Fingerpainting

The last time we tried this, she was not too sure about how that gooey stuff felt on her hands! But today she seemed to enjoy it much more! (October 11th)

She just painted all over her tray and had a blast! Later, I pressed a 12 inch pc. of paper over her work and made a print of it. Might use it for her scrapbook or for a card... Not sure.

This was definitely NOT her expression the previous time we painted! Such a happy girl! She has been asking for her paints lately, so I guess it is time to try it again!

Note to self" Don't paint just before naptime! She sucks her fingers when it is sleepy time and if there is paint on them, then there is paint in her mouth!! :)

Another Couponing Adventure

This photo means very little to most of you, but the information that goes along with it is better. I have signed up for quite a few "freebies" lately with the intent of getting coupons from the different companies. This past week or so I have received Dentek samples with a $1 coupon, $2 and several more $1 coupons for Pantene, Head & Shoulders samples and $1 coupons, Total Blueberry cereal BUT no coupon, and to top it all off.... I got my first SC Johnson $5 rebate check in the mail!! YEAH! I got 2 more of those coming any time now, as well!
Keep your eye out for samples from various places, but Wal mart.com continually has them! It is common for the sample to contain at least one coupon and often they have more than that. Coupons are money folks! Find them! Use them!!

Freebies4Mom.blogspot.com is a great blog to watch for her continual postings about free items, samples and deals.

Green Girly

Ok, these pics. begin the month of October. You can see the fall floral arrangement behind Emma.

Not sure just why she was giving this particular expression... Quite funny tho! Maybe a "Hurry up, Mommy. Let's go."


Is she ready to go or what??!!??!! Hurry up already! FOUNTAINS! FOUNTAINS! We want to go to the fountains! SPLISH! SPLASH!

Look at all of those teeth! She has 12 at this point. (As of today-real today, not October today... :) she has 14 and is trying desperately to cut 15 & 16).

Ok, we've got the swim bag and we are ready now! Fountains here we come!

Lickin' The Beaters

OK. Last posting for September: This was the 29th. I believe I was making Peanut Butter Blondies w/ Peanut Butter Frosting for dessert with Nana & Papaw. Gave Emma the beater and she loved it.

Gave her the 2nd one and she loved that more. She didn't want to give them up either!


YUMMY!! Yes, the entire thing fits in her mouth! Can you believe it? She is related to her Papaw tho, right?? :)

Swimming In September

Here we are at the end of September and it is still so hot! Plenty hot for swimming in your own backyard, that's for sure! I took these pics. specifically because I wanted to post them on FB for a friend in CO, who had 3-5 inches of snow already!!

We had been out in the yard doing gardening stuff and Emma decided it was time to cool off!! So, out comes the garden hose and off go the clothes... She loves to splish! splash! whether it is in the pool, the tub, the sink, the watering can, the rainwater bucket or the fountains. Doesn't discriminate. Water is just fun!


Having a blast!! Trying her best to convince me that she needs sand in the water... uhmmmm, NO.

ALL DONE!! I was pulling weeds and when I looked at her again, she was in the chair. "All done" was her response. She has learned from her cousin Halie about climbing in and out of the pool. You can see that by the grassy pool water! :)

Emma Rose-New Dress

Here we are at the end of September. Emma is wearing a lovely dress from "Uncle" Dave & his wife Mary (Daddy's best friend). We have friends in CO who are having snow at this time and here we are in sandals and sleeveless dress for church! Odd weather, huh? Florida is still warm this time of year, but this fall is unseasonably warm.
Someday I plan to do a scrapboo page or even a mini album called "The Many Face of ME". This is a good one for it!

Enjoying the leaves, the flowers and the weeds. She is very curious! They say it killed the cat, but it is also a good thing.


Daddy and his darling Emma Rose. She wasn't so happy to have to pose for pictures! She was more interested in the leaves and grass and the neighbors dog!

This is another one to add to the "Many Faces of ME" page...

Included this one, as it shows the gorgeous embroidery on the dress.


Mommy, can I PLEASE pet the "cat"??? PUH LEASE????


She loves animals. She calls the neighbour's dogs "cat" but, hey! at least she is distinguishing them as animals, not neccesarily as "cat". She wanted to get thru that fence and pet the doggy "cat" sooo badly!

Our Home Decorated For Fall

Here are the photos of our autumn decorated home:
This is one end table, with a sprig of foilage and a copper "bag" looking candle holder.

Nothing major here. A candle that has fall flowers inside the wax, with a beaded candle ring and a wooden punkin.

A wider angle shot of the living room. The tan pillows that I want to replace actually look good for the season!

Filled each shelf on the bookcase with fall foliage and some pumpkins. "Hayworth" the scarecrow proudly sits atop the bookcase. He has made it thru multiple purges of country themed stuff, in an effort to look more rounded, more grown up, more... something....

The flowers under the tv is a swag. The wreath above is normally on the front door, but this year I got a new autumn greetings/scarecrow rake. (but forgot to take the pic)

Coffee table with a brown, beaded runner. Made the floral arrangement last year (or maybe the year before), not expecting to be able to keep it. But, it is still going strong.

Took down the grapevines that are placed on the top of the cabinets and replced with fall vines. Bought on clearance years ago at JoAnn's. Filled in spaces at the ends with other sprays of foilage. (This is done on the other side, as well)

A few flower bits tucked into a metal soup can. The vinyl placemat is used as decor, as well as a cutting surface. I buy these after the season on clearance and save for the next year. Once they get cuts on them, you can't really continue to safely keep them year after year.

Here is the dining table. Bought the placemats several seasons ago. They wash well. Some of those can look terrible if you try to wash. I have a fall table cloth, as well as a more October one with scarecrows and cutesie punkins. But, for the most part I keep the shiny black table out and open.

The corner shelf (dining room) has sunflowers added, the fall dolly/angel and S & P shakers.

Swapped my usual utensil holder out for a gift basket from last Sister's Trip. Replaced my French themed appetizer/dip knives with fall ones.

Steph and I have a similar framed embroidered fall saying. We bought them on our last Sister's Trip (to TN).

And finally, last but not least- the laundry room. I even added a few bits in here as well.

Watermelon Harvest

Again, we are still posting about Sept. I had started cleaning out the garden to prepare for my fall, salad garden and had cut out any unnecessary watermelon vines... OR SO I THOUGHT!! A few days later I realized that the final watermelon was not ready yet, BUT the vine was drying up. I checked it out and, YES! I had cut the one leading to that melon!! We got to eat the center of it, which meant about 3 bites for us all. Not such great watermelon success this summer for us. I will try again in the spring tho. Maybe we'll have better luck.

Emma is intrigued with this "ball" in her wagon.

You'd think it was her new best friend!


I just wish it had been allowed to continue growing! It had good flavor.



STILL playing catch-up...

Fish Taco Recipe

I have made Fish Tacos several times over the past month and we just love them! Simple and so delish. I used to order them at a local Mexican restaurant, but they have gone out of business now. I came across 3 different recipes for Fish Tacos and this is the version we love. Several people have now asked me how to make them, so here goes...

Fish Tacos -for 4
approx. 4 breaded fish planks (or about 12-16 fish sticks)
12 small soft tortillas
corn
chopped tomato

1/2 pkg. cole slaw mix
1/2 cup thin sliced red onion
1/4 cup mayo
2-3 tsp. sugar/Splenda
3 tbs. lime juice
the zest from a lime

*Bake your fish at the pkg. directions. Cut up into small pcs.
*Mix the mayo, lime zest, lime juice, and sugar together and toss well with the cole slaw and onions. (We like it bold & zesty so I use the zest from an entire lime. You may want to decrease the amount.)
*Heat your corn. Chop the tomatoes.
*Load the tortillas with fish, corn, tomato and top with the lime cole slaw mix. SUPER DELICIOUS!!!
**Serve with Knorr Mexican Rice.


**The small tortillas are sold in a 16 count pkg. at Walmart in the bread aisle.
**We also tried them with corn taco shells. Just depends on your taste.
**Each taco takes at least one fish stick. Depends again on your taste and budget.

This is such a simple meal to prepare and is so tasty. I bought Gorton's fish on sale BOGO recently, so we are stocked up and ready for many fish taco nights to come! It is handy that it takes about half a bag of cole slaw mix for a recipe, so we use the other half the next week and do it all over again. As long as the bag is closed up tight it will last.
Another idea to use up your remaining cole slaw mix is to make an Oriental Salad, similar to the one they make at Applebee's. Add things like lettuce, chinese noodles, almonds, dried pineapple, chopped chicken, etc... and toss with an Asian dressing. Kraft sells several different flavors.

Trying To FIll Daddy's Shoes

These were also taken in mid-Sept. She loves shoes. Hers, mine, Daddy's... Here she had found his slippers left by the coffee table. She decided to put them away for him.

But, Mommy showed her how to put them on and she loved it! Clomping across the living room.

She made it to the hall and decided that was enough! Took them off and headed off to put them away... Hmmm... where is "away"?

When Daddy went looking for his slippers, they were not put "away" by his bedside, but rather in his closet. Well, isn't that where other shoes belong?? :)



Still trying to catch up... As slow as these are uploading, it may take longer than I thought...

Waaaayyyyy Behind...

I haven't much to say today, except that I am WAAYYYY behind on this blog!! SORRY! These pics. are from Sept. 11th! You thought I was just jokin', huh? It is now November...




Isn't she a cutie pie????

Found a cat toy! Doesn't quite understand why she can't play with them...


She loves her nesting boxes! Loves stacking and knocking them down!

I'm going to try to catch up this week!!! Cross your fingers....

Labor Day At The Ranch

Our family spent the day out at Robert & Stephanie's:

We each made 2 things and had a super delish meal. I made a Zucchini casserole with a potato chip topping and a Cherry Mountain Pie. Steph did her famous Mac & Cheese and brownies; and Mom made her infamous baked beans and potato salad. Robert smoked some pig. The girls had such fun eating at their little table. No high chairs or booster seats today!

After lunch it was time for the girls nap and the grown ups to play Wii. Here's Dad & Martin boxing.
Mom & Dad tried it out, as well. Mom got in a good punch or two but ended up getting knocked out. She's acting like she's gonna knock Dad out for real. :)

I had tried out other games on the Wii on another visit, but had never tried the boxing. Think Steph is reall into this???

Naptime is over and we headed out to see the animals. Nana had such a great time with both her lil' girly o's.

Here are the pigs. Eating their dinner. Aunt Steph is trying to show them to her but she doens't seem too impressed.

This one is too cute! The two cousins playing together. You can also see just how close in size they are. The horses had been let into the barn and had been fed. Emma was loving the horses! Halie looks like a country girl with her boots, while Emma looks like a cheerleader in her lil' skort.
Martin & I both got to ride Robert's horse Sandy. We neither one had been on a horse in more than 20-25 years. Imagine what THAT felt like the next day...

Halie and her Daddy having a ride before putting Sandy up.

We were all so hot and sweaty after riding horses and seeing the animals, so we got the girls changed and headed for the pool. Nana & Papaw checked out the swing.

The water was kinda cold, but they had a blast! Gretchen was wanting in, as well.

We changed Emma into a swin diaper, so I just left her suit off. The girls played and splashed for a long time until Emma was shivering and her lips were a little blue. Even then, I had to make her get out and come inside. We ate leftovers for dinner, packed up and headed home. What a great day we had together!