The camouflage project

the camouflage project - finished!


Can you tell what it is?
it is a formal vest like men wear with tuxedos - camouflage with black satin lapels and pockets.
Son Bobby asked me sew it for him.
If I got the story right,  Bobby and Sheena are hosting a party with a 1980's prom theme for the workers at Sheena's salon.
Bobby wanted this vest to wear for that event.

Bobby is not a hunter and is not military but he has always liked camouflage.

It is not the first camoflage I've sewn for Bobby.  

I think these camouflage shorts were the first clothes I ever sewed for Bobby.
They were made from one of his dad's unserviceable  blouses (that is USMC lingo for a  worn out  uniform shirt)

Bobby is sitting on a kitchen cabinet in our base home aboard Camp Pendleton, 1982.
The housing area is built on the side of Wire Mountain.
Because we were up high enough,  we could see the Pacific Ocean from this side of that little home and the sunsets were just so wonderful to enjoy every evening.  

another sewing project for Bobby,  in 1999, was this Hawaiian print vest  that he wore to prom.
He picked out the fabric and I sewed it.

Nobody else there was dressed the same as Bobby!


Anyway,  the vests sew up pretty fast and I think could be made by anyone with basic sewing skills.
I used a McCalls pattern for the latest one.
You might choose different fabric for yours though.

Hello-------

Hello, hope all of you are good.  

Here are few recent scenes from my home 

Crinum lilies in bloom 

lots of blooms - 5 different rose bushes, the big Rose of Sharon and the crinums.
in the ground,  the zinnia seeds mostly sprouted and should be blooming soon.
There are also some little moss rose plants and impatiens that are not yet big enough to bloom.

 Lately,  I have not done a very good job of meal planning ahead.  I do just fine when we have company but when it is just my husband and me here,  I've lately not  planned ahead much.
So,  yesterday,  I organized my recipes and planned out about 8 meals - all using ingredients we already had or bought yesterday.

There are a couple of quarts of homemade chicken broth in the fridge so I  put chicken and noodles as one of the meals.  Then I made the noodles last night so they could dry.  

Other meals on my plan

crockpot chicken and veggies

pinto beans and cornbread

Barbecue chicken sandwiches with pickled onions on jalapeno cheese buns

salmon patties

rice taco salad

fiesta chicken and rice

catfish and hush puppies

This is probably close to 2 weeks worth of meals for us as most of these recipes make more than 2 servings.  We both like leftovers and will happily eat the extras for both lunches or suppers, however it works out.  

I hear so many people say they don't like leftovers.  

That seems so silly and wasteful to me.  

Most foods that were good the first time they were served,  are just as good the second time.  

There are a few exceptions but for the most part,  we enjoy leftovers.  

I also hope to do some cleaning projects this week - 

like the dusty ceiling fans and all the windows.

I've also got a sewing project involving woodland camouflage fabric - the things we do for our sons!

Pie with Uncle Rex

This is Uncle Rex,  one of my mom's brothers.  He is 90 years old and makes the best pie.  We went to Enid OK to visit him today and we ate lunch in the cafeteria of his retirement home. 

Then after lunch,  we went to his apartment to visit and he treated us to his homemade coconut meringue pie. 

It tasted just as yummy as it looks!



After we all ate our coconut pie slices,  Uncle Rex got out a cranberry apple pie he made yesterday. 
We were all too full to have another slice of pie,  but we all tasted it anyway. 
Elizabeth liked it,  can you tell? 



See the ribbons on the wall behind my dad?
Uncle Rex won them on his pies at the last Garfield County Fair, 
the purple ribbon is for Grand Champion. 

I think I have a family full of amazing members. 

Mothers Day Surprise

My children completely surprised me on Mothers day with professional photos made to them as a group.  

Aren't they just beautiful?  

little Andie, Gavin and Elizabeth

Jimmy, John, Bobby and Clint standing up
Nina, Elizabeth, Sheena, Andie, Amanda and Gavin sitting.  

Theo

Sweet Theo

see the shaved spots on both front legs where his IV's were?  

Our dog Theo is almost 9 years old and for several months  has not been feeling as good as he used to.
He drinks lots more water,  has weakness in his back legs,  small shakes and tremors when he lays down and sleeps.
Mostly we thought it was just signs of aging.
Then about 2 weeks ago,  he quit eating.  He has always been a quirky eater so at first we thought he was just not liking what was served to him.

He was just getting worse so we took him to our vet on Friday.  They did tests and found some weird levels in his blood but all his other signs were good.  They wanted to start him on IV treatments to flush his kidneys so Theo had to stay there Friday,  then all weekend and all day Monday getting round the clock IVs.
At first the 2 vets thought he had kidney failure,  then maybe cancer but neither diagnosis seemed quite right.
After consulting with 2 other vets,  our vets diagnosed Theo with Addisons disease. 
It is rare and hard to diagnose Addisons but is easy to treat with shots and pills.

The vets gave him a cortisol shot and sent him home with us some more pills to take twice a day.  Theo improved immediately.  He came home Monday and finally wanted to eat!
Theo is just about back to normal happy self.  We are very thankful for our veterinarians who worked hard to save our sweet puppy.

Honor World War II Veterans today

Fly your flag today
to remember that this is V-E Day,
or the victory in Europe part of WWII.


Today I am thinking about 4 of my uncles - Rex, Cecil, Jarvis and Jr - who all fought  during WWII .

Yard sale....

Our neighborhood is hosting our annual yard sale this weekend.   Usually I just shop but this year,  we will be selling.

 It is usually in very hot July so I am really glad it is earlier this year and it should be cool enough to not be miserable.  No rain in the forecast either.

My junk pile is growing and I found much more stuff in the attic than I expected that should be sold.  Our children have added stuff.  What I thought would be just a little stuff is turning in to a big amount of stuff.

So I am going to be busy pricing and sorting and dusting......

be back soon!

Pinterest milk jug watering can

Have you all seen the watering cans made from milk jugs?  

They are quick, thrifty and easy to make.

Just rinse out your finished milk jug.  Heat up a big needle or nail with a candle or lighter and melt holes in the milk cap.  

It pours out a fine stream that won't damage tiny plants.  

And children just love refilling it and watering anything they can with it.  

I used a gallon jug but when it is full,  it is too heavy for 2 and 3 year olds.  I am going to save my current 1/2 gallon jug to make a smaller one.  

April Thrift Store Finds

Yard sales are getting started in my town but I have not been to any  for  this season just yet.
you know I will though!
I shopped at my favorite thrift store this morning and am very happy with my purchases.
this first picture is a stack of play clothes tops and dresses for Elizabeth

play shorts for Elizabeth

shorts and swimsuits for Gavin
if you can see the price tags, most of the childrens clothes  were 50 cents.

and 2 shirts for Gavin

Gavin picked out the baby board book -
I got the Wee Sing book, it is popular poems and songs with  motions for toddlers.  

4 Aunt Chick cookie cutters in a big bag full of assorted cutters, this set sell for $20 on one site that sells Aunt Chick.

Aunt Chicks has a really fun company history if you want to read about an Oklahoma homemaker and food columnist and her cookie cutter business.

 many of the cutters will  be used with  play dough.
I'm putting some in my with my collection - can you see the little Scottie dog and duck?
There is also a smaller doughnut cutter,  several biscuit cutters and the 4 card suit emblems.

I got all the cutters for $2.50.
and now I want to bake some cut out cookies.  

8 cloth napkins in red and aqua gingham checks
$2 for all 

Gavin wearing his 25 cent Texas Rangers batting helmet.  

It was a very good thrift store visit!

Have you been thrifting or to yard sales this month?

linking up with Rhoda's party 
Southern Hospitality - Thrifty Treasures 

Garden update

we are having what must be perfect weather for gardens to grow.  

Those tiny tomato plants we planted a month ago are growing so fast!  

there are even a few tiny tomatoes already set on.
The bell peppers are just starting to produce tiny little buds too.  

Gavin standing beside the Catalpa tree that Jeff planted last year.
It was tiny start that my dad brought us from his yard.
My grandmother had a Catalpa tree in her yard and I always thought it was pretty.
So I am really glad that this tiny tree survived the hot, dry summer of 2011 and came back even bigger this year.




 plants and trees aren't the only things growing in this family.
Remember how tiny  this baby was just 7 weeks ago?  

Andie is happy and growing,

getting stronger and sweeter every day!  

Her legs were so thin and frail looking when she was born,  they looked like broom sticks.

Look at them now!  

one of my favorite verses

Romans 1:20

New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

King James Version (KJV)

 ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans 1:20

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

No big bang theory for me.  I don't remember ever not believing in God and that He created everything.


Grandson Gavin spent the night with us last night.  When he woke up,  the first thing he said was "Grandma,  I dreamed about God.  He loves me."
is that sweet or what?  

a quick post before Church

Kathy requested the recipe I use for freezer biscuits,  I thought I had blogged about it before but I can't find it so here it is.  I have made many batches of these.

Freezer biscuits  - I either double or triple it when I make it

3 C flour

1 T baking powder

1 T sugar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

mix all these dry ingredients together.  Then cut it

2/3 C shortening.  

I use a  pastry blender.  

When it looks like fine crumbs,  stir it

1 C buttermilk - 

( I usually use regular or powdered milk mixed with a little lemon juice)

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until it comes together.

Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into biscuits. 

Now,  you can bake them in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  

Or,  you can freeze them.  I put them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze until solid.  

Then I bag them up in a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.  

To bake,  preheat oven to 400.  Bake biscuits 20-25 minutes until golden.  

When I just bake a few frozen biscuits,  I use our little toaster oven and it works great. 

 Much thriftier than heating up the big oven.  

remember that I dug up a few of the boxwood bushes?
Well,  the lady and her teenage son did come and dug up and hauled off the rest.
yea!

2 Knockout rose bushes that I planted last year

one lone Iris blooming
This is what it looked like Friday
but I think after all the rain Friday and Saturday night,  it is probably laying down now.  

the wind blew the lid off the turtle sandbox
Can you see the box and the lid are both full of water
and this is just from Friday night's rain!

Jeff assembling our first ever composter
it was a big job even for a very experience mechanic.
I think it would be very difficult for someone with no tool experience.
I am just hoping it makes lots of good compost.  

 Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!  

Psalm 118:24:

   ²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made. 

      We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

some scenes from last week

My daughter and went to Oklahoma City to do our monthly grocery shopping last week,
Before we went,  I cleaned out our fridge and found some sad looking apples.
So I peeled them, put them in a crockpot with just a little sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
They cooked all day and turned into.....

Apple Butter~
see the yellow lid?  that is from a mustard jar.
Did you know that some peanut butter jar lids and some mustard lids fit perfectly on  standard canning jars?

I did not actually can this apple butter,  just put it in jars and will store it in the fridge until we eat it.  

Gavin helped me make a triple batch of ....

freezer biscuits.  They are even more delicious with apple butter.  

Daughter Nina embellished this tiny onesie for Andie for Easter.
She also did a shirt for Elizabeth.
Nina used her Silhouette machine - I don't know much about them  except Nina makes really cute things with it.  

Isn't this yellow rose pretty?
it bloomed so early, on a $3.97 Aldis rose bush.  

my 3 sweet little Easter Bunny Grandchildren

Do you belong to Kraft First Taste?  

They send out coupons for  new Kraft products a few times a year.  

In March,  they sent me  a free coupon for their new product that is flavored bread crumbs and grated cheese that you mix together to bread meat, then bake it.  

  With the free coupon, I got a package of

 KRAFT FRESH TAKE - CHEESE BREADCRUMB MIX - CHILI LIME & PANKO 

the instructions say it will coat 6 pieces of meat.  I was cooking 4 smallish pieces of chicken so I just used half the bag.  

this is what chicken looks like coated with the cheese and breadcrumbs.  We thought it was delicious and tasted like a restaurant entree.

In fact,  we liked it so much, that I used the second half of that bag the very next night to coat tilapia filets.

It was delicous!

Have you tried any of this Kraft cheese and breadcrumb coating?  it comes in 6 flavors but we have only tried the chili lime one.

What Happened?

4 freshly dug up Boxwood bushes on our sidewalk

What happened?  that is the question Gavin and Elizabeth both asked when they got here this morning.  

They aren't used to seeing bushes and so much dirt on our sidewalk.  

There has been a row of boxwood bushes along the front of our house since before we moved here.  

I never have liked them but just got around to doing something about them.  

A woman from our area Facebook FreeCycle group asked for bushes, trees, bulbs, etc to move to her yard.

I asked if she wanted the boxwoods and she does.  

I did not know how hard they would be to dig up. My stepson offered to bring his very large John Deere tractor over to pull them up.

But I like to do things myself so I got a shovel yesterday and tried digging them up.  

I softened the ground with water,  then used more water to wash off the roots once I got them up.  

See - I dug up 4 of them all by myself!  

It was hard, dirty work but doable.  

The lady from FreeCycle is coming over later with her 15 year old son to finish digging them up and to move them to her yard. .    

yea!  

I will be so glad to have these bushes move to a new home.  

After we do some dirt work,  I want to plant KnockOut rose bushes and zinnias where the boxwoods were.  

I think that will be much prettier,  don't you?