Ahhh! This blog is on vacation!!

I'll tell you all about it when we get home!!

WFW- Polar Extremes VBS 2009

Ya'll know how I love vintage postcards...and this little guy came up when I was searching for something winter to go with the VBS theme this year! This is the theme verse...actually includes 31 but I couldn't get it to fit easily! Enjoy!!!

Tube Tuesday---The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!

Frugal Friday- Sweater Purse

I'd seen a pattern for one of these sweater purses a while back...and now I can't find the link...sorry ya'll! I'll try to explain it clearly...
I started at Goodwill...finding a half off wool sweater...someone had obviously semi felted it in their dryer...oops! It was GAP...should make a nice purse!

Lay it out on it's back....cut down the collar to about the chest area...cut off each sleeve. Turn inside out...meet the side seems and then sew across the bottom...a few times for strength. Voila...a purse! I attached a fake green rose for a little flare. I plan to use the sleeves as babylegs this winter...very very warm ones!

I have been making other things....but they are all Christmas gifts so I can't show you...sorry!

Word-Filled Wednesday--Just keep climbin'...

Tube Tuesday--I love You, Lord!

I'm reminiscing about my days of summer camp. I've been working on getting my sweet son to go to bed without a bottle...and singing every song I can think of as a lullaby. Many lovely choruses were popular and powerful those summers. I found this beautiful rendition of "I love You, Lord" by The Acapella Company...wonderful! The song is lovely to sing in harmony...I always say that if it can give me goosebumps while I'm singing...it's a good one!!

Plant identified!

With some help from a lady at church...and her amazing gardening book...I think I've finally identified this plant in my garden. I believe it is a lavendar Marguerite! Very pretty!!!

I also discovered that my Black Eyed Susan's are the Goldilocks variety. Neato!

Whoopsie! Ice cream recipe correction and helping hint!

I'm so excited! Two of my dear bloggy friends are talking to me about the Almond Joy Recipe I posted a while back. Seeing as we are the winners of THE GOLDEN SCOOP...ahem...I want to make sure you all have a chance at equally excellent results...

I did have a typo...I've since fixed it. Heavy ice cream...is actually heavy whipping cream.

Also, the cans of cream of coconut are found in the alcoholic beverage mix section. You know, near the pina colada mix, etc. Meijer, Walmart, and Kroger all carry it.

There is no substitute for this ingredient.

Coconut milk does not work! And, since I know someone is going to ask if I don't just say it...no, cream of coconut doesn't contain any alcohol.

Caffeinated Randomness- Teether and Lefty Echo Ball Dance!

So, let's start with the upset teether man. Yes, he follows me everywhere...and drools on my clothes. He wants up...he wants down...he doesn't know what he wants! Everyone, work together now...pray that his eye teeth come in very soon! On the positive side however, sleeping through the night is progressing nicely. Three out of five days this week! Woohooo!

Now, who knew? They did this for hours yesterday...and amazingly no one got hurt. They did the weird ball dance (the princess even dressed in her gown)...and giggled and chortled and shrieked! It was quite amusing to watch too...so I decided to try it. Guess what? You can hear this weird echo in the ball. No wonder it's so fun...they can hear and see each other! Hilarious! Who knew??

Another wildly random thing...my girl is a lefty...end of story...no questions. Not sure how I feel about it. Hardy har har...you know it's a righty world, right??? Here she is working on our secret Father's day cards. Shhhh...after I mail them...I'll share with all you blogging pigeons out there too. They are turning out super d duper dee cute! Yup, I'm flying high on the wings of today for some crazy reason.

On the random cleaning front today has been truly productive. Got the floors and bathrooms cleaned...my ironing done...and even went to Joann's to get the last things I needed to finish some Christmas presents. Planning to organize the toy box this afternoon cuz it's buggin me. No, I won't come to your house...I'm tired! Going to try to enjoy the rest of the peace of the nap time. AHHHH!

Okay...to be totally honest....

There are some of you sweet pigeons out there thinking that I sterilized, boiled and truly jammed this year. So, in order to be totally honest...I made freezer jam ya'll!

IT WAS SOOOO EASY and DELICIOUS!

Here are the directions... AND...cuz I don't have a ton of little empty jars lying about...and didn't want to purchase a bunch of Ball jars this year...I used quart Ziploc...much cheaper and easier to fit in the freezer. (Thanks Mom for that tip!)

Ingredients
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 (1.75 ounce) package dry pectin
3/4 cup water

Mix crushed strawberries with sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the pectin into the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling pectin water into the strawberries.
Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers.
Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours.
Place into freezer, and store frozen until ready to use.


If you store in Ziploc like me...and want to gift your jam at any point...just buy tiny cute jars...snip the corner of your slightly thawed jam Ziploc and squeeze into jar. Voila!

WFW- How do you speak?

Strawberry Jam!

Marquee Monday- Why worry when you can pray!?

I enjoy church signs. Okay...mostly, I enjoy picking on them. Every once in a while one really strikes me. On my way to the grocery store I saw one that I liked...

"Why worry when you can pray?"

How true. Sometimes I think I'm the exact opposite, as ridiculous as that is...my inner chant is why pray when you can worry. BUT Worry is soooo wrong. In fact, it's sin!

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phil. 4:6

I also love the fact that it adds nothing, and helps nothing to worry.

"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Matt. 6:27

It humbles me to realize that I bumble about in my anxious worrying heart...when he is waiting for me to simply bring it to Him in prayer.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30

It all makes me think of the hymn by William Walford...Sweet Hour of Prayer...and since I couldn't decide on just one verse...here they all are!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father's throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter's snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah's lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I'll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!

Caffeinated Randomness! Strawberries and Sleeplessness!!

I guess this will be my weekly excuse to bounce all over the place...sort of like I talk...hahaha!

I need to go grocery shopping cuz...we're out of the essentials (ie. yogurt for Sweet Girl and graham crackers for Sweet Boy). My lists are changing with my summer menu...which I know...deep breath...isn't a big deal. I want to plan more grilling...which always shocks me at the increased price of eating this way! Thankfully, we are blessed...and we can right now! Count your blessings.

I'm crazy and planned to practice a piano piece with my church buddy this afternoon. It should be okay...the house isn't scary dirty like yesterday...and the kids should have had naps by then. Of course, my newly tuned piano would decide to act really wonky all of the sudden. I'm wondering if a spring broke or something. It almost sounds honky tonk in certain areas. Odd...but I hope fixable! I'm hoping to schedule the piano tuner visit next week.

I'm planning to go strawberry picking tomorrow. Haven't been in years...but I used to be a quick and efficient picker. I'll see if I can still keep up with my own expectations! HA! I plan to pick ALOT and do freezer jam. It sounds really easy...I just hope it actually proves truly easy. At least Loverbrains can watch the kids...and that will help mucho mucho!

Decided I'd had enough of Sweet Boy's night waking...and night bottles. I know, shame on me for doing that in the first place. When you have to break them of bad habits it really hits you what a dope you were for allowing it in the first place. I've been singing him a lot of lullabies and stroking his back (at bedtime, 10, 2, and 5...in case you're interested). I would like new suggestions for things to sing softly. I sing hymns, the lullaby from Sarah, Plain and Tall, Summertime by Gershwin, Count Your Blessings from White Christmas...and the normals...Lullaby and Goodnight...

Okay, that's random enough...time to go get my second cup of coffee...reheated for the third time! Yeah...I'm a distracted caffeine user!

WFW- Psalm 23

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Psalm 23

TT- Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy...

This is one of my favorites!!!

Winners of the Golden Scoop...and other church picnic happy tales!

Saturday was our church picnic. In retrospect I wouldn't have run around all morning making myself nuts with errands...and then being flustered and grumpy for the first part of the picnic. Sometimes I do really dopey things like that! It was a gorgeous day....and the promised thunderstorms didn't hit until late that night!

The kids loved the seesaw. One of the sweet girls who loves my kids...decided she'd help be "the engine." He he he! It was helpful to have her young legs pumping the action!

Here is the homemade ice cream competition gearing up. There were all sorts (I think 8 entries) including...snickerdoodle, blueberry-marshmallow yogurt, lime sherbet, rocky road, and our WINNING entry "Almond Joy ala Mom." One week after becoming members and we won the contest. HA! We now are the happy holders of THE GOLDEN SCOOP! It's a floating trophy...pastor said we couldn't keep it...of course, that is unless we WIN AGAIN! Go Wells, Go Wells! He he he!

Here's MomE filling in for Curious Georgette who decided she didn't want to be in the balloon toss when she realized they were full of water! HA...her poor partner needed a new friend! So...

Here's my cheerleaders!

Here's Sweet Boy with one of his many new buddy's! Thanks to all the helping arms and legs! Phew, toddlers in the hot hot sun will keep ya busy!

It was a great day of fun and fellowship!

Here's the recipe for all ya'll interested in AWESOME ice cream!

Almond Joy Ice Cream ala Mom

1 can of cream of coconut (cans found in the alcoholic drink mix area..with pina colada mix, etc.)

2 c. sugar

2 qt. heavy whipping cream

16 snack size Almond Joy bars, chopped

Milk (I used 2%) to fill the ice cream maker to the 5 qt. line,

aftereverything else is in

Heat the cream of coconut, sugar and 1 qt. of the cream enough to just dissolve the sugar. Put all ingredients in the ice cream maker. Turn on and freeze. I let it sit about 1/2 hour before serving. Be sure to take out the paddle and stir it about every 10 minutes, bringing up the cream on the bottom, to get it to freeze evenly. Of course, it doesn't get real hard until you put the leftovers in the freezer. Maybe you'll have leftovers!?!

Smiles!