And Off She Goes

The YO will be moving into her dorm room this afternoon. She's a high school senior and I think it's a little too soon for this. She seemed surprised last night when I told her that I was sad and we would miss her being home during the week. I still am the momma.

It's Been Awhile

I had an accident in October and haven't been the same since. My hands hurt. Really, really hurt. And when the don't hurt I try to do something (like clean the bathrooms) and then they really, really hurt again. They wake me up, they make me sleep. They keep me from cooking how I want to. They keep me from sewing and quilting all the gifts I want to give. When you're a crafter and a SAHM and your hands are your enemy life is hell.

The best laid plans of mice and men....

......oft go awry. While I did have good intentions today, they were somewhat changed. OO decided that she could not attend the Ravens game, she had a paper or two to finish. I drove DH and YO to the game, came home, drove OO back to school thus most of my alone sewing and watching time was gone. I did get to design a "butterfly" in Inkscape and transfer it to SCAL. I have yet to cut it but I am proud, this is my first non-word design and it was fun. It's name is Hooty Butterfly.

Sunday Football and Sewing

The Ravens are back home today after a tough loss in New England last week. Husband and the OO are going to the game, Momma and the YO will be at home. I love football Sundays! It gives me a chance to have three guiltless hours sewing/crafting and watching the game.
Today I will be starting a scrapping album for OO's friend who expecting a baby boy in December. I get to play with SCAL, Inkscape, my Cricut and my brand new Binds It All. Maybe I can work in the new thermal laminator that somehow found it's way into my home last week.

She's Got Legs.......

I love these little baby leg warmers. I don't have a baby, but I do have a great grandniece and I hope her momma likes them.
I found the tutorial here on Everything Your Mama Made. Very clear instructions and believe me easy to do, I think it took me a 1/2 hour to make three pairs and that included the first "test" pair.

.....she knows how to use them

I'm Under so Much Pressure....

...and loving it. This summer I decided to can my crop of tomatoes. I had canned jellies and jams before using a water bath canner but after research I decided to buy a pressure canner. My tomatoes turned out beautiful, so much so that I would go to the farmers market just to buy tomatoes to can.
After the tomatoes I decided to become adventurous and can some Chicken Noodle Soup. The soup darkened during the canning process and I have yet to test, I mean taste it. Soup, tomatoes, stocks and jellies finished what could I do now?
Well, I could use the pressure canner as a pressure cooker. What soup does my family love but takes me tons of time so I only make it about once a year? ... (thinking) ... (still thinking)....Oh, Crab Soup! And I don't mean just regular Maryland Crab Soup, what I brew is something we refer to as Baltimore Crab Soup. Baltimore City had a very large German (and Polish and Irish) population and I think this is the reason for the difference in the soup that is made in the rest of Maryland. I never find this style of soup in restaurants but this is how my momma taught me (over the phone, no measurements) and this is what my family enjoys. Blah, blah, blah.... back to the cooking.
The soup usually takes me all day to cook and cool, then we eat it on the second day for the best taste. With the pressure cooker within 2 hours the soup was ready to eat and the best of all it tasted exactly the same!! Now I'm trying to come up with other "family" recipes that I can convert.

Bon Apetite!!!

Where Has All the Time Gone

I've been really busy, but the work ( mostly phone calls and coordinating) has been worth it. The "other" house is almost done and hopefully we will have it on the market by the end of August. Mom wants us to come visit, but we can't. The trip would be too much on the dog and me. just going to the beach. Found another photo that i love. It's of my grandmother, Grace Marie Killmayer, and her two brothers, Bernard and Thomas. I can upload it after I convert to jpeg. until then this is my Aunt Catherine Killmayer Mraz. That big bow must have been the style, I have a photo of my mother-in-law with the same type bow.