Mirror Makeover

Last December,  I made jewelry and Christmas bulbs to sell at several craft fairs.  For the jewelry I needed a mirror so the ladies could see what the necklace's looked like when they tried them on.   I picked up a big hand held mirror at Walmart for $2.00.  It was not a pretty mirror, so I gave it a make over so that it would look nicely on the table.  I felt really happy how it turned out, and made Olga one for Christmas in black and white (which was the color scheme of her room), and just recently picked up these two smaller mirrors at the dollar store and re-did them.  They are easy to make, with scraps of  trim and ribbon, garage sale odds and ends.

A cheap dollar store mirror and scraps of trims.

Hot glue  trim around mirror.

On this one I hot glued some garage sale pearls.  (Sorry about the blurry picture).

I wrapped and glued  ribbon around the handle and then had enough left over to glue a little more ribbon around the mirror next to the trim and pearls.

The final product.

You can glue pretty material to the back, or paint it or leave it plain if the color goes with the trim.

Have Fun.

Blessings, Pam

New Seasons

Sunflowers bloom profusely,  choke cherries turn to black, the wild plums turn to red,  the evening, slightly cooler, seems to capture the sounds of crickets  as they sing, louder to my ears than I have noticed throughout the summer.  The sunlight has softened during the day; the sun is changing its position  once again, and the feeling of fall is upon us.  I love fall.  I think it is my favorite time of year.  Peacefulness always seems to rest upon me this time of year, more so than any other time.  Perhaps it is that children that are running free happy and wild all summer, have gone back to school, and the chaos of summer has quieted down.  It is indeed one of my very favorite memories from when the big kids were all home safe with me, and we were beginning our school year.  Nothing better.  I miss those days very much.  I  capture little bits of the feeling of those days when I find my self repeating some of the happy rituals with Russell, Olga or  Eddie that we all used to do;  Picking green chilis,  picking apples, going out to the farms, and loading up on veggies, canning jam and jelly, making bread, making green chili and salsa, peeling and slicing apples to dry, bringing in the last of the garden's pickings, and making relish, pickles and zucchini bread, Steve and the boys stacking firewood; all are part of happy fall activities that have managed to continue each year, melting together two batches of children, and helping them feel like one.

And now, a peacefulness that I have not felt  in a long time has gently alighted in our home, and   I am liking it.  Suddenly there is not soooo much to do.  I feel as if I have accomplished a great feat in having raised a 6th child, and am now down to one.  Are we ever done?  Not really, but still, there is a satisfactory feeling that comes to me now knowing little chicks 5 and 6 can fly.  I am feeling like I am getting there.  Let me take a breather... I am regrouping,  planning my week.  Shall I sit in bed all day and read my bible and pray and not change from my jammies? No, maybe not, Oh, but it sounds really lovely.   I suppose I better just get on with my routine.. I will enjoy my time with the Lord in the mornings, and get my household back in order (I am actually feeling as if it is about in order now). I will definitely get back to my 52 weeks of projects. What? Did I say 52 weeks of projects?  No it must have been a typo.  I must have meant 42  weeks.   Perhaps I can keep my momentum this time.  Enjoy the Season dearies, it is a delightful one.  Sometimes we struggle and wrestle through life for so long that we form the habit of thinking life is always going to be a certain way  and we miss the new thing the Lord is doing in our lives.  A new season has come, don't miss its joys and blessings.
Love you all.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Naan Bread

While Nathan and Himilce were here, Himilce wanted to fix us "Naan Bread".  Then the babies got sick, and after that Himilce got sick, shortly after that I didn't feel too shiny, and shortly after that, it was Steve's turn.  So instead of giving up on the venture, we decided to do it together as we all felt a bit better and the making of it became a family affair.  Himilce got a hold of the recipe (she found one on the internet very like the one she had made at home).  I mixed up the dough.  Nathan cut up veggies and rolled out the dough; Steve cooked the bread, Nathan put the final meal together, and we all enjoyed. Mmmmm good.  This was a recipe I am real excited to try again ( I might even try with whole wheat flour and see if can be done that way).  It is somewhat like "Pita bread", and this flat bread is almost worth getting fat for :)  It was soooo good.  Nathan topped it with pesto, fresh veggies and feta cheese and popped it in the oven like pizza.  For Eddie we topped it with tomato sauce and mozzarella, because feta cheese and pesto aren't on his  list of favorites; that tasted pretty good too. You  could also put meat such as lamb, chicken or beef in it with fresh veggies and a cucumber yogurt sauce and you would have a fabulous "Gyros" sandwich; that is what I am going to try next with it.

Mix your dough adding flour until dough is no longer sticky, knead and let rise until double.

Pinch off 2 to 3 inch balls and roll about 1/4 inch thick

Lightly oil or butter each piece or work with a well seasoned pan that requires very little oil, and grill on medium hi heat.

When bubbles have formed, flip bread.

Lightly brown the bubbles on bottom side.

Make a nice pile.

Top with favorite toppings.

Bake in oven till cheese is melted or veggies are slightly cooked and hot.

Mmmm Mmm good.

Naan Bread Dough

Stir together and let stand for 5 minutes until bubbly

1/2 cup warm water

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

Add, Mix and Knead

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup yogurt

1 egg

1 or 2 cloves garlic crushed or minced (or garlic powder to taste) - optional

Knead together, adding more flour until dough no longer sticks to sides of bowl.  Place in well oiled  bowl and cover with a cloth.   Let rise until double (at least an hour).

Pinch off golf ball sized portions of dough.  Roll into balls, then roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.  (you can grease, stack and cover at this point until all are ready to cook). Brush both sides lightly with butter (if you haven't already done this when you were done rolling them out) on hot griddle (Medium high heat is what we used), you might have to play with it, but it must be hot to start with.  Flip when bubbled up.  Cook other side until bubbles are browned.  

This makes  only about six, so we doubled the recipe.

Enjoy.

Sweet Reflections

Its been a quiet day. By quiet, I mean we are down to three of us instead of the usual fluctuations of 4 and many.  I got my house tidied up, a batch of enchiladas made, a  couple of loads of laundry done and a nice, long, delightful visit on the phone with  Marie.  A little more than I usually do on a Sunday afternoon, but these are the things I like to do to ease over the "something is missing, flat feeling" I have whenever my children and grandchildren go home.  We said goodbye to Nathan and Himilce and sweet grandbabies yesterday evening. It is always hard to see the kids go.   Thought I would post the highlights of our visit this week, which was undoubtedly the picnic and fishing expedition we took yesterday  before the kids all left.  We rented a little paddle boat, and got a little "rod" for Elon; and wouldn't you know in the first 15 minutes, he caught his first fish.  What a great time. As the saying goes  "a picture is worth a thousand words"; so here's those adorable pictures I promised.  Miss you all so much, Nathan, Himilce and precious babies.

 Little Hobbit and The Great Fisherman

Little Hobbit suggests second breakfast

Or perhaps Grammy has brought along "elevensies" 

I know its after 1:00, but we haven't had "elevensies yet

Daddy and Elon will fish for afternoon tea instead.

This is how you cast

Okay Daddy, I think I got this thing figgerred out

I must be very patient

I must be very quiet

What was that?

I think I felt something bite the line.

I think I gotta fish.

Yay afternoon tea is saved.

Isn't that a beautiful fish Daddy?

That's a great looking fish "Little buddy"

I bet he weighs a lots

He's kinda scaring me the way he's wigglin around

Maybe you better take 'im Daddy

Nothing to be afraid of little buddy.  See how soft he is.

How long till tea?

You say its okay to eat now?

Psalm 103:17
But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children

Mom's Birthday, a Michael Martin Murphy Concert, Olga goes to College, and Happy Company

Its interesting that when you start blogging,  you enjoy a whole different aspect of fellowship and I find that I miss you all when I'm away.  I don't feel that way about facebook;  facebook and I just can't seem to bond, I'm not completely sure why;  it isn't that I don;t like facebook people; most of my loved ones are on facebook, its just something about the facebook world that I cannot get used to or enjoy.  But blogging is different for me....  So where was I.... after I got back from the art workshop, so much has been happening that I haven't been able to get to blogging except for a little update that I started; here it is:
"Am still trying to get on track before company comes and Olga leaves on Monday;  I'm a little behind as has been my usual moan for this summer; but time always seems to right itself doesn't it?   My oldest boy Nathan and his wife and two precious little ones arrive sometime late Friday night or into the wee hours Saturday morning (depending on when he finally gets off of work); Can't wait for that... am counting the hours...working on making everything clean and cozy.  In the meantime, Olga is going off to College three days later, so we are working on getting her ready to go as well.  Steve will drive her up to Wyoming and get her settled in (by the way, she returned from Sweden on Sunday night after a successful trip and tournament.  Her team lasted through to the last quarter and placed eighth in their division; pretty good considering the hundreds of teams that were there.  She met some wonderful people and all in all it was a great experience for her)."

So with that written, I never got any farther, and here I am squeezing in a post due to  a little unexpected quiet time that has been thrown in unplanned because my precious grandbabies are feeling a little under the weather, and my daughter in law isn't feeling too shiny either....so the days plans have been changed and all are resting, and I am updating.

Friday July 30th: My Mom celebrated her 75th birthday; "Happy Birthday Mom.  I wish we could be there with you, we miss you!"

 On the same day we went with family and friends up into the mountains by train to enjoy a wonderful cowboy concert by Michael Martin Murphy and band.  What a great day that was.  We had hoped we could bring Nathan and Himilce and Elon and Asher with us on that trip, but Nathan couldn't get away from work soon enough to fit it in.  Michael and family have become friends of ours in recent months due to the fact that they are living next door in our little cottage (where mom used to live) for  a short period, as they finalize their move in this area.   They are a wonderful family and it has been a pleasure to get to know them.  When Steve and I were dating (way back in our high school days), the song "Wildfire" was a hit on the radio, and we both loved that song; it was another little bond that we found in each other.  Since that time, we enjoyed Michaels music, and had a couple of his CDs, and now here we are with this chance to get to know him.  It has been a sweet blessing.

Saturday, July 31: Nathan and Himilce and precious babies arrived  after a difficult drive and a sick little Asher.  Nathan left on a camping trip that afternoon, to continue plans for  a movie that he has been working on this last year.

Sunday, August 1:  Church with family, last minute details for Olga's trip.

Monday, August 2:  After several days of chaos, Steve and Olga leave for College.  Whewie... it sounds simple, but I am sure tired and so is Steve. Nathan returns from his trip, Jeremy and Chrystal come for dinner.

Tuesday, Wednesday:  Lots of happy time together.

Thursday:  Elon, Asher and Himilce sick.  Excursions to Springs and Denver cancelled.  Stay tuned for adorable pictures of grandchildren and children soon to be posted.

Train and Concert Adventure

We took the train 

We saw this guy along the way 

Michael Martin Murphy

From left to right: Me, Mama Jo, Steve, Michael, Melissa, Olga, Samantha and Eddie (beneath Steve)

Steve and Michael