On the Menu

Take it or Leave it..... Love my new sign. Got it at Home goods. Stamped framed burlap and I am loving me some burlap lately.
Ok. For reals. Second week back at work. Not feeling making dinners so much, often it is just for Doug and I. Girls are off and running.
Monday- dinner out Jason's Deli
Tuesday- pork tenderloin- gonna search pinterest after this to get inspired
Wednesday- Grilled chicken wraps. red potatoe salad
Thursday- Pasta and some yummy bread, definately a salad
Friday- I'm thinking grilled steak- done by Doug with red wine
Saturday- Hamburgers

Sunday Savings

Here's a tip for you. If you live near a Smith's grocery- get their shoppers card, go on line and register it and load all the digital coupons to it you like. Remember to check it weekly as they add new coupons. Sometimes they even have free items. No joke. So I'm Christmas shopping. Not kidding. I got two Aeropostale gift cards 50.00 value for 40.00 all because of my dital coupon. I also got gas points that gave me .80 off each gallon of gas. Paid 2.70 instead of 3.50. How's that for saving? Woot woot

Making Progress

I'm a little over halfway through the embroidery on this project. Once that is done then I will make a scrappy binding, Quilt it in loppy loops and sew on binding and then be done. Another gift made.

Avery's choir camp

Avery has been in an all girl show choir named 5th Ave since she began high school. This past week they had a camp to introduce new members, ease everyone into all the singing and dancing, and on Friday they performed for an audience. Avery got the solo for one of the songs "The Voice Within" sung by Christina Aguilara. She did a really good job. The mic was not on or working, but sitting in the sixth row I could still hear her. My phone camera decided not to work so all I have is the shot I took as she was testing microphones before the show. Proud of this girl. She can do anything she sets her mind to and was alot more fearless than I was at that age.

Psalm 19:1

 The heavens declare

 the glory of

the Lord

Monday Meal Planning

Although I have fallen off the blogging for a bit, the meal planning was still going on. I've mostly been doing a week at a time. If you do not meal plan, I cannot sing its praises enough.
Everyone is on the same page.
You are more focused in the grocery store.
It saves you money, time and stress
One of my weight watchers leaders once told us "the more structured you are, the more freedom you have" It's true. Give meal planning a try.

This week:
Monday- Mushroom Dijon Chicken with summer salad
Tuesday- Beer Brats with onions and peppers
Wednesday- Turkey Burgers with Avacodo and pepperjack cheese
Thursday- Grilled Pork Chops with apple chutney and stuffing
Friday- Pizza and Salad
Saturday- Ribeye Steak and Spinach Salad (seen about)

Sundays savings

 I started the tablerunner. Using the Pinterest picture I drew the patterns free hand. One thing I noticed as I was going through my thread was I did not have one shade of blue. How could that be? Darn it. I had to go to JoAnns. I have kind of grounded myself from that place and places like it because I tend to get in trouble.

 But I did a good job. Four skeins of yarn for scarves. Six fat quarters that reminded me so much of Jill I had to buy them. An embroidery hoop and 12 bits of thread all for $6.88 out of pocket. I used my coupons and I had a gift card that had a bit on it still. A wonderful way to spend an hour.

I had a daughter date with this one this afternoon. We saw Maleficent and man oh man does that Angelina have some beautiful cheeckbones. The eyes aren't to shabby either. good flick.

The Next Project

When I first started crafting Flickr used too be my go to place. They changed their format making it not as user friendly and so now I'm a Pinterest girl. The next two pictures are from there.

 I'm thinking table runner.
I'm thinking these pasley stitchings in the middle
I'm thinking linen and black and white checked fabric
I'm thinking this could be fun.

Oasis in the Desert

 We live in the desert with a lot of brown. Our backyard is our patch of green. We have pine trees and aspen trees that line our wall

 We are equally blessed to have the neighbors plants and trees hang over in our yard. Very excited by this heavily loaded peach branch that is hanging over the wall. Is that wrong of me?

 As I was taking pictures I happened upon this dove nest. It is amazing what you see when you really look

 Like how beautiful my oldest is

And how beautiful this Nana dog is

I'd show you a picture of my youngest but I think she was still in bed. She has become nocturnal this summer. That may be a problem in a couple of weeks when school starts. Just saying.

A Little Stitching

 But no bitching, I promise. I never liked the name "Stitching and Bitching" for those groups, but I digress. I whipped up this little mini/ mug rug out of scraps left over from the craft room cleaning. I was searching for a saying to stitch and went to my pinterest board. "Start each day with a grateful heart" spoke to me. Happiness and attitudes are choices we make everyday. Living with teenage daughters is a test on my behavior. How I handle daily situations is a choice and a grateful heart is a happy heart.

I also finished the rooster I was working on. Just need to find the perfect frame for it.

Today was an unexpected day off and for that I am VERY grateful.

Summer Meal ideas

We've been doing alot of grilling this summer. How easy is it, right? Marinade and throw it on, make a salad boom your done. But for the times when you don't want to grill I search for new things on Pinterest, the web and magazines. These came from Cooking Light.

                        B.L.T. Pasta and Veggie Hash with fried egg

Tried and Wayne Manor approved- Yummo!!!

Scrappy Quilt Finish

 Cleaning out the craft room unveiled a huge stack of 2.5 inch blocks. I also found all kinds of scraps. So with the 2.5 squares I did four square blocks and with the scraps I cut them into 2.5x 4 inch pieces and filled in with white. For the back I had a piece from a quilt along and added to it with the star fabric. I bound it with a black and white stripe fabric. Nana is helping display it.

My last day of summer

 Strange to think that my last day of summer is today. I start work tomorrow. While that makes me a little sad to be done so soon we had a wonderful summer. We went to Monterey.

Our walks along the ocean were heaven. It's so beautiful.

 We then went to the Sierra Nevadas where I grew up and spent time with my sisters and their kids.

 After that it was to Stagecoach Nevada where the wild horses roam

 The best part was spending time with my parents

 (Riley and my mom)

 And spending time with Doug's parents. Happy Birthday dinner.

 Nana, my beautiful girl completed the first stage of doggie school

And we found and homed a baby kitten. It was a wonderful summer!

A little crafting

 Before we left for our trip I cleaned the craft room. What a difference it makes to have a space to create that is neat and clean. The problem.....I can't keep my mind on one thing for very long. I have no staying power, easily distracted. I think I've started three things already.

 While I was cleaning I found a piece of linen and a scrap of black poke a dot fabric. I sewed those today and set it aside. Then I remembered how much my mom loved her rooster stitching I did for her and I had a friend (well sister from a different mister) that raises hens and sells eggs soooooo a christmas gift in the making. I think I'll frame it.  Thoughts?

 Then second thing I found as I was cleaning was a had a buttload of scraps- like a ton of them. So I'm working on a quilt and from all these scraps it may be a king sized quilt by the time I'm done.

And last, if you ever wondered where the crafty comes from you only need to look at my mom. She has been doing more card crafting and canvas art. This is one that she gave me when I was at there house. Hot air balloons for Albuquerque. Isn't it beautiful? I just love it.