More pictures

The previously posted picture is the one that we purchased for our anniversary picture. However, there were several other pictures that turned out nicely too:

Something that has been bugging me...

I left a question on someone's blog, and I forgot which blog it was. So I don't know where to look for my answer. It is bugging me so much! LOL I must be getting old or something! =)

Anniversary Picture

When we celebrated our first anniversary, Kevin wanted to start the tradition of getting a professional portrait taken each year. We have kept up with the tradition, this year being no exception.



We keep our current picture framed, and we have an album for the rest of the pictures.

One of my favorite verses...

~My Day~

Today the weather was lovely. Not too hot or muggy. Just nice and warm. My plants are growing well! I have tiny little tomatoes and itsy bitsy peppers. It's fun to watch the plants grow!

Tonight I made scalloped potatoes with turkey ham, corn on the cob, and Caesar salad for dinner. Everything was delicious, even if the scalloped potatoes turned out runny. I have no idea why!

After dinner I ran to the store for my pectin, sugar, and jars. Of course, I added things to that list, and by the time I got home it was late. However, that didn't stop me from making my jam! I have eight more jars of jam sitting on my countertop (I'm still waiting for them to seal!). It only took me about an hour to make my jam tonight. I have a feeling that taking pictures added time to the process last night. LOL

Have a blessed day!

Q & A

Thank you so much for your "sweet" comments regarding my strawberry jam. =)

There were a few questions asked in the comments, so I thought I'd answer them in a separate post.

*Not really a question, but Happymama said she'd love to do this with her daughter, and a girls' group at church. I have one word of caution for anyone making the jam: the fruit and sugar are boiled for one minute and then poured immediately into the glass jars. I've been burned by little drops of jam, and it's not pleasant! This would be potentially dangerous for very young girls to take part in. However, I'm sure they could help prepare the fruit, and measure out the ingredients, and then have fun watching the rest of the procedure!

*would splenda work as well?
I've never used Splenda, but there are recipes for jam made with Splenda. Annecourager left this recipe:

Strawberry Jam with Splenda:
6 c. sliced/mashed ripe strawberries
3 c. Splenda
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. boiling water
1 pkg. (.75 oz) low-sugar pectin


Method (different from "the box"):
Mash strawberries with a potato masher. Add Splenda and lemon juice; combine. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer for 15 min.

Combine boiling water and pectin, blending with wire whisk. Stir into strawberry mixture. Bring mix to boil again, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Carefully ladle into sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Seal (by inverting, or by boiling water bath).

Recipe from Cooking Healthy With Splenda by JoAnna M. Lund

*Do you use fresh lemon juice or do you get your juice from the bottle?
I usually buy bottled lemon juice, but fresh works too.

*When you say the lids are in hot water, do you mean water that has been brought to a boil?
I just used hot tap water. Some people simmer their lids on the stove to prepare the rubber. I've not found that necessary though.

*Have you done frozen preserves?
No, I never have. My main reason for making jam is for gifts. Frozen preserves just wouldn't travel well. =)

*Great minds think alike, I just blogged about making strawberry jam.
This was too funny--we both made and blogged about making strawberry jam! Check out Be Not Conformed for pictures and instructions from Mrs. R on making freezer jam!

*I like that drainer! It clips over the divider?
I really enjoy using my over the sink strainer! Rubbermaid makes them, and they retail for approximately $6-7 in stores like Meijer or Wal-Mart. It fits right over the middle sink divider, and is so handy for draining noodles, and preparing fruits/veggies. They come red, white, and green.

Something I was going to mention last night~it's terribly tempting to touch the lids to see if they have sealed. Don't touch the jars for several hours! (Yes, I have succumbed to the temptation before!)

Wow, my first question and answer post, that was fun! *Grin*

Strawberry Jam

Strawberry jam is truly easy to make! It doesn't take that long, and there are no "secrets" to it. Just follow the recipe exactly, and you'll have great results.

Tonight's batch took me about an hour and a half to make it, start to finish (that included everything from the prep time to final clean up).

I use fruit pectin, which is available in the grocery store. I don't have a favorite, although I do like the type that uses less sugar. (Tonight I used what I had on hand, and it is the type that uses more sugar.) I always follow the recipe that comes with the fruit pectin.

Wash strawberries:


Take stems out, and mash. I use a potato masher. I love the uneven chunks it leaves in the jam.


My 5 cups of mashed strawberries, mixed with 1/4 cup lemon juice and one packet of fruit pectin:


At this point, I get everything ready to use.
Sugar measured out (eeks, seven cups! That's a lot of sugar!):


Jars filled with hot tap water, and the lids in hot water:


Bring fruit to a boil, add sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Boil and stir for one minute. Then it's ready to go in the jars!

Pour in the jars:


Wipe edge clean:


I use the inverted method of canning. Fill jars, put the lid on and screw tightly. Turn upside down and leave for five minutes:


Tada!


As I've been typing this, I've heard the "ping" of them sealing. That sound is truly music to my ears! (Five down, two to go!)

Hurrah! I tricked Blogger!

I wanted all my pictures of the jam in one post. How to do that, when Blogger won't load more than five or so pictures? I loaded them one by one, cut and pasted the html in a Word document. Then when I had loaded all the pictures, I pasted the html back into my post. A little more work than usual, but I tricked Blogger!!!

(Oh, and I see from the above pictures that I need to bleach my countertops. LOL)

Progress!

I pulled out my sweater again and finished the front:


Now lets see...I have the back and two sleeves to do! At this rate it just might take a while.

Pampered Chef Purchases

Thank you all for your suggestions and PC favorites! Saturday night I sat down with my catalog and decided on three items: the Mix 'n Stir spatula, the garlic press, and the utility knife. I'm looking forward to getting my order, and because I purchased everyday items, I know I'll get a lot of use out of each one!

Strawberries!

Sallie's post on strawberries reminded me that it is indeed strawberry season here in Michigan! I'm not used to the growing seasons yet--I still think like a Californian! Oh well...

After work, I'm heading off to the strawberry farm to get a flat of strawberries! Strawberries are so delicious! I plan on freezing some, but putting most up as jam. I love to give homemade jam as small gifts (hostess gifts, thank you gifts, little gifts to someone who needs "picking up", etc.) and I've been totally out of jam since last fall!

PS. I also think Strawberry Shortcake is adorable. *Grin*

Images found here.

"Why me?"

When something goes wrong, do you have a "why me?" attitude? I know that I have had that attitude!

A year or so ago a woman visiting our church told me she had just been diagnosed with diabetes. She told me of her diagnosis, and then said something that totally shocked me, "Why me? Why couldn't it be someone else?" I can understand the "Why me?" part, but wishing an illness on someone else? Wow, very selfish, indeed! I would never say that aloud about a circumstance I'm in, and probably never consciously think it, but isn't that the underlying attitude of "Why me?"

The psalmist said, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Psalm 119:67, 71

In many instances, the troubles that we sigh over are for our own good. Instead of saying, "Why me?" let us take the words of the Psalmist!!!

Under the Sink

Tonight I decided to clean out underneath my sink.

Before:


Everything pulled out. What a mess! It looks like water is leaking around the edge of the sink, and going down into the cabinet. The wood above is rotting, and falling down. Hmmm...that needs to be fixed soon!



Necessary items back in, several items found a new home. The basket is for my dirty kitchen towels. I've always kept this basket under my kitchen sink. It's very handy to have here, rather than trotting down to the basement to put a towel in the dirty laundry.


This whole project probably took longer to blog about than actually accomplish! *Smile* Isn't it amazing, I put jobs off till something absolutely has to be done, and it only takes a few minutes!

Bath and Body Works hand soap

For Christmas 2004, my sister Holly gave me three bottles of hand soap from Bath and Body Works. I loved using them, and they lasted so long! Last summer I purchased three more, since they were on sale for 3/$10. These three bottles have lasted nearly a year! And yes, I do wash my hands! *Grin* They have the same sale going right now, and I purchased three bottles of soap today while I was out running errands. It's nice to have a bottle of hand soap in the kitchen. It's easier on my hands than straight dish soap.

Where I'm From Contest

Lori at Joy in the Morning is having a writing contest, and I've entered (see post below). I've seen several "Where I'm From" poems around the blogosphere, and the good news is, that if you've already written one, you can repost it for the contest! The contest ends on June 21st, so you still have plenty of time.

I'm quite un-poetic, so this was a challenge for me. It's funny, because I only did this to enter a contest. But I'm quite pleased with the end result!

Here is the template for making your own "Where I'm From".

Where I'm From

I am from dish towels and aprons, from Crayola Crayons and Etch-a-Sketches and "playing house".

I am from a small house bursting with love, a large, loving family and huge simmering pots of homemade soup.

I am from home-grown tomatoes, dandelions picked with love for my mother, ordinary rock collections, the Giant Sequoia trees, Johnny jump-ups and family nature treks.

I am from the unwavering, always chili, Christmas Eve dinners, and my indented chin inherited from my father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

I am from family laughs with a sigh at the end and family togetherness.

From Jesus loves me and Jesus died for my sins.

I am from a loving Christian home, my Christian heritage reaching far back on my father's side and generations on my mother's side.

I may have been born in South Carolina, but I'm from California of German, Irish, and English descent, from peppernuts and New Years Cookies, from July 4th barbecues and three-bean salads.

From pet ducks and geese, from my mother's "Lulabelle" stories, from a happy childhood.

I am from small towns, and while earthly treasures do not abound in my family, I have priceless family memories worth far more than gold.

I am blessed.

Pampered Chef

Last night I went to a Pampered Chef party, held at a fellow church-member's home. I thouroughly enjoyed myself! I've never been to a PC party before, nor have I looked at their catalog.

I think I would be content to have nearly all their utensils, cookware, gadgets, knives, etc.! I haven't purchased anything yet, but I am considering their spatulas and garlic press. Those two items stood out to me as something that I would use all the time.

The PC gal said that if we wanted, we could write down a "wish list" and our birth date, give her the names of our friends/family, and she would call them and tell them what we wanted. Hmmm, I'll stick to just wishing!

How about you? Do you like PC? Even though everything is expensive, it sounds like their products are long-lasting, with great warranties. I know Mrs. R enjoys the can opener!

Little Girls Knitting

This is one of my favorite paintings:

A few years ago, Kevin almost bought it for me. We saw it in a store that sold framed prints. The price was great, but the mat was messed up. I've been sorry ever since that I turned him down on his offer to buy it for me! I'm planning on getting it from allposters.com someday soon. It would be lovely in my sewing room.

The rest of these paintings are ones I found online. If you want to know where the image was found, google "girl knitting" and you can see the source.

This painting shows a wealthy girl knitting:


The rest of the paintings I've posted depict lower-class girls.

Knitting socks:


Knitting socks:


The picture is too small to tell, but I wonder if she's making socks as well?


It must not have been uncommon for little girls to know how to knit socks, and they were probably making the family supply of socks, not doing it for pleasure, like I do!

Clean Freezer!

Yesterday as dinner was cooking, I cleaned my freezer out.
Before, everything just stashed in:


Nothing was spilled, it took me just a few seconds to wipe out:


And then almost everything went back in. There were a few things that didn't look too appetizing! I also found a lot of unmarked tomato products (crushed, sauce, and paste) in ziploc baggies. I think they'll go in a pot of vegetable soup sometime, since I'm not sure what each one is.


I need to find another wire shelf for the freezer. It's not very space effecient without a shelf. Any ideas for where I could look?

Recipe Keeper

I recently used a Border's Books gift card that I had received a while back. One of my purchases was this nifty Recipe Keeper, on sale for $7.99.
The cover:

Each section has a pocket for loose cards, then it is followed by pages to write favorite recipes, the cookbook they came from, and the page number:

And in each section there are pages to write recipes:


The front of the book has a "Favorite Cookbook Index" and then it is followed by the following sections:
Appetizers & Beverages/Salads & Dressings
Soups, Sandwiches & Breads/Vegetables
Rice & Pasta/Pork & Seafood
Beef & Chicken/Lamb & Game
Cakes & Pies/Cookies, Candies & Desserts
Jellies, Jams & Preserves/Pickles, Sauces & Marinades

I've been wanting a way to organize my recipes, and I do have a notebook that I've attempted to put together, but I think this will really be a help to me. I almost put it back on the shelf, saying to myself that I could make one on my own, but then I figured that I had the gift card to spend anyhow, and it would probably cost just as much to make one on my own, and it would take up a lot of time.

Enjoying God's Creation

I love to watch green beans emerge from the soil!

Tomato Ice Cream?

In the comments of this post, my dad let the cat out of the bag.

He said:

Tammy is so right about having to follow a recipe. She could probably tell you that we never had the complete list of items for any given recipe that was about to be made. Even if we went shopping for items on the recipe we would not get everything on the recipe exactly as stated because of cost. With this in mind, Tammy decided to make a special treat for the family one day. We have a VitaMix and we had a recipe book to go with it. Tammy found a recipe for which she probably thought she had enough ingredients. I am not sure how it tasted because I never got to taste what she made. Everyone else that was home did get to taste what she made and now they will not let her forget what she made. It almost always comes up when the children get together for a big laugh at Tammy's expense. The funny thing about what she made is that you can still find it in the VitaMix mailers that they send out. I saw in a VitaMix mailer yesterday. It caught my eye and I thought that I should scan the picture and send it to Tammy for a joke. I have not had time to do this yet, but I hope to and then maybe Tammy can post the picture. So by now you are probably wondering what in the world is this that Tammy made. Well here it is . . . . "Tomato Ice Cream!!!" You read correctly. Anyway, Tammy keep on blogging.

Love,

Dad

For the record, I've not once tried this again. Also for the record, I was 15 years old when I did try it. I didn't have a recipe...I saw the ad in a magazine, and thought I could "wing" it. One afternoon, I went out to the garden, and picked two gigantic tomatoes (no lie, they were both around 4-6 inches wide! The recipe probably calls for one cherry tomato!). I headed back inside, careful to keep my culinary experiment a secret. Soon the whir of the VitaMix told everyone that something was going on in the kitchen. I soon had a small crowd of siblings, anxious to see what I was making. I had milk, ice, tomatoes and honey in the VitaMix, and what resulted was a fabulously pink, terribly slushy concoction. Holly is the only one who ate hers. The rest went down the sink. Come to think of it, if I had heated it on the stove, it would have probably been delicious...tomato soup! LOL

And by the way, I sincerely doubt that if I had asked to make this, either one of my parents would have let me! Hahahaha

One very intersting thing about this is that my mom was expecting sibling #7 when I made this. She teases me about my tomato ice cream, as do siblings #8 and 9. Now tell me, how does this work? How can they tease me about this when they weren't even born to remember it??? I mean, really, the rest of my family could have made up this story, as far as they are concerned!

It used to be that anyone who told my tomato ice cream story faced dire consequences. Now, I just laugh along! :-)

Blogging about blogging

How many do you read regularly?
I have 57 blogs listed in my bloglines account. However, if I'm crunched for time, I narrow it down to about 10 of my favorites. Quite a few of those 57 do not regulary post anyhow.

How many are written by women? By men?
All are by women. I feel that my heart should be towards my husband, and I don't need to be reading other men's opinions, day to day life, feelings, etc. (Not to criticize anyone who reads blogs written by men--this is just something that I determined was best for myself.)

Are they all Christian? How about the same denomination?
The majority are Christians. Same denomination? I don't think so, but I think that most who are outside my denomination (Baptist) would line up with my beliefs. I have a few knitting and craft blogs that I like to read. However, I am picky about the blogs I read, and if there is profanity on the blog, it's immediately taken off my list.

What kinds of posts do you like the best?
Upbeat, cheerful posts. Posts that are encouraging in one way or another.

What kinds of posts are you most likely to comment on?
Funny posts, posts that spoke to my heart, posts that have great ideas in them.

What makes you add a blog to your favorites list/bloglines? Or conversely, what drives you away from a blog?
Blog content. I like to read about people's days but I also like to see projects they are working on, great ideas for homemaking, crafts, etc. I understand when someone has a bad day, but when a blog is consistently negative, it turns me away.

What’s your favorite kind of post to write?
Finished projects! YAY! (LOL)

What do you think is your biggest strength blogwise? Biggest weakness?
Biggest strength? I blog consistently. Biggest weakness? I tend to be too wordy!

What do you want to change, if anything, about the way you blog?
I want to make sure I point the way to my Savior. When I first started blogging, it was just for my family and a few Christian ladies I knew. Quite unexpectedly my blog readership has grown lately, and I want to make sure to share the Light of the World.

How many times a day do you say the word blog?
Probably not too many!

How many bloggers have you met in real life – not counting the ones you knew before they started blogging?
One--Tami. We met on another occasion though, not because we were bloggers! But she still counts!

HT to Mrs. Blythe, a blogging meme written by Blest With Sons.

So many comments, so little time!

Comments, comments, comments! On my blog, on my favorite blogs! What to do about comments? When I first started blogging, I spent a lot of time checking my blog, to see if there were any new comments on it. Nope, all five people who checked my blog today decided not to leave a comment...I'll check back in five seconds and see if the status has changed...no, not yet...ten seconds later..."Aha! Someone left a comment!" As you might imagine, that took up a great amount of time.

Then I learned that if you put your e-mail address in the settings of Blogger, that it will automatically send an e-mail for every comment. That is really nice! I don't have to go searching for my comments anymore (except when Blogger is being naughty, and doesn't send them to me right away). One very nice thing about having your comments e-mailed to you is that you don't miss any comments. I have had people make comments on posts that were several months old.

And then, there's the situation of comments on other people's blogs. I try to leave comments around the blogosphere, but I try not to ask questions in my comments. Because if I do, then I have to remember to go back to that post, look and see if my question has been answered. And sometimes, *gasp* that person doesn't answer my question right away! (Is that rude, or what? *Wink, wink* I mean, really...aren't they just sitting at their computer waiting for comments anyhow?)

I found this blog post regarding comments to be very true! HT to Mrs. Happy Housewife.

Image from imagescape.com

Chicago: Sears Tower

One of our top priorities on our visit to Chicago was the Sears Tower. Friday turned out to be a great day for visiting. The visibility was great, and if we had gone on Saturday, we would have seen a lot of rain clouds. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them)

Looking way, way up!


Some great views from the top:




Just hanging around:

Chicago: Buckingham Fountain

After lunch in the Sears Tower, we walked over to the Buckingham Fountain. It's a gorgeous fountain, I believe I read that it's the largest fountain in America. If not, well, it's still pretty big! =)

On the steps to the fountain. Yes, Chicago is very windy!

Chicago: Interesting "Thing"

LOL I have no idea what this sculpture is called, but it was very fascinating, and many people were crowded around having a "jolly good time".

Chicago: towards the end of the day

We walked, walked, and walked some more. Upon seeing this marvelous bench, I promptly sat down and handed my camera to Kevin. I was being goofy--I could have cared less about the picture--I just wanted to sit down! LOL

So many blogs, so little time!

Blog hopping is one of my favorite things to do online! I have accidentally hit on a few blogs that were absolutely wicked (from what I could tell in the few seconds that I saw them), so I try to do my blog hopping in a safe manner. One way I find interesting blogs is to click on the blog links of blogs that I already read. If I find some of interest, I add them to my list at Bloglines.com. Currently, I am subscribed to 57 blogs. Several of those are people who do not post regularly...but I still want to read what they post. Bloglines is wonderful for this type of blogger--I don't have to keep checking on these blogs to see when they have been updated.

Bloglines also allows me to control my online time. If I only have a few minutes online, I can quickly open a few blogs that have been updated. If I want to come back to them, maybe to comment, or to follow some links that they have posted, I click a little check box at the bottom of the post (on the Bloglines screen), and it keeps it as new.

And finally, a lot of my subscribed blogs are on "test". I'm testing them out to see if I really want to be subscribed to them. After a week or so, if I'm not enjoying a blog like I thought I would, I unsubscribe them from my list.

I do a fair amount of "lurking", especially on a few larger blogs. However, I do try to make comments now and then to be polite to the bloggers. After all, it's nice to know who your readers are!

I highly recommend Bloglines for blog-reading ease!

I'm back...

Kevin and I went away Thursday for our anniversary, and got back yesterday evening. We had a lovely time together, site-seeing in Chicago. I took a lot of pictures, and I'll be posting some of those over the next few days. Thursday evening I realized I hadn't packed my spare batteries for my camera, so we bought some cheap batteries. We didn't realize how cheap they were until we got up in the Sears Tower. Every four or five pictures I had to change the batteries! We fixed that problem when we left the Tower, by buying some decent batteries! =)

Big cities are always enjoyable to visit, but we're so glad that we don't live in a large city!

Don't look at the time...

I'm posting rather late, or early, depending on how you look at it!

Hopping around the Blogging Trail, I've read these lovely posts:

Deb shares about finding a new friend. (Also, a hearty congratulations to the new mother-in-law! Check out the beautiful wedding pictures while you are there.)

Mrs. Wilt is making a Homekeeping Journal. Such a good idea!

Mrs. Blythe's daughter is all set to get married. I hope that when she gets old enough to marry, that she'll find someone closer in size. *Wink* By the way, Mrs. Blythe's blog is delightful! I love how "English" her writing is. I learned a lot about the customs of English tea from her blog!

Check out this blog: Bagaholics Anonymous! Wow, such a source of temptation to make a "gazillion" bags! After the two bags I've made, I've been itching to make some more, especially after finding this blog.

Another blog that I've been enjoying as of late is Dawn's blog (4:53 am) Very delightful! I found her blog by doing my favorite thing to do online: blog hopping! *Smiles* Dawn posts about gardening and crafting and smocking (OH MY, smocking! I have to learn how to smock! Such gorgeous creations I've never seen before!) Dawn has also accomplished something that I have not: how to say a lot in very few words!

Still with me? One more blog to look at? Ruth and Jessica from SewChic have started a new blog with a few more ladies: The Little Red Hens, a cooking blog. Cooking blogs are not my "thing" but this blog just looks too cute to not read!

Enjoy! (And yes, I KNOW you ALL looked at the time! Shocking, isn't it? *Yawn*)

Follow the Recipe!

Have you ever done this?

I didn't have potatoes, so I substituted rice.
Didn't have paprika, so I used another spice.
I didn't have tomato sauce, so I used tomato paste.
A whole can not a half can -I don't believe in waste.
My friend gave me the recipe
She said you couldn't beat it.
There must be something wrong with her,
I couldn't even eat it.
-source unknown

Well, I have! It turns out to be Bad Food!

My dad's mom, on the other hand, never follows a recipe, and she's a wonderful cook. It's all in knowing what NOT to substitute!

Hat tip to Rachel

Found floating around the blogosphere...

About me:

1) FIRST NAME? Tammy

2) WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No.

3) WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I can't remember, it's been a while.

4) DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Most of the time.

5) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Plain turkey.

6) KIDS? None.

7) WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Oh yes, then I'd have someone to do crafts with. LOL

8) DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Right here!

9) DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Hmmm, not too much!

10) DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

11) WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No. Never. Period. The end.

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cheerios or Grape Nuts.

13) DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Sometimes. But when I don't (most of the time) I can hear my dad telling me to untie my shoes before I take them off! LOL.

14) DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Nothing remarkable.

15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

16) SHOE SIZE? 7 1/2

17) RED OR PINK? Pink

18) WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black skirt, black shoes.

19) LAST THING YOU ATE? A Jr. Whopper...my packed lunch is sitting in my refrigerator at home!

20) WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The hum of the air conditioner.

21) IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Burgundy.

22) FAVORITE SMELL? Yankee Candles!

23) WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? At home, my sister Holly. Here at the office...a guy named Darryl. LOL

24) THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? For my husband, the first thing I liked that attracted me to him was his aftershave/cologne. :D

25) FAVORITE DRINK? Water and herb teas.

26) FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? I'm not a sports fan!

27) HAIR COLOR? Brown

28) EYE COLOR? Blue

29) DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

30) FAVORITE FOOD? Mashed potatoes. Mmmmm

31) SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings

32) WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Coral

33) HUGS OR KISSES? Both...from my husband!

34) WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Hidden Art

35) WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad.

36) WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Nothing.

37) WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? November 2, in Greenville, South Carolina.

I have a question for you...

I have had so many lovely comments recently, many of you whom I haven't been "introduced" to yet. I'm guilty of doing the same thing on other people's blogs. You know, leaving a post that says, "Oh how cute!", which in turn leaves the blog owner saying to themselves, "WHO is Tammy?" *Grin*

So my question for you is: if you read my blog, and haven't introduced yourself, will you do so? I have gained some new blog friends even recently, and I'd love to get to know my readers better!

Thank you!

Lasagna recipe

Tonight I made lasagna for a couple across our street who just had a baby. When I took the casserole over, I only got to speak to the husband. I was really hoping to get to see the wife, but I'm sure I'll meet her one of these days!

Here is the recipe I used, which I got from my sister-in-law, Rebecca:

Four-Cheese Lasagna
Lasagna takes time to assemble. To avoid last-minute preparation, make this casserole early in the day or the night before and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (4 oz each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seed
1 carton (16 oz) cottage cheese
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 package (12 oz) lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until beef is browned and onion is tender; drain. In a blender, cover and process the tomatoes until smooth. Stir into beef mixture along with mushrooms, tomato paste and seasonings; simmer for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, ½ cup of mozzarella and eggs. Spread 2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of an ungreased 13-in x 9-in x 2-in baking dish. Arrange half the noodles over sauce. Spread cheese mixture over noodles. Top with remaining noodles and meat sauce. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 15 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings

I've made it several times for us, and several times when we had company. It turns out so good every time! I don't put the tomatoes in the blender. I like the consistency of the crushed tomatoes just fine. Tonight I left out the mushrooms, since that is a food that many people dislike.

Contest Results

I am pleased to announce the winners of Contest #2:

Nikki
MJM
Mrs. Blythe

Please send your mailing address to: mrstammys AT hotmail DOT com. I will be sending your bookmarks out as soon as I get your address. If one of the bookmarks caught your eye, and you really, really want it, let me know when you send me your address, and I'll do my best to see that you get the one you want! =)

Encouragement, part 2

My mom commented in the Contest post, and I have copied her comments here, so that everyone would get a chance to read them:

As a child, my mom taught me to do things for others when I was down in the dumps. It worked then, and it still works today! Doing something to encouage someone else always encourages you, too!

I love to do things for others, but I want to share some ways I have been blessed by other people's encouragement to me. When my husband was teaching in a Christian school we didn't have money for extras, so it was a special treat for one of the ladies to take me out for pizza or to have me come to her beauty salon for a complimentary haircut.

At another church, the ladies got together and came to my house every day during a difficult pregnancy. They would clean and do anything I needed done. Some of them would bring a meal. One lady took my laundry home with her each week, the whole time I was sick. She would bring it back clean, ironed and mended. There was another lady that would pick me up and take me to yard sales. We would search for nice clothing for my little girls. When we found good things, she would buy them for me. At other times she would stop by the house with a roasted chicken, a bag of Pampers, or some storybooks to read to the little ones, so I could have some time to myself. The encouragement these ladies gave me was priceless.

Someone once gave me this idea for the pastor's wife. On a given day, each of the ladies in the church sent her a card of thanks and appreciation. Enclosed in the card was a one dollar bill, with the words to "spend it on something for yourself." Imagine the fun she had when she went out to check her mailbox, and it was packed with notes of encouagement, and a whole stack of one dollar bills!

There was an older man in our church who would bring us huge bags of produce. The girls and I would put it all up and it was a blessing. The most touching part of it was that this man was partly crippled, and he would have to crawl on his hands and knees to harvest the fruit and vegetables he brought us. It really meant a lot to me.

Once the Lord impressed me to "go shopping" for my pastor's wife. So, I went to Wal-mart, and went through the store and picked up all the little things that I routinely buy for our home and family. I stuffed them al in a huge gift bag and took them to her. She took each item out and said, "How did you know? How did you know?" What type of things did I buy her? Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toilet paper, dish soap, hand soap, bandaids, Pampers, Q-tips, tape, paper towels, napkins, stuff like that. I had wondered how my gift would be received. Might she be insulted? She wasn't. She was very grateful, and it was because God had led me to do it that I bought just the things she needed at just the time she needed them.

Thank you, Mom, for the great ideas. I remember most of the things you've mentioned, with the exception of the pizza. DID I GET LEFT OUT OF THE PIZZA TRIPS??? *Grin*

Encouragement

I have to say that all of the contest entries truly inspired and encouraged me! Not only did they encourage me to be an encourager, it also encouraged me that others are being an encouragement to their friends and family!

Here is a summary of the wonderful ideas:

• Plate of goodies out of the blue.
• Homemade card.
• Send a card, praying that the Lord will speak through you.
• A card, phone call, e-mail when the Lord lays someone on your heart.
• Blogging about something that is on your heart.
• Care packages.
• An invitation to your home for a DEstressing time of fellowship (not distressing, as I originally read it! LOL)
• Thinking of and thanking your child's Sunday school teachers.
• Books that have blessed you.
• Bake extra when you bake, as a chance to give to a friend, or freeze for those times someone stops by.
• Take pictures of your church family, and frame, put in albums, for friends.
• Take time for people.
• Make sure people really know how you feel about them. (LOL good feelings only, right, Mrs. B?)
• Note dates on your calendar of death anniversaries so that you can encourage the one who is grieving.
• Pick up something for someone as a little surprise.
• Hand made gifts for newborns.
• Add a packet of tea to your notecards.
• Give people your full attention.

Wow, such great advice, and wonderful ideas for the next time the Lord lays someone on my heart! Actually, the Lord has laid someone on my heart, and I need to act on it!

Saturday evening when Kevin and I came home, we were up front looking at these incredibly long disgusting earthworms (LOL). Suddenly, a German Shepherd came running up onto our porch. I am so fearful of dogs, especially big dogs, but after the initial routine of clinging to my husband, the dog proved to be friendly. *Grin* Soon, the dog's owner came up, apologizing that his dog had gotten away from him. He said that his wife had just had their first baby, and that he was home from the hospital to let the dog out.

We haven't met this couple yet, so it was nice to get the contact. What I'm planning on doing is making up lasagna tomorrow evening, and taking it over to them (after dinner). I won't bake it--that way they can freeze it for later (if they have friends/family giving them meals), or they can bake it the next night for dinner.

When God lays someone on your heart, follow through! I can't begin to tell you what a blessing it is to know that God is working through you to touch someone else's life!

I think I'm addicted!

Would this give you a hint of my addiction?

Last night Kevin grilled steaks for dinner. Mine grew cold while I worked on my knitting!

A girl has to have her priorities! *Smiles*

Six years ago today...

I married the most wonderful man in the world. *Smiles*

Gardening!

Today was primarily a gardening day! I worked outside from 10 a.m. till about 2 p.m., getting my flowers planted in the second flower bed, and planting a little vegetable garden.

I came inside, and was so exhausted from all my work, that I took a shower and then laid down for a nap. I was awakened by a rain storm! We got quite a gullywasher!

Before:


After:


There used to be a barrel on the corner of the house, but it fell apart when I tried to move it. Oh well...

Kevin worked hard too--one thing he did was put the border down the side of the house. Because of our basement windows and the air conditioner, we're not able to put the stones two high, like the front border. I like it just the way it is. Now I need to clear out all the weeds, and get a few more flowers planted. I'm not going to do anything major on this side of the house this year. Perhaps next year, I'll plant a few low-maintenance shrubs.

My Little Garden

This is my first vegetable garden since I've been married. The first four years that we were married, we lived in apartments. The past two years, the timing of our moves didn't work for planting vegetables, even though we had the room to plant vegetables.

Here's my sweet little garden (after the rain storm):


I planted:

• Two varieties of tomatoes (one is an early producer)
• Red and yellow bell peppers
• Red and yellow onions
• Green beans
• Mint
• Lemon Balm

We'll see how they grow! The soil isn't the greatest, and the bed doesn't get full sun all day. I can't wait for my veggies!

Encouraging Others: Contest #2

Edit on Monday, 9 p.m.: The Contest is now closed, but feel free to add your ideas! Many wonderful ideas have already been shared!

My little contest last month was so much fun, that I decided to have one each month. Guess what? It's time to have another contest!

This month's theme is "encouragement".

Just recently, I got a card in the mail from a lady in my church. It was a very sweet note, and it was such a tremedous encouragement to me. I have it on my kitchen counter, and have read it through several times, and been encouraged all over again!

What are some small things you do to encourage others? These "others" can be members of your family, church family, friends, neighbors, etc. For this month's entry, just give us some ideas that you use. It doesn't have to be BIG, and it can be something LITTLE, but let's gather some ideas, so that when God lays someone on our heart we have some different ways to encourage them!

Oh, did you want to know the prize? I thought you might! This past week I've been working on the prize in the evenings. This month I am pulling three names out of a hat (and yes, last month, I really did use a hat to draw the name out of! *Smiles*). This contest is for all to particpate in, no matter what country you live in! Each prize will be two cross bookmarks. One will be for you to keep, and the other one will be for you to give away as an encouragement to someone else!

Last month, I got so excited about finding out who was going to win, that I didn't give much time for entries. This time around, I'll restrain myself. *Giggle* The contest will close this coming Monday evening, at 8 p.m. EST. I'll announce the contest winners on Monday evening.