new toys

I am having muito fun with my new dehydrator, compliments of my pal, Lisa. Right now I have my latest version of "raw" oatmeal cookies in there, along with some pickles...you just never know. They, the cookies, are packed with soaked oats, dried raisins & apricots, unrefined coconut oil, flax seed, regular oats, black strap molasses, honey and pecans. Blended it up and plopped it on. Now the hum of the my new toy is emitting in the kitchen and the cookies will be done in only 12 hours!



Yogi tea is my new favorite edible toy. Just add boiling water and a bit of milk. I am ever sipping Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut --it is dessert in a mug! While I sip, I sit and reflect on the lavish love of the Lord and how I don't deserve a lick of it, but am so very thankful for it. Man, when will those cookies be done?

cute homemade baby burp cloths

I dragged out my blessed machine and went to work on an easy little baby gift! My friend is having a baby girl next month and has the theme of little lambs in the room. Found some nice fabric and got busy. This is a easy gift to make, and won't break the bank. A bit more than I usually spend, but she is a special friend.

1. Start with 1/3 yards of fabric per 2 diapers. I bought 3, 1/3 yards for the 6 diapers I will cover and sew. The diapers are the pre-folded Gerber from Target, they are everywhere. Don't get the unfolded ones...no no...won't work.



2. Wash it all (cold water)



3. Iron it all



4. Cut the fabric in about 20-21 inches by 6-7 inches. Depends on the size of the cloth diaper and how you want it to look.



5. Iron the ends under all at once, (saves time) and pin on the diaper for the middle strip.




6. Try to find contrasting thread colors to stand out a bit, or you can match if you must.
   
   
7. Sew as close as you can to the edge, it looks better than further in.
   
   
8. Use a variety of stitches too, if you wish. You don't just have to use the straight line option.



9. Cut all the extra threads off, fold, and use the scraps as the ribbon to tie together. This is my very first tutorial...hope it makes at leat 24% of sense!

a time to knit…again

I got out my knitting needles from winter storage. Odd place for them to be, as winter is knitting time, but moving to Brazil required such oddities...and now, I am getting them out.

Moving into our 8th month of waiting for visas brought me to this place of knitting a yoga mat cover.

I tried FOREVER trying to flip these pics....sorry you have to crank your head. I'll try later.

brave susie

The other day, Susie came over and we played make-up! She actually let me put it on her face!!! And even better...it turned out fabulous! Not hard to do when you are as cute as she is. We did more browns, greens and creams on her, as they look great with her skin tones and with her style. My neighbor Megan gave me a steal on her Mary Kay, mucho thanks!

The boys working on Valentines. George's first year of signing his name, he has 31 cards to practice on!

brown is back

Thanks to Charis Bair for the lovely new colors flowing from my hair...she is amazing, and I highly recommend her for cut AND color (which is big). She's downtown in Spokane at Regis 458.888. She did a spiff little layer of bright blonde under the bangs and around the under layer of hair...great for a no-root grow out! Hooray!!! And yes, my actual hair color is brown...ish.

I live with 3 males, 2 whom are potty trained...but not lid-shutting trained. I see my next task ahead o me.

cereal sale

If you live in the Spokane area, don't forget about the wonderful cereal, banana, milk sale going on all day tomorrow at Rosauers, see the ad. You can stock up on great items for the coming months, not just breakfast items. With the sale stuff, you can make:

• banana bread (try a new recipe...spice it up a bit)


• rice krispy treats (or other cereal with marshmallows)


• granola additives (cheerios, squares of wheat, etc)


• banana smoothies


• Orange Julius, check out my no sugar new recipe I tried:

Orange Julius Smoothie

*cup full of frozen bananas (peel, cut and freeze in a zip-lock, and they are always ready)

*cup of orange juice

*1/4 c. milk

*1/2 tsp. vanilla

Blend all together till smooth, taste it and add more of whatever you want to taste more of. Super d'lish dessert or breakfast, plop a straw in it and the kid will love it!

You could even go to the local mall and open up a stand...oh...wait.........

happy purse

I got a Macy's card for Christmas (actually, it was a return and I put the $ on a card, so I would be forced to spend it there). The card was hibernating in my wallet, until last evening. Heading into Macy's, I gravitated to the clearance table as though I had no will of my own. There she was, the one, the new purse for Jill....oh, wait, its Fossil...must be a mistake, they never go on sale. What is this? Slashing of prices on the tag? In different shades of red? Then...an additional 50% off sign right above it??? No, it can't be...YES, it is!!!! Paid $4 out of pocket, not too bad. Thanks mom, for the liberty to return my gift from Christmas, and thank you bag, for being around Macys so long, they had to mark you down 75%.

Received this in the mail today, thanks Renee,

my feelings exactly.