Life in general

In one of my last posts I had stated I was going to get organized.  Laughable,  me , not now and maybe never.  I have many reason or as my daughter says excuses.  I am the oldest daughter to my Mom who is battling cancer and lives nearby. ( about 1 1/2 hours away)  My sisters live in Tulsa so that is about 15 hours away. I have 5 grown kids, 11 grandkids and 3 great grandsons. I am a control freak, or so I have been told and try to oversee their problems whenever I can. Right now my Mom is in the hospital with an UTI and JJ one of the great grandsons is in the process of being tested for Aspergers and has SPD. I also just found out my Granddaughter will be having her first baby in January. I am raising a 6 year old niece who has ODD and have a hubby who we are driving crazy. With all this I crochet to keep sane and make some extra spending money as I can always find something one of them might need or want. All that said the announcement of a new baby had me wanting to make teddy bears. What color I was not sure so I tried my hand at these two and then did get them listed on etsy.

I have also started to get my Christmas list going. I can crochet in the car on our long rides to and from Montello.  Yes, I worry alot, but would not change any of them one bit.   I am truly blessed.

It is Nice to Be Busy

Things have been pretty busy around our house lately.  My Etsy shop Grammas Gifts has picked up again, and that keeps me hooking. I am taking two classes online and am learning to study all over again. Then we did have seven new puppies come along, my Granddaughter brought her dog Daisy for a visit and she decided to stay a bit. I was also trying to get ready for Easter at the new house, the little guys and I will be heading to Montello and the Annual Easter Bunny Parade. This is the fifth year and each year the crowd grows. The kids really look forward to this. Being from the Chicago area, as kids we went to the mall and saw the Easter Bunny. In this area there is no place to take the kids, and the Garden Center has been kind enough to bring the Easter Bunny to the folks of all ages who live here. Now add to that they we are in the process of trying to get my five year old niece here from Tennessee. Visits with social workers and loads of red tape. The probate on my Uncles estate is still hanging open , so yes we are busy here.
Even though all this is going on I had to get ready for spring. I decided to make what I am calling a diabetic Easter wreath, let me give you a peek....here is a link for the peeps

Marshmallow peep like bunnies.....NO SUGAR involved

Nothing fancy, but a touch of spring on my front door.

our seven little puppies are now wide eyed and crawling everywhere!  The Mom is overwhelmed, so many little mouths to feed.

These are our two guys last year when the weather was warm, the snow was gone and it felt like spring. This year we may be wearing snow boots and mittens to hunt for eggs.

I don't Do Well With Changes

For as long as I can remember I do not take change well. I realize that as life goes on things must change, but that doesn't make it any easier for me to adjust to. So much has happened since my last post I am at a loss as to where I should start.

    Probably the biggest change is last week we lost our favorite UNCLE. Uncle Eddie was , perfect. Kind, sweet and as good a guy as you will ever find. The perfect son, brother and uncle. In the past seven years since my Gram has passed away he has been with us for holidays to keep the family going. He is probably best remembered for the line of kids waiting to kiss him goodbye before he left. Some of us got in line more than once, he never minded that! I am handling this much better than I thought because he is with my Gram now and both can chat the days away. In heaven I bet he's bowling again. I will think of thunder in a whole new way from now on. The saddest part is the little ones in the family did not have nearly enough time to get to know him. He will be greatly missed at our house.
   Luckily for me I have a wonderful friend who is more like a sister, Jean for the Teapot Quilt Cottage and Garden Center in Montello. In good times and those awful times she is always there to lend a shoulder and help talk me through the tears.
    I started taking college courses online!  Will I run off and get a career? Maybe, if not I will still show the kids if Gramma can do it so can YOU.
   We are getting ready for a move.  That means packing and unpacking. I did mention I hate change and this will surely add to the stress in the house. On a good not the kids will be out of school and can help. Can help, should help!

  I have also added some new items to the shop and hopefully after catching up on orders can get a few more done.

A holiday weekend ahead with a birthday party and BBQ ( speaking of BBQ, here is a great take along salad recipe from Pioneer Woman ), two small boys 2 puppies, 3 kittens 2 dogs and a cat, it should be a piece of cake! Have a safe weekend!

Creativity

In a house where it seems no one sleeps some days and there is always something going on, finding time to be creative is not so easy.  But, after a much needed physical and some new meds I had two...TWO days with no little guys, the teens were all busy and it seemed I was alone. The others in my house were scarce in case I might find them something to do!  So I sat down and with some recent inquiries about new hats picked up my hook and yarn and just relaxed. Here are some of the items I finally gor around to or finished.

This little monster hat was photographed by HB Photograhy in Reno, Texas. Heather is just amazing.

This 3-6 month baby sweater and cap was my attempt to make my Gram's sweater set. The hat is different because she left no pattern for it. 

I have a couple other items in the works and am resting and feeling much better. Having Myastenia Gravis, is like being the energizer bunny and having your battery run down. Just breathing is tiring. 

Today will be the test, the boys are back.. I have two monster hat orders to finish and everyday life to take care of.  I will just take it as it comes,maybe we will have nap time today !

I am also starting a new money saving, much needed process. Coupon Clipping. I have been watching as others in the area have saved quite a bit on groceries and those daily needs , so I have even gone as far as to set up a time to have Dannelle Fraser Gay come to Montello and give her Coupon Clipping 101 Class. My goal is to save enough to get into the house that I want and NEVER have to move again! Never pack another box and stay put. I will let you know how we progress.

Good Friends

Well the weather here is chilly and the upcoming days are supposed to be wet and cold so I was happy to spend the day at home with my good friend Jean who own The Teapot Quilt Cottage and Garden Center. We caught up on small talk and things going on in the town. Had tea and chatted while I helped her set up an Etsy shop. Jean has so many beautiful quuilted items and recycled wool and denim things, I can't wait to watch her fill the shop. I will share the link with you when she gets some items listed.

Of course, I have no idea where she finds the time. Jean and her husband have a farm where they grow the produce sold at the garden center, their stand and local farmers markets. Besides running the Teapot Quilt Cottage 7 days a week. The shop is amazing with treasures in every corner. From cookbooks and jellies, fabric and yarn to rag quilts and wool mittens. Amazing

These photos are from last year, they now have replaced the tent with a white gazebo , but there are loads of pumpkins and fall items as well as a shop full of things to see. If you are passing through Montello droop in and see for yourself.

I added another fun hat to the Etsy shop yesterday......and yes I facebooked it and the model was thrilled! NOT

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

GINGERSNAPPY CRUST
1	box gingersnaps (about 16 oz.)
1	stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1/4	cup sugar
1/2	cup pecans, chopped fine
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper (trust me)
FILLING
3 pkg	(8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature (may use low-fat, but do not use fat free)
1 1/4	cups pumpkin puree-- 15oz. can (not pumpkin pie filling)
5 lg	eggs
1	cup sugar
1/2	cup heavy cream
2 tsp	ground cinnamon
1 tsp	ground ginger
1/2 tsp	ground cloves
1/2 tsp	freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp	allspice
1/2 tsp	salt
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
1/2	cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2	cup sugar
1/2	stick (1/4 cup) butter
1/3	cup water
1/4	cup heavy cream (can use milk)
1/2 tsp	pure vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 tsp	salt (trust me)
	crumbled gingersnaps for garnish
	toasted pecan halves for garnish

In the Process

  After living in our little near lake cottage for about 15 years we are moving. Not very far, in the same school district and closer to town.  Yet, this is all very hard for me, I am not good at change, and all the commotion and overwhelming work has me a bit frazzled.  The house has much more room, a beautiful view and is just what we needed, but between the boys stays, filling the Etsy shop, getting orders ready and shipped I haven't had a lot of time. What I really need is an afternoon to sit and catch up with my friend Jean who own the Teapot Quilt Cottage and Garden Center in Montello. She has a knack for getting all the craziness calmed down and things put in perspective.   DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. 
   Now with all this going on in my life I feel the need to make bread...I better do it today because the weatherman has a brutal next seven days mapped out for us.  I like 70's during the day and 50's at night. If I could find such a place year round I would give a kidney to move there. Now with much of the kitchen packed, any serious baking will be a project so I found this recipe

No Knead Bread Recipe


Servings: One 1-pound loaf Prep Time: Cook Time:

No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose's experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why's of how this bread works.
Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1 teaspoon fine table salt (or 3/4 tablespoon of kosher salt)

1 1/2 cups warm water
Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel...something that can go into a 450F oven.)
Directions:

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop.
2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you've got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.
3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, turn over and dump wobbly dough into pot, using your hands to get the dough off the towel. Doesn't matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes.
http://steamykitchen.com/168-no-knead-bread-revisited.html  check out this site for great directions along with photos as well as more recipes.

   Before I can get to the bread though I need to pacge two hats to go to the post office. One skunk and a new hat ...the rhino, I must say he is adorable.

This hat was a suggestion for a customer on Etsy, I love when they ask for new hats, it keeps things fun!

Boxes to pack, directions to give.....I like to position of supervisor, I hate packing LOL

https://www.facebook.com/GrammasGifts  LIKE us on facebook and see new items as they are ready for the shop!

Todays Easter Bunny Parade

The parade went off very well, the sky clouded up a few times but that did not stop the Bunny from making his 4th annual stroll through the downtown. We gathered candy at some of the local businesses and tried not to tie up traffic too much as we crossed the highway. From little ones in their bunny or duck hats to Ladies in their Easter Bonnets. It was alot of fun. We got a kids head count of 79, a big increase from last year so we are all very happy about that. It would be nice if next year more of the businesses took a minute to join in handing out candy as the kids passed by. Maybe after hearing about the turnout and seeing the write up going in the paper they will. Thanks to B&B, Brandon, The Silver-Smith, Granite Fall, Tambears , Yahooz and The Olde Time Barber Shop for joining in. Also a huge thank you to Jean and Bob from the Garden Center and Teapot Quilt Cottage on Hwy. 22. Without them the Bunny would not have been here!

I am Happy to Say

that when I posted yesterday about teens not wanting to color Easter eggs....I was wrong!  They did join in and had a good time. Liz got creative, Chrissy took command and Carsen even tried to taste test the egg dye. (a family first). But, the eggs got done and the little guys had a good time. Carsen did feed one egg, shell and all to Trixie , who is now on the look out for the Easter Bunny to get more.


We broke out the FireKing cups to have enough space




Kathy is preparing the dyes



wow, we made pink in Grammas coffee cup

Chrissy adds a name to each egg, even the dogs have an egg

Here is what you look like if you taste the blue dye....he did not try any other color after blue

Carsen allowed limited help, at almost two he thinks he can do it all

I got a little on my hands, not too bad. 

Mike who is about to turn 13 joined in and made a couple "ugly" eggs

Liz and her boyfriend Dakota joined in the fun. she even used stickers. P.s. she is off to nursing school in the fall

busy, busy boys

Kathy read somewhere that you could use grape Koolade to color eggs purple ( her favorite color)   It is more like an ugly brown/grey...

Carsen is telling her "hands off" he wants no help he can do it all by himself

JJ shows off all the colorful eggs he made, he is very patient for being 3

Liz finishing up her eggs with stickers

One happy egg decorator, he will be showing these off. I can't wait to see his face when someone tries to eat one.

The eggs are all done and we had a good time. I am really glad the teens joined in. It was also nice to see them take over and do what I have done for them all these years. They will all make great parents when the time comes. family traditions are so very important and to keep these going is a big thing.   Thanks kids for making my day!

Carsens work is done so he is enjoying a sucker. We will get it all cleaned up, then off to watch The Velveteen Bunny.

Make your own Easter Egg dye

http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/more-holidays/homemade-easter-egg-dye-00000000056344/index.html

How to Make Blue


Ingredients
1 pound frozen blueberries (about 3½ cups)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
1. On the stovetop, bring frozen blueberries and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl, straining out the blueberries with a strainer.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.



How to Make Yellow

Ingredients
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Directions

1. On the stovetop, bring turmeric and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar.


How to Make Orange

Ingredients
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Directions

1. On the stovetop, bring paprika and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar.


How to Make Pink


Ingredients
12 ounces frozen raspberries (about 3½ cups)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
1. On the stovetop, bring frozen raspberries and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl, straining out the raspberries with a strainer.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

How to Make Brown

Ingredients
¼ cup instant coffee granules
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions
1. In a cup or bowl, stir coffee granules and boiling water together.
2. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar.


How to Make Green

Directions In a bowl or cup, mix one part blue liquid with one part yellow liquid.

Trixie watching for the Easter Bunny!

I am off to get the final prep done for The Montello Easter Bunny Parade today at 1:00. What started out a few years back as a handful of kids has grown to be alot of fun for all ages. The sun is shining, the snow is gone and hubby, Matt and Liz are downtown right now hanging balloons on the light posts. I am charging the video camera and my digital to catch the fun and get some new photos with the "BUNNY"

What a Difference a Day Makes

Just a day or two ago the snow flakes flew and my newly sprouted floers were covered with a blanket of snow.  This morning here is not a trace of snow in the yard.  I am very thankful for that  becasue I have an Easter Egg Hunt planned for Sunday morning and really did not want to wear snow boots to do it.

I get so excited when I see these plants come back because I am NOT a gardener. No green thumb, sand for soil and hate pulling weeds. Over the past few years I have added perenials to the space along my dricveway in hopes to not have to plant ever again. Now, I check each morning to see just what has come back. Hens and chicks are up, some of the sedum, a few unknown plants and of course day lilies. Spring really is here, finally.

I have the eggs on to boil and two little boys on their way here to color the eggs. I miss the fun of having the little ones, the teenagers are really not into all the prep fun any more. They still look for the Easter Basket and are on board to help tommorrow with the Easter Bunny Parade downtown.  It is fun to look at last years photos and see how much the kids have grown.

This Montello Easter Bunny Parade we started about 4 years back and it keeps getting bigger. The businesses along the sidewalk downtown come out to pass out candy as the kids follow the bunny through the downtown.  A funny story.... the first year my grandson Mike was about 8. After the parade and photos the bunny needed a ride back to the Garden Center. My husband offered to drive. Mike went with foir the ride. Not wanting to burst his belief in the Easter Bunny, Bob the owner of the Garden Center and (Bunny) could not remove the head. They dropped him off and he waved as they drove off. To anyone who would listen , Mike told that the Bunny went to the Garden Center and somehow lived there. If only they could stay that way just a little longer. Thank you to Bob for all the happy memories and fun.  I am having dinner at home for Easter and have a small shoppping list, some baking to do and last minute check on the ingredients for dinner. A low stress day would be great and much appreciated. My MOM has moved here from Tulsa and this will be our first Easter I think since I was a toddler. ( long story on why, and I will save that for another day). So the guest list will look something like this....Hubby and me, daughter Kathy and her son Mike, Daughter Patrice and her Matt, Liz, hopefully sam and Joey with his two boys JJ and Carsen, Chrissy and her friend Zach, Mom and maybe Cheryl and a friend.
 The boys and I have planned to make placecards and finish a centerpiece, I hope to get photos of all the craftiness that goes on. At almost 2 and just 3 it should be quite an afternoon.

Here is a cupcake recipe I found for Easter, but I am using orange instead of lemon.  Have a great weekend!
Raspberry Lemonade Angel Food Cupcakes

Cake

•1 box Angel Food Cake Mix, prepared as directed
•Zest of 2 medium lemons
•1 package of raspberry Jello (3 oz) – sugar free is fine
•1 cup of water
Frosting
•2 cups heavy whipping cream
•2 tablespoons white sugar
•3 fluid ounces of frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed
•Candied Lemon or fresh raspberries to garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven as directed on the cake mix box.
2. Mix the cake batter as directed on the box.
3. Fold in lemon zest after mixing.
4. Bake according to the instructions for cupcakes on the box.
5. After your cupcakes have cooled, use a fork to pierce holes in the top. Poke the fork into the tops 2-3 times per cupcake.
6. Heat one cup of water to boiling. Stir into gelatin mix until dissolved (in a glass measuring cup if you have one – will make the next step easier!)
7. Pour (or spoon) slowly over cupcakes. You don’t want a full swimming pool in the cupcakes – just a little to run into the tunnels you made with the fork. Attempting to photograph yourself pouring into the cupcakes = spilled liquid gelatin mess on the counter. Trust me.
8. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. I made these the night before and refrigerated overnight!
Onto the frosting!
9. If possible, chill your mixing bowl before you get started. Then combine whipping cream, sugar and lemonade concentrate in a bowl and beat until the frosting reaches stiff peaks when you remove your beaters.
10. Put whipped cream into a piping bag and frost your cupcakes! Top with candied lemon or fresh raspberries!
http://www.didsomeonesaypartysite.com/2011/04/raspberry-lemonade-angel-food-cupcakes.html

An Irish Blessing

May the Blessings of Each Day


Be the Blessings you need most



We cannot share a sorrow,

If we haven't grieved a while

Nor can we feel another's joy,

Until we've learned to smile.



May the Leprechauns be near you

To spread Luck along your way.

And may all the Irish Angels,

Smile on you St. Patrick's Day.



May the saddest day of the future

be no worse . . .

Than the happiest day of your past.



Health and long life to you,

Land without rent to you,

A child every year to you,

If you can't go to Heaven,

May you die in Ireland.



May the Luck of the Irish possess you.

May the devil fly off with your worries.

May God bless you forever and ever.



Have A Good Day Always

One of our little leprechauns !


I am getting a head start on sending blessing for St. Patrick's Day....now I am off to get the soda bread strted and a grocery list together. 
Later today I hope to post some photos of the new sweaters and adorable birds I did for the etsy shop and share a new recipe I found for the holdiay. Have a great day

It looks like Spring!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69838048/spring-tulips?ref=sr_gallery_11&ga_search_query=spring+wreath&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade this wreath I can across on Etsy seems to say it all!

After going to town for a meeting this morning, I felt like spring really was right around the corner. We set the time and date for our 4th annual Easter Bunny Parade. It is so much fun to see the kids and grown ups alike enjoy a simple walking parade through the downtown. No big frills or fancy stuff, just a stroll with the bunny collecting some candy along the way from local shops. From Grandmas to babies we have a fun time.  Last year we had a good sized crowd and hopefully it keeps right on growing!

Now I need to make a trip to The Garden Center in town and pick up some potted tulips and hopefully a daffodil to make the house look like spring also. I know this is Wisconsin and we cannot rush spring but inside is another story. So, tomorrow I intend to make some lemon blueberry muffins and start some spring cleaning .  Take down the curtains and lighten up the rooms and make it feel fresh and spring like. Hubby will begin to freak, he hates change.......especially if he has to be somehow involved.

Lemon-blueberry Muffins:

Makes 12 muffins
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
the zest and juice of one lemon (approximately 1/4 cup of juice)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 /2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (one 10-ounce bag if using frozen berries)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and butter until it is creamed. Add the cream cheese until it is completely blended with the sugar and butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are incorporated into the batter, then add the zest and pour in the lemon juice. Mix until zest and juice are also incorporated.

Meanwhile, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl so that the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed, then add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until the flour mixture has just been incorporated into the wet, then gently fold in the frozen blueberries. Folding in is just as it sounds: pour the berries into the mixing bowl, then, using a spoon or a spatula, move batter from the bottom of the mixing bowl to the top to cover the berries, mixing those batter-covered berries into the rest of the batter, and repeat until the berries are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Using two spoons - one to scoop from the mixing bowl, and one to scrape into the muffin liners (as we have ourselves a very sticky batter) - transfer approximately equal amounts of batter to each of the 12 muffin liners.

Bake until the muffins are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin emerges batter-free, 32 to 35 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack until they are completely cooled.

Try a batch of these and then let me know if you don't feel spring in the air also!