Dream box

A few years ago, Curly Girl started having some pretty scary nightmares. We've always had a bedtime routine complete with reading, back scratches, reviewing the day, talking about tomorrow. But it wasn't enough to help.
It got to the point that the only way she could fall asleep was to have me in bed with her for hours.

Each night was a battle getting her to go to bed. We started letting Ginger sleep with her (happy dog) which helped...but it wasn't quite enough to let her relax to stay asleep.

So I made her a 'dream box.' I felt so creative, coming up with the idea....until I saw that some other mom had come up with it AGES ago! :-)

I printed off a bunch of 'pretty dreams' on slips of paper and put them into one of her music boxes, folded up.
Then, each night she would pull one slip of paper out and read it aloud. We would talk about the dream and what she thought it would be like. Then she would put that slip into another little box she had. (we recycled them and have special ones for Christmas)

This little routine worked wonders and within a short time, her nights were filled with wonderful dreams. These were things that made her happy...things as simple as chasing butterflies or playing with her dog when she was a puppy.

She doesn't have many nightmares anymore....but she does still have some from time to time. When they seem to be happening more frequently, we pull out her 'dream box' and start the routine back up.

It stops the nightmares from becoming a habit...which is half the battle.

This just in........Chardonnay

IMPORTANT HEALTH ADVICE FOR WOMEN.

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
Do you suffer from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Chardonnay.

Chardonnay is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Chardonnay can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Chardonnay almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.
Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living!

Chardonnay may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Chardonnay.
However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister!

WARNINGS: -

* The consumption of Chardonnay may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may cause you to think you can sing.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

Discuss the benefits of Chardonnay with your doctor today and start living the life you've always dreamed of!

hearts again.....

I was in Marcel's Hearts and Kisses apron swap and Ginger got me as her partner.

Here is the apron she sent me....it is SO cute!

I absolutely love this apron! It is reversible too, the back is brown with the same waistband. Just delicious!

But that's not all....it all came packed in a sweet box with extra goodies.....including some things for Curly Girl :-)


Thank you Gin!

Maurice

This is Maurice, the musical owl.
He is moving to New York to pursue his love of music.
His favorite band is "The Who"
His favorite song is "Who are you?" (by "The Who", of course.)

I also sent one of my hootie bookmarks....both arrived safely :-)

Some scarves...

I am so cold natured.....my neck especially. Here are some scarves I've made for those cold days to help keep me warm. I made them years ago while living in Texas and Oklahoma....but we still a bit of cool weather down here too.

On this one, I used Muench yarn 'Coco'



Remember Julies Stiles in the Bourne Supremecy? Remember that GORGEOUS scarf?

Well, I don't knit but this yarn looked like the one she had...so I went with it.
It is made using Berroca Damariscotta. I've even had people ask me if it was the scarf from the movie and where did I get it.


On this one I used Berroca Mix.....basically the same yarn but in a different color scheme. I love it too.


I think its time to make a few more..........like aprons, a girl can never have too many scarves!

Valentine aprons for me!

Denise sent me this sweet Valentine's inspired apron from a swap she hosted. I think it is so cute! I love the fabric!
Curly Girl has her eyes set on it. When I put it on and showed it to her she squealed with delight. Then she snatched it off and put it on and announced 'it fits me better!'

That being said, I think I'm going to have to share this one.


Thank you Denise!

I fell in love with this 'Love' fabric so I made another Valentine's apron for myself:

A girl can't have too many aprons, right?

KA-CHING

So here is the tale of 2 cars:

December:

car 1 needs a thinga ma jig...'ka-ching'
car 2 needs a new oxygen sensor 'ka-ching'
car 2 needs 2 new tires 'ka-ching, ka-ching'
car 2 needs wheel hub repaired on one wheel 'ka-ching, ka'ching, ka'ching'
car 1 needs 4 new tires 'ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka'ching'


January:
car 2 needs the OTHER oxygen sensor replaced 'ka'ching'
car 2 needs the OTHER 2 tires replaced 'ka-ching, ka-ching'
car 2 needs new brakes 'ka-ching'
car 1 needs a NEW TRANSMISSION 'ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching...ka-ching and ka-ching some more'


This is what happens when you buy 2 new cars within 6 months of each other, 7 years ago.

THEY FALL APART AT THE SAME TIME.

"KA-DANG"

Who wants pizza?

This past weekend, I made pizza crusts for the freezer.
These are easy to make, terrific to have on hand and we love them.
I thought I'd share the recipe. I don't remember where I got it...I think it was through a Southern Living magazine...

The crusts freeze well and since they are 'personal' size, they don't take a lot of space up in the freezer. You can fit them into a gallon freezer bag if you are careful. When the kids were younger, I made them smaller so I could get 8-9 crusts out of the recipe instead of 6.
The kids prefer these to store bought frozen pizza....or even delivery.

TIPS:
1. Don't roll too thin...do what the recipe suggests.
2. I usually double the recipe and make 2 batches.
3. Don't overcook them....they are NOT totally cooked through, just a few minutes per side is all you need.
4. Put a very small piece of wax paper between each crust when storing so they don't stick together.
5. They puff slightly when cooking
6. You don't have to defrost before baking. They defrost quickly enough that by the time you top them and preheat the oven, they are ready to go in.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 425 and bake until the toppings are done and the cheeses are golden brown...or longer if you like them a tiny bit burned.

Here is the recipe...

Here is what they look like rolled out and in the baggies.

Here is what the kids had...pretty easy to figure these out!

Here is what Dean and I had....his was topped with olive oil, portabellas, spinach, feta and roasted chicken. Mine was pepperoni with mozzarella, roasted red bell peppers, sliced tomatoes and portabellas...

and here is another one Dean made.....this one has alfredo sauce on the crust, roasted chicken, roasted garlic and portabellas all topped with mozzarella to hold it all down.

Mosaic Monday

The other day I was going through some of our photos of when we lived in Fort Worth when I used to do art and craft shows.

I ran across this picture of a mirror I made for Curly Girl, for her room.
But then, we moved....and then...we moved AGAIN.....and then she changed her room
...and now it doesn't work anymore.

So now it is packed in a box sitting in the attic.....

...just like this one I had made for my kitchen. It is made from Fiestaware plates:

this one would still work in my kitchen but since my new kitchen is an open plan, I don't have any WALLS to put it on.

So, they sit in the attic.....

A Valentine apron

I was in a Valentine apron swap recently and sent this to my partner...Marcel (yes, again! ha!)

Here are the other goodies I made to go with it. I included a heart shaped pot holder....my first attempt and without a pattern so it isn't the best.
I also crocheted a heart bookmark and little heart pin. I found the chocolates and a note pad at Target.

Mr. Grumpy Pants

Look at Mr. Grumpy Pants. He was sent to me from Casey

He has the cutest scowl on his face....I'm sure he would strike terror in the hearts of mice (and men?).....if he wasn't a stuffie!

Thank you Casey!

Starbucks....true love...

Have I told you lately, that I love you?



That's it. I'm in love with Starbucks new signature 'salted caramel hot cocoa.'

I've gotta figure out a recipe for this stuff....

Wait!...someone already has....here you go

Girl's day out....

This weekend Curly Girl and I had a girl's day out...twice! Dean had plans with Ripstick Boy for a few basketball games and lunch out. So, we split up.
On Saturday, we did the toy society drop that I already wrote about.
Afterwards, we went out to lunch together...just the 2 of us.

Then, we went to the Humane Society to deliver a little bit of happiness.
We got the idea from Lori but simply didn't have the time during the holidays. We got a tour of the kennel and visited the dogs and then went up front and visited the kitties....Curly Girl was in heaven!

Sunday, I took Curly Girl to the Marley movie. This was the movie I didn't want to see. As in, I really didn't want to SEE this movie.
I like pretty much ANY movie but tear jerkers.
Heck, I cry at sappy commercials, why would I EXPOSE myself to a movie that was GUARANTEED to make me bawl?
So, I kept putting her off, hoping she would be invited to go with someone ELSE so I wouldn't have to go. (She was invited but couldn't go on that particular day.)
I finally ran out of excuses.
Dean abandoned me....laughing as he shut the door when we left. Ripstick Boy simply said 'no way.'
So, off we went, to see 'MARLEY and ME.'

I am so glad Curly Girl didn't let me off the hook!

No wonder this movie got 4 stars. Yes, it is a movie about a dog but it really is so much more.
It so gets how it is to have a family and a dog and a career and how life gets in the way and how you have to 'go with it' sometimes.
It gets how sometimes the job you thought you wanted really isn't the job you wanted.
It gets how you can sometimes get 'lost' in it all and not know where you fit in anymore, and then you have to redefine who you are and where you are going.
It gets how much the little things mean to you as a parent. Like the scene where the kids have never seen snow.....I just bawled right there.

People looked at me like "Hey lady, the dogs not DEAD YET."

I cried anyway. We have days like those....pure delight in watching our kids and being part of their happiness.

Did I cry when Marley did die?
Yeah, of course, just like I knew I would.
Heck, I had to wear my sunglasses just to get outside the theater. The RAGING headache was a lovely bonus too.
But, Curly Girl loved it...and she loved snuggling up and sharing tissues as we bawled our eyes out TOGETHER.

When we got home, we hugged our two very well behaved dogs. I even encouraged Ginger to jump up on me. It isn't often that I let her do it, she's just too big. But oh, she was so excited, running in circles, knocking stuff off the cocktail table with that giant helicopter tail of hers.


Mojo was excited too but just sat quietly...he is so dignified, you know. He should really be wearing a tuxedo....


There's nothing like a great movie about a bad dog to make you love your two good dogs that much more.

Toy Society drop

I've been wanting to join the Toy Society for about a year now. I just never took the time. I decided that would change this year! My goal is to drop 1 toy per month this year....help spread the joy!

Curly Girl and I did the deed together at a local park. We tried to look nonchalant as we 'staged' the drop.
She was so cute.....and worried about kitty finding a good home.

She put the little kitty on a bench and then we dashed off. It is funny, making a toy and then abandoning it! I actually felt a bit guilty driving away!

After her art class, we drove back over.....it was already gone :-)

BTW, If you are interested in joining the toy society and spreading some joy of your own, just click on the logo for the Toy Society or on their name in my sidebar :-)

Winter in the kitchen

I joined another swap thru swap-bot....yes, I know I said I would NEVER again....but there you go. I did.
I got Marcel as my partner and knowing how much she loves snowmen, I sent her this:

I had purchased the fabric to use at Christmas but didn't get around to it.
I also included a mug and cocoa packets, some recipes and some little holiday cookies. The book is one I just finished and it was SO GOOD I just had to share it with someone. I threw in the little keychain because she collects them.
She thanked me already so I know she got it.

round robin....

This cracks me up:

Leo, on Ginger's bed


Mojo, in Leo's bed...talk about a tight fit!


Ginger, in Ripstick Boy's bed.......

hey! Curly Girl's there too.....

hmmmmm........

Pranges and Grui

My sister Sheri has a GORGEOUS tulip shaped fruit bowl. It is an antique pressed glass fruit bowl with a zippered edge that her mother in law gave her.
I love pretty serving bowls so we set out to find a few 'deals' on eBay after dinner.

After a few glasses of wine and a few hours refining searches, we finally narrowed it down to a few. We were getting really slap happy and woke the whole family up.

We didn't see what the big deal was...then we looked at the clock and cracked up because it was after 3 AM. No wonder everyone wanted us to shut up and go to bed. The guys had to be up at 6 to go golfing.
That being said, I shot off some questions to sellers and we went to bed.

The next morning,we got a response from a seller who was very confused. She said it was a fruit bowl but didn't know if it would hold 'pranges and grui.'

We burst out laughing.....I had been so "tired" that when I had asked her the question "can it hold oranges and fruit"...I wrote...'can it hold pranges and grui?' (never mind that oranges ARE fruit....)

Here are the bowls...aren't they lovely?!

oh, and in case you are wondering, the large ones can hold several 'pranges and grui' just fine!

Project for NEXT December

When I was packing the ornaments away, I ran across this little Santa. I mean, how CUTE IS THAT!
Talk about simple.....

Continuing the tradition....

One of our Christmas traditions is to look for a new Christmas book each year to add to our collection.
We then pull them out and put them next to the tree in a big tub and read through them during the month of December.
I didn't buy us a book this year but Santa brought us "The Cajun Night Before Christmas." I guess he thought since we are staying put for awhile, we needed to add it to our collection.
The other book added to our collection is by Joan Walsh Anglund. It was given to my my sister by a childhood friend. Since she didn't have children, she wanted us to have it.
It really took my back and made me smile with its simplicity. I've always LOVED Joan Walsh Anglund's books.

Crocheted buttonhole scarf

Happy New Year everyone!

I forgot to post this.....it is a scarf I made for my brother in law for Christmas. His neck is always cold in the winter. In order to keep him from confiscating the one I made for Page, I had to make him one too!
I made his a little different and incorporated a 'buttonhole' so he could slip the scarf through if he wanted to.

Dean was sweet enough to model it for me.

And for all my crocheting friends out there. I didn't use a pattern but the body is worked in double half crochet stitches.