Five Things Friday

Here are my Five Things for this fine Friday...

1. OH! I have good news!!! It has been over a week since our 6 month old puppy had an accident in the house!!! Do I dare hope?!!! It didn't take long AFTER we took the puppy pad away. It seemed to remind him that "hey, I need to pee here!" I am so proud of him and he is so adorable! I love him to pieces:)))
2. I have my starter working for my new No Knead Artisan Bread that I am going to bake in my new stoneware covered baker:) I was hoping the starter would be ready by Monday but it has been cool in the house and the starter isn't working as good as it should; will likely be later in the week. If you are interested in bread baking, especially the no knead variety, check out Breadtopia! Trust me, everything you ever wanted to know about baking bread...by experts!
3. I just received an order I placed to Springfield Dolls for clothes/shoes for my granddaughter's American Girl doll. I was beyond pleased with the order! I plan to make a few more clothes for her doll plus her uncle is going to make a bunk bed for her dolls. Of course I will be making the mattresses, pillows and bedding. It will be an American Doll Christmas...minus the doll (got that for her last year).
4. We are loving our Tempur-Pedic mattress! We have been sleeping on it for two months now. My favorite part is I can't feel when hubby rolls over or gets up. I used to wake up every time he moved but now don't feel him move at all:) It took me a couple weeks to get used to it but I am so happy with it now!
5. The busiest two months of the year are coming up and I'm starting to panic:( I need to just sit down and make a list of what needs to be done and when. November includes my darling son's birthday, monthly Happy Stampers Club, Thanksgiving complete with overnight company! December includes Happy Stampers Club (early), trip to the coast for 3 days, Christmas, trip to visit daughter and granddaughter for 3 or 4 days, New Year's Eve party (not at my house). Add to that making/buying Christmas gifts which I should have done months ago and sending Christmas cards. Am I the only one who panics this time of year?!!! Any suggestions? 

Thank you for stopping by today! I am so thankful for each and every one of you who stop by to see what's going on. I will be back on Sunday for my version of the Sunday Night Chit-Chat! Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily is feeling a bit overwhelmed so is taking a week off! At least she's not taking 2 1/2 months off like I did!!! Carla is amazing...she has 4 kids, homeschools, creates custom sewing items as a business (I am fortunate enough to have a few of those amazing items) all in addition to being a wife, cleaning, cooking, etc! Did I say she is amazing! No wonder she needs a week off!!!

Tootles for now! Have a great weekend:)

Kat

Another Birthday Card

**Oops! I was trying to schedule this post for Thursday but hit the "publish" button too soon! Sooo, if you happen to read this post on Wednesday, just know that it was meant for Thursday!

Good Morning and Happy Thursday to you! I think I am going to town today to get my new prescription sunglasses...first pair EVER! I need to explain; by going to town I mean a 1 1/2 hour drive each way:( However, I amuse myself with an audio book and if someone else is driving, my knit/crochet project of the moment so the time passes quickly. When "in town" we go to Costco, have lunch in a restaurant (my favorite part), get a pedicure (every other month) and run miscellaneous errands. Today I am hoping to pick up the supplies to make my darling granddaughter a bunkbed for her American Girl dolls. 

My card today is one I made for an 11 year old boy and was so happy to know he loved it:) That's always a big plus! Most of the time I don't hear whether a recipient liked the card or not. Needless to say, those who respond in the affirmative, get LOTS of cards from me:)

I cut the circles out with my Circles Framelits Collection then adhered them to the Whisper White cardstock. Then I ran the Whisper White cardstock with the circles on it through the Big Shot using the Argyle Embossing Folder. I love how using the embossing folder actually makes the circles almost melt into the Whisper White cardstock. Very cool!

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight and Lost Lagoon cardstock
• Stamps: Endless Wishes and Itty Bitty Banners
• Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red, Memento Tuxedo Black and Blendabilities (for coloring the cake)
• Big Shot with Circles Collection Framelits and Argyle Embossing Folder
• Other: Dimensionals

Card inside

I hope you enjoyed the card today and that you will feel inspired to do a little "creating" yourself! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Peekaboo Window Birthday Card

It is definitely fall...rain, temperatures and even a short-term stomach "flu":( I had so much planned for yesterday and ended up half the day in bed. Not on the schedule I can assure you!

Instead of baked potatoes, butternut squash and salad, we had Potato Corn Chowder because that's what I crave when I'm sick. Late in the afternoon it really hit the spot:)

The card today is another version of the one I posted last week here. After I made the Fall version of the Peekaboo Window Card I decided to try a birthday one that I could send to my sister-in-law for her 60th birthday. I was so happy with the way this one turned out. Elegant but fun, don't you think?

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock; Back to Black Designer Series Paper
• Endless Wishes Photopolymer stamp set
• Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento stamp pad; Blendabilities (to color cake)
• Punches: 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Decorative Label
• Other: Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

The fun surprise is when you open the card and see the birthday cake revealed in the window!

Tomorrow I have another birthday card to show you. Thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Tasty Tuesday

The dogs woke me up at 4:00 this morning needing to go out. Then when I was just about to go back to sleep they started barking...again:( Grrr! So, I got up with them about 5:00! I have enjoyed two cups of Yerba Mate` tea so far and am thinking breakfast is next on the agenda! 

I want to share a product with you that we just discovered at Costco. It's called Orgain Organic Protein plant based powder! The flavor at Costco is Creamy Chocolate Fudge and it is so yummy! If you need a quick pick-me-up or want to cut out calories from a meal or two, this is a great Vegan alternative to Dairy-based protein powders. It has 21 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of fat and only 150 calories per serving when mixed with water. We mix ours with rice or coconut "milk" so there are a few more calories added. You can also purchase this product at Amazon where you can also purchase the Sweet Vanilla Bean flavor.

Now, on to today's recipe! Today I wanted to remind you of a recipe I shared last year...Curried French Lentil Soup! I am going to make this soup for the church potluck this weekend and I am looking forward to making it. This recipe makes a HUGE pot of soup so I will have enough for lunch on Friday PLUS potluck! This recipe would be easy enough to cut in half.

Curried French Lentil Soup

from 350 Best Vegan Recipes by Deb Roussou

1 Tbsp        olive oil

1               large onion, chopped

3               carrots, peeled and chopped

2               stalks celery with leaves, chopped

4               cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp       Curry Powder (I used Sambar Curry Powder--Masala)

10 cups      Vegetable Broth

1               can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups        French puy lentils, picked through and rinsed

2               bay leaves

2 cups        cubed red potatoes

3/4 tsp       salt

3/4 tsp       freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp       chopped fresh parsley

1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and let pan get hot. Add oil and tip pan to coat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in curry, broth, tomatoes with juice, lentils and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, for 35 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until potatoes and lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, pepper and parsley. Discard bay leaves and serve hot.

There's no better comfort food on a cold Fall or Winter day than a bowl of hot soup! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Tomorrow...a card! Thanks for stopping by!

Kat 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Well, I didn't make it back as planned on Friday...life just kinda caught up with me! Hubby's brother and sister-in-law were here for a couple days and before that I was getting the house and casita ready for their visit. Then I made a special seitan (pronounced sey-tan and is a chewy, neutral-flavored, protein-rich food made of wheat gluten, used as a meat substitute in vegetarian dishes) dish called Peruvian Gluten for potluck. Oh my! I had forgotten how yummy it is! Anyway, needless to say, I was pretty worn out by Friday!

Sunday we attended an Orthodox wedding. I was totally amazed by the beauty of the church. The service was different from any I had ever been to but truly beautiful and meaningful. I had never been to a wedding where everyone stands to watch the service. We originally planned to stay for the reception but my sore ankle (sprained on September 23) was not ready to stand for 1 1/2 hours. There were so many people there (heard rumor of 450 people) I am sure we weren't missed at the reception but were so happy to be able to see the bride and groom and to witness this beautiful ceremony.

Today I am happy to be able to participate in Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday! You can read her version at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom:)

The weather outside is::::

Cold! It warmed up to 52 degrees today and there is a slight breeze.

On the breakfast plate this morning::::

It was a "fast" day for me so just Yerba Mate` tea this morning. We did however enjoy a delicious 500 calorie lunch:)

As I look outside my window:::

We had cloud cover most of the day but there was still enough power coming in through the solar arrays for me to do 4 loads of laundry.  The bird feeder is gently swaying in the breeze as are the willowy branches on the tree outside my dining room window.

Right now I am::::

Drying the last load of clothes while drinking iced tea and working on this blog post. I am also playing a game of Words with Friends with someone named PipelineJack!

As I look around the house::::

Puppy is lying by the back door, sleeping; dining room table needs some attention--need to put stuff away; kitchen clean; pile of laundry that needs to be done tomorrow.

On today's to do list::::

Laundry...I washed the bedding for my room and the casita plus a load of towels. I need to do at least 2 loads of clothes tomorrow.
Cleaning...Kitchen floor needs to be swept and mopped; dining room table needs cleaned off; kitchen cupboard fronts need cleaned.
Stampin' Up!...I need to send an email to customers and one to Happy Stampers Club members. I also need to check to make sure I have everything for this month's club projects.
Crocheting...I am packaging up the baby boy afghan I made awhile back to get it sent to the sweet baby Noah! Hopefully to the Post Office tomorrow. I am still working on the yellow baby afghan I have been crocheting for a month now; it's growing:)
Cooking...We eat ONE 500 calorie meal (hubby gets 600 calories) on Mondays. Today was beets and carrots fresh from the garden and lightly steamed. We also had steamed cabbage plus bread with avocado, onion and tomato.

Currently reading::::

Still reading The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice. It's a great book, just haven't taken a lot of time for reading lately. It's hard (impossible) to read and crochet at the same time. We are still listening to Sycamore Row by John Grisham.

On the TV today::::

Love it or List it on Netflix. Netflix has added several HGTV shows to their lineup and I love watching them!

On the menu this week::::

No menu although I think we are planning Baked Potatoes, Baked Butternut Squash (from the garden) and a green salad for tomorrow if we don't go to town. My sunglasses are ready at Costco so hope to get them tomorrow or Thursday.

What I am creating at the moment::::

I need to get some cards made (what else is new) and working on the baby afghan I mentioned above.

New recipe I tried or want to try this week::::

Last week I tried a recipe for The Ultimate Cashew Cheese and it was delish! Plus there are so many things you can do with it...dip for crackers, make into salad dressing, toss with pasta...so glad I found this recipe! 

Favorite photo from the camera::::

The dogs are soaking up the heat from the woodstove! Could they get any closer?!!!

Prayers, Inspirational Quotes or Devotionals::::

Well, that's it for me this cold (now 48 degrees F) Monday evening. Have a great week and I hope to be back tomorrow with another recipe for Tasty Tuesday.

Kat

All is Calm Wondrous Wreath Card

It's a rainy day in my neck of the woods! Oh how I wanted to say Georgia...and what do I mean by "woods" as we have absolutely NO WOODS here; just dry grass and sage brush! We have trees right around our house which we planted but there are no woods! So, what does that have to do with anything? Absolutely nothing! It's my blog and I'll ramble if I want to...right?!!!

Today I will be out and about delivering stamping orders and hoping to take a box of stuff to the thrift store! Actually, I probably have a trailer of stuff that needs to go to the thrift store but it will need to be a little at a time.

The card today won rave reviews from the Happy Stampers last week! I really like everything about it. I have Jill Franchett at Jill's Ink to thank for this card as I pretty much copied everything! I didn't realize that Stampin' Up! has Silver Foil so used the Silver cardstock but I have the Silver Foil coming on my next order!

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Lost Lagoon, Whisper White, Silver and Pear Pizzazz cardstock; All is Calm Specialty Designer Series Paper
• Wondrous Wreath photopolymer stamp set
• Ink: Pistachio Pudding, Pear Pizzazz and Lost Lagoon
• Big Shot with Wonderful Wreath Framelits
• Other: Lost Lagoon 3/8" taffeta ribbon, Dimensionals

I hope you enjoyed the card today! There are so many great ideas out there I want to try and stamp sets I want to play with! Have I told you lately that I LOVE stamping?!!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! Tomorrow is Five Things Friday so I will see you then!

Kat

For All Things Peekaboo Window Card

I was thinking...since Tuesday is Tasty Tuesday, maybe Wednesday should be Wacky Wednesday! However there is nothing Wacky about my post today or should I say no wackier than usual:)

We have RAIN today! We have had a dry spell or mostly so. It did rain on Monday but not enough to brag about. Today I think we might get some bragging rights. But since we only get about 12 inches of rain per year on average, any rain is a welcome sight!

I got another new recipe today that I can hopefully share with you next week. I want to make it first to be sure it's as good as it looks. The recipe is for Homemade Wheat Thins! I love Wheat Thins and to be able to make them at home would be great!!!

My card for you today is one we made at our Happy Stampers Club meeting last Wednesday. I like this style of card so much I made 4 of them! I made a birthday card using black and white that I will show you next week.

It is called a Peekaboo Window Card and you can see why in the next photo...

Please forgive the photo as I was holding the card open with one hand while trying to take the picture with my iPod Touch. 

My thanks goes to Dawn Griffith for the wonderful video tutorial for this card! You can view the video at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. Her videos are amazing...easy to follow along!

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Mossy Meadow and Blackberry Bliss cardstock; Color Me Autumn Designer Series Paper
• For All Things stamp set
• Ink: Blackberry Bliss, Crushed Curry and Early Espresso
• Punches: 1 3/8" Circle, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch
• Big Shot with Chalk Talk Framelits
• Other: Dimensionals and Sticky Strip

Well, I'm off to clean my house before company arrives later today! I also plan to make a big pot of All You Can Eat Soup and a couple loaves of Whole Wheat Bread so I best get busy! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Tasty Tuesday

Ahhh! Tasty Tuesday is so much fun for me because I get to share recipes with you that have become family favorites!

Remember the recipe I mentioned wanting to try yesterday? Easy Tomato Basil Blender Soup? Well, just let me say, AWESOME! I picked the tomatoes from our garden so it was even better. Click on the link and you will see the recipe and some wonderful photos of the process. This recipe was definitely a keeper!

Since the weather is turning cool, I crave soup and my favorite soup (actually my ultimate comfort food) is Potato-Corn Chowder! My mom made a delicious Potato Soup but over the years I have tasted others and included an ingredient here and there that I thought would improve the flavor even more. THEN, I became intolerant to dairy so had to make even more changes. I posted this recipe back in September, 2012 but thought if you missed it the first time, you could catch it this time around:)

POTATO CORN CHOWDER

6 medium potatoes
2 cups frozen or fresh corn (canned will work in a pinch)
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery sliced or chopped
1/2 cup coconut oil (can use margarine, butter or light olive oil)
2 quarts rice milk (soy, coconut or dairy milk can be substituted)
1 1/2 tsp salt (add more to taste at the end, if necessary)
1/2 cup unbleached flour (see note for gluten-free)
1 tsp dried basil
dash Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

1. Peel potatoes. Cut into bite size pieces. Put in saucepan; cover with water. Add 1 tsp salt. Cook till fork tender.
2. While potatoes are cooking, put coconut oil in very large pot over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook till tender. Add flour and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to make a paste. Add "milk" and stir with wire whisk till blended well.
3. When potatoes are cooked, drain (I save the water to make bread). Mash potatoes leaving several big pieces of potato. Add to "milk" mixture.
4. Add corn, basil and red pepper flakes. Only add the red pepper flakes if you like hot or they can be added to individual bowls.
5. Heat almost to boil but do not let it boil.
6. Enjoy:)

Note: When I am making the Potato Corn Chowder gluten-free, I omit the flour and add about 1/2 cup of instant mashed potato flakes in step 2.

Also note: If you want a little more color, you can grate, slice or chop one or two carrots. If slicing or chopping, cook carrots with potatoes. If grating, you can add carrots with the corn. I have also added broccoli when it struck my fancy.

Well, I am off to make a stab at being productive today! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Happy Homemaker Monday

Good Morning! And welcome to Happy Homemaker Monday. Dear Sandra is our weekly host for Happy Homemaker Monday and always has fun things to share. I hope you will pop over to Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to see what she's been up to!

I was so happy to see that my blog has over 50,000 views now! Woo Hoo! Thank you all for checking in to see what's going on in my little world! I truly love to share with you!

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
Wednesday is a fast day so no breakfast for this girl! I do have plans for a great big salad for lunch!

Looking around the house::::Dog toys litter the livingroom...again...always! Everything else looks pretty good. I want to put a fall wreath up in the livingroom this week.
On today's to do list::::
Laundry...I need to do a couple loads of laundry today! There is always laundry to do but I guess I can be thankful we all have plenty of clothes.
Food Preservation...I really need to get some tomatoes canned this week! We got the sauerkraut started last week (45 Liters of it) and the Jujubes are drying nicely but now I need to get the tomatoes done!
Stampin' Up!...I need to deliver orders later in the week and make a few cards today before I put my stamping stuff away. 
Crocheting...I am still working on the yellow baby afghan. I am also working on a pretty pink scarf and earwarmer set for a three year old (need to finish this week!). I need to start working on some clothes for my granddaughter's American Girl doll. 
Cooking...Today we will have a big salad, homemade dressing and homemade whole wheat bread.

Currently reading::::
The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice
One Simple Act by Debbie Macomber (this book is so good I may have to read it over when I finish)
Sycamore Row by John Grisham (audio)

On the TV today::::
I watched The Paradise last night and might get an episode or two of the Gilmore Girls in tonight.

The weather outside is::::
It has been chilly in the mornings but warms up to low 70s (F) in the afternoon. I really can't complain tho I know the cold is coming. Just trying to soak up the last little bit of warmth!

On the menu this week::::
As you know if you read my Happy Homemaker Monday posts, I am not much of a menu-maker. I know it would be good but most of the time I just work with what's here. We still have so much in the garden that I just think about what's there and what sounds yummy to eat! Seems to work for us.

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
Work on making a few cards!

New recipe I tried, or want to try this week::::
Just this morning I got found a recipe for Easy Tomato Basil Blender Soup. I have lots of tomatoes so thought I would give it a try this week. I may have found my new favorite soup:) I ordered the covered baker and proofing bowl last week for my new Artisan bread so hopefully will get to do that next week.

One of my simple pleasures::::
Chocolate:) Especially Dove Dark Chocolate! Hubby tries to buy me "designer" chocolate but I still like Dove the best!

Favorite photo from the camera::::
Nothing today...sorry! I really need to take some pictures!

Visiting with Blog friends (blog you want to share, blog post that caught your eye)::::I enjoy Patty's Stamping Spot and the current post is for The Control Freak Blog Tour! So many creative stampers. I hope you get a chance to check it out!
Praying for::::
Friends and family

Bible Verse, Devotional that is resonating with me at the moment:::: 
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 
                                   ---1 Thessalonians 5:18

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

Yay! Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily is back with the Sunday Night Chit-Chat! Be sure to stop by her blog and say hi! Thanks, Carla! I love the Chit-Chat!

Motto I am learning to live by!

So, let's get to the Chit-Chat!

What...

• Are you watching? Ah! The Paradise is on tonight!
• Are you reading? Still reading The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice. Should finish it this week:) 
• Are you looking forward to next week? Stamping order will arrive about Thursday--Woo Hoo! Also hubby's brother and sister-in-law will be visiting sometime this week!
• Was your best moment over the last week? We had a fabulous day yesterday visiting with new friends! We are so blessed to get to know them!
• Is your #1 goal next week? Get the house cleaned before company arrives!
• Was your best/worst financial decision over the last week? I spent too much money while visiting my daughter a couple weeks ago so I shouldn't have bought 2 new sweaters and a pair of leggings but they were at Costco and were sooo cheap I couldn't resist! 
• Is on the top of your wishlist right now? I think I want one of those folding tables that fold in half! That would come in so handy for a lot of things but especially for crafting!

Well, that's it for this week's Chit-Chat! I will be back tomorrow for Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday and then on Tuesday for Tasty Tuesday:) Wednesday and Thursday I have cards to show off so until then...

Kat

Tasty Tuesday and a Winner!

Hello and Happy Tuesday to you! I LOVE Tasty Tuesday because I enjoy cooking and sharing recipes! Wait till you see today's recipe...my, oh my!!!

But, first things first! The winner of last week's drawing (see post HERE)...drum roll please...is Margarita! Margarita, I will be sending the card set out to you this week:) I truly hope you like them!

Now, one more thing before I share the recipe! Yesterday was our "fast" day (we eat one 500 calorie meal around noon on our fast days) so hubby decided beets would taste good along with some homemade whole wheat bread and avocado. Well, this is what he brought in...

This beet was 3 1/2 pounds!!! One beet was a meal! You might think that a beet this big couldn't possibly taste good but it was amazing! So sweet and tender. Our beets and carrots are gigantic this year! Hubby says it has to do with Ironite and Compost! Guess he knows what he's talking about:) He likes to garden as much as I like to cook!

Last week I wanted to make zucchini bread for potluck so I Googled "best zucchini bread recipe" and saw this one for Paula Deen's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread! I hope you like it as much as we do!

The zucchini bread looks a little dry in the picture but it was so moist and yummy!
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
by Paula Deen
Makes 2 very delicious loaves

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest
Whipped cream, for serving
Zucchini ribbons, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 minutes (mine took 60 minutes), or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and ribbons of zucchini.

I plan to work this recipe over a little to make it vegan and use less oil so will keep you posted on my redux!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Happy Homemaker Monday

Well, it took me ALL day to get here but I finally made it! So glad you could join me for Happy Homemaker Monday. Our weekly host for Happy Homemaker Monday is Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. I hope you stop by to visit her and the other participants.

I will announce the winner of last week's drawing tomorrow. 

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
Wednesday is a fast day so no breakfast for this girl!

Looking around the house::::
Yesterday we made sauerkraut (and will make more tomorrow). Today I filled our food dryers with grated Jujubes. Things look a little crazy around here but will soon be back to normal:) Hmmm...what is normal anyway?!!!

On today's to do list::::
Laundry...I got the bedding washed and line dried today. Tomorrow it looks like I have a load of dark clothes waiting to be washed. 
Food Preservation...As mentioned before, I had some Jujubes that needed drying. Previously I had cut them in half, removed the seed and put them in the food dryer. This was laborious as the fruit didn't give up the seed without a fight! So I went online to Taylor-Made Ranch Homestead Blog and decided to try grating the fruit off the seed. It was so much easier and faster. The blog author said the easiest way she has found to remove the seed is with a handheld cherry pitter. I will try that next. 
Stampin' Up!...I am still trying to get ready for Wednesday's stamping club. Crocheting...I am still working on the yellow baby afghan. I am also working on a pretty pink scarf and earwarmer set for a three year old (nearly finished). I need to start working on some clothes for my granddaughter's American Girl doll. 
Cooking...We cooked a HUGE beet today for lunch; it weighed 3 1/2 pounds...one beet!

Currently reading::::
The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice
One Simple Act by Debbie Macomber
Magic Hour by Kristen Hannah (audio)

On the TV today::::
We just started watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix--cute but there are 150+ episodes!!! I need to catch up on the last two episodes of The Paradise on PBS. I keep forgetting it's on Sunday nights:(
The weather outside is::::
It was chilly and cloudy today; very fallish! I was really enjoying the warm weather last week but alas, I think Fall has settled in.

On the menu this week::::
As you know if you read my Happy Homemaker Monday posts, I am not much of a menu-maker. I know it would be good but most of the time I just work with what's here. We still have so much in the garden that I just think about what's there and what sounds yummy to eat! Seems to work for us.

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
Catch up on Words with Friends! I am really enjoying it! 

New recipe I tried, or want to try this week::::
I am looking forward to trying a recipe for Artisan bread. I just need to order the stoneware covered bread pan and the proofing bowl. I got the starter from my daughter's friend, Selina, along with instructions.
One of my simple pleasures::::
Hanging clothes outside! I will soon be drying everything in the dryer for the winter but I am enjoying the last few decent days to dry outside.

Favorite photo from the camera::::
Nothing today...sorry! I really need to take some pictures!
Visiting with Blog friends (blog you want to share, blog post that caught your eye)::::
Taylor-Made Ranch Homestead Blog was a fun one for me to read today. If you are interested in homesteading, you will love Tammy's posts.

Praying for::::
Friends and family
Bible Verse, Devotional that is resonating with me at the moment:::: 
"Pray without ceasing." I Thessalonians 5:17

Well, that's it for me today! I will be back tomorrow with Tasty Tuesday and the winner of last week's drawing! Thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

I hope you had a great weekend! Mine was pretty good:) We had new friends over last night and had a great time just visiting. Today we filled our 15L crock with cabbage from our garden that will become sauerkraut in 4-6 weeks. I think tomorrow we will try to fill the 30L crock or as close as we can get with the cabbage that's left.

I checked Carla's blog at My 1/2 Dozen Daily to see if she was doing the Sunday Night Chit-Chat but it doesn't look like she got the chance so...you get my version based on the questions from past Chit-Chats!

Our Sauerkraut making operation today

What...

• Am I watching...Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I never wanted to watch it because I thought it was a teeny-bopper series but it is really a pretty good show about family dynamics.
• Am I reading...The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice
• Am I looking forward to this week...It's time for Happy Stampers this week! Plus I will pick up my new glasses on Thursday:) 
• Am I obsessive about...Stamping! I love, love, love stamping! I never get tired of it and most of my extra money gets spent on my stamping! So hard to say no to stamps and paper and ink, oh my!!!
• Is my #1 goal for next week...I have to finish getting ready for my Happy Stampers Club! I am such a procrastinator:( Plus I need to get some Thank You cards made and in the mail.
• Is my Best/Worst financial decision over the last week...I bought a couple Christmas gifts so that puts me ahead of the game:) 
• Is my favorite food...I think it would have to be pizza although I really like Mexican food.
• Is on my wish list...Stamp-n-Storage Combo Holder to store my stamp pads, re-inkers and markers. 

Well, that's it for tonight! I will be back tomorrow for Happy Homemaker Monday!