She's Here!!!!!

I'm so excited! I recently won a contest that Mrs. Staggs was having over in Merryville. The prize? A beautiful Mrs. Staggs doll! And she arrived this morning. Bonnet tied, basket full, and pumpkin plump. She is absolutely adorable and I love her! Thank you so much, Mrs. Staggs! I just love her. I will be posting pictures soon! Now I just need a Mr. Staggs to go with her! lol!

Eureka!

I think I've figured it out! You may remember when I was whining in a previous post about having nothing of note to blog about. Well, I have thought of something. Why I didn't think of it before, I don't know. Anyhow, in addition to blogging about my journy from Horrible Housewife to Domestic Diva, I will be discussing Celebrations!

Although I don't do much of it, I love to entertain. I have lots of fun ideas for different celebrations, some frugal, some not. Ideas that encompass food, games, decor, favors. All sorts of things. It's a bit late for the upcoming holiday, so I will begin next week with Thanksgiving, starting with a fascinating history you may not know about. Until then, look for my thoughts and recollections on Halloween, coming soon.

Just because

I have been bothered of late with certain vibes I am getting from some people. I think (and I do believe I am correct in this thinking) that certain "friends" do not want me hanging around simply because I have four young children. Now, all of these "friends" are female, they are all married, however, only one of them has any children and she just has one. They often get together and do things. I know this because one "friend" will sit and talk to me about what they all do. Am I wrong to be hurt by this? Just because I have four children doesn't mean I can't go do things too. Just because I have four children doesn't make me any less of a person. It's not like I talk about them ad nauseum. It's just frustrating to me and I'm not sure what, if anything, to do about it. Just needed to vent.

Progress is still being made! Currently I am working on stripping a freestanding cabinet and a freestanding drawer unit. Also repainting a shelf. A few other things to tidy and the kitchen will be done!!! Then I will move on to the downstairs bathroom.

In other news...youngest DD took a tumble and got a gash on her forhead. Took her to the emergency room and they glued it. It's looking a lot better!

Had conferences for oldest DD and oldest DS. They are both doing great!

Gearing up for the holidays. Really need to get started on some of my gifts!

Progress!

Here it is! The after photos of my kitchen. At least, for the cabinets! lol! Still working on other areas. Don't those glass jars look wonderfull? I love them! I have a jar for white sugar, brown sugar, flour, powdered sugar, cream soup mix, dry milk, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, chocolate chips, baking coco, and solid baking chocolate.

Also from the thrift store...

A few other goodies found at the thrift store! First, these wonderful vintage patterns. I love the shirt dress! Now to find some fabric! lol!








I also found these: a skirt for me and three pairs of pants for my youngest.

Phase One

Inspired by Mrs. Cat's blog, I decided to put my dry goods into pretty glass jars. I hit the jackpot at my favorite thrift store! Aren't they fabulous? They've been washed and dried. I hope to fill them later today and get an after picture up here!

A taste of Autumn has arrived. Woke up to cooler than normal temperatures today and while it has warmed up a bit this afternoon, it still isn't as hot as it has been. To celebrate this early Autumn day, I decided to make Pumpkin Soup for dinner. It's a new recipe but it sure does sound tasty!

Pumpkin Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk

Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat and saute
onion until very sort. Add rest of ingredients, except
for the milk. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Add milk
and continue to cook for another 5 minutes (do not
boil!) Salt and pepper to taste.


Salad, rolls, and some chocolate pudding will round out the meal.

Bluebirdblogs! If you haven't checked this site out, you must! Susie does some wonderful work (click on the Gallery link to see) and right now you can enter a drawing to win a design!

I'm a sheep...

*Sigh* I've been thinking and thinking about what to blog about. There are lots of really good blogs out there and I've resigned myself to the fact that mine is not one of them. lol! Nonetheless I still want to keep it up as it is something I do enjoy doing. So, I thought to myself, Self, what is that we do? What can we blog about? Well, I do some craft things. I do crochet. I knit. I bake and cook. I clean. Nothing exciting. I'm certainly not an expert on anything. I game, but I doubt anyone wants to read a blog entirely about pen and paper RPG's or LARP's. Especially since I don't play in many. And alas, I'm not that witty either.

So, I thought I'd follow the masses and just share some things. I will start with the decluttering/organizing of the house. Join me as I go from Horrible Homemaker to Domestic Diva!

DH was home last night. Complete shock there! lol! Anyway, we had a nice little date night. After we (well, actually, all the credit goes to him!) got the younger kids to bed, we watched MirrorMask. Very good movie. I highly recommend it if you ever have the opportunity to see it.

The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics
By Francis Scott Key 1814


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Goodness! Time sure does fly! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. Lots of things are going on here! We've had two birthdays these past few weeks. Henry, the youngest, turned a year old on the 14th and Amelia turned two on the 24th. Roy and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary on the 22nd and he has a birthday on Monday.

The bell choir will be starting up again soon...I'm anxious for it t begin.

I have got to get started on some gifts! Seems like I have a list a mile long of things I need to make! lol!

Other than that there isn't anything new going on!

"We're having a heat wave...a tropical heat wave"

Somehow I don't think Marilyn was talking about her ac conking out (again!) And with record temps last week it was hotter than hot! The kids and I camped out at the IL's for a few days and DH weathered it out at home with the cats and several fans. It's fixed now though and hopefully it will stay that way!!!

School is getting ready to start soon here at Wisteria Corner. This past week we went and got new school supplies for the two oldest and some new clothes. Rhonda said she wasn't looking forward to going to school this year because of homework (first grade...she had homework last year too.) I told her if she wanted to stay home with me that that was fine but she'd still have homework at home too! That surprised her! lol! She opted for going back to school so she can see her friends.

Other than that, there's not much going on. I've started looking at some online catalogs for Christmas gift ideas. Still working on getting the house in order, but it's getting there. That's about it!

Back from the shore!

The kiddo's and I had a lovely time at the shore, although we spent more time in the pool than in the surf! I do have the ornament to share with you. I'll be doing that tomorrow for the Sewing Circle. Oh, and my wonderful Mr. Walker bought me some vintage patterns off of ebay. Can't wait until they get here and I can share them with you. Can't wait to use them either!

It's a very drab day here in Wisteria Corner. I'm really hoping we get some rain here; it's badly needed.

Lots to do here today to get ready for Sewing Circle tomorrow. Please join us!

Going to the Shore

The older kiddo's and I are embark to the shore with my mom for a few days. We're all looking forward to it! When I come back I'll have a picture of the dishcloth I've been working on plus a Christmas ornament craft to share :)See you in a few days!

Well My Dears, today is a date night here at the Walker house. That usually means bowling, however tonight, Mr. Walker and I will be taking in dinner and a movie. It's a very gray day here in Wisteria Corner. Hopefully it will rain later on today; we sure do need it!

Yesterday was quite fun! The volcano errupted gloriously...the kiddo's loved it. Later on we made their favorite chocolate chip brownies.


Brownies (with variations)

these make a soft, fudgy brownie

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add chocolate and mix well. Add flour. Spread in a greased 8x8 inch pan and bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Variation 1-chocolate chip brownies-Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Variation 2-Mallowmar brownies-after brownies have cooked, put mini marshmallows all over the top (you want to really cover the brownies!). Put back in the oven until the marshmallows are melted. Let cool and frost with 1/2 can Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Variation 3-Cream cheese brownies-Make a filling with 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened; 1/4-1/2 cup sugar [depending on taste]; and 2 eggs. Spread half of the brownie batter in the pan (will be thin), spread cream cheese filling over. Drop remaining brownie batter over the top of the cream cheese and bake.

Sewing Circle Heat Wave

Well Dear Friends, no Sewing Circle was to be held at my humble abode yesterday. Late Tuesday afternoon the air conditioner decided to konk out. While DH and DFIL tried to fix it, MIL, myself, and the kiddos went to their house where it was decidedly cooler. They had no luck fixing it on Tuesday so we spent the night with the DIL's. Thankfully they were able to get it up and running late yesterday!

Not to let the whole day of sewing go to waste I worked on a new dishcloth! Picture will be forthcoming when it's completed.

Off to errupt a volcano with the kiddos.

Perils Of The Deep

Yesterday my Dear Parents took Miss Rhonda and Master Padraic to the River for a swim. They were having a grand time until Miss Rhonda walked into a jellyfish. Luckily they were heading towards the end of their river visit. She was a trooper! Although she couldn't walk after the initial stinging (that nasty thing got her good on both her arms and legs), she felt much stronger after an ice cream!

Now My Dears, I must be off. Wednesday is not too far off and I must get the house in order for the Sewing Circle!

New and improved?

Well, I've been inspired of late (most noteably by Mrs.Stagg's and Mrs Clarice Fox- Hughes) and have decided to change the look and feel of my blog. I hope to be a bit more entertaining and inspiring to others.

Now that you're here, would you like to come in for tea? Just make yourself comfortable. Cookie? Miss Rhonda helped me make them this morning. Oh yes, she's doing just fine. My hair? Thank you! Yes, I just got it cut at the fashionable Clip N' Curl. Before I forget, the Ladie's Sewing Circle is meeting here on Wednesday. Stop by if you get the chance to see what we're up too!