite the extreme that some bloggers do.  I believe that lunch, just like all other meals, should be healthy.  I also believe that kids will be exposed to junk

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-4306273716568593562010-09-11T20:50:00.000-04:002010-09-11T21:08:40.032-04:00

Sometimes it's nice to know that the items taking up space in your home are good for multiple functions.  I've been thinking a lot lately about muffin tins, which typically don muffins and cupcakes.  Many moms out there are serving up bento style lunches at home in muffin tins.  It's a way to use up leftovers, offer a variety of foods to your child, and it's also fun for your child to eat out

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-70344360922390842812010-09-05T22:28:00.000-04:002010-09-05T22:28:52.587-04:00

We went to New Bern, NC, today.  We visited Tryon Palace.  If you're local, you may like to know that they currently open up the gardens FREE on the first Sunday of each month.  We took LOTS of pictures, and here are just a few.  I love North Carolina, and how green it is most of the year. Hope you can appreciate some of these beautiful pictures! Have a wonderful Labor Day, and muffin tin ideas

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-76733677521786265232010-08-20T08:42:00.000-04:002010-08-20T08:42:40.158-04:00

Do you have something that you need a new use for?  Do you have a creative use for something that is unusual?  Please share!  Just leave a comment on this post.  Maybe I can help come up with some fun ideas... Coming soon, new uses for your muffin tins.  They're not just for muffins and cupcakes anymore!

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-70486474234638786772010-08-20T08:31:00.000-04:002010-08-20T08:31:38.570-04:00

I made breakfast for dinner one night this week.  I wanted something simple that night.  I started with Hodgson Mill's Whole Wheat Pancake Mix, which I picked up at The Fresh Market.  I had not ever tried that pancake mix before, but it looked good, and the ingredient list was simple and trans fat free.  I have to say, it was delicious and hearty.  I really liked the texture of this mix. I made

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-8016498147300673462010-08-01T11:56:00.000-04:002010-08-01T11:56:28.353-04:00

When my daughter turned old enough to get her own library card (5), I told her I would make her a bag to carry library books in.  I also said I'd have a pocket to hold the library card.  Well, here it is.  I finally finished.  I have lots of excuses for not getting it done sooner!  ;) The 2 main fabrics and the pink ric rac were all from Patsy Aiken Designs (I love that she sells her fabric!),

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-91238996432281340792010-07-31T19:55:00.000-04:002010-07-31T19:55:18.983-04:00

Okay, so most banana breads are good.  The original version of this recipe, that I grew up eating because my mom made it growing up, was so good that I never really loved other people's banana bread recipes.  Sad, but true.  It was just that good! I have since "healthified" this recipe, and even with ALL of the flour being whole wheat, my husband (and biggest critic of healthy food), LOVES this.

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-10558459469964212792010-07-28T21:32:00.000-04:002010-07-28T21:36:17.143-04:00

We've had picnic dinners a few times this summer.  I love to picnic, especially when we can go to the park and hear free music to enjoy while we dine.  I love getting creative with what we're going to eat, and I don't typically go simple.  It's too fun not to. Recently I took some mini cube sandwiches with chicken breast, sliced cheddar and southwest lime ranch dressing on pumpernickel bread (

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-18924144660785469012010-06-30T21:37:00.000-04:002010-08-01T12:26:58.565-04:00

Last night we made pizza sandwiches.  I named them pizza sandwiches simply as a way to get my kids to not turn their noses up at it.  My oldest daughter told me (on the way home to make them) that she made pizza sandwiches at camp one day (during edible art week) and they were 'nasty.'  I assured her they were not the same as the ones we were having at home. This was inspired by some

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-41252578322141965412010-06-14T09:38:00.000-04:002010-06-14T09:48:29.356-04:00

I am a snacker.  I have to.  Usually every couple of hours my body is telling me it's time to have a little something to eat.  I've had to learn to go for healthy snacks, because in reality I'd really rather have anything that looks good, like Peanut M&M's or some cookies or something.  I still occasionally have those things, but I've trained myself to eat better during snack times.  This has

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-72050808162318681592010-05-31T20:57:00.000-04:002010-05-31T21:07:43.316-04:00

Busy busy busy... We're in the final countdown for lots of end-of-school-year activities.  After this coming weekend things will be a lot less hectic.  This weekend we had an outdoor dinner of grilled chicken (Greek seasoning from Pampered Chef), zucchini and pineapple, some tzatziki sauce for the chicken, garlic artisan bread, garlic and olive oil couscous, and some of this fruit salad, red

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-39334242671345766192010-05-08T15:26:00.000-04:002010-05-08T15:26:33.011-04:00

Here's what I've been working on for the last 4 weekends.  Adding a couple of feet in height to a "berm" which is a barrier that divides our yard from the wetlands behind us.  I added topsoil by the truckload (6 truckloads) using a shovel and a garden rake (see pic).  Then I covered it with about 3 truckloads of shredded hardwood mulch.  The pictures may not be breathtaking, but believe me,

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-80502108933257709102010-05-05T21:14:00.000-04:002010-05-05T21:14:25.252-04:00

I've been wanting to make this meal recently.  It just so happened that the day I decided to make it, it was Cinco de Mayo! It turned out to be delicious, the girls ate it, too!  I served it with some simple cheddar cheese quesadillas. White Turkey Chili 1/4 sweet onion, about 1/2 cup chopped 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 can reduced sodium, fat free chicken broth 1 cup chopped

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-33711195349424846072010-05-04T20:46:00.000-04:002010-05-08T21:22:29.258-04:00

I finally was able to put something significant on my front porch.  I always felt like it was so big when I was on the front porch, and wanted to make it feel welcoming.  This year was my year to do just that.  I finally settled on this wicker bench and chair.What makes it even better are these AMAZING flowers that came from a farm about 40 minutes from my house.  I fell in love with so many of

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-28145012819277975422010-04-17T14:44:00.000-04:002010-04-17T14:44:38.230-04:00

I have nothing creative to share, I've been spending a lot of time with the family.  But if you're interested in eating healthier or participating in the Food Revolution, here are some quick and easy things you can change in your diet.  Some of them may surprise you! 10 ways to turn your food into "culinary medicine" presented by US News & World Report 9 ingredients to avoid in processed foods

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-76005157456392165682010-03-30T13:12:00.000-04:002010-03-30T13:13:58.324-04:00

I call this recipe "shepherdess" pie because I tailored it to what I thought my girls would eat.  They don't like regular potatoes, not mashed, not baked- although they won't turn down the occasional french fry... who wouldn't?  They both eat sweet potatoes, so I decided to use those for this recipe instead.  (See pictures below.) I made this meal for St. Patrick's Day, but it is a great meal

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-52548340298540428292010-03-29T21:17:00.000-04:002010-03-29T21:18:38.865-04:00

I have struggled for the last 4 or so years.  With what?  When my oldest daughter started eating [more than just baby food] I began the battle of the school menu, the daycare menu.  I poured my heart and soul into communications regarding the menu- the foods they would be feeding my child.  I have donated food to the daycare for ALL of the children to eat.  I have offered to consult with them on

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-57943122569606815422010-03-12T21:34:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:13:45.529-05:00

Most of my ideas are okay, I guess.  It's not very often I think up something brilliant, LOL.  This past Christmas I thought of an idea.  I wish I had more time to make it even more beautiful, but it was kind of in the ninth hour.  At least from the perspective that it was a few days before Christmas, lots of stuff going on, yada yada. Our church has a Christmas Eve Candlelight worship service.

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-25296171045107644672010-03-10T20:03:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:10:26.909-05:00

I worked on a project this fall for Christmas gifts.  It was slow going, at first, but the end result was amazing.  First, I collected wine bottles of varying shapes, sizes and colors.  I asked friends and family to donate their bottles to me, so I actually had more than enough (great for any mess ups that I need to toss).   To prep them I had to soak them in very hot water and scrape every last

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-60052221678102134082010-03-07T13:26:00.000-05:002010-03-07T13:26:30.321-05:00

First I must say thanks to my readers who have stuck with me while I've been absent.  I've been working hard to be healthy, active, and keep the house up while I work and be mom.  Meanwhile, I thought about sharing this: Sometimes recycling is just something you have to do.  I don't think we can ever classify it as fun, can we?  But as a mom, I am always trying to find ways to incorporate the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-72900085112626398502010-02-05T21:47:00.000-05:002010-02-05T21:47:15.890-05:00

Many years ago, my aunt and uncle lived here locally.  She was a regular subscriber to a LOT of magazines and would pass them on to me when she was finished with them.  I used to love looking through them.  Most of them were cooking magazines such as Gourmet, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit... I loved trying new recipes out, and back then we had no kids, so I had a lot more time to experiment. During

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-38699544314579983672010-02-01T09:17:00.000-05:002010-02-01T09:17:43.622-05:00

This morning I stayed home with the girls.  School is not opening up until 10:00 am due to the icy road conditions.  I made some oatmeal for us girls to enjoy for breakfast.  Here's what I did: Blueberry Cinnamon Oatmeal Oats of your choice, enough for 3 servings according to the package/can 1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tsp cinnamon (less if you don't

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-41193211224687855262010-01-31T10:10:00.000-05:002010-01-31T10:10:02.912-05:00

We had a big snow and ice storm come through Friday night and Saturday.  Our town got mostly ice (2" total accumulation), but just a couple of miles away, our friends got 4" of mostly snow.  Everything froze solid last night, with the very low temps.  Church was canceled, so this morning we slept in and made French Toast for breakfast. Last week I discovered Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-1179517352942667702010-01-24T13:19:00.000-05:002010-01-24T13:22:55.471-05:00

Call me crazy, but I'm no fan of the typical birthday party treat bag.  Full of candy and toys that don't last long... I know the kids like them, but a month later they're long forgotten.  This year, my daughter decided that she wanted to have a pajama party with pizza and a movie.  Since her birthday is in January, the weather here is too unpredictable for an outdoor party. I made each of the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-80587064461740806112010-01-18T21:39:00.000-05:002010-01-18T21:39:45.766-05:00

I vowed to clean up the upstairs bonus room, where we have a home office/craft room.  I also have some gates to allow plenty of play space for the kids.  On one wall above my "paper crafts" workspace, I added 3 small curtain rods to hang my punch collection.  I think (looking back) that towel bars would have been a little better, but I spent $12 for the 3 rods, so this was an inexpensive option

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-8426575395325715442010-01-10T22:00:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:11:41.218-05:00

On Christmas Eve I made a cake for Jesus's birthday, which we ate after naptime on Christmas day.  I did the entire thing from scratch.  For the icing I tried something new, and it was fabulous.  If you like milk chocolate, and you like mint chocolate, you'll love this icing.  I used it on yellow cake, but I bet this would also be to die for on a chocolate cake! Do you like Andes mints?  I love

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-32331215476974696322010-01-02T22:24:00.000-05:002010-01-02T22:24:09.920-05:00

Just a quick note to say Happy New Year!  I've been busy this weekend, taking down the Christmas decor, trying to make places for all the stuff the kids have... and I've also been planning and beginning some new projects to help organize and make things more aesthetically pleasing around here. Today I used the leftover "New Year" turkey carcass to make turkey broth, and then made a big pot of

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-78549349302304232312009-12-25T12:33:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:07:05.861-05:00

Merry Christmas!  May the  peace and light of Christ live in you all year long! Last year was our first Christmas with two daughters, so we bought a pink Christmas tree and let the big sister decorate it.  We encouraged her to use dress up bead necklaces for garland.  She adds in bracelets and rings, too.  We did give her some cute ornaments, as you can see here, like the plush cupcakes and

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-79539354936403604422009-12-22T13:26:00.000-05:002009-12-22T13:26:50.370-05:00

I found this blazer/jacket at one of my favorite stores, on the clearance rack.  I fell in love with the fabric, and how it looked so cozy and would look beautiful with some winter white pants... BUT the collar was hanging really weird.  It's double breasted, but you can't see the top 2 buttons very well.  So I decided to try it on anyways.  I put it on and started playing around with that crazy

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-70076217270642264882009-12-19T17:23:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:07:05.861-05:00

I just love decorating for Christmas.  Preparing for that day when we celebrate the birth of Christ.  I like to color coordinate everything at my house.  Our one exception is that our girls have their own small pink tree (I'll post about that another day!) I'll start by sharing our tree.  Red and white is the theme, red to symbolize the ultimate sacrifice and white to symbolize a new life that

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-47089138984677680712009-12-10T22:36:00.000-05:002009-12-10T22:36:49.673-05:00

Yes, it's hard to believe, but in the landscape area leading to my front steps, I have two geranium plants (that I planted last spring) that are in full bloom today.  It is so funny to me, but I also think I recall some of the Gerber Daisies in bloom this past week, too!  They're on the other side of the sidewalk, in another landscape area. I decided tonight, after looking at the weather (low

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-56694544603658894932009-12-01T21:45:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:13:15.669-05:00

I hope you like my new blog banner, it's a sneak peek of my Christmas decor.  This is a teeny look at my mantel.  I will share more as we continue in the joyous season.  Are you ready??? "...he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-35572285051011087692009-12-01T21:12:00.000-05:002009-12-01T21:12:00.456-05:00

Need a gift that is personalized and thoughtful?  Here is a great idea.  I'm sure I've done something similar before, but these little notecards were so lovely in blue and brown.  I have protected the initials of the recipient since this is a Christmas gift. I picked up the notecards at a local store.  I used my scalloped punch with some strips of brown cardstock.  I glued them on the top of

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-88955773170652631642009-11-26T18:35:00.000-05:002009-11-26T18:35:32.034-05:00

It was a quiet Thanksgiving for our family.  Many family members opted out of the big gathering this year.  It was kind of sad, I felt like there was something missing.  But we still had our nice meal topped off with pumpkin pie.  I whipped up some fresh whipped cream for the pie.  So I'd really like to know: what is your FAVORITE part of Thanksgiving day? Here are some ideas, or you may have

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-83333170905238631032009-11-23T21:06:00.000-05:002009-11-24T19:55:50.707-05:00

Sorry for the extended absence around here.  It's been one drama after another.  I wanted to share an idea that I did with the family this year during this season of Thanksgiving.  We sat down after dinner with tags and crayons, and wrote/drew what we are thankful for.  We put ribbons and twine on the tags so they could hang.  We did this last Thursday night.  We planned to hang them on Friday

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-75258181302276179812009-11-08T21:22:00.000-05:002009-11-08T21:24:38.720-05:00

I made apple butter this weekend.  I've actually never made it before until now.  I got inspired by a fellow blogger, Danielle, who had very good instructions on her blog, The Dani Daily.  She also provided a link on how to can using the boiling water method, which I also did for the first time this weekend.  It was not hard and her recipe was delicious!  I will definitely do this again, I may

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-75094814090548600972009-10-28T20:54:00.000-04:002009-10-28T20:56:06.315-04:00

I made curtains for my daughter Victoria.  Well, they're semi-homemade (think Sandra Lee).  A BIG thanks to my friend Heather, who was donating the panels, rod and hardware after redesigning her daughter's room.  The rod was a great fit for the wide window.  The panels were too short.  The color was great, so I wanted to use them, but needed to get creative.  Here are a couple of "before" pics of

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-22885653301014167142009-10-24T20:36:00.000-04:002009-10-24T20:36:48.119-04:00

This morning I decided I would make oatmeal for the family.  I love Saturday morning breakfast with the family.  We're not rushing to get out to school and work.  I love to experiment with oatmeal, find ways to add something other than pure sugar or brown sugar (which taste good, but there are other ways to sweeten oatmeal, and I will NOT use artificial sweeteners). Not sure why this one came

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-12464891767155384462009-10-24T19:56:00.000-04:002009-10-24T20:01:45.435-04:00

I made this simple (but very pretty) hair clip for my older daughter.  Click on the thumbnail of her hair for a close-up of the final product. For this project, I used: Sewing Machine (with thread) 3 knit flowers (mine were from Stampin' Up!) 3 buttons hair clip hot glue Simply sew the buttons onto the flowers, and trim excess thread..  Glue the side flowers first, then the 2 remaining flowers

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-24152658193073798902009-10-16T07:37:00.000-04:002009-10-16T07:37:49.787-04:00

I made smoothies for the family this morning for our on-the-go breakfast.  Here's what I put in: 3 cups Frozen pitted cherries 1.5 cups Frozen blueberries 1 small banana Skim milk (pour in to top of fruit) Blend ingredients, stopping to stir along the way and break apart stuck-together chunks.  Add a little more milk, as needed. _________________________ If you act fast you can quickly have a

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-39960483267523527512009-10-15T20:47:00.000-04:002009-10-15T20:47:49.679-04:00

Okay, so I really didn't do much outside, but in the fall I feel lost if I don't put out a nice wreath on the door and some mums on the steps.  These mums are monstrous, and I found Purple & Gold for my alma mater!  So I get a "2 for 1" deal supporting the Pirates (Arrrrrgh!) and celebrating the season. Mums need care & feed if you want longevity.  It's best to water almost daily, especially in

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-60175127339324061162009-10-13T21:48:00.000-04:002009-10-13T21:48:58.370-04:00

As promised, more autumn design!  It's my favorite time of the year, I love the colors of fall.  Today I'm sharing my bar, which I have decorated for the season.  I chose a set of hurricanes that I love- I bring them out a couple of times a year.  They are something I can fill, depending on my need.  I found some random fall things of nature at Michaels, it was a bag with gourds, pine cones,

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-78174612565852587552009-10-12T20:35:00.000-04:002009-10-12T20:35:26.157-04:00

We bought our first High Efficiency washing machine 3 years ago.  Over time, we noticed that our laundry (and laundry room) were becoming very smelly.  It was the machine.  We tried many things, including keeping the door open after finishing the load, used less detergent, being faster about rotating to the dryer...  We also spent time reading up on some fancy stuff you can buy online (but didn't

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-67589426543225167892009-10-07T21:22:00.000-04:002009-10-07T21:35:00.543-04:00

I put a pork tenderloin in the crock pot this morning with some tomato sauce. Tomatoes are a natural meat tenderizer! Once the meat is cooked through and tender, you can pull the meat using 2 forks.I shredded some cheddar cheese, diced some vine-ripened tomatoes, warmed some refried beans, washed some beautiful green home grown lettuce (thanks Chuck!) and served with tortillas, sour cream and

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-44783023774911871052009-10-07T20:32:00.000-04:002009-10-07T21:15:53.089-04:00

It is such a great season, so many people love the colors of fall. I'm going to share with you my love for fall design. I made some simple changes today to welcome the autumn season, first attacking my mantel. It's a quick, easy change that can make a bold statement.My tips for creating a seasonal change to a surface:Choose a few seasonal items that looks realistic such as a garland, some

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-46929603411481189502009-10-05T21:19:00.001-04:002009-10-05T22:05:00.209-04:00

Today it was announced that Gourmet magazine will be no more. Due to an "advertising slump" despite the large circulation numbers and rich history.The good news is that Epicurious, the website that contains recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appetit, will live on.Farewell, Gourmet magazine.Okay, onto the celebrations. If you are busy, or if you are a mom (which would mean you are busy), or if you are

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-160759039836878082009-09-30T09:27:00.000-04:002009-09-30T10:16:09.006-04:00

I received this email today, it is in reference to a young girl who lives in our area. Her name was lifted up in prayer at our church just this past weekend. I ask that you pray for her and for her family. Even more importantly, we have an opportunity to make her wish come true, read the email below for details:Family and Friends,Riley Philpot is a 9 year old little girl who goes to our church

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-1631980568952755722009-09-29T21:02:00.000-04:002009-09-29T21:26:49.369-04:00

So what happens when you have a child that is sick with some sort of stomach bug? Well, naturally we all start with the BRAT diet, right? Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. But then what? It's not like you say, "Okay, kid, you passed the BRAT test, let's make hot dogs for lunch!" Ha ha.I am not one to buy canned soups, although I have some in my pantry for emergency use. But I'm not a fan of

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-68380211591234079322009-09-26T22:26:00.000-04:002009-09-26T22:49:56.543-04:00

I had to do this. It's the coolest thing, and since we have a little one still in diapers it only made sense for us to try it out! I love this. How simple is this, too, to make as a gift for someone. Sometimes you just want to make or give a small gift where you don't have a lot of money to spend, or don't know the person well enough to justify spending a whole lot. Or maybe it's for that

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-70979375259372808862009-09-26T13:56:00.000-04:002009-09-26T17:14:24.926-04:00

So I've been wanting to make a flower out of fabric scraps... I have lots of scraps, even from hemming pants. That's how this first blossom came to life. It was the 1.5" hem off the bottom of some grey pants that I hemmed. It worked out perfectly. I wanted the edges to be raw and curl just a bit. It's hard to see in the picture. For this project, I did a loose baste stitch across the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-15359575738778404912009-09-24T20:13:00.000-04:002009-09-24T20:35:19.289-04:00

I'm going to be sharing some gift ideas in the next couple of months. Today I made a hand towel bag. It can be used for many purposes and done several ways. I hope to show a different version soon. The bamboo handles on this one can slide out and it's washable!Ideas for giving this as a gift:Beach bag: Choose bright colors like the one shown today. Add a book, some sunscreen and a snack, and

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-23973466557567033392009-09-23T20:16:00.000-04:002009-09-23T21:43:51.472-04:00

I tried a new recipe tonight, and it was really good. Our girls liked it, too. It all began when I found some ground chicken breast on clearance this weekend, simply because it was nearing the sell by date. I felt like it was too hot outside for a chicken chili, and I wasn't in the mood for Rachael Ray's Mexican Lasagna (which is fantastic), so I started searching online for recipes. You can

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-88867683253469017102009-09-21T13:21:00.000-04:002009-09-21T13:37:45.188-04:00

This is what you see when you look out my back windows. When we bought this house, this was one of the things that drew me to it. Sometimes I just love to sit and look out. When the sun is shining there are so many different shadows of green, and they are different depending on where the sun's angle is. So for me, I could just sit and watch it change all day. During the winter when the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-8713526705339223432009-09-16T20:00:00.001-04:002011-12-19T14:07:05.860-05:00

Yes, you heard me right. Christmas cards. Christmas is about 3 months away, and if you're not careful, it will sneak up on you very quickly. I decided on a stamp for Christmas as soon as I saw the new Stampin' Up catalog this year, I fell in love with the Medallion stamp. My cards, this year, need to be simple. I have my hands full with 2 young kids and a career.I am working on these cards

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-76948881547075421132009-09-12T12:47:00.000-04:002009-09-12T13:39:22.822-04:00

We've been eating a lot more pork lately, and I've found many recipes that are great. I am going to share 2 that I make over and over because they are delicious. I buy tenderloins in bulk from Sam's Club. Having a big freezer in the garage is wonderful for bulk shopping and saves us a lot of money.The first recipe is one that my friend Holly and her husband created and won first or second

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-88181341950144882652009-09-05T20:02:00.000-04:002009-09-05T20:36:58.369-04:00

I have kept this recipe over the years because it is sooooooo good. I bought some green apples from the local farmer's market and used them tonight. Granny Smith apples make the best dessert apples because they don't mush too easily and they're not too sweet once you add the sugar and other good stuff.I got this recipe from Sunset magazine, don't remember the month or year, but I think the

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-80593953210629997412009-08-30T20:27:00.000-04:002009-08-30T21:07:23.843-04:00

I love autumn. I love autumn! I love the crisp cool air, the changing leaves, and I also love the change of our menu to different kinds of soups! (My husband sighs here!) So what does autumn have to do with today? I mean, after all, it felt like it was about 95 degrees outside today, and muggy!I broke down and made soup for dinner. Yes, and when the aforementioned husband came in from mowing

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-88714622999567089982009-08-29T12:43:00.000-04:002009-08-29T13:09:53.025-04:00

This week our friends, Jeremy and Lindsay, lost their 4 month old son, Ayden Brooks Jones. You can read Lindsay's version of what happened, as well as get a glimpse of how wonderful, happy and adorable Ayden was while he was here in this world.Our church had a celebration of life on Thursday. Lauren did an amazing job of photographing it, and you can see some of those images here. It was

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-46147051506753813572009-08-19T20:46:00.000-04:002009-08-19T20:57:18.608-04:00

I often like to buy cherries in bulk. They are in season right now, so it's the perfect time to stock up the freezer. Cherries are great in place of ice for smoothies. You could also try out your own homemade cherry pie, use them as garnish on a summer drink, serve them over ice cream, or just have a cup of cherries with a handful of almonds for a healthy snack.In order to freeze cherries,

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-73708345226307926522009-08-15T07:40:00.000-04:002009-08-15T08:35:19.692-04:00

When I was of pre-school age, or maybe slightly younger, my mom entered a recipe contest. We were living in Wisconsin at the time, and she, like me, enjoyed cooking and baking. The newspaper article, still framed, stated that there were over 2200 entries. She won the entire contest with this lasagna recipe. For those wondering if you "miss the meat," I will say this- of my friends who have

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-68861360283999829642009-08-06T20:01:00.000-04:002009-08-06T20:09:25.687-04:00

A dear friend, Gordon, came into town to see me today, and he brought with him some beautiful Zinnias from his mother's garden. I just thought I'd share them. I thought they went especially well on the table next to my daughter's crayons- the colors worked well together. :)What is something that brightened your day?

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2694794354328238971.post-45580762238686713982009-08-06T08:00:00.001-04:002009-08-06T08:11:23.351-04:00

I've been trying to come up with a healthy substitute for syrup. Something that the family would like and not feel like they're missing out on the sweet stuff. This idea came to me last night, so I gave it a try this morning. It's really good! Not only that, but it's so simple, inexpensive, and uses things that most people have in the house already!I toasted up 2 Kashi Strawberry Waffles for

Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14529382306516076988noreply@blogger.com2