Embroidered Felt Bookmarks

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Recently, I was honored to be asked do a feature for Simply the Sweet Life, which happens to be a FANTASTIC magazine, as well as a blog site.  This was so much fun for me {thanks, Heather!!} and I couldn't have been more thrilled to take on the challenge of coming up with a fun, new project.  I have to say, though, that I always sound like such an idiot on someone else's blog!!!  I can say anything I want here on my blog, and, well, it's fine--but on someone else's blog it's so lame!!!  What a nerd!

Aaaaaaannnd....as you are all aware, we've been so very sick for the entire month of February, so that makes it hard for me to post a Valentine project in a timely manner.  However, I think this one is fairly easy  and it doesn't take much time or resources.  You could also start on these now and have some great end-of-year teacher gifts, or just something nice to have on hand for those spontaneous moments when you forget-then-suddenly-remember a friend's birthday!  Then you'll feel so amazing because you're PREPARED.

Here is my post on Simply the Sweet Life Click here to get the instructions for the bookmarks
My goal was to think of a fresh idea for a Valentine gift.  We often give food items or flowers--but what about books?!  Who doesn't love a good book?  {maybe even a romance novel...*wink*...but I think it would be awkward if you gave a romance novel to your kid's male teacher.  Or your elderly neighbor lady who only comes outside to water her plants.}  But anyway.  These were fun!  They're a great gift idea for the book lovers in your life.




Happy Stitching!!!

Cooking 101 - Favorite Jam Bars

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Happy Valentine's Day! or Single Awareness Day......or whatever you choose to call this day...

I always try to do a fun Valentine breakfast for the kids,  you know, because I don't show them enough love during the rest of the year.  I kind of save it all up for Valentine's Day.  Don't we all?  Especially for my 12-year-old boy--I hug and snuggle, kiss his face, and hug and snuggle him all morning long and I am 99.9% positive that the pre-adolecent boy enjoys this.  Especiallly if he has a friend over.

Anyhooo--this morning's breakfast came straight from our dearly, dearly beloved Pioneer Woman sister, whom I do believe is another soul sister of mine.  Someday, we're going to get together, my soul sisters and I - BFF Kadie, Paula Deen, The Pioneer Woman, Betty White, Madonna - no, wait, not her - definitely Cheri Oteri, though - and she'll be wearing the Spartan Cheerleader suit. Oh, and Jim Gaffigan.  He will be there, too.  

These were incredibly good.  I served them with some cheesy scrambled eggs for a little protein to go with their dessert/breakfast.  Delish!
FAVORITE JAM BARSoriginal recipe from The Pioneer Woman(I say 'favorite jam' because you can use ANY flavor of jam you want, as long as it's seedless.)

1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/2 c. Oats
1 c. Brown sugar, packed
1 t. Baking powder
1/2 t. Salt
1 3/4 stick salted butter, cut into pieces
1 jar (10-12 oz) Preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except preserves.  Press half of the mixture into a buttered 8" square (or small rectangular) pan.  Spread preserves.  Sprinkle second half of mixture over the top and press down lightly.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly golden.  Let cool completely, cut into squares.

Coconut-Lime Tropical Smoothie

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Since Mother Nature is loving me, and wanting to help me through my stress, we were granted a full week of 70-ish degree (give or take) weather.  Pure. Heaven.  I wore skirts, flip flops, and the weather was warm on my skin.  Whatta sensation!  I'm definitely not used to that.
So what you do when there's a house full of kids, it's toasty outside, and everyone is tearing off clothing?!  (well, maybe it was just me tearing off clothing... kids were begging me to stop...I can't remember now...)  We make smoothies!!
This was one of those things where I was craving something and I happened to have some key things in the pantry/fridge.  So I started playing!  Food is play for me.

Here's the gist of what we put in this triumph:

A blender 2/3 full of ice to start with..then...
3/4 can of coconut milk (or the whole thing depending on how much liquid you need)
1 can crushed pineapple, juice included
Juice of 1 lime (no zest, though--makes it too zesty)
2 bananas
about 1/2 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
1 T. sugar (or you could use honey) to taste.  Add more if it's not sweet enough.
1/4 c. wheat germ
Handful of chia seeds
(you could even put spinach in this and tell the kids that it's lime!  haha.  How sneaky of you!)

Blend and serve.  As it is with all smoothie recipes---if it's too thick, add milk or liquid as you go.  You could also add some yogurt - I'd suggest something mild like vanilla. 

Pickin'

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I'll share my favorite quote that I'm always telling my kids...stop me if you've heard this one...
You can pick your friends.You can pick your nose.Just don't pick your friend's nose.(baaaahahaaa!!! hhaaa!!! gets me every time!!!)

They hate it when I tell them this. It's like every day.  Especially when a friend is over. They bury their face in their hands and wish to high heaven that I was a normal mom. 
Speaking of picking...We picked peaches.  It was hot, but delightful.  I climbed a few trees, got a few scratches, and discovered that climbing the trees was a worthless venture because the birds had pecked all of the good ones up there.
We came home with some beauties, though!!Now I need to hurry up and do something with them.  I can't wait--the possibilities are endless.  I'm pretty sure I want to make this peach jam, as well as bottle some for cobblers and such.  

And they're so pretty. My pretty little peachy babies.

 More pickin' going on...I also picked out some books to add to my shelf.  {gasp!!}I haven't added to the shelf in a while, and since I'm on a roll of doing nothing, I figure I could do nothing whilst looking at pretty things to make.  

I'm madly in love with crewel and I can't wait to look at this book and discover all of the amazing projects I'm probably not going to make!!! {exciiiiiiting!}

This one makes me giddy, too.  My baby girl LOVES playing with her cooking stuff, so I might feel a little itch to do a project from this one.  Maybe.  I'm thinking I'd like to have a bunch of adorable felt food made in time for Christmas.  And, if you know me already, I better start now.  haha.

That's all of the picking going on for now.  Thank goodness.

I Despise Dishonest People

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Why?!  Why is this world creating an environment where we all have to go into hiding in order to protect ourselves and our families?!  It is because of these dishonest people that I am contemplating deleting this entire blog, deleting everything I have online, my Facebook account, Pinterest, and so forth.


So I get this email this morning, which, I believe is a fraud situation and I did NOT click on any of the links. It said:

There is a website called Kongregate where a young child has been using the screen name "Abby_Welker" and 'Anoks", using your pictures and going as you. This child has been going into chat rooms spewing profanity which I feel if people were to look up her 'names', would bring up your site AND wrongfully judge you. Normally I dont care too much if people do this, but I see you as a responsible mother to 4 children, and I figure its your choice on what to do. 
I have included screen shots of the accounts, and the urls to reach them.
Sincerely
Ashley H.

Sure enough--she gave me 2 screen shots with MY picture and MY name--but it's not my account.  And---creepy---she knew that I have 4 children.  (if 'she' is a 'she'.  'She' is probably a creepy, pervert, dirty old man)  I know it's not a secret that I have kids, but it's still creepy.  
So rather than click on the links, I type it up myself:  and I find this profile - using my NAME and MY PICTURE.  ???!!!  (at least they think I can pass off as a 19-year-old!)
I go to send them a personal message, a scathing "get my #$%@ face and #%@% name off your %#%^@ account!!!" kind of a message, but, of course, I have to SIGN UP with them.  Scam.  
I'm being scammed on two sides and if I knew who to report this to, I would.  Don't worry--I'm definitely looking it up today and going to somehow get it taken care of.  To say that I'm upset would be an understatement.  If any of you know how to report/fix/correct this problem, I'd appreciate any info.
In the meantime....I'm probably going to remove every photo of mine from my sites.  This is just over-the-top dishonest and creepy.