Neat!

This is pretty cool. Create your own sign.

i have been tagged.

I got tagged by Kacey.


Four Jobs I have had:

Pumping yogurt at TCBY
Lottery Girl (televised lottery draws)
Family and Consumer Science Teacher (modern day Home Economics)
Children's clothing designer

Four Films I Can Watch Over & Over:

Breakfast at Tiffany's
Pearl Harbor
Grease
Steel Magnolias

Four Places I have lived:

Tallahassee, Florida
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Beaufort, SC
Quantico, VA

Four Favorite TV shows:

Law and Order
Grey's Anatomy
Friends
All My Children

Four Favorite Foods:

Pizza
Lasagna
Chocolate
Ice Cream

Four Websites I visit Daily:

www.fabricofmylife.blogspot.com
Ebay
www.Iwantfabric.com
everythingispink.blogspot.com

Four Places I would love to be:

at the Beach
at a fabulous, reasonably priced vintage store
in a hot bubble bath with a good book or magazine
Ikea! (hahaha)

Four people I am tagging:

Liz
Lelly
Laura
Amelia

Layered Cornbread and Turkey Salad

Yummy! I must have food on the brain! This is the recipe that I used the Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix in! Sadly, I didn't create the whole visual effect by creating the salad in clear containers. Maybe next time.

Ingredients
1 (6-ounce) package buttermilk cornbread mix (unable to find a buttermilk mix, I used Jiffy instead)
1 (12-ounce) bottle Parmesan-peppercorn dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 (9-ounce) package romaine lettuce, shredded
2 1/2 cups chopped smoked turkey (about 3/4 pound)
2 large yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup diced celery (about 3 celery ribs)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
10 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions, sliced


Preparation
Prepare cornbread according to package directions; cool and crumble. Set aside.
Stir together dressing, mayonnaise, and buttermilk until blended.

Layer crumbled cornbread, shredded lettuce, and next 7 ingredients evenly into 6 (3- to 4-cup) glass containers; spoon half of dressing mixture evenly over tops. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Sprinkle with green onions just before serving. Serve with remaining half of dressing mixture on the side.


To make 1 large salad: Layer half each of crumbled cornbread, shredded lettuce, and next 7 ingredients in a large glass bowl; spoon half of dressing mixture evenly over top. Repeat layers ending with dressing mixture. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Sprinkle top with green onions just before serving. Prep: 45 min., Chill: 8 hrs.


Yield
Makes 6 servings

Now, I am not one to plan ahead, so I did not chill the salad, and it was very good despite this.

Jiffy - It is a wonderful thing!

I have loved Jiffy cornbread for ages. I was tickled to see the article about it in this week's Washington Post. The article was written by Lisa Yockelson. The Post's website won't let me link directly to the article, because they require you register on their site to view past articles. Registration is free, though, and you can just search by the author's name, so if you have a minute, take a look at the original article - it is great!

I enjoyed the article even more since I had just used a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix in a recipe the night before! I especially loved the author's recommendations for making "jiffy more spiffy"! What a steal at only $.50 per box!

To an 8.5 ounce box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, you can add any of these:

2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled;
1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese;
1/3 cup freshly scraped corn kernels sauteed in 1 T unsalted butter, tossed with 2 tsp chopped thyme (cooled);
2/3 C blueberries, tossed with 2 t of the corn muffin mix (lightly stir in the berries during the final few stirs of mixing);
2 strips bacon, fried and then crumbled;
1/4 C finely diced green, yellow, or red bell pepper, sauteed in 1 T unsalted butter and cooled;
3 T minced onion, sauteed in 1 T unsalted butter for about 3 minutes, until glossy, and cooled.

I love John Mayer!

Most of my friends know that I have a crush on John Mayer. Of course, they giggle about this, but I am not ashamed to admit it - I have a crush on John Mayer! So, as you can imagine, I was delighted to see that he would be appearing with Eric Clapton on Good Morning America this morning! Yippee!
I was so happy to see that he has cut his hair short again. I much prefer the shorter hair on him - the longer hair made him look like a beatnik!

Thank God for the Kindness of Strangers

Well, I have been inspired by the Random Acts of Kindness posts I have read on several of my favorite blogs. Jenn, Lelly, Kristi (credited with the graphic above), Megan, Becca, and others.

I have been thinking of how I can "spread the love", but hadn't really left the house in several days, so hadn't had much opportunity.

Yesterday, however, I was the recipient of a random act of kindness, and it warmed my heart, and renewed my enthusiasm about spreading some kindness myself.

I ventured out with all of the girls to the fabric store. The babies were in the double stroller, while Georgia walked alongside. We walked out of the store and stood on the sidewalk and watched as the bottom dropped out of the sky and rain poured down. A lady and her teenager daughter came out of the store behind me and when she realized that we would all surely get drenched by the time I was able to get each of the babies out of the buckles of the stroller and into the buckles of their carseats, she offered to help us. I am pretty independent, and my automatic reaction when help is offered is to politely say, "no thank you". But, good sense prevailed, and I thanked her and took her up on her offer. Together, we were able to get the kids all in the car, without getting them or ourselves too wet. I thanked her profusely, and she humbly said I was welcome and she understood because she, too, had been in those kinds of situations with her children.

So, Thank God for the kindness of strangers!

Grab Your Kleenex!

Saw this over on the Feather Your Nest blog!


Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won’t stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald’s and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that GOD has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children’s graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can’t handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you good night, I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank GOD for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day………….

Sunday Afternoon in DC

We had a nice family day yesterday! We started off the day by going up towards the Pentagon and having lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen. Just love their Goat Cheese and Roasted Pepper Pizza with Smoked Applewood Bacon. Which reminds me, have you ever tried the CPK frozen pizzas from the grocery store? They rock too! My favorites are: Garlic Chicken, Thai Chicken, and Five Cheese and Fresh Tomato.

After CPK, we headed across the street to Fashion City at Pentagon Row and did a little mall shopping. Since I had grubby, pizza handprints on my no longer white shirt, I popped into Ann Taylor and took advantage of their buy 1 get the 2nd at half price to buy a couple t-shirts. Then we went to Cole Haan, to purchase a belated Father's Day gift for Chris. For the longest time, when we go anywhere, he takes his Military ID, driver's license, a couple of credit cards and wraps his cash around them and sticks it in his pocket. He just doesn't want to carry his wallet because it is too bulky. So, we bought him a very sleek credit card wallet with a money clip attached. It is really cool and I think he likes it.

I picked up some new Robeez for the babies, and we got some dippin' dots ice cream before heading back to the car.
We decided to head over to the Washington Mall and spend some time enjoying DC on a Sunday afternoon. So, we parked and walked over, stopping by the World War II Monument. It was a warm day and many people were reflecting and resting and dipping their toes in the fountain.








As we were leaving there, I looked up and got the best picture of this horse (yes, horse!) hanging out enjoying the view!



The horse actually held a mounted police officer, but I was at just the right angle so that you couldn't see anyone, just the horse standing there!

After that, we walked over to the Mall and sat in the grass near the Washington Monument and let the girls run around. They enjoyed watching a kickball game that was going on.










The flags were all flying at half-mast because of Lady Bird Johnson's passing.

Week in Review

Liz and Lily came to visit this past week. We had such a great time! It was so much fun to have them here. They are the dream houseguests! I invite them back to visit anytime!! Liz worked absolute magic on my studio. I will post the before, the in-progress, and the after pictures. You just won't believe your eyes!
But, to give a teaser about our week:
Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

and

and

Thursday:


We had a blast!!

Babysitting Woes!

As you all know, we have just moved to a new area and are getting settled in. There is such a long list of things to do to get settled in - administrative type things - getting new library cards, finding the nearest bank branch, nearest coffee shop, some kids activities, finding a new church, all of those types of things. One of the things that has come up is finding babysitters. We were so fortunate to have a fabulous babysitter and several back up babysitters in our last town. We got spoiled by having such great sitters. We could go out and not have to worry about the kids doing well and having a good time and being well cared for. We have a military function to go to and have no sitter, so we are faced with trying to find someone on sort of short notice. So far, no luck. But, I am still doing the phone work, trying to come up with a list of names to try out in the future.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding babysitters? So far, I have tried contacting the child development center on the base to ask about a list of the certified red cross babysitters, but they don't keep a list. I have asked around the neighborhood, and called friends of friends for recommendations. What do you think? How do you go about finding babysitters?

Please Sign This Petition...

Join Lifetime and Grammy-Nominated Performer Jewel, 16 Million Viewers and Bipartisan Political Leaders to Urge the End of "Drive-Through" Mastectomies!



In January 2007, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S. 459/H.R.758). The bill would allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate for at least 48 hours in the hospital or whether she has enough support to get quality care at home following this emotionally and physically difficult surgery.

Last fall, as part of the network's Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign, Grammy- nominated singer-songwriter Jewel, joined by Lifetime executives, delivered more than 12 million signatures to Congress calling for an end to the cruel practice of sending women home without a sufficient recovery period, sometimes just hours after their mastectomy.

Yep, I'm hooked!

60%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle² - Online Dating

Fabulous, Free, Folding Furniture

This is really groovy! You can create your own furniture for kids.
Foldschool is a collection of cardboard furniture for kids, handmade by you. You can print out the plans and instructions on your own home printer for free.
There are plans for a stool, chair, and a rocker.
Interesting!

I feel like a winner!

Maybe I feel like a winner, because I AM a winner!!
Recently, I entered a contest on the boutique mom blog and would you believe I won!?!
I won a beautiful necklace from crafty babies.
How cool is this?!

Self Portrait Tuesday

Lelly's challenge for this week: how will you celebrate Independence Day? what does it mean to you?

Usually my family has a family reunion over the 4th of July weekend, so Independance Day is associated with family and fun and relaxation. This year, my family reunion took place two weeks earlier. Over the past couple of weeks, we have been busy moving to our new home. So, on Independence Day, I am planning to relax and enjoy the view from my new front porch!

As always, I am grateful for those brave Americans who have died so that I may have the freedoms that I do. God bless our service members. God Bless America!

I love Contests!

Are you feeling lucky? I love contests and I love Doodlebugs products! So, hurry over to Kacey's blog and enter us both today! Remember to leave a comment with your name and mine!
Good luck!