Home Sweet Home

I got to go home this weekend for a birthday celebration for someone ever-so-special to me.  It was so nice stopping at the rest area and seeing my home state welcoming me back into her.  :)  Sounds silly...but I have missed her.

 

While driving into my hometown, I noticed that the farmers have been busy.  I come from a very large farming community.  Fields are everywhere.  I could not believe the corn was ready to be picked in August!  A big difference from last year where the snow was flying and they were trying to get it out of the ground.  I hope God blesses them with an abundant crop this year!  I went home on Friday to have lunch with two of my girlfriends.  We meet at the local pizza parlor and had a wonderful time together. 

On the first night home, I noticed the moon was big and full and low to the ground.  It was easier to see since I am from the flattest county in Illinois.  Now there is a random fact for you.  :)

On Saturday morning my daddy and I went down to our local Amish community to get some goodies for me to bring back to Michigan.  I love Amish communities.  Although, since I have been introduced to Shipshewana Indiana....ours is very small in comparison....but still lovely.

Flowers I brought down from Michigan from my yard for the birthday girl.  Hydrangea, Cozmo's, Zinnias and Russian Sage.  All my favorites!

My daddy helped me crank some ice-cream for the birthday girl.

He and I being silly together while waiting for the ice cream to freeze up.

Here is the finished product.  Oh goodness was this stuff fantastic.  Butter Pecan Ice-Cream to go with our vanilla cupcakes with carmel glaze on top.  The pecans in the ice cream are candied before you put them in.  I mean, come on....how much yumminess can this stuff hold???? 

Here is the birthday girl getting ready to blow out her candle and make a wish.  We opened gifts and talked until late in the night.  It was so nice being able to spend some time with those that really know me and love me.  I have missed that so much.  We talked about work and families and struggles we are each having.  There is nothing better than a good girl friend to bounce that stuff off of.  It makes you feel like all will be well with the world again. 

Sunday morning was wonderful as well.  I got up late for me!  It was 8:00 in the morning Illinois time.  That is 9:00 Michigan time!  WOW!  Anyone who knows me knows that I get up before the birds do.  I guess my mama and daddy's bed for me was just to comfy and I was so relaxed at their house it was hard to get up.  My daddy made oatmeal and toast for breakfast.  I was in the bathroom getting myself ready for the day and he called me to the table for breakfast.  He told me to "get in here and eat my breakfast."  For a little while, I was 10 years old again.  I was being called to eat with my mama and daddy at their table.  And yes....for awhile this weekend....all was right with my world.  I was home.  Home Sweet Home. 

Crafty Kind of Day....

Today was a quiet day at my house.  I like it when Sunday's are like that.  Calm before the work week begins and things get somewhat crazy....or at least it does at my house.  Oldest daughter went home to Illinois to stay with Nana and Papa for a few days.  She wants to see some of her old friends before school starts up again for them this week.  She misses them.  Hubby took her home so it was just youngest daughter and I here this weekend.  We had some fun.  We began in Shipshewana Indiana for the day with a dear friend.  Ate some yummy Amish peanut butter fluff....oh goodness is that stuff lovely.  Saturday morning we got up early and headed to the farmers market with the same friend and her hubby.  It was so fun!  I saw some veggies that I have never heard of before!  A lemon cucumber was one.  It was interesting to look at.  Then, they took us to some fantastic bakeries in our new town.  Oh...the oatmeal bread was TO DIE FOR!  I toasted some this morning for breakfast and put butter on it....I seriously about fell over it was so good.  I hope there is bread in heaven.  Just saying.

So today....daughter and I decided to craft.  I set my sewing machine up on the kitchen table since I still don't have a permanent space to leave it up all the time.  (Hopefully Hubby is going to change that for me very soon.)

It would not be sewing without my trusty side kick helping me....

Here he was thinking that the rick rack I was using was some sort of cat toy and he was helping himself to it.  Bad kitty.....

We were listening to this on the Ipod....love music from the 30's and 40's.

Daughter decided she would fix up a box to look like a little room for her doll.  She used paper and fabric from our "stash" and was busy making it pretty.

She sewed this little pillow for the bed and made the little comforter and ruffle for it as well.  I thought it was very sweet and clever of her.

While I had out all my pretty fabrics, I decided to jazz up my little tea towel on my stove.  I added some Mary Engelbreit fabric and a little Susan Branch tag as well.  I got the idea from this wonderful blog.

Today....my life is very sweet.  I hope that yours is to!  :)

My Saturday...so far

I have had a busy Saturday so far...and it is only 4:04 in the afternoon.  Still quite a bit of Saturday left!  We are having company tomorrow night for supper.  Some very familiar company.  Some people that we care very deeply about from home are going to stop by to see us.  Our pastor and his sweet family will be here.  He has some time off from preaching and came to Michigan to see some friends of theirs.  They are going to come by and eat with us on their way back home.  We are very much looking forward to spending some time with them.

I have been busy preparing some good things for us to eat tomorrow together.  First off.....fresh sweet corn from the farmers market this morning.  Yum!

 

 Chocolate sheet cake.  Gotta love a cake where you can ice it without letting the cake cool first.  :)

 BLT salad.  Ok...this macaroni salad rocks.  If you would like the recipe, I would be very happy to share.  You have to like BLT sandwiches to enjoy this salad though.  

I am making Italian beef sandwiches but the meat is taking its sweet time cooking in the oven.  My mom tells me that this is ok.  I want it to be so tender that I can just shred it with two forks.  I will add some spicy stuff when and if the meat ever gets finished.  :)

 While cooking the things above, I was also working on my most favorite soup in the world.  Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup.  This stuff is so lovely!  I make it a lot in the winter but our sweet neighbors next door gave us a squash and a zucchini and I decided to make this soup.  They are busy outside removing sod from their yard and putting in rock so I thought I would make the soup and share with them.  They have been working so hard today outside in the heat.  Again, if you would like the recipe, I would be happy to share it with you. 

 

 I bought a new candle at Hobby Lobby yesterday.  It smells really nice!

 The little butterfly garden my daughter and I planted early this summer is blooming like crazy right now!  Our Zinnia flowers are blooming and ever so pretty.  Sweet daughter went outside and picked me one for the house this afternoon.  Pink!  Be still my heart.....

 

 In between cooking, I thought I would do a load of laundry....because us women are multi-taskers and we can do anything!  Can I get an Amen from the crowd?  :)  I knew that I had done a load of whites.  Well, as I was throwing in the wet clothes into the dryer, my eye caught something dark.  I looked into the dryer and look who I saw peeping back at me!!!!!!  This could of been a terrible accident had I not caught a glimpse of his chocolate brown fur while putting in the wet clothes.  I can not even imagine what would of happened to him had I not of seen him and turned the dryer on!  Ok.....moving on.......
 

 Here is part of my mystery quilt.  I still don't have the thing put together yet.  I am on step 6 1/2 of 9.  That 1/2 step matters in my opinion.  :)  It is going to be stars.  Can you tell?  I am so excited that I am actually going to like this once it is done.  Yippee!!  :)

 I decided that with all my hard work, I would treat myself to a cup of coffee and rest my achy feet and back from all the cooking and dishes I have been doing. 

 
 See my little cup?  Minnie is my gal. 

 

 I am also wearing my polka dot apron while I cook away today.  I tried getting a picture of it by myself so you could see it.  This is as far as my short arms will stretch. 

 

 And lastly, the house is rocking to this gal.  I swear...I could listen to her for hours and hours. Actually, I have been! 

 So that is my Saturday.  What are you up to?  :)