Jump for Joy!

Congratulations! You made it halfway through 2011. Today is July 1.

The first 6 months may or may not have been all that you anticipated on January 1.

The good news is...you still have 6 more months to make 2011 a great year!  It's a long weekend.  We can be thankful for our independence. Spend some time with family.  Enjoy the freedom of being an American.  Grab a watermelon, light a sparkler and relax a bit over the next few days.  I'm sure your deserve it. 

Not matter the circumstance, we are all blessed in some way.  Here's to jumping for joy for your blessings!

So Blessed

One month ago today, our little town was forever changed; but I am still blessed!  Simple things can bring the most joy.  Enjoy this little glimpse at some of my joy. :)

Wishing YOU joy today!

It's Good to be Back!

What a long, strange trip it's been.  We've all seen the aftermath of natural disasters on TV : hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, floods....and tornadoes.   I can honestly say, you have no idea how overwhelming it is unless you survive one and see the destruction first hand.  As I drive through town now, it is hard to recognize neighborhoods that I travel everyday.  Trees have been sheared off, homes destroyed, power lines down. 

These pictures were taken on our street, immediately after the tornado:

This house is across the street and 3 houses down from us.  

This is in the yard, next to the house above.
They are forunate the tree on the left fell into their pool rather than onto their house.

On the other side of our block, behind our house.
People were trapped in one or both of these houses for a short time.

I'm thankful that our power and internet were restored after a week.  I went 2 days without coffee before we got a generator.  It wasn't that bad, but it was nice NOT to have a "lack of caffeine" headache finally.  I had a headache from the stress of the situation so a little coffee was really nice.  Even the powdered creamer wasn't so bad.  :)   I didn't realize just how physically tired I could be from emotional stress.  I guess I suffered from an adrenaline crash.  When it goes, so does your energy.

What's left at the intersection where we turn to go into our residential area.

Steeple at the Baptist Church.  Lots of damage here.

This sign was bent by the sheer force of the wind; estimated to be as much as 175 mph in this EF-4 tornado.

Another sign, bent by the wind.  {Sorry this one is a bit blurry}

Traffic lights at a downtown intersection as they were tangled by the storm.

The sky was INCREDIBLY blue that next day with perfect puffy white clouds.

I quickly realized how peaceful life is with no power and before the hum of generators filled our neighborhood.  The was no light pollution so the stars were brighter than I'd ever seen them.  The weather was a bit cool at night; perfect for sitting on the screen porch with my family...talking; around the light of a single candle.  The only sound was the sound of our voices.  It was nice to not have the distractions of TV, internet, phones...the world.  Don't get me wrong.  I couldn't have been Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I enjoy my creature comforts, but a break from them makes them not so routine any more and makes you appreciate time with family even a little more.

As I hung hand washed clothes on a makeshift clothesline, I was SO thankful that I had purchased a bag of wooden clothespins when we were at the beach a couple of weeks ago.  I bought them to close bags of cereal and potato chips while we were there.  Little did I know I would use them for their intended purpose only a few days later.  It was a good reminder that God always holds me in the palm of His hand...even when I don't realize it or think about it.

Life is returning to more of a routine.  The SG Etsy Shop opened back up today!  School resumed after 8 days out because of the storms.  People are doing daily things again...going to lunch, shopping, going to Walmart {yes, even WM was closed for a time after the storm}.  Power is on in most of the city, but not all.  Some people are still on generators and have no internet.  There is still a long, long way to go.  Storm debris still litters the streets.  Power crews are still here from all-over.  The guys from Texarkana, Texas have been on our street alot.   I thanked one of these gentlemen yesterday and told him how much I appreciated all they had done.  I think he may have been embarrassed by the attention.  He smiled and said he was looking forward to being done so he could go back home.  I don't blame him.

Home is a wonderful place to be!

Pumpkin Pie is not just for Thanksgiving : recipe

Today is Sew Daddy's birthday.  He has always loved anything pumpkin.  When we first met, he let me know he prefer pumpkin bread over birthday cake anyday.   No problem!  I have a great pumpkin bread recipe that I used to make Pumpkin Muffins.  You can get that recipe here.  Ever since I've known him, I've made pumpkin bread for him in October.

This year he original declared he wanted a cheesecake.  That was good.  I like cheesecake too!  ;-)  Scratch that!

Instead, he decided that a pumpkin pie was in order.  No need to wait for Thanksgiving when you can celebrate a birthday with pumpkin pie a month early.  So, this is what I making for him today!  His favorite pumpkin pie!

The best recipe I've found is the one on the can of Libby's pumpkin.  It's easy, has great spice/flavorings and I don't have to dig through files, folders & clippings of old recipes.  It's right there on the can of pumpkin every single time!  Doesn't this look DIVINE!?  Whipped topping is a must! 

So, whether you have a pumpkin lover or just need to get a jumpstart on Thanksgiving ideas, here is the Pumpkin Pie recipe straight from the can of Libby's pumpkin!  ENJOY!

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (a must)

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Back to School

Those dreaded words that your kids don't want to hear

It's that time around here.  Supplies have been purchased.  New clothes are in the closet.
The slower pace of summer is gone.  It's back to an earlier bedtime.  There will be homework. . .  and practices . . .  and games.

Summer was too short, IMHO.  I enjoyed spending time with Little Gracious. The pace in the studio slowed a bit and it was great to be a Mom.

It's still great to be a Mom, but I will be spending lots more time in the studio.  It's Back to School time for kids and Back to Work time for me.  :)  It's a good thing.  I have some custom wedding orders to finish and LOTS of new fabric for fall and Christmas goodies.

If you have a few more days of summer, enjoy it!  Those kids are growing up right before your eyes! :)

Wordless Wednesday : Fly Away Home

Halfway

Today is July 1

The first half of 2010 has past.

Wasn't Christmas just a couple of weeks ago?

Didn't we just watch the ball drop in Times Square?

Winter Olympics are still fresh in my mind.

Our vacation to the beach {while it was still pristine} was like yesterday.

Softball games.

Try-outs.

Graduation.

Weddings.

VBS.

Summer . . .  ahhhh!  :)

Make the most of the rest of your 2010!

Life is good!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

So far, So good!

My name is not Mary and I'm not usually contrary,

but this garden thing has worked out pretty well so far. 

It is our first year to have a true garden.  We've had tomato plants in the past,

but this year I wanted to expand {and hopefully cut the grocery bill a bit this summer}

It's all really a learning process for us, but it's been fun!

Sew Daddy built us 2 raised planting beds from these instructions.  The beds are WONDERFUL!  Did you see that he even dressed them up a bit with copper covers for the 4x4s in the corners.  Love that!  In this bed, we have planted lettuce, beans, eggplant, yellow squash and cucumbers.

The Tomato Jungle!  We planted some Better Boys, one grape tomato plant and an heirloom yellow tomato plant.  They seem to be pretty happy here.  Next year we will have taller tomato supports as we have in the past. We have these tied & rigged in some creative ways this year.

This bed also has some zucchini, carrots and peppers.  I don't know if the carrots will do well because they are shadowed by the massive tomatoes and zuke plants.  Several varieties of peppers are slowly coming along on the far end.

Green Tomatoes!  The promise of good things {and good meals} to come!

Our 1st squash {and first harvest} on the vine . . . . . . . . then freshly picked.

Little Gracious and I also planted some flowers seeds on Mothers Day.  Our flower bed is doing well.  The birds did feast on a few of our sunflower seeds, but most survived and are growing tall.  They are at the far end of this bed. 

Zinnias are in the middle.  I adore zinnias in the summertime.  They make the best cut flowers and really bright up the house.

Although not in this shot, we also planted some carnation seeds and some other little miscellaneous flower seeds; just to see what grows.

Life is GOOD!

I'd love to hear about your garden this summer!  What are YOU growing?

15 Years Ago Today

June 10, 1995

It was a day like many other days; except I was at the beach.  It's a good place to wake up; especially when the weather is perfect.  Bright sunshine, blue water, calming waves & gentle breeze.  My best friend and I had the perfect day ahead and made plans for later.

My friend and I walked on the beach.  We sat by the pool & sipped cold iced tea.  I did my nails {french manicure . . .  yes, I got paid by other people to do that, once upon a time} . . .  R E L A X E D!  It was heaven.

Later in the afternoon, I showered and went to a salon to get my hair done.  Since I did my own nails, it was nice to have someone else do my hair.  The stylist treated me to a glass of chardonnay, a nice conversation and the world was a happy place, but I had to get back to the room because my best friend and I had plans for later.

Our room was beautiful.  We stayed at a B&B, right on the beach.  It doesn't get much better than that!   It was time to get dressed for the evening.  My friend had already dressed and gone downstairs.  I had the room to myself.  :)

Since it was such an exceptional day, I wore a dress for the evening's events.  Not just any dress.
It was special . . . because I had plans for 7pm.

The dress was white . . antique white, actually.  Not blinding white, but not ivory either.

There were only the two of us, my best friend and I; along with the minister and the planner.  She coordinated everything long distance.  We don't live at the beach, but she knew the best place to stay, she knew who should do my hair, she ordered my flowers, she contacted the minister and she was in the background when my friend and I proceeded with our plans.

Shortly after 7pm on June 10, 1995 my best friend became my husband!

My fingers were swollen.  A hot day at the beach can do that to you.  Luckily, we were able to exchange rings.   Check out the manicure!   And yes . . . those are my real nails; no acrylics, no tips.

No, I didn't marry an old man.  I'm actually a little older than he is.   Thanks to his genetic make-up, he is follically challenged.  It's OK.  Thank goodness he decided that hair is overrated and now sports a chic bald head & van dyke/gotee.  He looks 20 years younger now than he did then.

Yes, I was goofy and wore pantyhose.  I KNOW!!!  YUCK!  It was way too hot and shortly after that I realized that everything that was pounded into my head as a child {you HAVE to wear hose with a dress; preferably control top} wasn't necessarily true.

And so it began . . .

our life together.

It was a wonderful day.
a day that changed my life forever.
a day I will always remember.
a day that began my journey with the most wonderful man in the world.

Happy 15th Anniversary to Sew Daddy! 
~~~lyd <3 ~~~

This I Know . . .

 . . . for the Bible tells me so.

What a comfort.  Written in the sand.  Easily washed away by the next wave.
Just like our sins.


He created the sand, the waves.
He created the sun that shone on this day.
He created the finger on the precious one who wrote this in the sand.
He created the feet that made the footprints you see.
He created the family that enjoyed this special vacation together.

God is good.  His fingerprints are truly everywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more Fingerprint Fridays, visit Beki's blog.  It's awesome everyday; not just on Fridays! :)

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Well, that week went by quickly, didn't it? 

I can't believe is Monday again?  I'm missing the sun, sand & relaxation already. 

Ok.  No whining. Chin up.  Work to do. Bills to pay. Laundry {always}.

and the best part of all . . .

LIFE IS STILL GOOD!

Wordless Wednesday : at the beach

sun . sand . waves ::: life is good

Spring Break Announcement

---------------------------- ♦ SPRING BREAK April 8-18 ♦ ---------------------------

♦ Orders placed through end of the day Tuesday April 7, will be shipped by Friday
♦ Orders placed after Tuesday will begin production/shipping on Monday April 19
♦ I will leave the shop open so that you may shop during my vacation :)

I'll check convos & emails while I'm gone;

but not as often as usual; as you might imagine! ;)

This will be my view each morning

and

this is what I'll see in the evenings.

I'm looking forward to lots of family time & time away from our everyday routines.

Life is Good!

Quick Broccoli Chicken Stirfry Recipe

I know
Mom!  What's for dinner?
The age old question.

What's the answer?
Maybe I can help with that!

This is one of my family's favorites so I have it in the dinner rotation often!  Easy Peasy, baby!

I don't have a formal name for this recipe.  Call it Broccoli Stirfry, Broccoli Chicken Stirfry, Asian Stirfry, Oriental Stirfry . . . well, you get the idea.  Let's get on with the details.

First, let me say that Sew Daddy grills a huge batch of chicken every Sunday; enough for me to use during the week for dinner, salads, sandwiches, etc.  Cook once, eat lots.  It works for us. {love that Sew Daddy!}

To make this super simple recipe, you need the items pictured above along with a few other things.  I'll give you the basic instructions and you can improvise as you like.

Saute a bag of broccoli slaw {available with the bagged lettuces in the produce section} in Kraft Asian Light Sesame Dressing {available in the salad dressing aisle}.  Use as much dressing as you like.  Use a little to start because you can always add more to taste.  As the broccoli is going, add a dash of low sodium soy sauce &/or teriyaki if you like.  If you don't, leave it out.  You can add matchstick carrots, water chestnuts, onion, peppers, mushrooms . . . anything you & your family like in a stirfry.

Once the broccoli is crisp tender, serve it up; topped with grilled chicken and some crunchy chow mein noodles.  If you have some silvered almonds, that would be a nice touch too.  This dish is great alone or served with some steamed rice or orzo on the side.  I like using chopsticks. . . . at least till I get down to the last few bites; then I need a fork. 

This was our dinner last night.  YUM!  I've shared this on Twitter & on Facebook so I wanted to share it with my blog readers too!

ENJOY!!!

See Ya Real Soon!

If you live in the US, you are in the midst of one of the coldest, snowiest winters ever.   We haven't had much snow, but it's been so cold in the deep South this year.  Snow flakes are even predicted along the Gulf Coast tomorrow.  Now THAT is cold, my friends.  It just doesn't snow in Florida & Lower Alabama, but it will tomorrow. 

Wishing for warmer temps, a tropical vacation?  Me too!  That's why I made our beach reservations this week!  Can I get a WOO HOO!

It won't be long till my toes are in the sand.  It will seem like an eternity.  It always does, but at least the room is booked.  It's on my calendar . . . in INK!  Until then,  I'll stay bundled up, try to keep warm and think about how beautiful it will be.

Enjoy . . .

life is good