I had so much fun working on these today. They are for the Take the Leap Challenge over at Lazy Gal Quilting. I asked Belle to choose two colors and she choose red and orange…hmmm..kind of reminds me spaghettios!~ I’m a little disappointed with the picture..it’s not as vibrant as in person. I could probably work with it in Picasa but nah… Also, I know there are strings hanging everywhere off these blocks…that’s ok…it’s called “chaos quilting” and it’s FUN!! lol!!

Hating to waste any little bits and pieces, I decided to see if I could make some petite Xs…I think they’re cute!

I have a few more Xs to make and then I’ll decide what color to use for the sashing…any ideas??

Feast One Hundred & Six

Appetizer:  Tell about a toy you remember from your childhood.

The first thing that came to mind was my awesome Barbie Townhouse with the very cool elevator!   This townhouse is up for auction at ebay.  You can also pick up some vintage Barbie accessories for your vintage Townhouse.  If you buy this one you’ll need some furniture….

Soup:  If you could make one thing in the world absolutely free for everyone, what would it be?

Everyone should have a free vacation…a really free one…a tax-free one.  My husband earned a free trip through a former employer and when the new year rolled around we received a letter stating that we needed to pay taxes on his “prize”…humpfff.  Another year, DH earned another trip through a different company and the company paid the taxes!!  Now that was a free trip!! Included in this free vacation should be:  free travel, free food, money for new vacation clothes and souvenirs!

Visit

Don Wiss  

to see some great pictures of the British and US Virgin Islands.  Mr. Wiss also has posted a travel journal that I’ve read half-way through.  There are links to places to stay and places to eat.  The pictures are really nice but you may prefer to keep the kiddos from the journal since there are links for bars.  Enjoy!!

Salad:  Approximately how many times per day do you think about your significant other?

Pete and I talk often throughout the day…and night when he’s working!  I couldn’t even begin to approximate how many times he crosses my mind!!  Even the poor disabled dolls love him! lol!!

Main Course:  What is something you believe in 100%?

The sanctity of life…

Photo courtesy Anne Geddes

Dessert:  Name one thing you have done this week that you would consider a “good deed”?

We went to put sunflowers on our sweet little boys’ graves this past week.  While there we placed individual flowers on the graves near by.  There was one little baby that had been buried recently and we left several on his grave.  Even though these children are no longer here but in Heaven, we need to show honor and thanks to God for their little bodies for we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Psalm 139:14

I walked!!!  I walked with my SIL this evening and I didn’t die! lol!!  And I even made it back up the hill to my house without any extra assistance!!  I’m so happy for me!!!

This is a picture of a “Walking Dress” from c1890.  I found this lovely gal at The Costumer’s Manifesto . There are a lot of wonderful examples of costumes at this site…I could see me spending a good chunk of time there!  There is even a section for FREE patterns…woohoo!!  There’s a nice collection of fashion prints and information about these dresses at Candice Hern’s site .  All I can think about is how horrible it must have been to wear these dresses in the dead of summer!!  Talk about sweating…or I guess these gals “glowed”…Nonetheless, these dresses are so lovely!

finished reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom and I’ll have to say, it was a good little read!  I finished it in one day so it was a quick read also.  I think anything that gets us thinking about Heaven is great.  There were a few things in the book that I don’t think Heaven will be like…but it is fiction!!  I was a little disturbed by how Eddie died but that’s because I have a fear of this thing happening anyway! lol!!  Not death but how it actually happened!!

What are you reading right now???

While having to watch my carbs while pregnant with gestational diabetes, I came across this recipe for a mock potato salad.  It is very good…hope you enjoy!  The following recipe is from Julesong .

Creamy Cauliflower Salad #100094

recipe by Julesong

This recipe is based on my mom’s wonderful potato salad. I made it because I was missing potato salad and I figured that substituting cauliflower would work pretty well… and it does! Without the potato it’s perfect for folks who are diabetic or working on lower carb menus, but even those who aren’t watching carbs enjoy it. Very tasty! Go to www followyourheart com for more information on Vegenaise.

8 servings

25 minutes 5 mins prep

1. Break the cauliflower up into florets, then steam it for 10-20 minutes- how firm you prefer the cauliflower is up to you (after having made this the first time, I’ve decided to leave it firmer for next time; the taste of very soft cauliflower in the salad is wonderful, but the texture was a little mushy).
2. Mix together all ingredients except the cauliflower.
3. When cauliflower is done, while still warm fold it into the mayo mixture- it makes it taste better to combine while warm.
4. Put into serving container and garnish.
5. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving- the longer the better- the flavor is even better then next day!
6. Notes from Julie: I use the dried minced onion because I like the texture, and omit the celery; some people might prefer sweet pickles and/or Miracle Whip, but eew, not me.
7. Also, if you haven’t had the chance to try Vegenaise, do so (even if you’re not vegetarian); it tastes just like Best Foods and at a fraction of the calories and fat (20% lower in fat), and because it contains no dairy or egg product you don’t have to worry about it going bad while sitting out at a picnic or potluck.

November 14 update

October                                                            November

Updated October 11th

  last month           this month

I have only lost one pound this month.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to start losing again this next month.  I also have decided that I really, really, really am going to use my treadmill now.  I have a friend who has made the same commitment so we can hold each other accountable.  We are going to walk to the British Virgin Islands which is about 1500 miles from Tennessee….on our treadmills of course!  Each 20 minutes will equal 5 miles and we’ll reward each other with little gifts every 100 miles.  When we reach the BVI then we’ll have a party “Island” style!  I’m excited and motivated….so wish me luck!!

Updated September 14th

This is the dinner I fixed tonight…that no one liked except me!  Not a one of them would even try the yummy mango/cilantro sauce…and the steamed asparagus was wonderful.  The jasmine rice was the only thing they would eat.  They just don’t know what they’ve missed!!  Picky eaters….sheesh!!

by jdoriot1

  This is the photo for September.   I’ve used up all my flickr space so I’ve had to go to Webshots…and I hate it!! lol!!  Oh, well..it’s free…As you can see, I look the same maybe even bigger but I have lost 14 lbs all together.  My husband says that my butt looks smaller…I don’t know.  I’m going to keep on keeping on though…I’ve got to see a change sometime here soon! lol!!

last month

Basically what you do is create a workout playlist using the songs that really inspire you to move.  I created mine in iTunes using a lot of Kirk Franklin songs…I just love his funky gospel!  The blogger who shared this idea has put together a Christian workout playlist and a secular playlist…so she could include Foot Loose!!  I think I’ll do the same.

I noticed while I was there that quite a few recipes are posted in the sidebar.  I’m certainly going back to check these out when I have more time…the names sounded tasty!

I’ve been bad…very bad!  We went to a birthday party at Ryans, the super-buffet with the seafood extravaganza.  I really did plan on eating a salad and skipping dessert because I have a 1 dessert/week goal and earlier in the day I had enjoyed a Strawberry Cream Slushie from the Sonic.  Well…that’s not how it went..I ate way too much food and had brownies on top of that.  I felt horrible…both emotionally and physically!!  I really can’t go to these restaurants because it’s too tempting to over-eat.  I think I’m back on track now though…

Creamy Cauliflower Salad…just made this!  YUM!!  I’m watching my carbs and this dish is only 12 carbs per 1/2 cup.  I wish the picture I took looked more appetizing! lol!!  That brownish stuff in the center is dill…one of my favorites.

This is last month                        Current month (August)

My goal is to lose 50 lbs.

Here’s what I’m going to do:

• exercise 4 days/week (to start)
• drink 8 (or more) glasses of water/day
• eat salads w/ low-fat or no dressing
• cut out “junk foods” and “convenience foods”
• 1 dessert/week

Last month I left you all to go eat a bag of Cruncher chips before this big quest started.  Well, I felt so convicted that I ended up tossing the bag after only a few chips.  So, there…I hope you all are happy!  (I am!)

I have not been great about exercising…I’m struggling with the heat issue.  I find it hard to breath in temperatures that are approaching 300!  I’m trying to dance (goofy-like of course!) with my kids when the “Cha Cha Slide” comes on Radio Disney which happens about 4 times an hour…no kiddding! lol!!  I’m certainly drinking more water though I haven’t reached my daily goal of 8 glasses yet…I am drinking less pop.  I have been able to cut down on junk foods and desserts.  I also have been able to cut my proportions down quite a bit.  Over the past month I’ve lost 10 pounds!!!  I’m amazed at what a little change can do…I’m inspired now to dance more, drink more water, eat healthier etc, etc!!!

Tomorrow I will be posting one of my favorite recipes:  Creamy Cauliflower Salad.  It’s a mock potato salad that I ate a lot when I was pregnant with Gus.  I had gestational diabetes and of course had a special diet.  Not having potato salad was quite depressing for me and I would NEVER risk my child’s health by eating things I shouldn’t (now that was great incentive! lol!!) so I searched for a substitute and found this recipe….mmmmm, very good and I could eat the whole mess of it if I wanted to! LOL!!  And no, there’s way too much to eat all at once….but plenty to share.  Just be sure not to tell them what they are eating!! lol!!

We had a pleasant evening with our good friends George and Cathy Carey.  We had hamburgers, hotdogs, fresh corn and chips and salsa…my favorite salsa to boot!!  Walmart has the best black bean and corn salsa…you should try it…mmmm!!!

Here’s a picture of George and Cathy.  They are a really neat couple.  Pete and I always enjoy our conversations with them!

Our hamburgers inspired me to do a little googling…here’s what I found!

  Make this cool hamburger from Perler Beads!

This is Coyote Butte aka “Hamburger Hill”.  This great photo was taken by Cliff Kolber.  Visit his site for more great photos like this one….they are really amazing!

Scarlet Ibis - Cincinnati Zoo - D. Byrd

I love this book!  I came across it at the Children’s Books Online: The Rosetta Project where there are many more books that I’m sure I will love also.  I just found a copy at PaperBackSwap …It’s a reprint so it’s not going to be as grand as the original but it will do!  I can’t wait to get it…anyway…Isabelle and I have been reading this nifty little book online.  The illustrations are just too sweet.  So far Isabelle and I like the Bird of Paradise and the Ibis.  Belle didn’t care for the crow…he looked a little funny! lol!!

and bought myself the EQ5 program.  I felt guilty for maybe..oh, let’s say…2 seconds…and then it was ok! LOL!!  I have “designed” several quilts already…it’s almost mind-boggling all the different things you can do.  And  yes, I could have bought myself a stack of graph paper and used my dandy colored pencils and designed that way…but oh, this is sooo much more fun and fast too!!  I feel so accomplished!!  Jenny Doriot, Quilt Designer.

The little girl I was making a quilt for passed away this past Thursday.  I still am working on it.  I told the grandmother that I would send it to her and let her pass it on to her daughter when she thought the time was right.  I thought about giving the quilt to someone else but I just couldn’t…this one has been made for Emma.  She is who I thought about and prayed for as I worked on it.  So, it has to go to her family.  Please remember the Cody family in your prayers…it is so difficult when your child dies….