25 December 2012

Another day in Minnesota


The moment he realized this chair rocked he thought it was a great toy! He likes it even more when Wilbur is sleeping in the chair! They dig their claws into the back of the chair and just let him rock them...wildly! 



It's hilarious to watch MJ try to crawl across the water bed! Especially when Cheyenne moves!


Julia was able to come spend a day with Mia, I hadn't noticed how big she was getting till I saw a pic of Julia holding her back in October. 


Papa should have read the paper when it came in the house! LOL
Since I don't touch that stuff I just let him have it! If Mommy or Papa  wanted different they were gonna deal with it! Oh did MJ love that paper! He'd fling a page this way, then go over to it and fling it the other way! UGH his fingers got so icky black! He left finger prints on the table even.

 
Tommy almost looks like he has a smile on his face! 
Mia was playing with MJ and she'd hide in the bag, then when he crawls by she runs out  like she's gonna get him.....he giggles such a cute giggle!







23 December 2012

First Day In Minnesota



At noon we were going to Grama Judy and Leon's house


 We went over to Grama Judy and Leon's for a brief visit.


Uncle Joe brought in his big RC toy from the car to warm up so we could play! By the time we got back from Grama Judy's and then Wal Mart... it was late and all that matter was supper and bedtime!


I had gotten little lawn chairs from Mikey when he got too big for them,so I brought  1 in and warmed it up so MJ could sit to eat. 
At first I thought Mia was being naughty so I got up to go watch her with the spray bottle in hand! He was giggling and talking to her, I thought he was upset.  She kept reaching over the table and touching his head.Then he found the scrap books! He was talking away and Mia seemed to be looking over his shoulder.


I actually bought a real tree for this year. Everyone said I needed to decorate for MJ. Like he even cares at a year old! Ha Ha



22 December 2012

Odd Recipe For Egg Nog

Well I picked Carrie, MJ and Andy up at the airport at 7pm.
We went over to my mother's to have a bite to eat, change MJ and get some bottles ready for the road trip back here to my place.
Andy is up front with me and we get to talking about Egg Nog, he felt bad that we emptied a carton at my moms.
So he decides to look up a recipe on his phone.....

4 Egg Yolks
1/3 Cup Sugar + 1 Tbls

Ahhh Ass Wipe!


I asked him what in the world, he got to laughing so hard he was in tears and couldn't even answer me for a bit!

Finally he composed himself enough to tell me he touched the screen and lost his page.

Oh brother!

anyhow....back on track now,
no more ass wipes I hope, would not be very tasty in my opinion!

1 Pint Whole Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
3 Oz Bourbon (optional but I need it after spending that much car time with him)
1 tsp grated Nutmeg
4 Egg Whites

Whip Yolks until light in color
Gradually add 1/3 cup Sugar, beat until completely dissolved
add Milk, Cream, Bourbon and Nutmeg, stir to combine

Whip Egg Whites until soft peaks form, while mixer still on add 1 Tbls Sugar beat until Stiff peaks form

Whisk Egg Whites into mixture, chill and serve

Prep time is 15 minutes

14 December 2012

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem Twas the night before Christmas also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822. It is now the tradition in many American families to read the poem every Christmas Eve. The poem 'Twas the night before Christmas' has redefined our image of Christmas and Santa Claus. Prior to the creation of the story of 'Twas the night before Christmas' St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, had never been associated with a sleigh or reindeers!
Clement Moore, the author of the poem Twas the night before Christmas, was a reticent man and it is believed that a family friend, Miss H. Butler, sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel who published the poem. The condition of publication was that the author of Twas the night before Christmas was to remain anonymous.


The first publication date was 23rd December 1823 and it was an immediate success. It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry.


Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Color Combo and January B'day cards


Oh how I love MDS!!!!! I used Snowburst Stamp Set and the Glimmer Brads to create the color combo.

For the cards though I used Glimmer SIlver Card Stock.

I put the 'snow flakes' all over the page and printed it out on a piece of bashful Blue for a OSW
These are the only 2 cards I made using only the 4 colors I picked for the combos, the rest have White Bases

I put all of the pieces except the Silver through the Snow Flake Texture Folder. Not sure if you can see it on the Bashful Blue here though.

Now to figure out is I want a Birthday greeting on the fronts or just inside.



11 December 2012

Just for Holly! lol

 Holly asked for a tutorial so I figured I might as well redo that card
This card sketch is from The Corrosive Challenge.

I thought I had used only SU Product until I got ready to type this up and realized... I think that wood grain folder I used is Tim Holtz. OOOPS!


 Happy now Holly? LOL

09 December 2012

Corrosive Challenge Sketch

I did this using the Color Combo I posted 'forever' ago! LOL
Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Certainly Celery, Old Olive and Lucky Limeade


it took me many hours to complete this card. Cutting is so painful! I tossed a ton of card stock out..grrrr
Do NOT look really closely, you'll see my corners are not what they appear! LOL

Now looking at this card I should have made the Soft Suede a full 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" mat and cut it instead of 1/2" strips and tried them darned 45* corners! LOL
I put the Sahara Sand into the Square Lattice Texture Folder
Old Olive and a Sahara Sand were cut with Labels Framelits
Certainly Celery in the center and the border, trimmed with Edglits and Embossed with and Accent Folder
The Lucky Limeade is my base


07 December 2012

My Uncle Bill


Blessed are the memories we have of William Louis Evans

A memorial service was held on November 24, 2012 at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Princeton, MN.

There were men there from the Local VFW to present the flag to Helen and perform TAPS.

It is written that life begins as an open book with many blank pages. As we live each day our deeds are recorded page by page.

1935-2012 are important dates and just to know the meaning might cause a few tears, but what matter’s the most is dash in between those years.

For that dash represents all the time he spent alive on Earth and recording pages in his book.

Bill’s book was started with his Sunrise January 4th, 1935. He was one of a set of Triplets born to Louis William  and Helen Althea (McArtor) Evans in Cedar Rapids, IA. 



 Him and Wilma grew up together with their brother Norman Ray who was born in 1939.

In 1953 he joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Fairfax County, Virginia for a time before going over seas and taking his wife, Nancy with him.


He met Nancy Braaten of Aurora, MN on a blind date while was there working on a construction project in 1956.
He proposed on Christmas 1957. Bill  had promised his 19 year old brother Norman ‘Punky’ that he  was to be Best Man.


That Winter as Bill and Nancy made plans to have their wedding in Aurora Punky became a patient a the Gillette Hospital with Lou Garrett Disease.

Plans were then made to have their wedding in the hospital auditorium and Punky would be strapped to a special bed that could stand up.

In June 1959 while stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Pulaski, Missouri they had their first son Terry Ray. Then the following July while living in Virginia, MN their daughter Katherine Ann came into their lives. 
It wasn't’ until  September of 1963 while Bill was stationed at Fort Lee, Prince George, Virginia that their second son Louis William Jr was born. While living back in Virginia, MN Harold Theodore was born in October 1964.


Bill was a long time member of Local 49ers The Operating Engineers Union.

April 23, 1970 in Webster, North Dakota he married Helen Marie Traczyk. Helen had five children from a previous marriage.


He enjoyed a life with 9 children and … grand children and .. Great grand children


Many of Bill and Helen's Winters were spent in Texas while the Summers were spent in Minnesota. In 2007 they made the decision to make Minnesota their year round home. They found an apartment in Princeton, MN to be close to Helen's daughter Cindy and granddaughter Angela. 

Bill enjoyed a great hobby in wood working and shared many of his wonderful projects.

It doesn't matter how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash, what matters is how we live and love and how we spend our “dash”. Bill filled his dash with pranks, love, laughter and respect for others.

Bill’s sunset came November 16, 2012 and his final resting place will be in Nebraska.



30 November 2012

Monkey Bread with Pudding

24 oz Frozen Dinner Roll Dough
1 c Brown Sugar
1 (3.4oz) Pkg Instant Butterscotch Pudding
1/4 c White Sugar
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 c Chopped Walnuts (not in mine though)
1/2 c Melted Butter


Right away in the morning grease and flour a 10" Bundt cake Pan

Mix Brown Sugar and Pudding together

Mix the White Sugar and Cinnamon together

Roll Dough in Brown Sugar mix place in pan, sprinkle White Sugar Mix over the Dough then spread Butter and Nuts over the Sugared Dough.

Repeat......

Place on counter for about 8 hours to raise.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes

Let stand a few minutes and turn pan over onto serving platter





29 November 2012

THE NEW STAMPIN' TRIMMER


Ffeatures of the All-New Stampin' Trimmer
  • An extra-wide 6-1/4" cutting base and an extended 14-1/2" ruler
    • The extra-wide cutting base provides a large work area and is marked in 1/4" (4 mm) increments, allowing for small measurements. 
    • The right-side grid helps you measure and cut very thin strips.
    • The extended cutting arm has a stabilizing leg to provide a sturdy and steady cutting surface for longer cuts. 
    • When fully extended, the extended cutting arm sits flush with the trimmer base, providing more accurate and consistent measurements across the entire surface.
    • The cutting base and track include a full ruler, incorporating measurements down to 1/16" and grid lines that mark each quarter inch. 
    • All rulers and measurements on the base are printed under a plastic cover so your measurements won't wear off.
    • The base has nonskid feet, which keeps the Stampin' Trimmer securely in place on your work area.
  • A full 12" cutting and scoring track
    • The extra-long cutting track has space at the top and bottom so you don't have to take the cutting and scoring blades out when you're not using them. 
    • The track gives you enough space to cut or score a full 12" (30.5 cm) without having to remove or switch out handles. 
    • The cutting track locks in place for secure storage or transport. 
    • The track includes an insertion point for cutting and scoring blade handles so you can easily insert handles into the cutting track.
  • Specially designed handles and cutting track to ensure straight cuts
    • The hook on the scoring and cutting blade handles keeps the handles stable so the cuts are as straight as possible.
    • Handles come in two colors: dark for cutting, light for scoring. 
    • The precision tip on the cutting blade allows you to pinpoint precisely where you're cutting.
    • The point on the side of each handle shows you where the blade will cut, making it easy to see exactly where your cuts and scores will begin.
  • Storage compartment under base
    • The storage compartment holds scoring and cutting tools such as a Bone Folder, Simply Scored Stylus, extra scoring and cutting blades, and even business cards. 
    • Separate compartments within the storage compartment keep your tools organized, and the clear cover makes it easy to see what you've stored.
  • Product details: item 126889; $29.95

"Remember how frustrating it was to try and cut regular-sized cards on the old paper trimmer? With the new trimmer, the base has been extended so you can make most of your common cuts and measurements without even extending the ruler!"

"So many features of this tool make it the best on the market. The precision tip on the cutting blade allows you to pinpoint precisely where you're cutting. The handle shows you exactly where the blade will cut, making it easy to see exactly where your cuts and scores will begin and end. And, with the specially-designed insertion point, the handles snap into the track easily without bending or bowing the track itself-which helps to keep the track straight and rigid."


"Have you ever thought you were getting a straight cut, but it turned out to be bowed? The new handles and cutting track are so stable, your cuts will be perfectly straight!"


"This tool is all about ease-the cutting track is longer than 12" making it so easy to cut or score a full sheet of cardstock without having to remove any of the blades!"








Okay, you have got to Check this out!

http://bubblewrappd.blogspot.com/2012/03/workin-it.html

She even did up a tutorial for this project WOW!

Her Hubby did an awesome job making this, and she did a great job with wonderful details in her tutorial.

Seriously go check it out!!

28 November 2012

13 Essential Herbs

I am working on putting together books for my kids... only to realize they won't use it! LOL 







So I do it just for me and my friends online then!
And since I have joined Blogaholics I figured I'd get this one up tonight to share.
http://www.blogaholicnetwork.com







27 November 2012

Do not read this one....

... if you like being left in suspense! LOL


I received my Spring Catalog and I have to share my thoughts....

First thing is... Stampin' Up! will be celebrating 25 years of Loving What They Do, Sharing What They Love, Helping Others Enjoy Creativity and Worth While Accomplishments!
That is 13,140,000 minutes of Creativity !!!

Once again they have the Savings Bundles... Awesomeness!!
1. Stamp Set (7 piece) with 6 Framelits.. Yeah like I need more Framelits on my wishlist, but you know that's where they are going! Scallop Ovals, Yeah I gotta have them!
2. Stamp Set (8 piece) with 5 Framelits, yep I must have these too! A hearts, banners
3. Stamp Set (7 piece) with 6 Framelits.............. this one is my #1 Fave! OMG It's gorgeous! Secret garden! I will have this set! It is at the top of my list.
4. Stamp Set (2 pieces) with Simply Sent Set.... this comes with thread for a this darling needle pointing!
5. Stamp Set (3 pieces) with Designer Printed Boxes ....Die cut boxes, buttons, note cards and lots more!
6. Simply Scrappin and 8x8 Album! This Bundle SCREAMS little girls first scrap boo to me! Or pretty Spring, which ever is your thrill! LOL
7. Dressed Up Bundle.. OMG Darling! 3 Framelits 2 Bigz Dies and a 4 piece Stamp Set
8. Tea For Two... Oh Yeah i am so putting this one on my list too! Disc's for MDS
9. Sunshine and Sprinkles MDS Disc's

Then they also decided to carry over from the Holiday Catalog 9 Stamp Sets, 3 of the Framelits Sets, 2 Punches plus a dozen or so more items!

There is this very pretty lace tape...WOW
Tea Time Trinkets.. ADORABLE
Tea For Two DP 
Tea For Two Fabric 

There is 5/8" Flower Trim and Paper Doilies
Textured impressions Embossing Folders!
Creped Filter Paper...gonna have to check this stuff out!

A very Cool Stamp Set with a  matching Wheel..Amazing Family!
Large Rhinestone Stone Basic Jewels

Simply Scrappin' Layout kit... How did I miss this in the last catty? Seriously cool idea!

Artian Embellishments and More Amore DP

Designer builder brads...very pretty!
Pool Party Embossing Powder... gotta get this 
Stampin Sanding System and Core'dinations CS.. WAY COOL
Two Tone Ribbon
Little Butterfly Punch...  He is only about 5/8" tall. This didn't get to me, just wait!
MDS Ensemble of More Amore
and More Amore fabric...hey Kelly!

A distressing Tool
Poetry DP
Pop Up Posies Designer Kit

Parker's Patterns DP, Buttons, 7/16" Natural Trim Ribbon and Canvas Creations! 

Soda Pop Tops! Seriously! Normal and Mini ....Adorable!!!!
Oh ohhh ahhh and I can't forget to tell you about the New Simpy Scored Plate..... It zigs, zags, waves, rolls, and matches the Framelts!!! 

Paper Piercing Pack...Ovals! Oh Yeah! there are hearts and Banners, a butterfly and a few other to pierce too!
Super Cute Paper Clips, Arrows, Hanger, Clouds, (or is that a blurb) Birds, Whale, Heart

Many stamp sets and much more, but i can't spill the beans on EVERYTHING!


Now for the kicker.....check out this stamp that they have released! OMG What Were They Thinking? S'pose not everyone knows I am afraid of Butterflies! LOL

Imagine my shock opening to that page... Geesh the willies!!!!






Love MDS

Doone In Blue Berry Crisp DP, the Modern Label Punch with Rhinestones

Well it's a bit early, but

I updated and prettied my blog for December. I did My Facebook wall too! Although for that I did a snowy scene


Checking out Christmas Cards for the CCC12 Challenge, only 3 days left for November!

Got 2013 Challenge up and started, ppl are already signed up and 1 lady already posted her cards for January 2013!


No it wasn't my sister Raye Lynn for a change! LOL

Well I must run off and pick up little Mia from the Vet. She had to get fixed since I have her brothers here, and Julia might not be too happy if her baby has babies while I am babysitting! LOL

Done in MDS of course! Isn't she just a doll?! 

Brightly Gleaming

 My sister and I spent all day Friday organizing all of the Christmas papers.  Turns out I have 10 full bins, all retired of just Christmas....