Happy Hanukkah to my dear Jewish friends!

Happy Hanukkah to my dear Jewish friends!!!

http://vimeo.com/7971216

On a snowy, blustery day...

My plans for a Christmas shopping trip to Billings, MT with Mom were cancelled today... due to the cold... snow... and ice!

It's a great day to stay home! Sip on hot cocoa... sew... tape... mud...

I'm finishing up some breastfeeding pillows that are heading east to new Moms in the Newton, MA area.

Remember recently I posted about finding my Lutterloh system? Well... so far I've made a new night gown and a T-shirt. I bought some light weight denim the other day... will possibly make a dress... or pants... ah... the choices are endless! Let the creativity flow!

Still need to decide on a Christmas party outfit.

Sewing!

I recently found my Lutterloh pattern making system. I'm so excited! I need some new clothes... and I really DON'T like clothes shopping... plus... making my own clothes allows me to be creative!

I bought my system in the early 90s and just subscribed to the annual supplement to bring my patterns up to date!

Last night I made a patter and sewed up a nightgown! Took a couple hours start to finish!

Now... I really need something special for the Christmas season... and Christmas parties! I think that I've picked out the pattern...

What I really like about my Lutterloh system is that my patterns are custom made to fit me! Yeah!!!

Just found this wonderful blog all about creating Lutterloh patterns!

The Goat & the Beagle... Stan's story

Don't you just LOVE Facebook? I DO!!!

My FB friend Stan shared this awesome story about a Goat & a Beagle... it's just SO Wyoming and funny!

So with Stan's permission to share it... here goes:

I was driving to work, like any other day. As I was coming into [town], going east and of course watching out for [our town Police Officer], I noticed a brown pygmy goat walking west on the highway with a beagle. Not only was the beagle walking beside it but it looked very much like the beagle was herding the goat for it to stay on the highway. I looked past this interesting duo and saw a flatbed pickup parked on the next intersection. In my mind I thought, OH...he's the owner and is trying to get them both into the truck and I will help him. So I whipped around and parked on the shoulder, opened the door and without even calling them they both hopped into my car. With the beagle and the goat in the back seat, I noticed the driver of the flatbed turn the corner towards me and I was thinking he was going to park and retreive his unusual pair. But instead he waved and headed down the road. Now what????? I had a beagle and a goat, both about the same size in my backseat and they were probably asking the same thing, now what? So I sped home, wondering what I was going to do. Thankfully I had just finished a pig pen and thought the goat could stay in there. After dropping the goat off in the pig pen and dropping the beagle off at the house, I thought, OK, my deed is done for the day. About 9:30, I get a phone call from Amy. She tells me the goat got out of the pig pen and was running down the county road. Some local rancher picked him up and took him to a lady's house up the road. Later on that night, after work, I went to pick up the goat. She was locked in a dog cage, jus big enough to stand in. I brought her home and after putting a few more planks on the pig pen, now probably three times the height of her, thought this was for surely tall enough. Well, I was wrong and after three weeks of trying to get the word out about this goat and beagle, I still was pulling my hair out about this intersting situation.

Finally, someone called about both of the animals. Someone came for the beagle and then a call came for the goat. I went down to get the goat, which we called Billy the Kid (get it? Ya, I'm dumb) and the goat was gone. He managed to get as far back as possible, run and dig his tiny hooves into the edge of one plank and jump out of the pig pen. From there, he was gone forever. With my tail between my legs, I had to go home and call the people back and explain their goat is no longer there and has run away.

So the lesson is, if you ever see a pair as interesting as a goat and beagle walking down main street, just let them be. They probably know where they're going.

Out with Mom today...

I'm so blessed to have my parents nearby! They moved to our little town here in Wyoming 2 years ago... all the way from New Hampshire!

Mom and I are escaping today!!! For T-Day shopping... and well... just... because!!!

Got to run and put my list together!

Question????

What's your favorite fixings for Thanksgiving? More later....

how to eat an elephant...

I'm just back from a walk with my Katie girl along the canal.

It's a day full of promise with blue skies with a hint of white clouds... still... the mountains are capped in white and the birds are flittering about.

Today I'm back to mudding the boys' bathroom. I've got to move forward every day to make some good progress...

I keep reminding myself...

How do you eat an elephant? ONE BITE AT A TIME!

And so... with one swipe of mud at a time... I inch toward my goal of walls... ready to paint...

Well, I'd just better get to it, right?

My Katie girl is BACK!

Katie (beige) & Fluffy (black)
Charlie (little white fluff ball at 4 weeks old)
Emma (approx 8 weeks old)
My Katie girl... my shadow!
So... off we were heading to Billings this morning when we got down the street near the house we were renting... when a cat looking just like my Katie girl crosses the street and stops in the yard looking at the truck.

I jump out of the truck to see if it was my Katie girl who has been missing for 3 weeks....

She was very timid. Missing her collar... and wasn't so sure about me : (...

We turned right around and brought her home and put away the kittens to give her some space. As soon as she entered our new home... downstairs she went... straight to the food bowl. YUP! That's Katie alright!

She's a little thinner, but in very good health. I think that someone had her all this time. She was lost... went back to the old place... and someone (who??? I don't know!) took her in not knowing how much we were missing her!

So... now we have 4 cats! Yes, I most certainly must be the... Cat Lady....

With our youngest son (almost 12) to watch over all cats... off we went to Billings.

On the Walmart list:

Cat Food

Kitten Food

Cat litter (Feline Pine is my favorite!)

and... an addition litter box!

It'll take a while for all of our cats to get adjusted to one another....

I'm so very very very pleased to have my Katie girl... my shadow... back!!!!

My dear Canon PowerShot S400....

I love taking photos... especially flowers... and landscapes! I fell in love with photography when I was a kid.

I remember the day when it happened...

My uncle Gary was snapping photos with his Nikon SLR 35mm at a family gathering at Meddybemps Lake in beautiful Maine. I remember watching him.

Then he put HIS camera in my hands... and showed me what to do...

That was it for me, the beginning of a passion!!!

I'm so sad to report that my little Canon PowerShot S400 digital elph which has gone everywhere with me... is NOT working correctly anymore...

It's been a fantastic companion for over 6 years! I kept it in the truck... in my bag... it was so small that I could always have it with me!

One time while framing out the house, I left it out on a pile of sheathing. Forgot all about it... till the next day... after it had rained during the night. Well, after it dried out... it was perfect again!

Yes... and it HAS BEEN dropped... I admit it! OK... more than once... But it's got this tough outer case... and NO harm done...

But... I NEED IT!!! I have these adorable kittens that MUST HAVE their photos taken while they are tiny... sigh... look out the window... those snow capped mountains with that delicate morning light breathing life onto the countryside... and what about the vibrant glow of sunset????

And the holidays are coming! And there's family pictures... and pictures of friends to take... and HOW will I share with you the outcome of my last batch of tomatoes??

Can it be fixed? I'll have to find out!

Yes, I admit it... it may be time for an updated version... but this would be such a great camera to pass on to the boys...

UPDATE 11/5/09

Just got off the phone with Canon. He said that what's going on in my camera is a KNOWN PROBLEM called CCD Malfunction with a sensor gone bad.

They will email me a UPS return ticket... and FIX MY BELOVED CAMERA... for FREE!

I'm so thrilled!!!!!!!! Yeah for Canon Customer Service!!!! You have my loyalty!

Made another batch of Salsa today!

We had Nachos for supper tonight... complete with homemade Salsa... and all the fixings... tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, green onions, sour cream, refried beans, seasoned ground beef... forgot the black olives!

May do another version of this dinner in the future, except with taco shells or those taco bowls!

I'm getting ready to can Salsa now! I may have enough tomatoes to make a few more batches! Granny, thank you so much for sharing that awesome Salsa recipe!!!!

little blessings...

Good morning... or good day to you!

Woke up a little early to feed my little hungry white puff ball. He thinks that he should be fed all the time!

We're all enjoying the kittens so much!!!

My family is all off to work and school... the house is very quiet except for the meowing of my little ones!

I'm getting ready to call some of my dear friends and customers! And getting ready for our group leader conference call!

I'm so blessed to be able to work from home! I get to help people have more ooomph in their step... and to be able to breathe deeply without coughing, choking, & crying while they clean!

Thank goodness for the internet that has brought all of us so close together where we can freely communicate... share ideas... knowledge... wisdom... passions... and friendships!!!

Isn't it awesome... and wonderful... and fantastic to live in this technological age? What would we do without computers and the internet... and cell phones?

Eat your veggies!

Everyone's done eating and the food is mostly gone... but wait... didn't anyone have any corn? Why do I have SO MUCH corn left over???

Is it only my family that can't seem to eat 1 can of veggies for dinner? Should I enforce the "No one leaves the table until the vegetables are all eaten"... RULE?

Here's what I'm going to do with all my left over veggies!

1-Veggie collection! I'm going collect all the left over veggies into the fridge or freezer.

2-SOUP! Each week, we're going to enjoy a homemade soup... AND use up those leftover Veggies!

Any other ideas... please DO post in comments!

And then there were two...

(This is Emma. She's 8 weeks old)

(This little fluff ball is Snowball. Just 4 weeks old.)

So... yesterday we took home a female grayish striped kitten from the Animal Rescue Shelter... she's so cute.

This afternoon I was out in the backyard (all wilderness on the outskirts of our little western town) calling for my black fluffy cat... FLUFFY... FLUFFY... FLUFFY....

When I hear a little... MEOW...MEOW...MEOW...

So, I go to investigate and there's a little white fluff ball... all alone... I hemmed and I hawed... oh my... should I??? Sigh... Blue eyes.... all white... with a hint of a striped tail... maybe 4 weeks old.... Every time I called for FLUFFY she would come to me.

OK, my heart strings were sufficiently softened... Yes, I'm turning into the "Cat Woman."

I picked him up... knowing that was it! The point of NO return... And... home he went!

So... now there are 2 kittens in the Parker household... and 1 adult black FLUFFY cat.

We ran little white fluff ball to Dr. Jane. She said he looks healthy and bring him back in two weeks for shots. Home we went with kitty formula and a special little bottle.

Got a new little family member...

We rescued a little kitten from the animal shelter yesterday. She's 8 weeks old and absolutely adorable!

As soon as you touch her.... her purring motor turns on!

I went to take a photo this morning but the camera battery went dead on me... so will post one a little later.

Well, it's house building... I mean finishing day here. Hope to have a working vanity in the guest bathroom today! Follow our house progress over on my house building adventure blog!

No one eats the bread ends...

Do you have bread bags with the bread ends in them? No one will eat those bread heals right?

Well, I love them toasted with jam... but as I was making my homemade meatballs yesterday... and NOT having any ready made bread crumbs in the house... I decided to grab those bread ends... toast them... whiz them in the blender... and use them as my bread crumbs!

So don't throw away your bread ends!!!

Toast them.

Blend them into tiny bits.

Store in a jar for your next batch of homemade meatballs... or meatloaf... or breading on chicken... or fish... or????

I'm going Italian today...

We get up in the morning and it's dark out. The kids head off to school... and it's dark out!

Just doesn't seem like we should be getting up... because it's soooo dark out!

Well, the kids are off to school now. The house is quiet. Listen.... Ahhhh....

Yesterday I made a big sauce from some of my ripe garden tomatoes. But I started late... like at supper time, so it hadn't simmered down enough. I put the big stock pot outside to chill. My older son asked if I was taking advantage of the free refrigeration... I said, why YES!

So now my sauce is simmering away again. Going to cook up the manicotti that I made yesterday too! And make some more meatballs...

Oh my house is going to smell yummy today!!!!

If the spirit moves me... I may even make bread sticks... we'll see!

Hey, I'm getting into that tweeting thing... twitter. You can follow me @TipsfromToni.

Well, time to get something done! I'll try to save you a bit of manicotti and a few meatballs... but I'm not promising anything with a hungry teenager and tween!

Out for a walk with Katie

Katie and I went for a walk on the canal road just above our new home. It's a dark, dreary day here today... a good day to work inside!

We passed this beautiful decorative crab apple tree. The red crab apples are so bright against the greenery of the trees!

Here's our walking path this morning... very peaceful! Saw some deer tracks...

This thorny dead tree was once a Russian Olive tree. We own a forest of these thorny buggers... Their one redeeming quality is the incredible fragrance given off in the spring... and for now... they make a good wind break on the north side of the house.

On the way back, picked what's left of my carrots and beets! More about that here...

Getting started is the hardest part!

A beautiful warm summery day here today with bright sun beaming down on my ripening tomatoes!

It's Saturday... house finishing day...

My nephew (senior in HS) stopped by the new house to lend a hand on our house finishing project. He did a little mud work then helped me get started laying tile!

I can't tell you how good it feels to have come this far!!! I've been dreaming about laying tile for months now. I've been looking forward to it... in an optimistic... um... trepidatious kind of way! I was looking forward to it, but had NEVER done it before.

Any, getting started is always the hardest part!

So quiet, so busy!

The boys are back to school. We're getting into a routine of homework and rising early in the mornings. And I think that they're enjoying it, really!

I'm enjoying the quiet of the house... and NOT having to make lunches for everyone! Am I being selfish?

Aaron gets his band instrument today. When he woke up this morning, he started talking about that... Baritone... that's what he wants to play. Can't imagine him lugging it back and forth to school! Whew...

Matthew's excited to get back to doing Grizz Food Den. That's our high school's student business. The kids run it, keep the books, manage inventory, and shop for supplies. It's a wonderful experience for everyone involved!

House notes...

We're so close to getting a bathroom together up the new house! We've decided to move out of our tiny tiny tiny... tiny... rental house and move into our "to be finished" big big big... BIG.. house this month.

We're meeting with a guy from the gas company today to determine where our gas meter is going... then will begin doing the gas plumbing... which translated means... HOT SHOWERS!

I'm actually amazed at how warm the water is that is collected in the storage tank from the running of the geothermal heat pumps! That could mean WARM SHOWERS until the gas is connected!

I've moved my office up the new house! And cable, phone, and internet have been set up! My little mac wireless router is working fantastic! It's set up in the basement and here I am in the attic receiving a nice strong signal!

Anyway... no more watching TV at the little rental house... should help us get to it up here!

More details on the house progress on my house blog.

Garden notes:

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my square foot garden. It has been such a pleasure to garden this year! Garden details can be found on my Square Foot Garden Adventure Blog!

Let me back up a bit... I wanted a garden so that I could can tomato sauce and I wanted it up the new house. Rich couldn't take the time to till the hard ground and make ready a garden for me... of course!!! So, I went to work building square foot garden beds, mixing soil, growing seedlings... etc.

What I love most about my SFG is NO WEEDS! All I've had to do is water and harvest... OK, I have a weed here and there... but with Mel's soil mix... so loose... I just pluck it easily out! Guess you have to know Wyoming Weeds to truly appreciate what I'm saying here.

Next thing to do in the garden after canning season... and tiling... and floor... mudding.. and painting... oh ya... and MOVING... I want to get all the weeds out of the walking paths and all around! So much to do!!!

Registered for school!

Just got both boys registered for school!!!

Our youngest, Aaron, is starting middle school this year... he's a 6th grader. Our older son, Matthew, will be in 10nth grade.

Last week we got Matthew's school shopping all done... next week it's Aaron's turn.

Matthew picked out an "awesome" black and red checkered tie... interesting...

Chicken noodle soup and homemade bread...

It's Sunday... ah.... I love this peaceful sabbath day!

My guys are a bit under the weather... not sure if it's allergies... or what. So today I've got chicken noodle soup simmering on the stove. Wish you could smell it! I love filling the house with yummy aromas!

Went to the garden and pulled a few lovely carrots, plucked off some swiss chard, a few green beans, some basil, and two little onions. Into the soup they went!

Aaron just had two bowlfuls complete with bread! Guess it has his seal of approval.

Soup time!