Last night after dinner, I decided to make a big pot of rice pudding...   I usually just make vanilla pudding, then put leftover cooked rice in it.  This time I wanted to make it the way my friends' Mom made it.. When I was little we used to be family friends with someone. She was a single mom with four kids (three boys, one girl-the girl and I were friends). We used to go over there just to hang out.  Once in a while she would make a big old pot of rice pudding, on the stove top.  I think all her kids were like, "Ugh.... Rice pudding, again?"  But it was new to me, and I loved it. I don't know exactly how she made hers. But I followed a recipe I have in a cookbook.  It called for six cups of milk, and only one cup of rice. You are supposed to simmer it for an hour...    Well that didn't seem like it would be enough, so I added another cup of rice.  Maybe I cooked it too long (I had the timer on for one hour)...  Next time I will shorten the cooking time, I think/watch it till I think it is done..

Anyway, it turned out good...   Here are the kids'.  (My Mom gave me these two bowls with a chili mix kit last year.)  Eon likes them. So....  :P  

I thought I would post last months' donation I sent in to the OB Unit...   

We were low on the sweaters category, so I made three more- plus three mittens, too. I also had a Santa Sleep Sack/Hat; but that category got filled, so I didn't send it. (I will send it this month, though.) 

Some FO's, And Lots Of Wonderful Birthday Goodies

I finally finished a Minion Hat, and mitten set. The hat is Repeat Crafter Me's . For the mittens, I used a basic mitten pattern and minion-ized it. The pattern I used is Red Heart's Crochet Mitens for All.  I made this set for the Preschool Drive in a group I am in. (I still have not sent it yet... sigh..)

I have gotten so many awesome birthday goodies in the mail from my pen pals!! I got some roasted coffee beans from Linda. (Sooooo good!!)  Thank you Linda!

I got a card with lots of stickers as a surprise from someone in a pen pal group I am in on Ravelry, from Belgium!  And an awesome Birthday postcard from Maureen.   Thank you both so much!

Then I got another package from Eileen! I love the dishcloths (I still haven't used them- I don't want to "ruin" them. They're so soft... ) Some card/envelope sets, and a book which I am currently reading. Thank you so much, Eileen!

Then yesterday I went to the post office, because I got a "We tried to deliver but you weren't home" card in my mailbox. This is what it was! From Sue. She even sent a little late birthday giftie for Eon-  the Kreo Transformer. He had it built by the time we were at his brother's school to pick him up, and he said it's cool.   Thank you so much, Sue!
I feel so blessed to have so many pen pals as friends.  The things they sent me were the only birthday gifts I got, besides some birthday money. It really meant a lot to me, thank you all so much!!!!

I went to Hancock Fabrics. I have never ever been to one (as far as I know).   I went to get a $5 pizza deal from Little Caesars, and as I was leaving I noticed a big banner above a store front (I never really paid attention, it was Hancock Fabrics)..  It said "Fleece Frenzy 50% off" (something like that).  I said, "Oooo, I should go there and get some fleece to make baby blankets."  So I did...    I did not know Hancock Fabrics had so much crafting stuff!! I thought it was all sewing, for some reason.  They have almost everything! With my birthday money, I got some yarn to make a cowl neck poncho for myself. :D   And two kinds of fleece for $4 something a yard.  To match some sweater sets I had started. And buttons. 

This is one set I have since finished...   :)  I just have to sew the buttons on the sweater.    For the Bundles of Joy Ravelry Group. The other sweater set to go with the pink/purple fleece, is lavender. I am almost done with that one, too. Well. I have to do the skip stitch blade, and the crocheting on the fleece; and I have to crochet the booties. Then it will be done. I finished  the sweater last month and was going to send it to go with all the hats (we are making purple hats for  awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome.  The past couple months we have had a hat column, and a purple hat column.   Anyway I never did get the lavender sweater in the mail. So now I am doing a whole set to go with it. :P    This week has been crazy (I will have to do a whole other blog post about that...).  Somehow, I did something (I don't know what because I don't remember even bumping into anything, or anything) to my knee.  I followed my Mom to get her car worked on, then we went to lunch.  Then later went to pick the kids up from school. When we were getting out of the car to go in the house, my knee just started killing!?  What the???  It hurt so bad, I could hardly walk.  I managed to get dinner done, and the dishes washed. Then I sat on the couch with the ice pack, a pillow under my knee, and I took an Aleve.  By the time it was bed time, it did feel better enough to go to bed. :P  I couldn't even move, it hurt to just sit there.  Then it was okay- until today. (I actually woke up in the middle of the night, it hurt so bad.)   :(   Soooooo.... The point of my long story is, I am going to be sitting on the couch with the ice pack again today. Crocheting.  :P

Apples

One of the things we used to love doing was going to the apple orchard; when we lived in Michigan.  Nowhere else that we have lived in any state has good apple orchards. (I haven't technically checked here, but..)  Well when my Mom recently went to Michigan, she brought us back some Michigan Apples!  :D   It might sound like a strange thing to be happy about..  But, after living in Nevada for six years, and eating fruits and vegetables with no taste at all, you might understand.  These are mostly Cortland.  They even smelled good. I put them in the pantry. And every time I opened the door, they smelled so good.. 

I wanted to make something more special than just Apple Rumble, or Apple Pie or Apple Bread...  So after looking through my cookbooks, I decided to make Bavarian Apple Torte, first.  It was sooo yummy.   It is really fattening, though.     Next, I made Apple Pie Breakfast Bars.  I thought they were okay (I didn't take a picture.)  If you think, oatmeal squares.  I'm not sure if I would make them again.  

Then yesterday, I made Apple Spice Cake.  This used up almost all the apples (there are two left, which we will just eat).  It's pretty good.  I have baked almost every day this week. I am glad all the apples are gone. Lol. I am tired of baking for a while.  But I'm also glad we have/had the apples.  

Some of my favorite memories are going to the apple orchard, riding the tractor and going to pick apples. They also had a play area/barn for kids to play in.  Then there were the cinnamon sugar apples, and apple cider.   This was the only picture I could find of "us" (minus me, since I was taking the picture) drinking cider.

One of Eon sitting on the pumpkins.  :)  He was so little then..   :)
Maybe we will be able to find a new apple orchard or pumpkin patch, here.

My "New" Kitchen

When we first moved here, our house was not finished. (It's a rental.) They were putting in all new skylights (the old ones were leaking-- some spots on the ceiling are stained still.)  Part of our rental agreement was "No down payment/do some work on the house"..   (Why do we always get into these situations?)  So my husband has to finish the sklights.  Which also means re-doing the whole ceiling.  and paint the whole room.. (Sooooo not worth it, IMO.)  But, it is what it is..    This weekend, he worked on the kitchen.  One skylight is done.   (This one was the biggest one/biggest job.)

Ceiling.  Just has to paint it.

The new paint- "Vanilla".  

Goodbye, "E"..

Goodybe, "F"..   (This one is technically in the kids bathroom... Which is next..)  BTW, whoever did this, had to climb on top of the bathroom counter, and stand up on it; to write an F on the wall ABOVE the mirror. You can see it is almost to the top of the door jam. Monkey. There is also pink paint (or marker?) on the cupboards, and door in the bathroom. :/

The finished kitchen.  Not bad for a tiny rental...   Amazing what a new coat of paint does! The whole kitchen (and laundry room) look so much cleaner now!  And, I have more counter space. :D   Makes it a little nicer.

A Couple of F.O.'s I Can Post About..

My pen pal (one of my pen pals) finally got a box I sent her. So I can post a couple things I sent (only the things I crocheted).  This tea bag pouch, to bring your favorite tea bags with you...   And I put some of my favorites in it.  

When it's closed.  

And a Tea Bag Ami I made her. I just thought it was really cute.  The color is washed out, the heart is pink.   I sent lots of other goodies, too. And a "Happy Bee~Lated Birthday" card I made her. Which I thought for sure I took a picture of, but I can't find it anywhere. :(  It was similar to this card, but instead of "Bee Happy", it said "Happy Bee~lated Birthday". I made it long enough to fit into a standard letter size envelope.  I am so glad she got it and likes everything. It was fun getting everything together.

I Have Counter Space!! :D

I know.... Who cares?  (I do!) One of the things I do not like about this house (I am trying not to complain too much, but..) ` The kitchen.  Besides the ugly (disgusting) counter tops, there is no counter space.  So...   My husband made me a new shelf to put things on, so I can use one of the counters at least.   The coffee pot, microwave, and knife block all took up space on two counters.  

Now I have a whole counter space, free.  :D  Before, I had to use the top of the stove, or else clean the whole counter where the coffee pot and dish drainer is, off. Just so I could bake.   Now I don't have to do all that.  :)

My yellow and grey baby blankie I have been working on. Same pattern as the last blanket I finished.

Duke, about ten minutes ago. :P   It has been raining all week here. This morning it was lightning-ing, and then a big BOOOOM (long thunder, really loud). Duke jumped. Then he looked at me, like "Mama? I'm scared.." And he started whining.   Awww.... Dudie Doo is afraid of storms..  He isn't afraid to go out in the rain, and get soaking wet, though. :/  Lol

More Baby F.O's

I finished this set last month. But I wanted to make a fleece blanket to go with it. (I don't think I have posted my fleece blanket yet?) But...  I couldn't find any yellow and grey fleece anywhere.  

So...  I started a Corner to Corner blanket. I am not very happy with it.  It looks too narrow/triangular to me.  And, it is holier than others I have made.  :/  So now I will have to sew some kind of backing onto it, anyway.  (Can't send holey blankets to the OB Ward.)  Maybe I will just put it away, and start a different one.

This is the pattern I should have started.  :/   I had originally intended to make this one yellow and grey. But then I decided to make it all different colors.

It is very warm.    

Another Baby Set

I finished another baby set. This is the last of this yarn. I went back to Big Lots (I'm not a yarn snob..) to get some more of the green yarn.  And they didn't have any. I went back again, and finally asked someone. She said whatever they had was it. They don't get new orders in, they just get whatever the company decides to send them.  :(    I really liked this shade of green, and it is so soft...   Sigh. Oh well.   I was able to finish this set.  I only had three rows on a sleeve left, and I had to rip a row out of a scrap afghan to finish the sleeve. But, it's done.  :P

I took this picture yesterday. Eon left his bedroom door open when we went to the bus stop.  And Duke took over. Lol.  He was keeping guard of Eons' bed... 

Food Post

I tried a new recipe a few nights ago (I think it was Sunday?).  Someone I know posted it on facebook. It looked so yummy (and being German, I had to try it..).  It's called  Kneopfla Hotdish. It isn't hard to make. Just the clipping of the dough into the hot boiling pot is kind of much.  (Be a good thing to make in the Winter.)  

I made this the other day, too. I had bought the generic brand of Honey Nut Cheerios, because it was a whole dollar cheaper. Does. Not. Taste. The. Same.  (Yuck!!)  So, with a whole box of cereal I didn't want to just waste.. I made the kids a snack: Cheerios Nuggets  Everyone liked them, except Eon.  (Sigh..)  

And, some dinner rolls I made...   :)    What is it about the smell of homemade bread?  Yum...

Duke's First Trip To The Vet...

...was not a fun one! :/  This picture was taken after we got home. I think he was all wore out-- from being so bad! When we first got there, he was running all over outside, peeing everywhere. :/   Eon wanted to hold the leash. (He was home sick that day.)  I let him (but finally took it from him- I can barely handle Duke, I know Eon can't..)  We finally get into the vets' office. Duke is freaking out.  I tell the receptionist I have an appointment. Some woman in there says "Oh what a cute puppy!"  I laughed (because he isn't a puppy), and said "He's actually a year old."  Eon took the leash again; and it was just chaos...   We got Duke weighed (which we had to do ourselves).  Then, Duke poops in the middle of the waiting room floor. :0   Oh my goodness...    Well if that wasn't bad enough, he immediately goes over to the bookshelf and PEES on it!!???  He is so bad!!! I said "NOO!!"  I was so embarrassed. The receptionist said "What did he do?" I said "He just peed on your book shelf. I am so sorry. (You are a bad dog!)" And I take him outside to pee. I'm walking around, and walk right into this huge spiderweb! O.M.G!!   We finally get into the room.  Duke's hair is flying everywhere, it's humid and hot as hell in this vet's office (do they not have air conditioning?)...   Duke growls at the vet. We have to pin him down to get all the tests done...   UGH...    What a nightmare.     All his tests came back normal, and we got his first rabies shot. But I don't know if I am going to go back to this vet. I went there; because of all the vets I called in town, this one was the cheapest.  But not knowing the area still, or where it was (I drive past it all the time, just didn't put the two things together)..  The building is old and run down.   Not very professional staff, NO air conditioning? In the south?  And in a stinky vets office? Come on..  I felt so gross after I left that place.  (Then there was all the dog hair all over the car... Which I went up and vacuumed out.)  Sheesh.  This vet is not that much cheaper than the other ones I called in town..    
I think we need to get him fixed... Maybe that will setlle him down some. What a monster.    

I finished a Santa Treat Jar.   I had started this in May of this year, I think. It's from the Crochet World "Christmas in Crochet" magazine from last year or the year before.   I thought it would be cute for my Dad & step-Mom for Christmas this year.  They love candy.  I got a bag of my Dad's (and mine) favorite candy but I can see I am going to have to get a few bags to fill up the jar. :)  We will probably eat all that is in there.  So, I have my first/only (?) crochet project finished for Christmas.  Actually, my only gift so far, too.   

Guess Who Got A Haircut?... :D

Yup!! :D   I kept trying to get a picture of his new hair cut. But he wouldn't let me take his picture.  He took this "selfie".  I said "Let me take one where you are at least smiling.."  "It's a selfie. Only girls smile in selfies..."  (Ugh...)  

I did get this one.  :/    I was SOOO happy he was getting a hair cut. When we got there, I asked him if he wanted to look at the books to see what he wanted.  The picture he picked out was short! I was trying really hard to remain calm. But inside, I was jumping up and down and screaming, "YESSS!!!"  :P    After we got in the car, he said "No one is going to recognize me tomorrow."  Then he said he should wear something he's never worn before.  I said "Do you want to go to Old Navy and get a Polo shirt or something?"  

.... It isn't a Polo shirt, but this is the shirt he picked out.   I took this one while unlocking the door- just aimed it behind me. Ha ha...  It actually turned out.  :P    I am so glad he got a hair cut!!   He said it isn't what he thought it would be. But I said "It will grow out, whenever you get a hair cut it takes a few days to start looking the way you like.."

Eli is always bringing home goodies they made in his Culinary Arts Class.  A couple days ago he brought these cookies. Yummy!! He said they're called Haystacks.   He wrote down the recipe for me. It is similar to this one, but not quite the same.  He said they used "the chocolate cereal."  And 2 cups sugar, 18 oz peanut butter, and 6 cups of cereal. Also, no vanilla.  

Lunatic Fringe Scarf

I submitted this pattern to the Crochet Pattern A Day Calendar  2007. I had only ever made the two scarves, for our two older boys.  Well, I finally crocheted another one (for the preschool drive). :P  And I made a bunch of mistakes on the fringe on one end. (Shh...)    I re-listed it in my Etsy Store, and I finally added the link on Ravelry.   

Burn Out

I think I am getting burned out from making baby things for the OB Ward. I like making baby things, but that is ALL I crochet or knit, lately.  It's kinding of sucking the life out of me.  :(  This month (August) I sent one package, with three sleep sacks (plus hats), two sweaters (one with hat and booties, one not because I ran out of the peach yarn), and seven onesies.   Then, it's like a week away from the end of August. And they still need like 28 sweaters and blankets... O.o  I said I would work on sweaters that week.  This is what I got done.  Another sweater like Tia's Baby's Sweater. (I also sent Tia a sweater booties hat, and a blanket this month, too).   Baby Sweater Pattern.

These three sweaters.  I made some booties to go with the navy blue sweater, but since the socks/booties slot got filled up, I will save those...  This is the Bundles of Love Baby Sweater by Beth Koskie. Free Ravelry download. 

And, a concentric stripes sweater I had knitted a long time ago but never weaved the ends in for, or had any buttons..   So the grand total (including what I sent Tia this month for her baby):  8 sweaters, 3 sleep sacks, 5 hats, 2 booties, 7 onesies, 1 blanket.  Sheesh...    It is supposed to be a "No stress group".   But that's not how I'm feeling. O.o  Besides the baby things, I also have been making hats/mittens/scarves for the Preschoolers.  I finished five mittens, four hats, and two scarves.  And I am burned out.   The other thing is, I am not working any more; so it isn't like we have extra money to send things.  Every time my husband gives me money to go spend, I end up spending on sending packages.  

Eon has been in a "Freddie Krueger/Jason mood lately...  It all started because I forced Eli to go school clothes shopping with me one day.  He picked out one shirt that was red stripes. It's this one.  Their Dad said "Eli looks like Freddie Krueger in that shirt."  (Eli didn't hear him, though.) So one day he was wearing it; and we were driving home from school, and I said "Eli you look like Freddie Krueger in that shirt." :P    So, now Eon is on a Freddie Krueger/Jason thing...  O.o  (What did I do?...)   He watched the last half hour of  "Freddie vs. Jason" one night..  This is what happended later...   "Take a picture of me"... 

"Take another one...."   Lol   He cracks me up...

I feel like I have to explain why the chairs from the dining room table are in front of the windows....  One word: Duke.   I try to keep him away from the windows (they go all the way down to the floor practically).  He looks outside and barks at every single thing that moves outside. God help me if someone is walking down the road, or riding their bike...  O.o  He drives me nuts.  Then Jetta will start, too...  So I try to barricade the windows... I know it's weird..  But that's why there are chairs in front of the windows.  :P