Food Friday - Gorgonzola-Ham Strata

This is the meal that Phil made me for Mother's Day!
6 large slices sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 C cooked ham
1 red bell peppeer, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
2 C milk
3 eggs
2 T Dijon mustard
black pepper to taste
2 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
4 oz (1/4 lb) Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 C chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

• Spray a 7x11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Spread half of the bread cubes evenly on the bottom.
• top with half of the cubed ham, bell peppers, green onions, and mozzarella cheese.
• Spread remaining bread cubes evenly over cheese and top with remaining ham, peppers, onions, and cheese.
• In a blender, process milk, eggs, mustard, pepper, hot sauce, and Gorgonzola until cheese is finely crumbled.
• Pour mixture over casserole and sprinkle with walnuts (if desired).
• Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, covered.
• Bake (uncovered) in preheated 350 degree oven 45 minutes (until golden brown and puffed).
  

Tutorial Tuesday - Musical Squares

If you have a laminator (or access to one)
and if you have a toddler or preschooler (and therefore not much time), then
this is a project for
you!

Materials List:

• Several (you determine the number) pieces of cardstock cut to squares (approx. 6" x 6")
• Glue
• Desired Images (found on the internet, made by yourself, cut out of a magazine, etc.)
• Laminator
• Source of Music
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Decide what you want to teach your child.
   
2. Find images that will meet your need (shapes, letters, numbers, colors, etc. - see suggestions below).
3. Cut cardstock to squares.
4. Glue images to cardstock. (Suggestion: use both sides, I did shapes on one side and vowels on the other thereby getting two games out of one.)
5. Laminate cards.
6. Trim laminate as needed.
7. Turn on the music.
8. Dance.
9. Stop the music and call out an image (e.g. "Triangle!") and watch your toddlers scramble to find the right card to stand on.
10. Repeat steps 7-9 until everyone is tired and ready for a nap.

I know, it sounds simple but toddlers LOVE it and it is a great way to teach. Depending on what you are trying to teach your child, you can put various images* on the game pieces. You can find free clip art online by simply doing a search such as "triangle clip art" and then click on "images" when the results pop up.

*Some Ideas for different types of cards:

• Alphabet Cards
• Various Animal Cards
• Number Cards
• Shape Cards
• Color Cards
• Scripture Cards (images from different scripture stories)
• My Family Cards (pictures of different family members: aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)
• Simple Word Cards (CAT, DOG, HAT, etc. - you could include an image of the item too)

Another variation is to layer your images so that you have a yellow card with a cat and a "C" on it. That way you can call out the color, the animal, or the letter.

Be creative and share your ideas in the comment section.

P.S. Any wonderful suggestions for how I can clean up that fireplace (seen in the video)? We haven't used it and it is driving me nuts!

New Feature Coming Soon

Bamafam has a new feature it is
Tutorial Tuesday!

Each Tuesday I'll post a tutorial of one sort or another. This will continue for as long as I'm amused by this feature.

I've been doing some fun things and thought that I might as well share. The thing is, I really enjoy the "traditional" homemaking arts. I love cooking and sewing and finding ways to economize by using it up wearing it out, making it do or doing without (a pioneer saying often quoted by President Gordon B. Hinckley).

I am not a fussy girl though. I don't do much that is really involved. I do things pretty simply. That is what I want to pass along to others. You don't have to have "mad skilz" or a great design sense or a closet full of cute fabrics, papers, or glue guns to enjoy the art of homemaking.

So, this may last for a month or it may go on for weeks, months, and years. I guess we'll see. Of course, if you like this feature, leave a comment to encourage me to keep at it. We'll see how this goes...

Food Friday - Sour Cream Stuff

This is Phil's favorite family recipe. His parents make this and he loves it. I've made it a couple of times for him but I don't seem to quite capture the essence of his mom's cooking. Even with that caveat, I share this awesome recipe with you.

3 T oil
2 T diced onion
1 clove garlic - minced
1 1/2 lb round steak - cubed
1 C slice mushrooms
8 oz (1 can) tomato sauce
1 C sour cream
1 t Worcestershire sacue
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
6 medium potatoes, pared
6 medium carrots, scraped or pared

• Put oil in large skillet, add onion, garlic and meat then brown about 7 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper - mix.
• Heat to boiling.
• Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Put mixture, potatoes, and corrots into crockpot - mix.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  

"Teach Me"

Lately, Eden's favorite song is "Teach Me To Walk in the Light." The words follow:

Teach me to walk in the light of His love.
Teach me to pray to my Father above.
Teach me to know of the things that are right.
Teach me, teach me, to walk in the Light.

Sometimes during the day she will just walk up to me and say, "teach me, momma, teach me."

No pressure or anything!

So, we try to teach her good things. We try to teach her that she is loved by Heavenly Father and so is everyone else. We try to teach her to love others and to be nice. We try to teach her that we love her no matter what. We try to teach her to be kind and to share.

Today, Kendal and Trey came over for a little while. Now, keep in mind that Eden will sometimes say (out of the blue) "I love Trey!" She seriously loves him and his sisters and his mommy. Today, however, she was not in the mood to share. Instead of "I love Trey" what I mostly heard was "Stop it Trey, that's mine." Trey was a very good sport and tried to keep his friend happy but Eden was just not going to be happy. It was so bad that she actually chose to take a nap two hours early when I told her she'd have to take a nap if she couldn't choose to be happy without one.

That is when I decided upon the topic for tonight's Family Home Evening lesson.

While she slept I prepared a lesson on sharing.

Here is my well executed lesson plan:
While holding hands and walking in a circle the three of us sang, "Sharing with friends is fun to do, fun to do, fun to do..." Then she got to insert her friend's names. We included Trey, then Bayley, next was Kendal, then Erin, and finally Corrie. Then I showed her pictures of children sharing toys and we talked about how happy they were. Finally I got out my sewing measuring tape (which Eden loves to play with) and I shared it with her, then Daddy shared his brush (she loves his brush for some reason) and then she shared a toy with both of us. We cheered and clapped and talked about how happy this made us.

See, I'm a good teacher!

Yeah, that is what I thought until I said, "so the next time Trey is here what are you going to do?" and she replied, "say STOPIT TREY, THAT'S MINE"

I guess I've got some work to do with this "teach me" business.

Food Friday - Freezer Tips

Phil says that I'm the queen of freezing food.

As the Queen, I shall bestow upon you some wonderful tips about things that I've successfully frozen and then used. For me it is largely about convenience. I'm lazy like that.

• I've already blogged about freezing cheese. See here for that.

• I've already blogged about freezing fresh chicken strips or breasts so that they aren't all clomped together when you are ready to use them. See here for that. Also, this same concept works for pork chops or steaks or any other kind of meat.

• Did you know that you can freeze fresh spinach? I wasn't sure so I did a little googling and found that about half the people said "no way!" and the other half were divided in the ways you could do it. Some said to blanch it first, some said it had to be fully cooked, but some said to just buy the washed and dried stuff and stick it in your freezer. I like that idea. I had just purchased a HUGE amount at Sam's Club and was anxious to not waste it. So I pulled out my trusty qt. sized freezer Ziploc (no, I'm not being paid) and made several serving-sized bags and threw them in the freezer. It worked great! Here is the important tip: don't thaw it out. Take it straight from the freezer and steam it immediately. I've made several batches of spinach pasta (see here for a great tutorial and recipe) and it really does work great. You can use it in anything that calls for steamed or cooked spinach. Obviously it doesn't come back well enough to use in a green salad or anything that calls for raw spinach.

• I hate fatty hamburger. I've been paying the $4/lb for the really lean stuff but then I see the 80% stuff on sale for $1.50/lb and I think, "even when I subtract the weight of the fat it is a better deal." So what is a frugal-and-trying-to-be-healthier girl to do? Well, I bought the 80% and fried up the whole thing (several pounds). Then I drained and RINSED it to get all that yucko fat off. Then I took out the Ziplocs and created several bags of pre-cooked ground beef. This has been AWESME because I can pull it out to make any number of things (tacos, sloppy Joes, spaghetti, pasta bake, etc.) and my meat is already cooked. One less step for me and one less pan to wash for Phil. If this isn't a win/win I don't know what is. I got cheap meat, made it less unhealthy and I get the convenience of pre-cooked meat. Voila! (Oh, I still buy the expensive 95% stuff for those rare times we have hamburgers or some other recipe that won't work with pre-cooked hamburger - like meatloaf or something.)
  

• Cottage Cheese freezes pretty well so if you find a good deal on it, stock up and put some in your freezer.

• Butter freezes just fine so you can stock up on that too when there is a sale.

• If you grind your own wheat into flour, you should freeze the flour that doesn't get used immediately. It retains the nutrients better in the freezer than at room temperature.

• Bacon bits (either that you create or if you buy the big bulk bag) can just be kept in the freezer and then used as needed. They will last much longer in the freezer.

• Yeast should be kept in the freezer and just used from there. This will keep your yeast much fresher and it will perform better for you. While we are on the topic of yeast, I highly recommend Fleishman's Yeast found at Sam's in bricks. I open one brick and dump it into a freezer Ziploc and then keep it in the freezer.

• Freezer jam: it is so good. My only concern is that it requires so much sugar. I finally found some pectin that uses less. Now I buy Ball Freezer Jam pectin. It takes 1 1/2 C sugar to 4 C berries (instead of equal parts) and it is EXCEEDINGLY easy. Just follow the recipe on the pectin package.
  

• My freezer also has lots of frozen veggies. Whenever there is a deal on frozen corn or beans or broccoli (Eden's favorite) or stir fry or whatever, I stock up.
  

• Cake freezes great. Make cupcakes and freeze half of them for the next time. (Frosting freezes ok but it is messy so it works best to freeze them before frosting.)

• Breads and rolls freeze pretty well too. This recipe freezes and then thaws out really great and tastes yummy after freezing too!

• Pizza dough freezes well. This recipe is the one I use and it makes two pizzas. We don't eat two pizzas at a time and so I take half the dough and put it in a freezer Ziploc (really, no payment) and then I have a pizza crust just waiting to be used. Do not defrost in the microwave though. It will kill the yeast and your dough will be flat and tough. Take the dough out of the freezer at least two hours before you intend to use it.

• And now, for my number 1 favorite thing in the freezer:

Ice Cream!

What's in your freezer?

Help! I need YOUR wisdom and experience!

...again.

We use plastic grocery bags as liners for all the garbage cans in our house. I've always thought this was a good way to reuse and it means I don't have to buy garbage liners. So now the new craze is to have reusable grocery bags. I like the idea of being green but then what would I use in my garbage cans? Does anyone have a good solution?

...and also...

We want to buy a grain mill. I've been using whole wheat flour in my baking. We love it. It is expensive though. Freshly milled flour retains more of the good stuff. We'd like to buy wheat and grind our own. Does anyone out there in cyberspace have a mill that they love? Do share. Please?

Food Friday - Tortellini Soup

Boil one cup of cheese-stuffed tortellini in
1 1/2 C of water for about five minutes.
Add one can of Tomato soup. Stir

Optional: add Italian spices and/or some cheese

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.

This I Believe (too)

I believe in making bread.

I love the texture and taste of homemade bread. I love the smell of a well-cooked crust. I love knowing which ingredients I and my family are eating ... no mystery chemicals this time.

I especially love the excitement of my daughter when it is time to take the bread out and she has waited patiently (or not so) to get to taste the first piece. She does a little jig, then a giggle, and her hands involuntarily plunge out in the "give me" stance. I ask her what she wants on it. "Honey bear, honey bear" is invariably the reply. We watch the butter melt then add the honey from the bear-shaped bottle. It melts too.

She eats.

I wait.

Finally, after mouthfuls of crust and innards have been disposed, I hear the critique, "it's 'ummy, mommy, 'ank you."

My husband comes home and the bread is no longer hot. Only faint hints of the fresh bread aroma remain. I serve him dinner. I include some bread. The scene nearly repeats itself. "This bread is so good, honey. It turned out great again, you rock." He thanks me five more times before our heads occupy our pillows.

Baking bread definitely makes sense in a cost/benefit world. It costs me a little bit of time and a few ingredients but the benefits go beyond healthier eating or more economical feeding. The biggest benefit is the love.

Bread making is all about love.

I was talking to my mom a few weeks ago and she had just taught a bread making class for Enrichment*. Most of the women who signed up to attend were younger mothers. As my mother prepared and prayed about this assignment she was convinced that her real purpose was to teach these women that bread making is all about love. You can buy good bread (especially in Utah where there are bread stores everywhere), that isn't necessarily the point. The point is that in baking bread you show others you care for them.

I had a friend from graduate school who made bread. He once said to me, "I'll never use a bread machine because how else can I knead the love into my bread?" He knew that bread making is about love.

As I was thinking about this concept, I thought about how often Christ is referred to as the "Bread of Life" in the scriptures. We are told to partake from the Bread frequently and generously. Each week we partake of the Sacramental bread in remembrance of Him.I think there is no coincidence that He chose to compare Himself to bread. Bread sustains and comforts. Bread fills and satisfies. Bread is love. Think about it, is there any other kind of food that even makes sense when you try to use it as an analogy for Christ? I've tried to earnestly think of a few and they just sound lame. Spinach is very fortifying but that definitely doesn't work. Chocolate is comforting but still falls short. Hot oatmeal warms and fills but ... nah.

I believe in bread making. It is one of the ways I show love. In eating it with excitement, delight, and enthusiasm, my family returns that love.



*Enrichment is short for Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment. At least once a month women from congregations of the LDS church get together to learn and share and do in ways that are enriching to themselves, their families, and others. It is fairly informal and usually is held in someone's home. For more information go here.

Food Friday - Chicken Tikka Masala

I LOVE Indian food and especially chicken Tikka Masala. I'll be honest, I haven't tried this recipe yet (I don't have a grill) so if you try it, let me know how it goes for you. Phil found this on allrecipes.com.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes + 60 Minutes in fridge to marinate chicken
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours 20 Minutes
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Nutrition facts (per serving):
Protein 24.6g. Carbohydrates 14.3g. Cals from Protein 23%. Cals from Fat 62%. Sodium 4553mg. Calories (kcal) 14.3. Total Fat 28.9g. Fiber 2.3g. Cals from Carbohydrates 13%. Cholesterol 143mg.

Food Friday - Caribbean Salsa

This is so amazingly beautiful and yummy! It is also quick (about 15 minutes).

1 C (8 oz) of crushed pineapple (retain some of the juice whether using canned or crushing fresh)
1/3 C chopped red (or orange) bell pepper
1/2 C cubed mango (you can also use peaches, apricots, papaya, kiwi, or whatever fruit you want - just think "tropical")
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro*

Combine all the ingredients, pour off unwanted juices (although you don't want it dry), and serve.

Serving suggestions:

• We had this on top of a deliciously grilled chicken breast over a bed of rice. It was seriously so beautiful and so good and really healthy! The whole meal came together in 30 minutes.
  
• Phil said, "this would be great with chips too!"
• I think it would be good along with any kind of Mexican dish like tacos or especially on top of a taco salad.

So, let me know what fruits you've added to this great recipe and also let me know of the yummy ways you've served this.


*Cilantro is hard to deal with. I usually use scissors to cut it into little pieces but it all sticks to the scissors and to me. I've actually begun just using it whole-leaf and that works for me because I really like it. Still, it sticks to my fingers as I pluck it from the stem. Any great suggestions about how to prepare cilantro? Don't be scared off though because it has such a unique, fresh, wonderful taste, it is so worth the little bit of annoyance it gives me.

Food Friday - Simple Whole Wheat Bread

I found this on allrecipes.com. It was submitted by Nita Crabb. It really is fairly simple (bread always takes time but this one isn't complicated) and the texture is amazing and the taste is fabulous! Oh, and you can freeze one of the loaves for later.

Ingredients:
3 C warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 C honey
5 C bread flour (I just used all purpose)
3 T melted butter
1/3 C honey (yes, more honey)
1 T salt
4-6 C whole wheat flour
2 T melted butter (yes, more butter)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 C honey. Add 5 C white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in 3 T melted butter, 1/3 C honey, and salt. Stir in 2 C whole what flour. Knead, adding more wheat flour until it pulls away from the counter but is still sticky to the touch. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough (this helps keep your dough moist). Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9x5" loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 T melted butter to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

I seriously want you all to try this at least once! It very well may turn you into a homemade bread loving creature. Alisha was here the first day I made this so I expect her to post a comment telling you all how delicious it is! The rest of you can leave a comment after you've tried it. I'm serious here. I don't often make requests of you but this is a recipe you really need to try and then leave me a comment about your experience. What else are you going to do with the next three hours of your life?

Besides, bread takes 3 hours but it doesn't require your attention for most of that time so you can mix it up and while it rises the first time you can watch American Idol or Biggest Loser (or whatever is sitting unwatched in your DVR) and then you can make it into loaves and while that rises you can take a nap. Then you can get up and bake the bread and everyone (especially your husband) will be so impressed that you made bread today! It won't matter if the beds aren't made because you made bread! It won't matter if the laundry isn't folded because you made bread! Oh, and you can give one of the loaves away thereby adding blessings to your tally - and we all need those. So there you have it, you are so making bread today!

Food Friday - Cooking for World Peace (2)

Spicy Lamb Stew

(a mix of Better Homes & Gardens, 365 Low Fat Meals, and Charlotte’s creativity)

1 pound lamb, marinated with Mediterranean marinade (see below)

1 package Western Family Stew Vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, celery)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp thyme

6 cups beef broth

Cut meat into cubes, grill until brown on outside. In crockpot, stir together vegetables, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in meat and the beef broth.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10-12 hours or (not as good) on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours

Serves 4-5

Food Friday - Cooking for World Peace*

The following was submitted by Dr. Nick** who blogs with his wife here.

So I do like to cook, and I really enjoy making my chili recipe, but if the following counts as a recipe, then I submit it, because it makes me happy, and I only get it a couple of times a year.

Take 1 large bowl.
Add Peanut Butter Captain Crunch
Add milk and spoon,
The world is righted.


*thank you Charlotte for the title for this series.

**Dr. Nick is a fabulous man. I had the privilege of "teaching" him the gospel while I was a missionary. The fact is, he didn't really need a teacher. He went from self-proclaimed atheist to lover of The Book of Mormon and His Savior in two weeks. It was an awesome experience to watch. He is an esteemed doctor of psychology and all around fun guy who is going to come visit me some day so that he can go to the Talladaga Speedway (Nascar).

Internet Romance

I found a new site that I think I may want to start dating. I don't think I'm ready for an exclusive relationship with it, but we will definitely be hanging out!

Check it out here!

Projects' Status or is that Stati?

Dress: got it done Friday and she had a great time at the prom. She's that kind of girl. Makes her life fun and is generally happy. I don't have any pictures but she promised me one when she gets hers back. I'll post then. She wore it to church. So did the other two prom-goers. Next to their fancy beaded get ups hers looked simply lovely (with perhaps too much emphasis on the simply). Hers was the most modest though! (The other girls did wear cover ups on their bare shoulders. They better have kept those on throughout prom night!) So glad to have it done and that she was happy with it.

Bathroom: all painted (except behind the toilet because I needed Phil to help me turn off the water and move the toilet). We just put the hugigantic mirror in place - we aren't vain, we are just using the same mirror that was already there. Phil is putting in the new light right now. Trim. It tortures me. So much trim in this house. Why did we ever decide to paint it all? Trim will wait for another day. month? year? it will wait.

Laundry: I got it done last week right? Well, would you believe that it needs to be done again? What is up with that? Phil was getting Eden ready for bed tonight and I walked in and he said, "I don't know if these PJs are warm enough..." Then I completed his unspoken sentence, "it is just that my wife hasn't done laundry for a week and all of her REAL jammies are dirty and I didn't know what other options I had." Eden is sleeping in a long-sleeved onesie and some too-small stretch pants. Laundry is definitely on the list for tomorrow.

72-hour kits: no change in status.

Food and World Peace

Do you have a recipe that just makes you happy?

Is there a food that makes your whole family smile and hum (just a little) while they eat it?

Do you believe that some recipes are so good that they might, just maybe, help bring about world peace?

Are you willing to share?

If you would like to share a recipe with the Food Friday crowd, please send the recipe and instructions (and a photo if you'd like) to frugalkeslers at gmail dot com.

Depending on how many people respond, I'll post the recipes for the next few Fridays.

Food Friday - Spanish Rice

This is a recipe that Phil has wanted me to try. He got it from his mom who got it from our SIL. It was easy and delicious! You could use it for a side dish in a big Mexican meal or you could (as we did) just use it as a main dish.

6 Slices of Bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 med. Onion (chopped)
1 sm. Green Pepper (chopped)
2-8 oz. Cans of Stewed Tomatoes (diced) (I only had 14.5 oz. cans so I just used one of those)
1 C Water
3/4 C Rice (uncooked)
1 T Brown Sugar
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 t Chili Powder
1/8 t Black Pepper
1/2 C Grated Cheddar Cheese (don't add until the end)

• Cook the bacon in a large frying pan.
  
• Remove the bacon from the pan but save 2 T of the drippings in the pan.
• Saute the onions and green peppers in the bacon grease until they are tender.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients (include the juices from the tomatoes).
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
• Top with crumbled bacon bits and grated cheddar cheese.
  

Update

I am sitting in Phil's office.

He is molding young minds.

He's also in the middle (well, the beginning of the middle) of a treatment so he is on drugs.

He can't be trusted to drive.

But he can be trusted to mold young minds?

I'm the chauffeur.

His class is three hours long.

We live a half hour away and so I am waiting.

I'm supposed to be working on my YW lesson.

I'm blogging.

Shame, shame.

Projects Update

Bathroom: same status as last post. The OTHER bathroom is in severe need of attention. It is getting all the use and none of the attention. I should really clean it tonight.

Dress: everything is done except the zipper and hem. She looks beautiful in it. Yesterday we went shopping and she got new shoes, a necklace/earrings set, and an uplifting undergarment. Clinton Kelly would be so proud. I hate zippers though. Guess what I'll be doing at midnight while Phil can't sleep?

72 Hour Kits: I bought a new backpack with wheels. It doesn't all fit into it. I have sorted the stuff into boxes: Phil, Heidi, Eden. I need another backpack with wheels. Maybe two. Is it cruel to expect Eden to haul her own survival gear?

Laundry: Resumed its position of prominence but although washed, it hasn't been folded. Guess what I'll be doing before midnight? I can't stand to have laundry unfolded over night (Phil, on the other hand, can't stand to have unfolded laundry for more than five minutes. He's a good man to put up with me and my laundry wrinkles.)

Roof: done by 3:00 that day! Yeah, those guys are finishers! I should learn from them. It looks great.

Other upcoming events:

Saturday morning: the Laurels and a few of their prom friends are coming for a waffle party. Phil is a nice, supportive guy to let me invite (actually they invited themselves) a bunch of teens into the house on the last day of his treatment.

Saturday afternoon: unhook Phil from his poison and pull out the needle. I'm such a good nurse.

Saturday evening: drive to B'ham for YW training followed by a stake YW activity followed by the YW General Broadcast. Of course the laurels will all be at prom but those beehives better get their little skinny bods there!

Sunday: teach a lesson about patriarchal blessings. This isn't in the manual but we decided to reserve fifth Sunday lessons for topics that we feel impressed our girls need. I'm not sure what the beehives are going to be learning about but the laurels are going to be learning about planning for the future now, including the importance of patriarchal blessings.

It is such a good thing that our lives are fairly busy. If I had time, I bet I'd be throwing myself pity parties. Phil's CEA was up again. We seem to be having a steady (slow) climb here. CT scan in a couple of weeks. That should give us some more info with which to work. Yeah, too busy for pity parties. That is a blessing and truly one of the tender mercies I count.

Missing You ... see you soon

I've been on a bit of a blogging vacay lately.

Stuff to do. Busy, busy, busy.

I'm a good starter, need to be a finisher.

Master (term used loosely) bathroom: patched, mudded, sanded, mudded, sanded, ceiling painted, walls are up next.

Prom dress: mock up done and it fit well (relief), skirt sewn together, bodice and sleeves are in progress (prom THIS Saturday ... oh dear, panic).

72 hour kits: everything has been pulled out, evaluated, rotated, added to and is residing on my laundry table.

Laundry: waiting for the 72 hour kit mess to vacate so that the laundry can resume its normal prominence in the room that bears its name.

Roof (yeah, we get a new roof because of the hail damage): shingles delivered at 7:am this morning (woke Eden up, ok, it woke me up too) I guess we will spend the day listening to the melodic sound of nail guns. That should harmonize well with the hum of the sewing machine.

So now you know why I haven't been checking your blogs much. I'll see you soon.