"Middle children have remarkable diplomatic skills."

-The Secret Power of Middle Children, by Catherine Salmon

Thursday, September 29, 2011

31 day Challenge

I've been reading some of the 31 day challenges that people are committing to for Oct. Call me a joiner, but I think I'll  jump on  run after  flag down the next  get aboard that bandwagon and try a challenge I've been meaning to attempt for a while now. Some of the challenges that bloggers are taking on are profound and include such feats as giving up caffeine (don't have THAT to give up), being more consistent with their children (great concept, 25 years too late),  photographing their wardrobe each day --what?? (my photo's would be 26 day's of jeans and a white t-shirt/ 5 Sundays of dresses), vacuuming every room, every day (are ya kiddin' me??). I have decided to take on something much more aggressive and both physically and mentally, and let's face it, emotionally challenging. I am committing to go without candy for 31 days. Why would I do that in the month of greatest candy-temptation?? I have no answer. But I will confess to you right here, right now:   I'm Kathy, and I'm a candyaholic.

PROOF
It started out innocently enough...

I told myself, I'm just in it for the pretty colors...

but then it got out of control...almost taking on a life of it's own...
I was hiding the "good stuff" behind healthy snacks...

...what's next, hiding Snickers bars in the toilet tank??

this is just the stash from my art room.
 (Don't even get me started on my pantry supply)


Then one day I found myself sneaking Dove dark chocolate
from my husbands office, without him knowing.

So before there's an intervention the likes of which Lindsay Lohan
should see, I'm taking my 31 day challenge to exclude C.A.N.D.Y.
from my daily, hourly, sometimes minute to minute diet.
This begins October 1st. I'll be reporting soon.
If this doesn't fly, I may have to check myself into the
Betty Crocker Clinic.
Wish me luck.



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Changing Seasons

I love this time of year. I love the changes of every season, but I've always been partial to fall. This year I have a new environment to experience the autumnal beauty in. The broad leaf trees are beginning to turn color. I can see some trees from my art room that are a blazing gold. Set among the Douglas furs that grow so abundantly here, they are even more brilliant. Heavenly Father must have made the beginning of fall so beautiful to make it a little easier for us to give up our summer. Perhaps He created the crocus, that pop their little heads up at the first sign of warmth in the winter months that seem to last forever, as a way of telling us "hold on just a little while longer, spring with all her colorful patchwork, will be here soon!"  God is the ultimate artist and philanthropist. I want to be like Him when I grow up.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

End of Summer

I wanted to add this photo because I think it is such a classic summer picture.
It's my 2 step sons and 3 of my 4 son's-in-law on our trip to Cannon Beach this summer.
Good bye summer. Hello Fall.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Mormon Messages: Create

This just says it all!
I love our Heavenly Father.

Very Talented Visitor!

My awesome mother-in-law was just up for a visit this past week. She is super fun and hilarious! She and I really had a good time together. Her schedule and life is so busy, I'm really thankful she made time to visit us. While she was here she taught me a new fall craft.
This is Sonia. Also know as Abuela to all the grandchildren. She helped me create this cute pumpkin centerpiece. Can you tell what it's made from?

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Seedless Blackberry jam...Hello Deliciousness!

I posted on the family website that I made seedless blackberry jam...with F.R.E.E. berries that grow wild here. These sweet little bundles of fruitiness grow everywhere. SCORE! In the past, to make seedless jam I had to ruin a perfectly good  use a wire strainer and a rubber spatula.

Lot's of pressing and scraping until all the fruit was through and all the seeds were left in the strainer. It took forever! (but totally worth it!) When I told Ron that I was going to make seedless jam he brought me this strange looking little pan:

True kitchen gadget love!
I think it was one of the treasures from the Talbots. It hooks on the side of a pan or bowl and you turn the handle and it presses the fruit through the bottom and leaves all the big ol' seeds in the top. It looks so old, I wasn't sure if it would be effective at all...but it worked like a charm! I didn't adjust my recipe for seedless.







Monday, September 12, 2011

First Major League Baseball game!

Ron took me to my first ever major league baseball game tonight. The Mariners vs. The Yankees. It was so much fun! See all those seats behind us? Yeah that's 'cause we were practically on the field!! Our seats were so awesome! Our team lost...but it was still a great time! My hubby spoils me so!
Oh, and we got free Ichiro t-shirts tonight too! I put mine on, but Ron already had a cool Mariners t-shirt. And what baseball game would be complete without a HOT DOG! Make mine with mustard only, please!

                                       Looks kinda gross, but it was tasty!
                    It was a beautiful night and a fun way to end the summer!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Going to Utah ....soon



Here are two of my little munchkins that I get to see when we go to Utah at the end of the month! Yay! I can't wait!

Friday, September 2, 2011

All Fixed

If you read the previous post you might be wondering what-the-heck I was talking about. Well, my brilliant son-in-law made that snaffoo disappear!  The background is still not the one I wanted. But I'm going to leave well enough alone for now. I'm so grateful to have smart people around me...and he didn't even mock me...not openly anyway ; )

How did THAT happen??

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I am techno-challenged to the max! Last night I decided that I wanted a new background for my blog. I've changed backgrounds before and I L.O.V.E. Shabby Blogs, so I copied the code and set it up. Easy peasy. Hmmm...something went funky and it didn't give me the background I wanted. So I did it again and it gave me a different background but still not the one I wanted. After repeating this process about a hundred times I decided I would just keep the ugly one that is on there right now. But somewhere in the process I copied the instructions to the code for the background and I can't figure out how to get rid of it. OIY! If anyone can tell me (in detail) how to get rid of that too, I'd appreciate it. And if you feel the need to openly mock me, go right ahead. I'm already mocking myself!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Sweet Listenings

I'm visiting Ron's daughter Janae and her husband Peter down in Oregon for a week. Janae is on strict bed rest during the final months of her pregnancy, so there is no heavy lifting of any kind...and that includes sweet little Annabelle. So I've been one of the fortunate ones who gets to play all day with little Miss A. and occassionally fill Janae's water mug. I've had the opportunity to meet some of her friends as they have come over to visit her. She always introduces me as " my dad's wife...", which I know I am...but it sounds kinda like she's introducing the cleaning lady, or the pool boy, or the plumber that lives down the street. So the last person who came over I introduced myself as Janae's wicked step-mother. There. That sounds a little more personal. You may be thinking "Why would she title this post Sweet Listenings?"  Well this afternoon Peter was putting Annabelle down for her nap...that baby girl goes down unlike any other child I've ever seen...and I could hear them in her bedroom singing "I am a Child of God" together. She's only two! I'm telling you it was the sweetest thing ever!
Annabelle today at the park