spring...

Baby's first time on a swing at the park. She absolutely loooved it!

Pretty flowers.

I ran into Wal-mart really early the other morning and got these beautiful roses for Free! They were giving them away.

I'm still enjoying them.

Delicious asparagus from the garden.

We like it roasted on about 450 for about 15+ min drizzled with olive oil with a little sprinkle of kosher salt and cracked pepper.

And one innocent looking college student home on break
commandeering the kitchen table. So good to have him home for a few days.
Just a few more weeks and home for summer.

Somehow it seems like my house is shrinking.
Must be all the rain.

must be spring...

Lots of this...

A new curtain for my kitchen window... which I didn't love...

So...I made this one instead.

Bad picture, but it is bright and happy and I am enjoying it.

I'll get a better picture just as soon as we have a bright sunny day,

which cannot happen soon enough. Too much rain...

our baby...

photos by big sissy

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.