this morning...

Are sure this isn't April Fool's Day because this morning has been a joke...

First, the toilet overflows and everyone just stands there watching as I run around trying to contain and clean up all the water...

Then, after I took a shower, I went to my room, locked the door and was almost finished getting dressed my dd7 jumps out from behind my bed and yells SURPRISE!! I was surprised all right...

Then, dd7 spills a glass of OJ all over the place...

Then, sweet baby girl gags on a cheerio, emptying her just filled little belly-yikes what a mess!

At this point I was standing over the sink just laughing to myself...

Finally, we sat down to eat breakfast, I dug into my fruit salad and found this.....

A perfect heart shaped strawberry...

A little reminder from above that I am loved, and for me to love much no matter

what is going on around me.

Have a Blessed Day!

Lancaster County in spring......

I asked this sweet Amish woman if I could take a picture of her work, she allowed me to take a picture of her but said she would'nt pose. These baskets are beautiful made by her and her husband.

a few favorites...

A few favorites from the last month...

I love paninis. I don't have a panini maker. I have made them just in the frying pan with another pan pressed down on it-worked very nicely. This one was made in my waffle maker.

Delicioso!

Spinach, cheese, and tomato on whole wheat.

It takes all of about two minutes on the waffle maker.

My dd18 found a recipe in fitness magazine for this calzone.

Yo can't really tell but this baby is HUGE!

We purchased this perfect pizza dough from our favorite pizzeria for $2-hardly worth it to make it for that price. I believe most pizzerias will let you purchase their dough-just ask.

We rolled out the pizza dough into a big circle until it is about 1/4" thick or so.

Then got out the frozen pesto from last summer's bounty-that I almost forgot about-spread a nice thin layer over the whole thing.

Filled with about 4 cups of caramelized onions, red, green and yellow peppers also frozen from last summer's garden.

Sprinkle with about a cup of mozzarella and a bit of parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Fold over, seal together and bake for about 25 minutes on 375.

This was really good and super easy and we were eating it for days.

I made these yesterday morning. It is hard to find a good bran muffin that is not really unhealthy.

These are quite good. Very moist.
The recipe is right on the back of this package.

Moving forward we are looking for more low carb recipes.

Anyone have any simple, low carb breakfast ideas?

I would love to hear them!

so...

Yesterday when I woke up I was feeling kind of sad that my son was heading back to school after Christmas break. Actually I still have a little lump in my throat as I write this. Yes, I'm used to it by now, but it still stings a little every time he leaves.

As I was getting ready for Mass it occurred to me I should ask my friend Beth to come over for a visit. I thought maybe we could sew something, cook something or craft something. She loves all that stuff, as I do. I was so glad when she said she could.

We decided that sewing it would be. So with sewing machine in hand she arrived.

Beth is a very talented seamstress. She quilts like nobody's business, She hemmed a very cute dress she made and made this sweet little dish towel while she was here.
so pretty.
I wanted to make something fun for February.
This is what I came up with from the stash.

I love, love vintage linens, roses, red on white polka dots, gingham and ric rac. To look at all these things together on my kitchen table every morning-just makes me happy!

And to actually get my sewing machine out, sew for fun and get to gab with my good friend all afternoon.

A great day indeed. God always knows just we need.

what's wrong with this picture...

I'm taking a picture of my daughter taking a picture of granola!!

Lol!

The recipe.

I have made this recipe in the crockpot and it was great. This time I made it in the oven because I didn't have as much time. I put the two trays in the oven at 250 degrees turning every 15 minutes for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I will never buy granola again! So delicious! My daughters and I love it on our yogurt. My sister is really good at playing hostess to visitors which she has often. When we recently visited I was so touched by all the little things she did for us. In our room we were greeted by lit candles, not one but two bouquets of flowers, Italian sparkling water, water bottles, a bowl of various granola/energy bars.

Yesterday, she told me a funny story about some young people she had visiting from Africa. She had set out in their room among other things I'm sure, a bowl full of granola and snack bars, just in case someone might need a little something to tide them over. Anyway in the morning the bowl of empty wrappers was brought downstairs. They had eaten them all-(there were a whole bunch), thinking it was their breakfast. Meanwhile my sister was in the midst of cooking them a lovely meal for their already full bellies-(he he). With appreciation and wonderful manners they ate what was prepared.

Just listening to her talk of her time with them was both heartwarming and eye opening. We truly have so much in this country. We are abundantly blessed.

Lord, thank you for every good thing you give us.

Help us to see the needs of others and to try to

meet those needs in your name Jesus.

skating, skating...

Daddy made a little ice skating rink in the backyard.

Which is, at this moment, packed with the neighborhood kids.

Fun, fun!

ping pong...

On the dining room table!

There was a time when I would not have been okay with this. ;)

As our family has grown and our home has not, we use every bit of it's space, this room is now the kitchen/dining/classroom/and sometimes rec room.

I found this set at a Cracker Barrel on our way home from Florida last month. You can turn any table into a ping pong table. We've been having fun with it! This one is just so much fun these days. She's growing, sitting up and keeps me laughing everyday. Enjoy the weekend!