Prepping for the week

I can't believe the break is over. Getting up tomorrow is going to be ugly so I am trying to do whatever I can to help myself out. I've got food packaged up and outfits layed out. Now if a magic fairy could get my teenage girls up and out the door on time- that would be awesome. Fingers crossed.

Thumbprint necklace

Have you ever heard of a thumbprint necklace? I hadn't until I met a woman that lost her son and was wearing one. We have now become great friends. God brings people together. Anyway, we had them made for my mom and sisters and myself of my dad's thumbprint. I got it a few days ago and love having a piece of dad with me.

Vintage modern

 Got another quilt top done - I cut into my Vintage Modern fabric by Moda.

 I saw a picture of a quilt on Pinterest and decided to use that.

 Made 64 squares and put them together

 Bordered it with pink poke a dot fabric and off white. It measures 58x58 a good lap size quilt.

It is hanging in the closet now with the Sweet as Honey quilt and the doll quilt. I think I am liking making quilt tops.

A list of meal ideas for January

Meal planning is such a good idea on so many levels. Having a go to list of meals saves money, reduces stress and gets everyone on the same page. We also make allowances to go out to eat too so that the family doesn't twitch.
1. Pear, fig and gorgonzola ravioli (from whole foods)
2.Pork chops, Potatoe gratin, broccoli
3.Chicken salad and cucumbers
4. Baked stuffed chicken
5. Taco salad
6. Frittata and melon
7.Bean burritos
8.Mac and cheese and salad
9. Hamburgers, tater tots
10. Potatoe soup and salad
11.Chicken tenders, mashed potatoes
12. Pork Chops with chutney, roasted veggies
13.Veggie quesadilla
14.Roast beef sandwiches
15. Pizza and salad
16. Grilled cheese and tomatoe soup
17. lasagna, rolls, salad
18. Eggs, hash browns, bacon
19.Baked potatoe bar and salad
20.Maple mustard pork, grilled apples
21. Meatball Subs
22.Quiche
23.BBQ chicken sandwiches
24. Salad, soup and Bread
25.Sausage, Peppers, Potatoe bake
26.Spaghetti
27.Sloppy Joes

Since my last post

 Nov. 2nd was my last post. Nov. 16th I went out to sit with my dad in the hospital for nine days and he passed away Nov. 30th. It is still very unreal. These pictures are from the summer of 2013. We are in Tahoe and life was good. He had just finished a bone marrow transplant and chemo- had his hair back and getting his strength back. Sense of humor in full force. Since Nov. 30th my sister Leah has gotten married to her love of 8 years on 12-13-14. I've gone back to my parents and dealt with budgets and financial stuff for mom, spent time with my sisters, walked the dogs, spotted the wild horses,went through dads clothes and set aside all of his shirts and jeans to make quilts, spent Thanksgiving,  Christmas and New Years with my hubby and girls. This week I wrote dad's obit and thank you letters to his doctors. I cry everyday that I've been back. Grief is a very interesting thing to go through. I'll be fine and all of a sudden it is a punch to the gut and a hand squeezing my throat and tears falling down my cheeks. And I am thankful for it. I thank God that he now has my dad and he is no longer in pain and his perfect self. I'm thankful it hurts this much because that means I loved him very much, but I'm going to miss him. I feel like I'm mourning my Papa and Nana, my dad, moving from NY, not having my horses, all of those past hurts that I never dealt with completely. It is going to make for an intersting 2015. I hope I deal with all of this with grace.

Thank you for indulging me in this and I am going to get back to the normal post of meal planning, quilting, weight loss and what not. Happy New Year to you all and many blessings to all of you.

November Meal Plan

1. Homemade Chicken Tenders ovenbaked
2.Applebees- got a gift card
3.Wedge Salads
4.Apple and Onion topped Porkchops
5.Pancakes and Bacon
6.Beer Braised beef
7.Pizza and Salad
8.Grilled Ribeye
9.Kitchen Closed
10.Kitchen Closed
11.Kitchen Closed
12.Chicken Noodle soup
13.Spaghetti
14.Burgers Out
15.Sausage, Peppers and Onions
16.Beef Stew
17.BLT Pasta
18.Quiche
19.Bean Burritos
20.Corn Chowder
21.Chicken Parmesean
22.Tacos
23. Teriyaki Grilled Chicken
24.BBQ pork chops
25.Chili
26.French Dip Sandwiches
27.Thanksgiving
28.leftovers
29.Tortellini
30. Meatball Subs

October in Review

 Make no doubt about it, October is my favorite month of the year. I love all things fall. We were married in this month. The colors that nature brings this month are breathtaking. Love October.

 The month started of with Nana getting really sick and going to puppy emergency. I'm happy to report she is feeling much better and back to her normal self. Such a doll baby and not spoiled or loved at all. HA

 We had two breaks this month. One was fall break when they have the Balloon fiesta here in ABQ and the other we took as a family for our 20th yr Anniversary. We traveled to Pagosa Springs.

 We rented a house near the lake. Nana and I walked around the lake each day we were here. She saw her first deer. Very funny. Doug and Riley and I went out on the canoe two days. We hiked as a family. There was no TV so we read and talked and just relaxed.

 Sunrise- Pagosa Lake
The big lesson I learned on that trip was to take moments in the day to just relax. Get the feeling of vacation at home. Turn the TV off. Take a magazine and a cup of tea and sit outside. It's not easy and I have to be mindful of it but its important to do.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to take walks at dusk. The ABQ skies are like no other.