When it Rains It Pours...

...especially when I'm out running errands!

This is what I looked like today after it

poured for hours as I went Kroger, Walmart,

Sams, the gas station, bank and stopped to

visit a girlfriend. The rain was falling so

fast and hard that my van and other cars

around me were having a hard time avoiding

that dreaded hydroplane swaying in

our lanes! And to add insult to injury,

I get out to gas up the van and

wouldn't you know, the pump I choose has a

note on it that the credit card scanner is

broken and I'll have to pay inside! Ugh.

Even with an umbrella, I was soaked.

Cold, wet and windy!

Tomorrow, when I stay home all day,

it will probably be warm and sunny!

He's Baack!

The Mister was on a little trip the last few days.

Everything went smoothly and the time flew by.

Of course, I usually tease him, since he works 6 days

a week in addition to 2-3 evenings, that a trip

won't really seem different at all. (ha-ha!)

But in all seriousness, it's good to have him back.

And I'm proud to say that while he was gone,

I could actually get in our

bed without looking under it, and I could close my

eyes in the shower! Yes, I must finally be growing up.

(or I was too tired to be scared of anything!)

Welcome home, Mister...you can take charge

again. Shhh..we all know Mom is really in charge

but I like to let The Mister at least think he is! :)

Daisies

I filled my window box with daisies today and the rain

came down and watered them!

Let Them Fly!

addressing the open house invitations

Watching your child growing up is an amazing experience. I have found myself thinking a lot about Taylor, my oldest, this year. Somewhat sentimental, somewhat fearful, but always in prayer and in awe. Those of you with grown children know exactly what I'm talking about! And those of you with little ones will know all too soon!

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Being a senior in high school just seems to bring all those thoughts together. You know that your years of teaching are coming to a close and now it's time to let them fly and trust that what you have taught by word and example has made an impression. Well, I had a very clear affirmation of that recently!

~~~~

We've taught Taylor that if there is some kind of tension between people, it is always best to talk it out. To leave the situation unresolved and avoid confrontation is wrong and it creates a barrier that is unhealthy. Many adults have a difficult time doing this! And I've been guilty of it myself! It's crazy to avoid people or worse, act to their faces like everything is fine when both sides know that it is not.

~~~~

Well, Taylor found out that an older couple was offended by him. It wasn't a one time thing, but an ongoing problem, they said, although no specific circumstances could be given. Taylor drove himself to visit them, without our knowledge, and told them he wanted to talk about what they had said.

~~~~

Although the visit didn't seem to help the situation, (they denied the complaint, and said that Taylor had 'wasted their valuable time'), it was an affirmation to me and The Mister that he wants to do the right thing, even if it may be uncomfortable. I think he displayed a lot of maturity and wisdom. In those moments when he came home and told us what he had done, I thought... "Yes, he is going to be just fine as he prepares to leave this nest!"

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c soft butter

1/2 c solid shortening

1/2 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 egg

2 t cream of tarter

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t cinnamon

2 1/2 c flour

1 c white chocolate chips

1 c craisins

Mix all ingredients...dry and wet separately

and then mix well together.

Bake about 12 minutes until golden and crackly.

I use an ice cream scoop to make large cookies,

and flatten just a little before baking.

If you make them smaller, don't bake so long!

Teething, Triplet Style

Above...left to right...Alex, Harry, Spencer.

Can you tell Harry is the one not identical?

It was his hair that stood out from his brothers.

1994

Pre-autism, when all we had to worry about was the condition

of that couch! Oh my...how blissfully unaware we were of

what was to come! Aren't they little cuties?

Makes me want to just pick them all up and smell their

soft necks! Awwww...

And the couch? No, it did not survive. They

chewed that arm down to the stuffing!

Sweet Violets

My violet patch has bloomed! It has also spread into my other flower beds over the winter and there are pretty patches of violet sprinkled everywhere! Did you know that in India, sweet violets are used to cure sore throats and tonsilitis? Who knew! So, Marie at Vintage Postcards, the prettiness is for you! And Granolachic at So What Can He Eat, the remedy is for your strep throat! Enjoy and feel better, girls!

My Current Favorite Hymn

Avian Inspiration

Magpies

~~~~

The very idea of a bird

is a symbol and a suggestion to the poet.

A bird seems to be at the top of the scale,

so vehement and intense his life~~~

The beautiful vagabonds, endowed with every grace,

masters of all climes, and knowing no bounds~~

how many human aspirations are realised

in their free, holiday-lives -- and how many suggestions

to the poet in their flight and song!

~~~~

John Burroughs (1837 - 1921)

Trash Picking

Some of you may remember last week when I blogged

about throwing out this old broom and getting the new one!

Imagine my surprise when I was doing dishes the other

evening and saw my next door neighbor out my

kitchen window sweeping out her garage

with my old broom!

She had been picking through my trash in the night!

Well, it was probably early, early morning since

Taylor can't seem to get our trash out before 11pm

and I know these neighbors are early risers.

The funniest thing about this is that I am guilty of

picking through their trash, too!

I took a beautiful porch swing

from their trash 2 years ago!

It only needed a coat of paint!

I actually think I got the better deal in the trash trading!

But I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder!

Metamorphasis Monday = Garage Sale Table

It's Metamorphasis Monday!

Take one ugly sofa table with fake brass handles.

Spray paint it chocolate brown.

Replace handles with mod brushed pewter ones.

The result is a nice little spot in the corner of the room

for a lamp and a few old bottles to sparkle in the sun.

Table was given to us to throw out after it didn't sell at a garage

Table $0.00

Paint $2.00

Handles $5.00.

Total $7.00

Nifty and Thrifty!

~~~~ If you'd like to see other makeovers, check out Susan's Monday Makeovers at Between Naps on the Porch!

Did Spencer Fake Sick to Come Home From School???

I can't prove it, but I think he did! That little rascal!

On Thursday morning of this past week, Spencer was enjoying

taping some newly printed pages together to add to one of

his precious stacks. The Mister and his brothers were all

going out the door and it was past time to leave for school.

I made him leave for school and he fussed a little but went

without finishing the taping and stacking.

Well, I got a phone call from his teacher before 9:00 that

he had thrown up on himself and needed a change of

clothes. I (still in my nightie, with bedhead, and blogging!)

quickly got dressed and ran a fresh shirt and pants to him.

She didn't think he was sick and he seemed fine, so I left.

He did try to go with me! Well, an hour later the school

called and said that he was in the clinic and had thrown

up two more times and I needed to take him home.

Hmmmm....he was so happy to see me again!

He skipped out to the van and promptly went back

to taping and stacking his train pages.

Ate lunch fine...felt fine all day....you be the judge!

Grilled Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus!

Olive oil, kosher salt, pepper ~~

grilled until tender crisp.

That hint of smokiness from the grill...

YUM!

~~~~

One of the nicest things about the change in seasons is

the change in food! Although I love my comfort food

of the winter, there is something wonderful about

the freshness of spring foods!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I baked this coffee cake and took it in to The Mister and

his coworkers today. The plate came home empty!

I did sneak a small sliver just to make sure it was good!

Very yummy and moist!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

slightly altered from Ina Garten

~~~~

1 1/2 sticks soft butter

1 1/2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1 1/4 c sour cream

2 1/4 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

~~~~

The Streusel

1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 c flour

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

6 T cold butter

1 c chopped pecans

~~~~

The Glaze

1/2 c powdered sugar

2 T milk

1 t soft butter

1 t vanilla

Directions

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Cream wet ingredients in mixer.

Sift dry in separate bowl and add on low

just until mixed.

Combine streusel ingredients in small bowl.

Layer half the batter, then 2/3 the streusel,

then the rest of the batter in a greased tube pan

Sprinkle remaining streusel on top.

Bake 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Toothpick test.

After cooled and removed from pan

drizzle with glaze.

Harry and His Green Beans

I was making the boys dinner plates a few days ago

and Harry brought me a can of green beans from the

pantry. I asked if he wanted green beans for supper

and he nodded yes! Doesn't he look happy? ha-ha!

It reminded me of when he was a baby....he loved

those Gerber strained green beans, too!

More than once he cried

when they were gone and I felt so

sorry for him I would heat him up a second jar!

What a sweet memory. I had forgotten it

until he jogged my memory with this request.

Where are your manners, Harry? Use your fork!

P.S. ~ this is typically how Harry's plate looks for

every meal. A few minor changes...carrots instead

of green beans, or a banana instead of the applesauce.

But this is pretty much his entire diet.

At least it has something from each food group!

(if you count yogurt as a protein)

And he loves these divided plates...can't have your

mini wheats touching your green beans, you know!

A Clean Sweep

Betcha can't tell which one is new!

And, for my faithful blog friends, Yes, I did

do a ceremony with much fanfare, as the

old broom got tossed into the trash!

Happy Easter!

"Fear not; for I know that ye seek Jesus,

who was crucified. He is not here;

for he is risen, as he said.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And go quickly, and tell his disciples

that he is risen from the dead."

Matthew 28:1-7

~~~~

O death, where is thy sting?

O grave, where is thy victory?

I Cor. 15:55

~~~~

Happy Easter, my blog buddies!

Postcard Friendship Friday

This is the only vintage postcard in my collection that

was actually written to me! Needless to say, it's one of my favorites!

Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted by the lovely Marie of

Vintage Postcards. Go check her out...oh, and her website

is really cool, too!

Candy Coated Snack Mix

Coat cheerios, rice chex, peanuts and pretzels with

melted white chocolate or almond bark. Spread on parchment paper

and let cool until firm.

Yum!

Easter Dinner Ideas

We traditionally have ham for Easter Dinner.

The sides dishes and desserts vary depending

on the whims of the cook! :)

I usually like to do something seasonal and fresh

to break away from the winter meals.

Do you have any Easter dinner traditions?

My Dryer Thinks It's Smarter Than Me

I hate to admit it, but I'm having a hard time falling in love with

my new dryer! I feel guilty! And yet I'm beginning to despise the

thing! My new Fisher and Paykel dryer is a top-

loading, stainless drummed, lid-locking marvel, but it isn't

impressing me that much! We bought the matching washer

a few years ago and I do love it...it's fast an efficient!

But the dryer....it seems to take forever to dry! I actually think

my old klunker ran too hot, which was really, really fast! ha-ha!

And that locking lid.... just to take a peak and check

the progress is a process! It has to wait to stop

spinning and then it sounds like a vault with an electonic

door opening the drum before the lid will unlock.

It acts like it's smarter than me! Do you have any

applicances like that? I feel like I'm stuck forever in a

bad marriage, as this dryer will probably out live me!

Maybe I need appliance counseling! LOL

Pass It On!

“What a wonderful God we have ~

he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the source of every mercy,

and the one who so wonderfully comforts

and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.

And why does he do this?

So that when others are troubled,

needing our sympathy and encouragement,

we can pass on to them this same

help and comfort God has given us.”

(2 Corinthians 1:3-5, TLB)

Things that Come in Threes!

A lot of things come in threes in our family!

The best thing, of course would be our triplets.

But not ALL threes are good!

When household things break, we can

almost always count on them coming in threes!

It has gotten to the place that when something breaks, we

cringe and wait with anticipation....and sure enough two more

things bite the dust! Last week was one of those weeks!

With the Hoover Floor Mate, Cuisinart Blender and

the good ol' Kenmore clothes dryer (17 years old) all dieing!

The blender and dryer have been replaced.

Now we're officially broke! I guess I'll have

to resort to a plain old mop and bucket! LOL

So, do you have a lucky or unlucky number

that has adopted your family???

Metamorphasis Monday = Master Bedroom Closet

This is what my bedroom looked like when I removed everything

from my closet! It had actually never been painted and only

had a thin coat of builder's primer on it. After 20 years, it

was looking pretty sad!

Nugget was quite the 'helper', sniffing the paint, trying

to chew my shoes, and wrestling with the drop cloth!

He finally decided to take a nap in the corner while I worked. I used a light blue just like I did when I freshened up my kitchen pantry.

I love the contrast of the white shelves and baseboards! And then, of course, the fun part is organizing everything as you put it back! So much better! :)

Spicy Sweet Potato Chips

I watched Tyler Florence make these sweet potato chips on

The Food Network and had to try them! Taylor named them

as his 'new favorite'. They were easy and yummy!

The cold dip paired very nicely with the spicy chips!

The potatoes are sliced thin and fried at 350 for 5 minutes.

Then sprinkled with a blend of chili, garlic, cumin, kosher salt,

pepper and cayenne. The dip was sour cream, mayo, lemon juice

and a teaspoon of ranch dressing. (adapted recipe by me)

If you want the details you can go to the website.

Served with grilled flat iron steak and salad...yum, yum!