kitchen cupboard update

yes, i am leaving the doors off...

yes, that is a stencil (houndstooth)

yes, i love it!

kitchen re-painting update...

all the bottom cabinets are done and i love them! dutch boy "sheet metal" is the color, semi gloss

1 year anniversary of the "incident"

kitty litter cake...it actually tastes good

my first metal stamping

i bought a set of letters & numbers to stamp jewelry, this is my first one (actually 2nd because i wrecked the first one). My co-worker had to put her dog Baylee to sleep so i made this for her, it has a pink bead on it also...

Ladies night

went to ladies night tonight (Nov. 15) in Ishpeming. Highlights ~ art show, free roses from flower shop, seeing friends at Wilderness Sports, Andriacchi's (going back for tortellini & sauces), spending time with my crazy friends/co-workers and Lisa & her sister arguing as usual

Kitchen re-painting

Before: mustard color and cream (the black is chalkboard paint i just did for my meal plan)
pantry: mustard color with reddish/pink trim on top
unfortunately this is what my dining room...
and kitchen counter will look like until it's all done (look in the background, the gray looks sooooooooo good!)
i think it already looks better!
i have help from tyler, he took all the handles & hinges off. I have 27 doors/drawers in this kitchen, that's a lot of hinges & handles

taco ring

1 1/2 pounds ground beed
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 T. water
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 pkgs crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375F, cook ground beef over medium heat, 10 -12 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning mix, 1 1/2 cups of cheese and water.

scoop filling evenly over desired shape, finish shape as directed. brush with egg white, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. serve with toppings (salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and tomato, sliced olives, sour cream).

MAKING THE RING: unroll 2 pkgs crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles. arrange triangles, slightly overlapping in a circle on a large pizza stone (or pizza pan). Points will extend off the edge of the baking stone. Roll wide ends of dough toward center to create a 5 inch opening. using large scoop (i use an ice cream scoop), scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle. bring points of triangles up over filling & tuck under dough.

This recipe is from "all the best" by Pampered Chef

Tyler & friends

team romby

caramel rolls & a shoebox

you can find the recipe here...http://kristirandomly.blogspot.com/2011/11/easy-caramel-rolls.html

shoeboxes filled with small presents were due back at the church today. tyler helped me pick out the presents...

11-11-11 WORSE DAY EVER and a ham

meat raffle, my auntie won (she picked a turkey) then she drew my number! it was exciting...

first snow day of the year 11-10-11

snow started on wednesday, we saw 3 cars in the ditch on our way home, 1 was on its roof. I got home and made dinner right away. Good thing cause the power went out at 6:45 and didn't come back on until 10:45, that's the longest its been out in a LONG time. I lit candles, Aubri and I cuddled on the couch to keep warm. We talked about bizarre things, laughed and i really enjoyed it!

first 2 pictures are Negaunee on our way to work thursday morning, everything was closed BUT NMU

next 2 pictures are Marquette, 12 miles from Negaunee, hardly any snow at all!

aubri

hope for a cure! warms the heart that girl of mine..

my dogs...

this is how we roll up in our house. i know TONS OF PEOPLE who do not give there dogs people food, only buy top of the line dog food, etc. i heated all this up for my dogs...fat i trimmed off my chicken (i cooked it first), sausage, potatoes, venison sausage a handful of noodles (i cleaned out my fridge). i mixed it in with their dry dog food...

they look pretty happy to me!
i've never noticed her ears like that before, she looks like the flying nun

new framed pictures

hanging by the back door....

hanging in my bedroom...

suppose by Phoebe Cary

Suppose, my little lady,
Your doll should break her head,
Could you make it whole by crying

Till your eyes and nose are red?

And would n’t it be pleasanter

To treat it as a joke;

And say you ’re glad “’T was Dolly’s

And not your head that broke?”

Suppose you ’re dressed for walking,

And the rain comes pouring down,

Will it clear off any sooner

Because you scold and frown?

And would n’t it be nicer

For you to smile than pout,

And so make sunshine in the house

When there is none without?

Suppose your task, my little man,

Is very hard to get,

Will it make it any easier

For you to sit and fret?

And would n’t it be wiser

Than waiting like a dunce,

To go to work in earnest

And learn the thing at once?

Suppose that some boys have a horse,

And some a coach and pair,

Will it tire you less while walking

To say, “It is n’t fair?”

And would n’t it be nobler

To keep your temper sweet,

And in your heart be thankful

You can walk upon your feet?

And suppose the world don’t please you,

Nor the way some people do,

Do you think the whole creation

Will be altered just for you?

And is n’t it, my boy or girl,

The wisest, bravest plan,

Whatever comes, or does n’t come,

To do the best you can?
my grandma read this poem to me when i was little, out of a tattered poem book which is lost now, i memorized it for a 3 grade project...

church

i went to church this morning, Mitchell United Methodist Church. I have mixed emotions about church most days. I was baptized Catholic, then my parents started attending a Lutheran church, then they left that church and started going to some church group that met at people's homes (frogs and owls were signs of the devil. I remember my sister crying when my dad took her kermit the frog away from her), then Methodist. I felt as though i had religion shoved down my throat. What i believe in is everyone can believe in what they want, buddah, jesus christ, god, whatever. It's your CHOICE to believe in something or not to believe. As far as i am concerned i am Methodist and my church is Mitchell. I remember living on KI Sawyer and driving to Negaunee on the weekends, to spend time at my grandparents and to go to church (I would stay at my Auntie Tillie's, Auntie Mar's and Liz's house).

It makes me feel good to go to church but on the same note i don't believe you have to go to church to "believe". I brought all 4 of my kids to sunday school every sunday because i believed it was the right thing to go. They were all confirmed at Mitchell, Sheena attends regularly (teaching sunday school), Aubri is going more (helping in childrens' time, sunday school, choir), Derick goes occasionally and Tyler doesn't like to go at all. I believe at their ages they can make their own decision about church, whether to go or not to go. I don't attend regularly, the past 10 years i have skied every sunday in the winter and the summer i am not usually around on sundays.

Today happened to be All Saints' Day, where we remember people who have passed in the past year. Of course i always think of my mother, grandfather and my other loved ones that have passed. I always sit in the pew that my mother, grandmother and aunt's sat in, today i was by myself. My friend Guido's name was in the bulletin, i am glad the whole church is praying for him because he needs all the help he can get. I sing because i love church music, my mother & father sang in the choir; my cousin, sister, brother-in-law and now my daughter still sing in the choir. Sally asks me constantly when i will start but thats not for me. It was also communion, i participated. The sermon was good and what i like about Reverend Mater is that he wears a robe. It brings me back to Rev. Schoonover days...i think i will try to make it at least twice a month!

teal lake swim July 2011

aubri was her spotter from the kayak...

the ole bird aka my gram

the last few visits i have had with my gram have not been good, she could barely keep her eyes open and i am not sure she even knew who i was. Today was a great day! I walked in Eastwood to see her coming out of the dining room, she got a big smile on her face when she saw me, i gave her a kiss and pushed her back to her room. She got into bed and told me to "clean up that shelf", of course i did this asap, this shelf has frames of loved ones, plants, etc. Her hearing is getting worse but when your 93 i guess any hearing is good. I was sitting in her recliner but she told me to move closer and sit in her wheelchair.

She asked me who had babies, she told me she thought there were 3 babies born. I explained that Amy is the only one that has had a baby, she knew his name was Emmett. I told her Cori's baby is 4, Beth's baby is 3 and my baby is 15, i don't think she believed me. She wants to get a present for baby Em but she said she has no money. I told her i would buy something and put her name on it if she wanted me to, she told me to get some money from the "big shit ass" aka my grandpa, her husband (who passed away 9 years ago)....oh the love!

She asked how many i have at home, i said 6. she knew steven's name, she asked where he was and i told him work. She knew that working on a sunday meant more money and said "that's good he's at work, don't tell him i said that". she's on fire! She asked what i had been up to and i said i went to church this morning, her response "i am so glad you are going to church" "i shouldn't have said that". she said that twice throughout our visit. She asked if my mom, her daughter, was still working. I said no, she said "i thought she liked that job, well i guess it's good she quit if she didn't like it" (my mom passed away 18 years ago).

She starts slipping a little more due to that f'ing alzheimers disease. She asked if i had seen her sisters lately. She told me Bruce (who passed away 5 years ago) was out east "he had traveled out there with a friend, i can't remember the friends name, but his friend only stayed two weeks because he was lonely for his family". Corky (aka my gram) continued on, she told me "there was a letter here that Bruce brought staying grandpa was living with some friends, close to Iron Mountain, you know, close to the girls". Really? did she just imply that my grandpa was fooling around with some chicks? i had to hold back my smile, she was very serious about this. I leaned in and gave her a kiss and told her i loved her. She asked why i came to visit today and I told her "to get off your list and because i missed you". She laughed at me and started to cough! She knows i am not a big huggy kissy kind of girl but did she really have to laugh at me? my word i do miss THIS grandma, she is such a bird!

The nurse came into her room and said bingo was starting. Since she was up and with it i thought she should go. I brushed her hair, got scolded for not doing it the right way and then i helped her put her shoes one. She coughed, something came up with that cough and she leaned over the garbage and spit it out "PIG" she said, i don't think i have ever seen my gram spit I wheeled her down to the lunch room, we stopped and said hi to Milton & Merton my uncle shorty's twin brothers (they are so darn cute!). i tried to find her a card with 13 in the corner, since thats her favorite card. Couldn't find one but she didn't care. I kissed her again and told her i loved her again, she smiled and said "thanks for coming Cindi" and i left.

I am glad i went today, sometimes it is a struggle. I don't want to see what is left of the grandmother i love, sad, lonely and not able to remember. thanks for the great visit Gram, i promised i would come more often...i love you Olive, xoxoxox

shed

i wish i had a garage but i am thankful i at least have a shed. all bikes hung, coolers are put away, patio set and all chair cushions are put away...good thing i can pack!

german apple cake

i was too late with the camera, my house smells great!

preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan (i doubled the recipe and put it in a 9 X 13 pan)

1 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter or margarine

1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups of peeled, sliced apples

cream sugar & butter. beat egg and add to creamed mixture. mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to butter mixture. stir in apples. this may seem awkward. there is as much apples as there is dough. don't worry, it will all work out in the oven. lightly press dough into the pan. bake for 40 - 50 minutes. I got this recipe off someones site or blog, i am sorry i didn't get the name so i can't give you credit...

best deal in a LONG time

i am so excited about this deal, i feel like an extreme couponer! I had a $30 gift certificate for JCPenney's and some time to wander. I bought 2 shirts for Tyler, 2 shirts for Derick, 1 pair of jeans for Tyler and 2 pairs of earrings. After they applied the $30 dollar gift certificate, i owed .43 cents! Yeah i said .43 cents and I saved $175.58. I can't tell you the last time i spent .97 cents on a shirt. I was hoping to find something for the girls but no luck...

german paper stars

free "skill builder" at NMU tonight that Sheena and I went to. It started off frustrating but once we got the hang of it, no problem!

here are 5 of the 6 we made...
needless to say we are buying wax and paper to make more for christmas! it was nice to spend the time with sheena...

today...

i helped a complete stranger...fight on Jen

harvest garland

leftover burlap from table runners made for Amy's reception. I made one for Amy and had enough for 2 more that i gave away...