Happy Birthday Mary Carol!

Bush's Red, White and Bean Minestrone

Bored with my usual winter soups and stews I found this in February's Better Homes and Gardens and it is incredibly delicious! Love the fresh spinach and sausage.

1 T. olive oil

1 pound country style sausage

2 T. tomato paste

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 T. minced garlic

1 cup chopped carrots

1 t.dried oregano

1 can ( 16 oz.) chopped canned tomatoes

5 cups chicken stock

1 can (15.5 oz) Bush's Cannellini Beans with liquid

1 can (16 oz.)Bush's Red Kidney Beans, drained

2 cups Zucchini cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups baby spinach

1 cup cooked bowtie pasta

2 T. pre-packaged pesto

2 T. fresh grated parmesean cheese

1.Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saute pan. Add sausage, brown well.

2. Add tomato paste, cook 5 minutes until brown.

3. add onions, celery, garlic, carrots and oregano. Cook until garlic is aromatic, approx. 5 minutes.

4. Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add tomatoes and chicken stock.

5. Cook on low setting for 6-7 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

6. Stir in beans, zucchini, spinach and cooked pasta. Cook on high setting for 8 minutes or until beans and pasta are warmed through and spinach has wilted.

7. Pour the soup into bowls. Top with a little pesto and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

I did it all on the stove top in my dutch oven and I give this soup 5 stars and a sourdough roll.

Closer

Sooner or later my salon will be done. It is painted and the floor is done, now just the finishing touches. My husband is watching American Idol with me and I wish he would go and hang the curtain rod please, NOW!

Anyway, he just read this and wa-la... he has left the room to do the curtain rod. A girls got to do what a girls got to do to get things done.

Nacho!!!!!!!!!!!!

These masks were one of the souveniers I brought back from Mexico for my boys. Can I tell you that Tristan wore his all Saturday, after church on Sunday and Justus did the same. Cotton has grown past the stage of sleeping with a mask on but as for the other two, they have loved them.
The moment I saw these on the street I knew the boys had to have them. NACHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

14!

Tristan is a wonderful son! He is always thinking of someone else. He is a yes man at home, always so willing to help out with what he is asked to do. He is so funny and I love watching The Office with him.
Today Tristan is 14 years old and I cannot believe it! I hope you have a wonderful Birthday Tristan and I am so glad you are my son.

Heidi & Orville

Friday morning we ended our cruise and left the ship. We had the opportunity to catch a shuttle to Long Beach Airport with Heidi and Orville Thompson, the owners of Scentsy.
What good, humble, kind people they are!
We arrived early at the airport and were able to change our flight and get on the plane at 10:00 a.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. I was excited to get home. The retreat was great, we had so much fun and I forgot to mention that we did do some Scentsy training.
I will always have the memories from this cruise in my heart.

Towels

Every evening while at dinner our Steward Hughbert would turn down our beds and make us some sort of something out of towels. I was excited to go to our room and see what Hughbert would make for us. I think the Elephant was my favorite.

Delicious!

The evening dining was one of the funnest and yummiest parts of being on the cruise. Delicious food, fun entertainment and every night was finished off by ordering the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake With Vanilla Ice Cream. I shall hold that dessert close to my heart as long as I live!

Near death experience

Wednesday we cruised to Ensanada, Mexico for the day. We had a rude aIwakening to what happens in Mexico when we decided to walk the street instead of taking a shuttle. After we had a near death experience due to my desire to have a young man make bracelets for my boys with their names on them, during this we witnessed investigators stop and search the bracelet maker and his friend, the bracelet maker running from the investigators - at this point we decided to go back to the shuttle area and when we got to the top of the street we looked back at the bracelet maker and investigators and they had been joined by the police wearing helmets and vets and lights flashing on the policia cars. Needless to say I kissed the ground when we were in a safe area.

We decided to take a tour bus to La Bufadora a blow hole which was awesome and also a flea market. Shopping was fun and the Churros were delicious. I will tell you that I have no desire to return to Mexico unless I am with my husband, it was a bit scary.

Carnival Paradise

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Scentsy Director's retreat. We arrived Monday the 19th and boarded the Carnival Paradise. What an amazing experience to go on a cruise.
Our first stop on Tuesday was Catalina Island, California. It was a beautiful place and we walked the streets, ate lunch and shopped. Thank goodness I called my Dr. and had patches to wear on this cruise, I got a little woozy but that's it.

Before

My husband Mike and my Dad Frank our putting a salon for me in our home. I can't wait to be able to have a place designated for hair only.
This is the before pictures. I will give you an update in a week and show you new pics.

Come to the House of The Lord

My sister shared this with me and I want to share it with you.

Figgy Pudding

O.K., I love to sew and I love to scrapbook, so look what Moda will introduce in June...

Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding in a fabric collection! I nearly peeed my pants when I happened upon this tonight on www.fatquartershop.com. I can't wait to go to Broadbent's and touch these prints on material instead of scrapbook paper.

One of the Two

I went scrapping with Erin and Carolee Friday night. We go scrapping once a month and spend 6-7 hours doing it. This last time I finished two pages (hmmmmmmm, that's roughly 3 hours spent on each page, something is wrong), this is one of the two. Me and the sis enjoying each other's company. Oh, I forgot to mention when we get together to scrap we laugh until we cry, or pee our pants, which ever one comes first and we have now started taking a trip around the corner from the scrapbook store to drop in and say hi to the old women who work at See's Candies and purchase a small treat. Life is good.

Fun dishtowels

These are the latest dishtowels I have put together with scraps and awesome flour sack towels. These wash up nicely and they are the dishtowels I grab for first. I have made 2 other sets of these for sis and friend and these will be given to my friend Dannette tomorrow for her birthday. Perhaps you should give these a try. Peace out.

Jr. High lunch

This post may cause some of you to shed a tear...
I don't know about your Jr. High but at my Jr. High growing up, these cookies were what you purchased for lunch.
Hot ham and cheese sandwich? No thank you.
Pretend french fries? No thank you.
How about a Chocolate Crinkle cookie? THANK YOU!
Th lunch ladies made these treats the size of a small pancake, which filled you up with a chocolate fix and gave you the strength to walk to Elsa Terry's Home economics class, and then onto Mr. Stone's Geography and out to the bus at 2:45.
Lunch ladies of America this one is for you.

Chocolate Crinkles

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

sifted powdered sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, granulated sugar, chocolate, oil baking powder, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer until combined. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill dough for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar to coat generously. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set and tops are crackled. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool If desired, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

Amazing! Twins born 25 years apart!

Yes, Cotton and I share the same birthday. He was born on my 25th birthday and I must say he is the best birthday present I have ever received.

Early in the day The Heathers called and asked if they could decorate Cotton's room and they were cute doing it. They hung around until Mike brought Cotton back from their "drive" and they yelled Happy Birthday in their small lady like way. Cotton had a fun day. I remember changing his diaper like it was yesterday. Pretty soon he'll be changing mine. Hopefully not too soon. Love you Cotton.

Finally finished.

I finished Cotton's denim quilt just in time. Tomorrow he will be 16 years old and he asked for a denim quilt, so he is getting one.

This project took 18 pairs of jeans from 3 generations to get enough squares. I used black binky material for the back and it is super soft. I used felt to bind it and I am so glad it is done.

Today I rewarded myself for my dedication and perseverance by going to the Quilting Cottage and purchasing some applique' glue for my next project, actually, this will be the 3rd year of working on Rabbits prefer chocolate ( cute Easter quilt) and I will show you when I finish it this Spring. My baby is going to be 16, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!

GOOD.

Welcome to 2009! Tristan and I celebrated by watching Taledega Nights and watching Mike and Justus stare at the backs of their eyelids (party poopers), actually they both were sick and Cotton was at a dance so Tristan and I celebrated together. I think Tristan's favorite part of New Year's Eve was the chocolate hot molten lava tortes with vanilla ice cream. He was in heaven. When the clock struck midnight I asked Tristan for a kiss and he obliged.
The one improvement I told myself I would like to make in 2009 is to take time each day to study my scriptures.
2008 had alot of surprises for our family and I am sure 2009 holds more for us. I pray we will always be able to lift each other up and make it through the good, the bag and the ugly in 2009. I'm hoping for alot of good.
God bless each of you with a 'good' 2009.