There's Still Hope...and Other Assorted Goodies

Fifteen years of marriage and I'm still not what you'd call a fabulous cook.  Just ask my husband.  What am I saying?  He'd lie through his teeth!  Sure, I can fix stuff and keep a clean house.  Not that I'm usually inclined to do so, but I am capable.  Cooking?  Eh, not so much.

At any rate, I bought a couple of cookbooks recently (to add to the library I already have lurking in the pantry) from The Pioneer Woman and crossed my fingers...or at least, my spatulas.

Let me just say...there's hope y'all!  I have successfully managed to prepare meals lately that didn't wind up feeding our garbage can.  I've made stuff that even the dog refused to touch.  I'm not kidding.  Dear Hubby and the Co-Defendants ate each dish so fast I didn't even have time to take pictures.  Then again, maybe they were just choking it down and smiling through their pain...hmm.  Chicken Milanese, Chicken Fried Steak Fingers and a marinated flank steak that turned out to be edible instead of fit only for shoe leather.  Trust me here...this is a call for celebration.
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On to fun stuff...

I haven't gotten anything sewn this week and the sewing corner is still a mess.  It was worth it, though.  Sam Worthington, bless his skirt-clad bottom, was totally worth the distraction.  Sigh. 

I did make a trip to the LQS today.  You know it's a great shop when Co-Def #2 (the eight year old) says 'Let's go to Hip Stitch Studio, Mom'.  Bless you, my child.  Of course, I considered it my civic duty to pick up a little (ahem) something...


Woodland by Natalie Lymer for Cinderberry Stitches

I'm ashamed to tell you how many FQs were in the package...so I won't, but I couldn't pass them up they were that cute.


Don't these look like Smurf houses?



Okay, maybe not



But I still like 'em!



My one nod to creativity today has been another handmade card...

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Hello Latvia!

Let me confess right up front that I'm in the funkiest mood today this side of ever.  I'm on the other side of needing a Xanax (but haven't taken one so approach me with extreme caution) but on this side of needing a straight jacket.  Let's face it, I don't need to sport a look that makes me look even thicker around the middle than I already am.  Yep, I'm in one of Those Moods.  I'm wiped out from work and the OMG I can't take no more part of me that is a Mommy is letting the Co-Defendants veg out in front of the TV...which leaves me to contemplate those questions in my mind that I occasionally let out for others to enjoy.  This means you get to scratch your head and thank the Lord above that you aren't me.  Or maybe you wish you could be like me, because honestly, I make cuckoo kinda chic.

Here's what's rattling around inside the cranium this afternoon....if you blog, do you ever pay attention to your audience?  I like to see who's looking over my shoulder and possibly laughing hysterically while I and the family (but mostly me) lose our ever-lovin' minds.  Most days, the number of U.S. visitors far exceeds those from any other country which is to be expected since I am an American and we're a nosy friendly bunch.  Not so, today.  Today, the Latvians are all over My Imperfect Life.  Which begs the question...

Am I really that funny, interesting, charming, gorgeous...yes, please feel free to substitute whatever colorful descriptive you feel.  Or are you bored out of your mind and looking for something to knock you out for a quick nap?  I'm not sure I've ever even met a Latvian.  Albanians, Aussies (Lord love 'em and their awesome accents), Brits, Germans and New Yorkers?  Sure, I've met some of them, but never a Latvian.  My loss, I suppose.  So, hello Latvia, hope you guys are having an awesome day!

Well, that's that.  I hope I've given you an incentive to check out your blog's audience (and express gratitude for your own mental stability).  If anything, it gives me an excuse to get out the old atlas and find out where some of these countries are located.  Sorry, geography isn't my thing.

And for one last laugh I give you...

Co-Defendant #1 in a parka.  It was 102 degrees the day I took the picture.  Does this give you any idea how cold it is in my house?!  Hey, if I'm gonna be a little looney, at least I can be cool, too ;)

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Thursday Tidbits

Today's a day of celebration in our house.

It's our 15th wedding anniversary!  Add almost 5 years of dating and you come up with 20 years of driving one another to the brink and back again.  Whohoo, that lucky devil!  Here's what DH sent me today...

I've told the man over and over and over not to send me flowers.  So glad he didn't listen!  He won't remember that these are the same color I carried in my bouquet but it's certainly a nice coincidence.

Our daughter has finally decided that she is a girl.  Oh, sweet hallelujah!  She's asking for dresses and skirts...oh, my!  And look at what she picked up at the grocery...

You won't believe the amount of crap I had to take to get this shot!  On the way home we got into a discussion about age.  She told me I've only been alive 7 years and you've only been alive for 22 Mom and that's not old.  Sigh.  I think this child is my favorite.  Actually, no my favorite child is the dog but mistaking me for 22 certainly scores you brownie points.

On a side note, the packages for my FBFs Giveaway are in the mail...hooray!  Hopefully, they'll arrive at their new homes this weekend.

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Random Stuff That Doesn't Fit Anywhere Else

This is the post that's all about the stuff that made me go 'well, that's frightfully interesting' or 'holy crap am I ever a clever gal'.  It'll probably make you go 'big whooo' and twirl your finger or suggest I take my medication, but it is what it is.

Called a 'Moonflower', this plant is right outside the retreat center and it smells wonderful.  At night, the bush is full of blooms that close up by about mid-morning.  The unfortunate name conjures up images of drunken, obnoxious males dropping their pants with subsequent video showing up on YouTube.  I know...I should get out more.  Bite me.

I made a name tag for my Featherweight from fabric flowers my Mom discarded and a couple of buttons.  It says 'I'm not ANTIQUE, I'm RETRO-CHIC'.  I think it spiffs Lennie up a bit, don't you?

A box of clementines all the way from Israel...in a tiny town in Texas.  I have no idea what Orla, Shvils, Trumot or Maasrot mean...I'll have to go Google it.  Good fruit though.

And a view out the back of the retreat center.  I'd live there if they'd let me, but DH would probably divorce me or at the very least send the children out there so I guess I'll just stick to my once a year visit.

It's back to work tomorrow and the house is a wreck so I'm off to clean. 

Who'm I kidding?  I'm off to peruse my weekend purchases and watch mindless crap on TV.  OH, happy day!

 

Tap-Dancing Tuesday

I love finding items that make me smile, especially when they're made specifically for kids.  Somehow being  an adult in possession of what is usually considered kid stuff just brings out my sneaky inner child.  Who can resist something you know wasn't intended for boring old adults?

I was rounding up items for the kids' Easter baskets this afternoon, when lo and behold...sewing inspired erasers.  How fortuitous, squeals Sneaky Me!

Good grief, I need to vacuum

A couple of spools of thread, a dress form and a tiny sewing machine.  Do you think I'm turning these babies over to a kid so they can be ground into oblivion...perish the thought!

And to top off my day, what did I find waiting in my mailbox?  SQUEAL!!

It's the new book out by Amanda Jean from crazy mom quilts!  If you've never checked out her blog (whatdya livin' under a rock?), go here. 

Happy quilting, y'all!

Anonymous and Not Loving It...

Just a quick post since I don't have my schmidt together yet about the weekend quilt retreat...

If you comment on a post and are unable, for whatever reason, to post with an ID, please leave your name in the comment section.  Ya'll know I can't even remember my own kids' names!  I like to reply to comments, but when I know you only as 'Anonymous' it makes me feel like I should leave a few bills on the nightstand, if you get my drift.  And no, I don't have any experience in that area, but thanks for asking.

As an update to my last post, What a Concept, things seem to have blown over and now I think The Mom is stalking me as she seems to be most everywhere I go.  Smile.

Happy Sunday, ya'll!