A Place to Play

A toddler needs a place to play even at grandma's house. My granddaughter is 14 months old and is on the move all the time. So this week I decided to do a little rearranging in the sun room and create a play area for her. This room is right off the great room and I will be able to keep an eye on her when she is playing. While plastic doesn't really fit the country/colonial motif, I decided safety was the first priority. I picked out a couple of things from Little Tikes.

I also found this cute little picnic basket from Fisher-Price.

Since everything is plastic I don't have to worry about her falling on any sharp corners. It is light weight and will be easy to move around or to even take outside.  I was able to order all of these items from Amazon. They arrived this past week on one of the days my husband and I were babysitting. She was so excited and couldn't wait to have everything unpacked and assembled. I think this is going to give her many hours of enjoyment.

What magazines do you read?

Do you have favorite magazines you like to read?  I enjoy browsing through magazines particularly in the evening when I'm watching television or sitting on my patio. My favorites are Country Sampler, Merchantile Gatherings, Creating Keepsakes, American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine, Quilts and More, and 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100.
I will be adding a another magazine to this list. A Primitive Place just announced that they will begin producing a magazine. The first issue is due out this August. This magazine will feature home and garden tours, decorating ideas, crafts, and recipes. I'm impressed and inspired by postings on their website, so I'm sure this is going to be a quality magazine.

Having a Fit

Yes, I'm having a fit.... a coughing fit. The last couple of weeks have been very busy. I've been swamped with this.

I've been burning the candle at both ends, so it's no surprise to me that I've developed a cold and a nasty cough. The end of school is just 2 months away, so I'm trying to get inventory done in all of the libraries and all my ordering completed. Since I'm retiring, I'm also trying to go through my files and get things in order for the next person in this position.

Today all I felt like doing was sleeping. In between naps I was in the recliner catching up on some blog reading. I'm truly amazed at all the creative things you ladies are doing in between working and family obligations. I saw several ideas of things I'd like to make.

Egss in One Basket

Looking for a project you can do with your little ones?  Check out the latest project at the Moda Bake Shop. Angela from Moda Home Mom created this special project. I was looking for something springy to fill a wooden bowl I just purchased, and I think this will be cute. All it takes is some Mod Podge, fabric scraps (which I have an abundance of), and some paper mache or styrofoam eggs.  Hmmm.... I wonder if this will work on plastic eggs.  I have a bunch of those, but they just don't have that country look I'm after.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Isn't this the cutest little bunny you've ever seen?

Are you collecting empty yesterdays?

This past weekend I attended a stage production of "The Music Man." This production was sponsored by the Pleasure Guild of Nationwide Children's Hospital. Community members are the performers and members of the Pleasure Guild design the costumes and the set. The show was wonderful, and I enjoyed the music.  Each year this organization puts on a play, and the proceeds benefit Children's Hospital. Last year this organization raised over $218,000.

So how does this fit into the title of this blog post?

"Pile up too many tomorrows and you'll find that you've collected nothing but a bunch of empty yesterdays." This quote from "The Music Man" and was spoken by the main character, Harold Hill.

How many times do you find yourself saying, "I'll do that later."  We are all probably quilty of procrastinating. Procrastination can lead to feeling overwhelmed, stress, and missed opportunities. This quote made me think about my focus word for the year, cherish. How many empty yesterdays do we collect because we have piled up the tomorrows?  Just something for all of us to think about.

Mandarin Orange Salad

Colleen at And Baby Makes Five has posted some more delicious recipes. I've decided to post a family favorite.

If you are looking for something springy to add to your Easter dinner menu, then this might fit the bill. This is one of my husband's favorites. The recipe was given to me from his Aunt Marnie.

Mandarin Orange Salad

1 large box of orange and lemon jello
2 small cans of mandarin oranges
1 large can of crushed pineapple (Use the juice to make the Jello.)
2 cups of hot water and 2 cups of cold water (Add cold water to the pineapple juice to make the 2 cups.)

Top Jello with miniature marshmallows. Refrigerate until firm.

Whip 1/2 pint of whipping cream and add 1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise. Spread this over Jello after it is firm. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.

Fabric Shopping

Saturday morning was wet and dreary, so I headed off to do a little shopping. I decided to go to one of my favorite stores, The Farmer's Country Store in Lancaster, Ohio. The Farmer's Country Store has a great selection of primitives, antiques, and handmade items. I decided to show a little restraint in that department since what I was really going after was some fabric.  This shop has a great selection of quality fabrics, and the women there are so helpful. I've decided that I'm going to make a quilt for one of my beds. This will be the first quilt I've ever done. I've done some small projects, but never a bed sized quilt. (Now I'm not sure when I'll have time to do this. I've been swamped at work, but I keep reminding myself that in just 52 school days I'll have time to focus on other things.) This store also offers classes, so I just may add that to my list of things to do when I retire. To see pictures of the store check out their blog. If you live in central Ohio, this would make for a great day trip. Lancaster has several other neat shops too.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

I've been using my crock pot more often lately. Here's a beef stew recipe that is easy to throw together in the morning before work. While it's cooking on low for 30 minutes, I get ready for work. It certainly is great to come home after work and know that supper is already cooking.

1 1/2 lbs. cubed beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 medium potatoes, sliced or cubed
1 stalk celery, diced

2 carrots, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

8 oz. can tomato sauce

Layer ingredients in crock-pot in order given.

Cook on high for 30 minutes.  Turn to low and cook another 6-8 hours. May need to add water.

If you are looking for most tasty recipes, take a look at And Baby Makes Five. 

It's Official!!!

The time has come to make some dramatic changes in my life. I've decided that I will be retiring at the end of this school year.  This wasn't an easy decision to make. I've enjoyed my teaching career and working with children. There have been many changes in education since I started teaching. Some of them have been good and others not so good. They say you will know when it's time to call it quits. In an earlier post I chose the word cherish as my focus for the year. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with many fine educators and students. I've enjoyed learning new things in my job and being able to share my love of books and technology with both teachers and students.The biggest deciding factor in this decision was the arrival of my granddaughter in January of 2009. The decision to retire will allow me time to spend more time with family and pursuing other interests. One of the things I look forward to the most is not being driven by the clock. I look forward to sleeping in, and lingering over a cup of tea and a good book without having to rush out the door.

The ABCs of Me

I took Jodi's challenge at Pleasant Home and decided to create my own ABC list.

A- Age: 55; I just reached the speed limit.

B- Bed size: queen; One of my favorite places.

C- Chore you hate: dusting

D- Dog's name: I don't have one, but I do occasionally dog sit my son and daughter in law's dog, Jazzy.

E- Essential food/item: pepperoni pizza. I could eat this several times a week.

F- Favorite color: red

G- Gold or silver: gold

H- Height: 5'7"

I- I am: a wife, a mother, a grandmother, an organizer, a reader, and a crafter.

J- Job: School librarian (I'll be retiring at the end of May. Yippee!!!! I love my job, but I'm also looking forward to spending time pursuing other interests.)

K- Kids: 1 son and DIL and a beautiful 13 month old granddaughter

L- Living arrangements: I live in a Cape-Cod home with my best friend/husband of 33 years.

M-Mom's name: Ruby

N- Nickname: Mrs. B

O- Overnight hospital stay: I had knee surgery in October, but it didn't involve an overnight stay.

P- Pet peeve: disorganization and clutter

Q- Quote from a movie: "Life is like a box of chocolates....you never know what you're gonna get." (Forest Gump)

R- Right or left handed: Right

S- Siblings: none

T- Time you wake up: wake up or get up: 5:45 A.M. (I can't wait until I can just wake up on my own, instead of an alarm clock jarring me awake.)

U- Unique thing about your car: purchased a new car in November '09; My father backed into it a couple of weeks after I got it. Thankfully there is only a small scratch on the bumper.

V- Vegetable you hate: I'm not a real fan of most veggies. I really dislike peas and asparagus.

W- Ways you run late: waiting on my hubby to finish getting ready

X- X-rays you've had: feet, knee, teeth

Y- Yummy food you make: snickerdoodle cookies, chicken/broccoli casserole, crock-pot spaghetti

Z- Zoo favorite: monkeys; they are fun to watch.