Sunday Snapshots: A Bit of The Emerald Isle

Although we do not "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day, we did enjoy an Irish meal today, as a nod to my husband's (and therefore my children's) Scotch-Irish ancestry, and because brisket is on sale.  On the menu was corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, and Irish soda bread, with Irish potato candy for dessert. 

Eight of us wore green (even if it was just a touch).

The serial play is over, but that didn't keep the performers from putting on a show!  "Just a short one," they said.  It was a selection of choreographed songs, including "I'm a Little Tea Pot" and "The Hokey Pokey."

What?  No Irish step dancing? 

A Cardinal Sin?

I spent most of last week at home with a sick child.  I spent most of the week before that at home without transportation (my vehicle was in the shop). 

I have told you many times that I am a homebody, so being "stuck" at home is not a great imposition to me; in fact, I quite enjoy having "at home" days. 

There's only one problem.  Life goes on regardless, so when all is well, there is a lot of catching up to do!  That's where I have been this week...in the Land of Catching Up.  The Land where there are piano lessons to make up and school projects to catch up on and groceries to purchase and various and sundry errands to run.  It was a good week, a productive week, but one which did not allow me a lot of computer time...at least during the times when my brain was awake. 

Bekah has a birthday coming up in a few weeks.  It is hard for me to believe that my youngest will be eleven years old.  When she was born, it felt like I was starting all over.  Kati was seven, Ryan was in college, and Kristin was working and engaged to be married!  But all of a sudden, this baby is going to be eleven and she is wearing a size 6 shoe and she keeps growing taller and she likes to help me cook and she teaches me things on the computer and reminds me of things I said and relates to me the cute things her nieces and nephews say and do. 

Yesterday, one of our errands in the Land of Catching Up was a library run.  The usual parking lot attendant is an elderly man who is always grumpy.  Always.  He only speaks if you have a parking fee (which isn't often, since you can park two hours with no charge), and then he grumbles the amount.  So we were suprised when a different attendant greeted us with a warm smile and a "Have a nice day." 

Kati remarked, "It doesn't take a whole lot to make you feel like it really is okay to come to the library and park in the parking lot."   

"Yes," I concurred.  "The other man makes you feel like it's a cardinal sin to park here." 

Bekah jumped into the conversation.  "Why isn't it a 'blue jay' sin?  Blue jays do more sins.  They're the ones who steal eggs from other birds."

Of course, we all laughed.  I realized, however, that she wasn't hearing the term "cardinal sin" and reacting with a child's understanding.  This was different.  She was taking a bit of knowledge, using a play on words of sorts, and intentionally making a witty comment. 

Yes, she is growing up.  I will no longer be able to tell you stories of all the cute things she says, as I did when I first began blogging here at Thinking About Home.  I must respect her need to be free to express herself without fear of ending up starring in a blog story.  (She is always saying funny things though, and is usually generous about letting me share them.)

Speaking of Bekah's birthday, I never showed you pictures of her French-themed party last year.  It was her favorite party ever!  She still talks about it!  It suited her to a T...full of glitz and glamour.  Maybe it's not too late...

Choosing Blogs

A week or so ago, my blog friend Vee (who writes at " A Haven For Vee") began a discussion about what she looks for in a blog.  That discussion caused me to consider just what it is that draws me to a blog on a regular basis. 

What do I look for in a blog? How do I choose which to read?

There are two things that bring me back to a blog over and over again. Some blogs have one of those things; some blogs have the other. A few have both.

I read to learn.

Maybe the blog has inspiring devotionals or sermons.  Or maybe it simply offers decorating tips or recipes or advice on entertaining.

I read because I have found a kindred spirit, an online friend.

You kind of know as you read her words, over time, that this person feels as you do about the important things, that you would be friends in person if circumstances allowed. You would love to chat over a cup of tea.

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.

Malachi 3:16

Sunday Snapshots: Spring Fashions

~ swirling ~

~ dancing ~

~ twirling ~

~ giggling ~

~ posing ~

Trying on spring clothes! 

 No pictures of the crying toddler

who did not see the fun in trying on clothes,

nor of the drop-in guests

who shared coffee and cookies and conversation,

nor of the boys

who were entertained by techno gadgets this afternoon.

***

But at the end of the day, we were assured that none of these little girls need be bare this spring and summer!

"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Matthew 6:28,29

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Thoughts for the weekend...

Oh He is a wonderful, merciful Savior!  How often I find myself, in weakness, falling before His throne... falling on His mercy. 

"New" Dishes: In Which I Share A Cheap Fix

I have had my white Pfaltzgraff Heritage pattern dishes for years.   I love them for their classic design, and for the fact that they go with everything.  I can layer them with brown transferware on my Thanksgiving table, or mix them up with pastel serving platters for a Mother's Day meal.  They blend in with any birthday decorations.  And they're simple enough for everyday meals. 

But lately, I have been looking to replace my dishes.  Not because I am tired of them or want something new (in fact, I did an online search for the same dishes!), but because they were looking tired and old and...gray.  Really.  The center of every plate had taken on a gray tone, and there were gray lines all over each one. 

How can one set a pretty table with these dishes? 

My online search was a bit discouraging.  I did not need complete sets of Heritage dishes.  We had originally purchased two sets at a Pfaltzgraff outlet store, and I still had the other pieces that I needed (soup bowls, salad plates, dessert plates).  I looked into purchasing the plates individually, but they were $7.99 for each plate.  That is certainly not an unreasonable price.  But we had added to our original sets by purchasing individual plates a few at a time at the outlet store...to the tune of $1.99 per plate, or occasionally $0.99 per plate!  We now had sixteen (gray) dinner plates.  To replace all sixteen would be $64, plus tax and shipping, considerably more than the original "bargain" price. 

So I put my plan for new plates on hold, and gave myself time to consider. 

And then—lo and behold!—I was browsing on Pinterest this week, and there was a Pin about removing scratches from white dishes! 

What?  Those gray marks are scratches?  All this time I thought the grayness must be a chemical change, perhaps resulting from age, or from being run through the dishwasher a gazillion times!  (If you already knew that these were scratches, feel free to call me a ditz in the comment section.  ~smile~)

So what is the secret to making my gray dishes white again? 

It is my new BFF, Bar Keepers Friend. 

A friend had introduced me to this product a few years ago, and I was amazed at how it removed iron stains from my old farmhouse bathtub and bathroom sink.  But it never would have occured to me to use it on my gray dishes. 

Since I keep Bar Keepers Friend on hand, I gave it a try...and the results are astounding!  Even with all that gray, a little bit of BKF, a little bit of elbow grease, and there you have it!  Beautiful WHITE dishes!

Is this not amazing? 

I think I'll go set a pretty table!  

Don't you just love a cheap fix?

I am linking to Finished Friday over at Allyson's A Heart For Home. 

This and That

THIS  is the darling pic of my beautiful seventeen-month-old granddaughter Alaine, taken by her Aunt Kati last week.  To say that I love it would be putting it mildly.  It is currently my desktop wallpaper.  I think that Alaine looks like a model for an Eloise Wilkin illustration in this shot.  Precious. 

THAT  is an update.  In a recent Sunday Snapshot, I told you about the bookshelves that Ron made and installed for Kristin and Brian's new house.  Well today Kristin revealed the finished project on her blog!  Hop on over ~HERE~ to read the story and see her before and after pictures.

Soup On Tuesday: Week 10

One of the keys to organizing a home is remaining flexible. 

Today the school plans were altered.  Instead of Morning Time and math lessons, there were movies viewed from a make-shift bed on the sofa and a couple of afternoon read alouds. 

Plans for running errands were also changed.  Instead of a trip to the library and a quick stop at the grocery store, we cancelled our hold and asked Dad to pick up a few items at the store on his way home from work. 

The menu plan was changed too.  Instead of  leek and potato soup, a pot of chicken noodle soup simmered on the stovetop.

Yes, there is a sickling in our house today, so this week's Soup On Tuesday is the comforting home remedy, Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup—"good for what ails you" as my dad used to say.  

Caveat:  My "recipe" is not really a recipe.  I just make chicken soup on the fly.  So I'll do my best to simply tell you what I do.      

   

Tonight's soup...

In a large soup pot, I put 3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts (today, I used some chicken tenders that I had in the freezer), add water to cover chicken, then add a 32-ounce box of low sodium chicken broth.  Next, I add these ingredients to the pot: one large onion, coarsely chopped  2 or 3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces most of a 1-lb. bag of baby carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces a couple of garlic cloves, sliced salt and pepper to taste a bay leaf 5 or 6 shakes of poultry seasoning  (or more?) 1 teaspoon thyme  handful fresh parsley  I let all that simmer for about an hour. After that hour, I remove the chicken and cut it into bite-sized chunks.  I also remove the stems of parsley and the bay leaf. Then I add... 8 ounces of wide egg noodles more seasoning (a few more shakes of poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon thyme?) ...and simmer for about 20 minutes.  I add a little chopped parsley when serving.  Note: As Ron prefers a thicker soup, I often thicken my soup like this.  Make a slurry of a few ounces of water and a heaping tablespoon of flour; stir well.  Immediately pour the slurry into the bubbling soup and stir until thickened.

For other ideas about sick days, click ~here~. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1:  The first Soup on Tuesday...Sausage Bean Chowder (recipe ~here~scroll to the bottom of post)

Week 2:  Seafood Chowder

Week 3:  Pizza Soup

Week 4:  Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

Week 5:  Italian Sausage Soup
Week 6:  Sizzling Rice Soup
Week 7:  Baked Potato Soup
Week 8:  Tortellini Soup
Week 9:  Farmhouse Chowder 

Sunday Snapshots: Miss Mary Mack

I have told you before that we never know what will happen on a Sunday afternoon!  We plan the menu.  (Today was pork barbecue sandwiches and Asian chopped salad, and Kristin's homemade chocolate pudding for dessert.)  We sometimes plan activities (like the bird count, or a birthday party, or a game to play).  But most of the time, the day takes a turn of its own and fun things usually happen. 

Today it was this...

♪ ♫  ♪

Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack 

All dressed in black, black, black

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons

All down her back, back, back.

First Bekah and Maddie.

Then Maddie and Owen.

Then Kati and Bekah.

And Alaine, who did not want a partner (at all!), but was happily clapping along.

Then there was the Miss Mary Mack Doubles Tournament.
(Notice the two pairs of clappers below.)

And then Kati decided to confuse these girls

by making it a three-way game.

Do their faces tell you that they were not happy about this?

Does Kati's face tell you that she was quite happy with herself?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

For those of you who have been following the serial play, the fifth and final act of "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" was presented this afternoon...with yet another actor in the role of Grandmary!  Benjamin must have retired from his acting career, so Kati filled the part today.  (Kristin had played the role in Act IV.)

 

One last note about the serial play...

I had told you that Gavin (9) did not want to act.  We later learned that when asked if he would please, please be Grandmary, he told the other kids that he was saving for one hundred dollars and that he would be Grandmary if they agreed to pay him thirty dollars.  Of course, they are a rather poor lot, and could not come up with his exorbitant fee! 

A rather shrewd businessman, that Gavin.  You may also recall that Gavin was the banker who "made" money in the pretend town a while back.  I think I'll keep my eye on him.  He may just be our rich relative some day.

My Mother-In-Law's 21st Birthday!

Yes, my mother-in-law is celebrating her 21st birthday today...

on Leap Day!

Much of the family gathered over the weekend

to celebrate this once-every-four-years event.

There was a crowd. 

After all, Mom is

the mother of 8,

the grandmother of 18,

and the great-grandmother of 26.

(And she can tell you the birthdate of every single one!)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Soup On Tuesday: Week 9

Soup on Tuesday is winding down, as winter is winding down. 

After dinner tonight, I put away my snowflake plates and winter mugs and February hearts.  My thoughts are turning toward spring.  And even though we have had quite the mild winter here in the Mid-Atlantic, there is just something about spring breezes and buds and blooming things and green grass and singing birds. 

However, the calendar says it's still winter, and I had a tempting soup recipe that I have been wanting to try.  So this afternoon, the rich aroma of simmering chicken and root vegetables and herbs tantalized.  Then Kati popped some Cheddar Dill Muffins (recipe below) into the oven (more delicious smells), and we were waiting impatiently for the dinner hour to arrive! 

I must tell you that the soup got mixed reviews.  Kati and I thought it was scrumptious!  When asked, Ron confessed that chicken soups are not his favorite.  (I knew that, but thought that he would like the turnip and parsnips, as well as the creamy broth in this recipe.)  And Bekah?  She said that the white things were "weird" and she couldn't find a piece of chicken that suited her and she didn't like the broth.  (I guess she liked the carrots?) 

Everyone raved about the muffins.  Kati strikes again! 

This week's soup...and bread...

Click ~here~ for soup recipe. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Cheddar Dill Muffins* Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons baking powder 2 teaspoons dill weed 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cheddar cheese 1-3/4 cups milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 cup butter, melted Directions: In large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  Combine milk, egg, and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until  moistened. Fill greased muffin pan almost full.  (Kati sprinkled a bit more dill on top of muffins before baking.) Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done.  Cool in pan 19 minutes before removing.  Serve warm.  * Recipe from Taste of Home Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2009

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1: The first Soup on Tuesday...Sausage Bean Chowder (recipe ~here~scroll to the bottom of post)

Week 2: Seafood Chowder

Week 3: Pizza Soup

Week 4: Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

Week 5: Italian Sausage Soup
Week 6: Sizzling Rice Soup

Week 7: Baked Potato Soup

Week 8: Tortellini Soup

Join me here next Tuesday for one more soup recipe!

Treats

To accompany our afternoon read alouds...

...tea and some Valentine Kisses

that we hid from ourselves and found again.

Sweet.