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I LOVE LOVE LOVE the quilt.  OMG you're amazing!  I know you say it is easy but umm it certainly looks challenging.  I'll wait until July to tackle this when you can help me.

I won't you to know that I have successfully completed a "cleanse".  I didn't know if I could really survive on brown rice and fruit juice but I did it.  1 week down and I feel great, and I am MUCH lighter.  So YEAH.  So to celebrate a job well done my hubby made me dinner.  Your brother-in-law is one GOOD cook.  I think he's been having a craving for awhile and he did some researching and found a recipe that would be close to our favorite Italian restaurant.  There are things we had to give up moving to rural America and Johnny Carinos is one of those things.  Oh how I miss the happy hour specials, the birthday parties, the rustic Italian cuisine.  I came home tonight to one of our favorites.  Italian nachos, fruit and pistachio cesar salad, and sausage stuffed tortellini in an asiago cream sauce.  Topped off with a lovely Shiraz.  When C and I got married I never thought that I would be the one coming home to a homemade gourmet meal.  I always envisioned it the other way around (not that I'm complaining).  I have to say I am one lucky little girl.  Any man who can cook is a keeper in my book (remember that L.Lou Senior and R.Poo and GAC for that matter).

Okay you have to try this dinner it was absolutely delicious, Johnny Carino's.  So this plate doesn't look all that appetizing but it is just because well... I tried to load it up good the first time around so I wouldn't get in trouble for having seconds.. hehee.  Not only did C cook up a delicious meal he didn't stop there.  We finished the meal off with bananas foster and homemade sugar and cinnamon chips.  YUMMO.  Okay so I may have gained everything back that I had lost but holy cow it was tasty.  Guess I'll just be walking at lunch instead of eating.  A small price to pay in my book. Well I better go clean-up the kitchen.
 
Oh yeah did I mention we had a TORNADO watch yesterday.  Oh man I don't know if I am up to living in a place that gets tornadoes in February.  And snow is predicted on Friday.   Crazy weather.
Love you.  Keep up the good work on the quilt.  I can't wait to see the final product.

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Kiki, so the movie was not that good last week. I mean it was good but so depressing for most of it. Fun to get out and be with the girls though. Saturday I watched one of Little One's friends in the morning. We played at the park for 2 hours and then had donuts as a treat afterwards(that sounded really good to me). The rest of the day was spent cleaning out the garage and house. We are going to have a garage sale one of these days and are sorting out what we need and what we don't need. It will be nice have some more room when we get rid of old furniture. Anyways, Sunday was so fun. We went to church and then drove down towards Laguna with the Hs and went on a hike in the canyons. It was an adventure to say the least. The trail was not very stroller friendly, I mean we could barely fit our stroller let alone their double stroller! We finally had to turn around because it went straight up hill and it was so rocky. We stopped and had a picnic lunch and headed back to the car. It was a beautiful day and the views were awesome. I'll send you pictures :) Yesterday it rained nonstop! Today we again went on a walk with the cousins. I found this blog where the mom only writes about fun playgrounds and places to hike in the OC. We tried one of her recommendations and yeah not that great, but the kids still had fun.
NOW I am quilting while Little One sleeps. I am excited about this quilt. If you remember way back when I showed you a picture of my fabrics. Well, I finally started it and Kiki, it is so easy! Way easier than my first quilt. It is a pinwheel quilt. There are tons of patterns online, but this one is a "twister" style and it is from www.country-schoolhouse.com When you come in July we should make this one for you! I think you would love it. Here are some pictures of my progress so far :)

You use a layer cake and just sew them all together in rows

Then you add a border and use this nifty tool to cut the pinwheels

And here is the first finished row!

Isn't it so fun! I am adding another border when my rows are complete :)

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Those cookies look yummy! I will definitely make them, thanks!
So far this has been a fun week. Monday I took down all my Valentine's Day decor and started to get ready for St. Patty's Day :) I'll give more detail when I talk to you about my craft ;) Tuesday is always hang out with cousins day. Little One and I meet cousin H and baby C at the beach. J and I walked the boardwalk and then we let the kids play in the sand while we at Perry's Pizza. Kiki, you would LOVE it! It reminds me of Rocky Rococo's. I mean nothing can quite compare but it does the job. Today we had a play date at Chick-fil-a and we always meet at 10:15 since breakfast ends at 10:30. As soon as time is up for breakfast they come around and give you all the rest of the food for free since they can't sell it anymore. Fabulous! Guess what I am doing tomorrow...Girls' Night! We are meeting for cheesecake and the going to see The Vow. I am so excited! Fun week huh?
Okay, on to my craft. I have always wanted to make a scrap fabric wreath. I just think they are so cute. Well, I was looking online and saw one that was all green. I thought, perfect I don't have a St.Patty's wreath yet. Little One and I drove to JoAnn Fabrics and they have a bin of scrap fabric. I bought two rolls of all green fabrics. There were 8 colors and they were fat eighths. I just cut them into 2 1/4 in rectangles about 10 in long.We had been given a wreath for Christmas made of real pine and I had kept the metal ring that it was on just for something like this. I have seen that some people just take a wire hanger and bend it into a circle. That would work too. Then all I did was tie on my fabric in knots, added a ribbon, and done! I love it :)

At the beginning

Final look!

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Okay first let me start by saying, You are AMAZING.  I love the pillow!  I would have to agree with the consensus that it does look a lot like an owl.  But shoot if you call it a bird I'll say it's a bird.  What did you say Quinnie?  Oh you want Tia to make one for you.. I'll tell her (hint hint wink wink XOXO).

I am sorry it has taken so long for me to post.  My computer died and I can't resuscitate it.  With C constantly on his laptop doing school work it has been hard finding the right opportunity to "hijack" it to have a little "me time".  Oh shoot he just walked into the room.  Okay I'll be quick.  I made Sunday dinner for the in-laws and I have to say I did pretty good.  Steak (okay C did that), baked potato, cheesy broccoli, dinner rolls.  I pulled out all the stops. We finished the meal off with a batch of homemade cookies.  They were a HIT.  I caught my mother-in-law nibbling on them pre-dinner.. BUSTED!  She told me today that this recipe is a keeper and has requested a second batch.  I think you'll love them.  SUPER EASY PEASY!

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
1 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c oatmeal
1/2 c chocolate chips
Mix shortening, brown sugar and white sugar, egg and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Shape into balls the size of walnuts.  Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

I hope you enjoy!  It is cold and rainy here.  I am nervous to wake up tomorrow to an ice skating rink covering the "city".  Well I better go rescue Bumblekitten.  C is brushing her and she doesn't look happy, she's gotten awfully feisty now that she is a country loving outdoor kitten.

Miss you!  Give Little One a BIG kiss from Kiki.

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Okay that jar is awesome and I am going to make it! Little One will LOVE it! Mom and I were laughing as we were picturing Lou cracking up watching his. That boy is too cute. Okay so I don't know how you can handle that freezing weather! I know we did all growing up but living here for the last 6 years has really changed me... 60 degrees is COLD for me! Pathetic I know. Today the wind has been crazy, I mean nonstop all day and our patio is a mess with branches and other things.
Alright so my week has been pretty good. I decided that I need to have my menu planned for the week so that I am not running to the grocery store everyday trying to figure out dinner. I planned my menu Monday morning (alright should have been planned on the weekend) and Little One and I took the the stores. We bought all the ingredients for the week and I have to tell you it has been so nice knowing what is coming! I absolutely love the Pioneer Woman and I am making a Chipotle Steak Salad from her blog tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out :)

I finished the hat and decided to give it to a friend who watches Little One every time I sub as a thank you. So today my craft is a hand made stuffed animal. I thought, why buy one when I can potentially make one. I got online (etsy) and looked at all kinds of owl stuffed animals. When I found my inspiration all I did was sketch out the body and feet on paper and then traced it to fabric. I used buttons as the eyes and appliqued on the eyes and nose. I also added wings before I sewed the top and bottom together. I also added ribbon on top for "hair" before I sewed the front to back. I left two spaces on the bottom open to hand stitch the feet in and stuff it. I think it turned out pretty good :) Little One loves it. Okay I lied I wasnt really looking at owls, well some, but mostly birds because I wanted it to be a "chick." However, everyone says it looks like an owl so I do need to find a better pattern for a birdie HA!

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I love it!  Little One is going to be one stylish little chick-chick.  I bought a pattern book with slouch hats and attempted to start one.. holy cow.. WAY hard.  So I sort-a kind-a gave up.  I might have to try yours it looks easier, I'll let you know how I do.  It has been very cold here, I'm talking 2 degrees, COLD.  And we have gotten snow which makes all my boys happy, C included.  Today I came home from work to find this happening in my backyard.  This is called sledding NE style.  Yep you are seeing that right, C is pulling 3 sleds with 3 boys behind him.  Seriously.  What happened to lugging a bigger-than-you-are sled all the way up a "mountain" and speeding down to be already tired and ready for hot cocoa.  Oh these country kids they have it so easy.
Well enough about these monsters. On to my craft.  I haven't exactly done much cooking recently so I don't have a fabulous recipe to share with you.  But I do have an awesome craft!  (GAC, if you're out there I'm thinking one of these in your classroom would be so cool, I would suggest this to mom but I'm not sure her rock garden would appreciate it quiet like little 5 yr olds.)

So I stumbled upon something that I thought there is just no way this will work... I was pleasantly surprised that it is MAGIC.  I found what is affectionately referred to as a "calm" jar.  It is so simple, a jar filled with glitter, you have the kids shake it up and then turn it over and watch the glitter fall to the bottom.  When all the glitter has settled to the bottom you are supposed to be relaxed and the "time-out" is over.  Well when C was working the kids and I got to work and made our own.  You have got to try this.   The recipe is super easy and was fun for the kids to do on their own.
Here's what you are going to need:
Canning Jar (I used a pint jar, if you have some extra naughty monsters I'd do the next size up)
Water
Glitter (fine)
Clear Glue
See super easy!  You have to experiment on the glue/water ratio. The more glue the longer it takes for the glitter to get to the bottom.  I filled my mason jar up to the top of the K (on my Kerr canning jar) with water.  And then filled the rest (almost up to the very top of the jar) with glue.  I then poured in a jar of fine glitter.  Lou being Lou mixed a few different colors.  His is pretty cool.  The rest of us just used one color.  This thing is AWESOME.  It is amazing how this little easy-peasy craft is so effective.  Well... it works on most but of course Lou gets the giggles and the wiggles right along with the glitter.  So while Buffalo and Quinnie are mesmerized by the glittering light Lou is bouncing off the walls.  Oh well, I'll take 2 out of 3.   Now that I think about it Little One would probably be just like Lou but it might calm you down some in those hairy times of the day.  So you should make yourself one and call it:

I even took one to work.  When I start to feel a little overwhelmed or bored, or just need a moment, I shake up my jar and I seriously sit there and just stare at the thing. It is so pretty! I know the things that please me.  I'm a geek.  But I have quite a following.  Every time someone comes over to my desk they pick up my jar too and give it a shake.  There's just something about it.  

Hope you enjoy!  I'm working on a really cool V-day present for C.  He won't appreciate it but I'll treasure it for ever.  This is the inspiration:  

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

I'll be adding my own little twist, if C will cooperate.

Can't wait to see what crafty goodness you are working on now.  

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Hi there Kiki,

So everyday I think I need to post and then Little One is in bed and I forget. Sorry! Mr.I would love that skillet, I will have to make it. Oh and we got Lou's letter about his magazine drive. It was so cute to see his little hand writing! We are both going to get a magazine :) just remember our kids are going to be asking you too someday! Get ready haham
So I have just been doing normal stuff, nothing new here. Little One "calls" you all the time. It's pretty cute seeing her talking to Kiki. I went and bought some new knitting needles and decided to try my luck making a eyelets slouch hat. The pattern is pretty simple but its taking a while, so I have a picture where I am at. Not sure who it is for yet and Mr.I thinks that is too funny that I am just making it to make but what can I say, I love to knit :) Here is the website for the pattern. www.hipknitized/2009/12/eyelet-slouch-hat.html

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Got home from work today and instantly I asked C what was for dinner, to which he responded, "why you hungry".  Yes I'm hungry! It's hard work sitting at a desk all day I expect to be fed immediately upon returning home.  (He did have Quiznos waiting for me when I came home for lunch today and it was so good.. but you can't have a super yummy  lunch and not have an even better dinner you know.)  So then we started thinking about what to make (or I guess I did).  I suggested Chinese food, I have a craving so kill me.  I said that we have egg rolls and lo mien in the freezer so all we would need was the main dish, I figured that was reasonable. I begged and pleaded for him to run out and grab some Kung Pao chicken. Alas he refused me so we settled on breakfast for dinner.  He fried up some home-made breakfast taters, YUM, threw in a smoked sausage, YUMMO, then cracked an egg on top threw it under the broiler.. ta-da.... Breakfast Skillet!!!  YUMMIEST meal ever!  I of course had to bake something so Quinnie and I made apple cinnamon muffins for a side.  I sat down to a delicious meal with a redneck mimosa in hand... WAIT I need a picture. NO ONE START EATING.  So I ran to grab my phone (also known as my camera)...dead.  What.. dead... ugh!  I know I know fairly typical, I'll try to do better.  C keeps threatening that he is going to cancel my cell phone. 
 
I know you want a recipe so hear it is:

Breakfast Skillet
Potatoes, diced
Smoked Sausage, kielbasa, sliced
Red pepper, diced
4 eggs
ranch dressing mix
Vegetable oil

Add vegetable oil to the skillet (for you organic mommies out there you may substitute for something healthier like olive oil).  Throw in your diced potatoes.  Get a good fry on them (that means until they are brown).  Sprinkle your ranch dressing mix (till the potatoes are coated).  Once your potatoes are fried up to a nice golden brown, remove from skillet.  Add in sausage slices and pepper.  Fry till nice and crispy.  In a casserole dish add potatoes (bottom layer), on top add your sausage and peppers.  Crack your eggs on top of the meat.  Put under the broiler until the eggs are done (2-5 min).  You'll know they are done when they look like fried eggs.  C and I put some pico di gallo over the top of ours to give it just a bit more flavor.  YUMMO.

Mimosa
Miller High Life (my favorite!)
Sunny D
Mix your beer with the Sunny D... YUM.

The perfect compliment to a great breakfast. ENJOY!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the bow.  I can't wait to try it.

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Okay I am sorry that it took me forever to write you back. I was just trying to figure out what my craft would be and when I finally figured it out I still had to make it. So I finished it today :)
Anyways, those poptarts look so yummy. I am definitely going to make them. Not sure if I have ever made pie crust before, maybe Buffalo had the right idea about buying it ;) You need to send me a picture of all the snow you got! I miss going outside and playing in the snow. I am sad that Little One can't do that. We have talked about heading to the mountains for a weekend of sledding. She would have such a blast! Hopefully there is snow in our "mountains" it has been so warm here lately.
Oh my gosh Little One and I took a walk around the neighborhood today and there was a birthday party going on and the kids were running all over the greenbelt. Okay so Little One says, "friends mommy!" so cute! When they went back inside she shrugs and says "friends?" She is so not my daughter, she is way too outgoing haha I think she takes after Kiki ;)
On to my craft. As you know Gigi is pregnant and she just found out she is having a girl! Well, I knew I wanted to make her a tutu but I wanted to make something else that I haven't done before. I love the bunny hat that I have been making, but at the same time it is getting old. Today I thought a bow would be so cute on the hat instead of ears! I googled free knit bow patterns and found one that is so simple! find pattern here

Isn't it so cute?! I just love it and I think the bow would be so cute on a clip or headband. I am going to make this bow until I am sick of it :) You need to make it for Quinnie!
Love to your family! muah