Apron #2

This is my second apron. I used the same pattern , but I should try a different view if I make another one. The daughter of my friend who I gave the last apron to really liked her Mom's. I decided I had another reason to sew another one. Found out her daughter's favorite color "electric blue" and this is what I came up with. The button says "smile".

Christmas 2011 humble decorating

Here is my decorating method as taught to me by my Home Interiors Consultants from 25 years ago. You place your decorations among your regular decor. So here you have it.

Fred buys me poinsettas every year. There are three lush and beautiful plants plus the second little scrawny one is the one I took to work and over the first weekend it shriveled up. I brought it home and am trying to revive it.

Scott made this for us one Christmas. By the looks of the tee shirt he is wearing it was around 1997. I think it's the tee shirt that had the name Derek on it. That was the name of Corinne's boyfriend that year.

This is our little 4.5 foot artificial tree. Since Scott is not home to put together our big one....this is it. At our staff Christmas party on Friday, the two little trees there were decorated with just poinsetta picks and I thought how darling and easy that looked. So I dug out my Home Interiors poinsetta candle rings and this is the result. Just as pretty and easy.

This is a little angel star ornament given to me by a work friend in recent years that I found today. I thought it was a perfect topper for our little tree.

The end.

Suzy Foodie Maker

I'm not sure why I got the idea to make a quiche for today. I haven't made it in years.... So I bought the swiss cheese last night. I knew I had frozen pie crusts and chopped up ham at home in the freezer. So before church I pulled out a box of fiber blueberry muffin mix, but it did not include the streusel topping. What's a muffin especially when next to an egg dish without streusel. Suzy came out and looked up a recipe in a cookbook and whipped up a special home made batch of buttery, sugary topping. Thus I walked into the church right at start time.

After church I pulled out the pie crusts - argh - expired like February 2011. Pulled out my mother in law's pie crust recipe. No plain shortening....the can downstairs expired in 2008. So I went ahead and used butter flavor shortening that was good. Do you see a pattern here? I don't bake anymore. boo hoo....

Even though this is a picture of leftover food.....it was quite heavenly and I always feel so good when I go to the extra effort to make something from scratch.

I'm finished!

It's hard to believe, but I bought this fabric I think last Christmas when Shannon and I went shopping at JoAnns. Shannon started making these darling aprons and I thought it was a great little project. So now a year later, I finally finished it. It took two evenings. Just the perfect amount of time for such a cute product.

In case you forgot.....I love PINK!

Aren't these buttons just cute as can be?

Thanksgiving moments

Here is my Dad. I take him for granted. He can do anything. I called him in the morning and asked if he had potatoes because I only had one. He said he would get some and get them ready. Then I called him back and asked if he could bake us a loaf of his homemade bread for dinner. He said sure! He comes over with his electric knife and heavy duty turkey carving gloves. He makes the mashed potatoes, home made gravy and carves the turkey. We actually worked quite well together in the kitchen at the same time. I had the easy stuff to do. I love my Dad. He is a great man. This is Fred and Bryce. We know Bryce from the time we served in the Young Single Adult Ward. He is a Yeoman in the navy. He holds a special place in our hearts. Fred finally had someone to play some Wii games with.

Disney's The Lion King Las Vegas style

Here is Shannon & I after the show.

This is the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino that we went to see the show.

The costumes were amazing and the production was remarkable.

Shortcuts to Inner Peace

I found these rituals in a magazine and I thought they were good. Turn daily routines into stress-busting rituals with these shortcuts.

1) Taking a Shower: The shower is an ideal place to wash away concerns because you're in the water having a physical cleansing experience. In your head or out loud, list some of your worries, then imagine dropping them down the drain. It's called "catch and release". Catch the concern by bringing it to your consciousness, focus on it for a moment, then let it go. There's a huge advantage in identifying what's bothering you and then consciously releasing it. This is an easy exercise that allows you to start your day with a fresh perspective.

2) Writing a To-Do List: You've got a pen and paper in front of you when you're making a list; why not also write a little note to someone in your life while you're at it? Thank someone or tell a friend that you're thinking about her. When you focus on positive emotion and generate love, you feel peaceful and happy. Write a note, drop it on someone's desk, on a pillow, or in a lunch box. It can say 'I'm thinking of you, 'I love you,' or Thank you for helping me.' It doesn't have to say much to be effective.

3. 3) Lying in Bed: As you lie in bed, mentally review three things that happened that day that you're grateful for. Recreate them in your mind and really absorb how they make you feel. The sensation of gratitude will spread over your entire body, relaxing you. Some people recommend writing down things you're grateful for at night. But at the end of the day, that can feel like too much work. This is something you can do anywhere. Gratitude opens your heart and creates an energy of goodwill and happiness that will ease you into slumber a lot better than focusing on all the things you have o do the next day.