Bennie Hats

My girls have been after me for awhile now to make them new hats for school. (as the mornings are becoming cold.)
I finally finished up the 2 of them and they will be able to show them off tomorrow morning.

This is Jayne's oh course with the color.

Jill's favorite color is blue but her coat is pink so I decided to go with this shade of pink.

Another beautiful Fall day here!!!!

New Day New Beginnings

Well we had a little bit of a chill this morning. I got up and decided it was cool enough to burn the garbage paper in the wood stove and to through a couple small blocks of wood in with it. The weeones enjoyed the heat while having there breakfast.  I made oatmeal and grill cheeses and put out orange wedges to go with it. They drank up the rest of the cider that was left in the fridge as well.
They all made it to the bus and were in smiles this morning. (yesterday was a sad day with my and uncle leaving)

Jayne and Jill were both very unhappy when they got home from school yesterday. Jill was upset because there is a little girl in her class that is a real bully and gives her a hard time. I guess she pushed Jill out of line and was very mean to her. Jill being so soft hearted broke down and held it in till she got home. We have had problems with this little girl in the past and had to go into the school before, but things were going good for awhile then now we are going to have to nip it in the bud again. (right away) It is hard when the parents of or parent on the other side is not a Mother type Mom (if you know what I mean)
Jayne well poor Jayne. Jayne loves to talk and it gets her into trouble all the time. She has a boy on either side of her that love to talk as well. Instead of moving the talkers around the teacher is leaving it this way. Well Jayne had her three chances on Friday to stop talking and then she got a note home for me to sign.Instead she left it in her locker and forgot to tell me (She says) with all the going ons this weekend around here. Yesterday she had a note in her agenda for me asking to sign her slip and return it. When I asked about it, she broke down and told me what happened, and said she left it in her locker again. So I had to write a note to the teachers today explaining it, and that she will be bringing it home tonight. She was pretty upset with the whole thing and I know she feels bad for not telling me right away. Days like this I wish I home schooled.

I told the girls this morning today is a new day, with a new start. They felt a lot better.

They both looked so cute last night right into there math homework.

I have my pie crust dough in the fridge chilling while I blog,and read my daily ones. I decided to put on a pot of veggie soup this morning too,and make homemade mac and cheese (comfort food) YUM! for supper tonight with garlic bread and a left over salad.
This way I will also have leftovers for the weeones lunch tomorrow.

Today is HB last shift till Sunday night and poor thing has been fighting a cold and it has finally hit him. He coughed a lot during the night and I gave him some honeycomb before he left this morning. At least he will have a few days to get better by having a few extra hours sleep in the mornings.

OK on a happier note. I got a new book in the mail a few days ago.
It is a new Winter cross stitch project for me.

I love Paula Vaughan prints and got this book off of Ebay.

This is the one I want to do. I love quilt print cross stitches.

Can't wait to get started.

Well I guess the dough is now chilled enough and I still need to make some cookies for the jar. Have a great Fall day everyone.

Indian Summer Fall Visit

We had a beautiful weekend both weather wise and family

I hope it was as good for all of you and your families.
.
The weather was hot humid and to nice for this time of year. (A real Indian Summer I guess)
My aunt and Uncle arrived around 2 Friday afternoon and we never stopped. They left this morning after breakfast and it was a great visit. The weeones were so sad t see them leave. Poor Jill had tears at the bus top this morning.

My Mom was so shocked to see my Aunt at the hospital. We did a lot of visiting (which put my Mom's spirits up) and ate way to much while they were here.
All in all a perfect weekend!

Now back to normal, it seems so quite here in the house this morning. I had to put some music on as I could here a pin drop. HB is on day shift,the weeones are at School and the puppy is sleeping. AHHH!
I got the line filled with laundry, ran the dishwasher early this morning as well as made rolls,bread, and took out some chicken for Supper. I think I will have rice with it and toss garden salad with rolls. Dessert will be a lemon pie (as I have so many eggs right at the moment and need to use some up)

Tomorrow I need to restock the cookie jar, so I am looking for any new cookie recipe that any of you might have tried lately.

I also am going spent my morning tomorrow making pie crusts to freeze as I am down to only 3, and with Pumpkin pie season in only a couple of weeks I will go through so many.

HB is off Wednesday to Sunday night, and besides getting the grain in we have to take some time this week and get our meat birds done up,As we just lost 2 in 2 days(not sure why). along with the turkeys and geese need to go as well.  Then right after Thanksgiving we need to do up out beef and pork.  YEP! and in there some where try to get the rest of the addition done before November so the girls can have there Birthday Parties at home (As we have no room )
AND for the studio well I can say I am finally ready to OPEN!!!!! OCTOBER 1st. (Open from 9 to 1 and one class that day)
Also that night I am going to see Travis Tritt in the city with a friend as a gift for me at 8.

OK! I know what you are all thinking "how come she puts so much on her plate at once?" Well........ I guess I just love to keep going. and I don't think I trade it for anything. I'm loving the country life.....
Have a great day everyone!!!!!

UNDER CONCTRUCTION

Wednesday Work

It is a beautiful day out with a high of 21 today. It was already 8 when I awoke this morning. I decided we did not need a fire on and went ahead and made a Quiche for breakfast out of some of the left over ham from last nights supper. I added onions, green peppers, and cheddar cheese. I made hash browns with it and it was a big hit with not a piece left over.
The weeones were off and HB and I dug a few drills of potatoes before having to come in and wash up for Hb's Doctor Appointment at the hospital for a check up on his muscle in his leg that he had operated on last year.
I went to visit with my Mom while he went for the appointment. She still is eating very little and had to have 2 blood transfusions. Poor sole.
We came home and got back into our old cloths and I got the rest of the laundry out on the line and then something happened to the washer. It made a squeak noise and stopped. I am waiting for HB to come back from going to pick up another sawmill to see what went wrong.
I decided to take out some meatball and make up some BarBque sauce and through them into the slow cooker for supper. I will serve it with rice and noodles.
I also have leftovers in Desserts from the week that need to be used up.
I have decided to keep a look out for a bred dairy goat again. I miss ours and would really enjoy another. HB thinks i'm crazy.Well I thought only 2 more years till I get honey bees. (So it could be worse)
Like I don't have enough on my plate. LOL

I picked the last in my veggies as well. I ended up with 26 bags (2cups) grated zucchini and 8 bags cut up.
Another job done.

Well I guess that's all for today, I hope your day is as Weather nice as ours.

Off To Town

I was up early making with yet another Fall morning. The frost was not as heavy this morning but the temps were still low at only 3 degrees.
I made pancakes and sausages for breakfast and got the weeones off to the bus stop.
I cleaned up quickly and got a ham on to boil for supper. I drove to town to the general store that I did not get to yesterday. (time just was not there yesterday)
I picked up my flour order as well as my baking powder for Winter. (I buy my baking powder in 2.5kg tins and  buy 2 to do the winter.)
I also had a parcel in at the post office there as well.
I picked up both a bag of baking bananas marked down and some nice green ones along with a few oranges and kiwis for the fruit bowl.
As I was looking around filling my basket with the staples for the house I came across these new kitchen knives    they got in ( the store owner who happens to be a great friend) told me that they a really nice knife with a lifetime warrenty and the best part is that they are all only $4.99.
I picked up a new one as I am always looking for a new knife for the Kitchen that is good and sharp n(as I always say a chef 's best kitchen tool is always their knife)

I came home opened it up and tried it right away and so far so good.
I also picked up a few hair things for the girls for .50 cents out of the discount bin and made my way over to the fabric dept to go through the discount bin over there. I only found to pieces of fabric for $2.00

All in all it was a good day.
I am off to use my new knife to cut up the potatoes for the potato scallop for supper and I have to go pick a few combs of corn to go with my ham and potato scallop. As for dessert hummmm! maybe a apple crisp. Yep that's what it will be.
Take care and have a great Fall day everyone!!!!

The Mystery Coffee Cake Recipe

Good morning, it was a 2 degree morning (Yep more frost) so the wood fire was on early. (I was smart and got it set up last night before going to bed)  It is suppose to reach a high of 18 today. It is also moose hunting season here this weekend so the hunters will be happy to see some cooler temps.
I made the weeones some oatmeal, fried eggs, and toast for breakfast. They dressed warm and were there thin mittens and hats as well. Got everybody off and running and HB came in and went to bed for a bit as it was his last night shift. (now he will be off till Saturday)
My Father told me yesterday that his sister is coming home from Ontario with her husband on Friday and will be staying with us for the weekend. (they are bringing there trailer along as well and will sleep in there)
I am happy to have her come and will spend a lot of the week preparing for their visit.
We watched our first show the season last evening of Heartland. We watch this as our family together night on Sunday nights, and I usually make some sort of treat to go along with it. To bad with HB's new job he was unable to start the season with us, but will join in next week.
Now for the title of my blog post today.
Well...... A while back I found a recipe for a easy simple coffee cake. I made and everyone including myself loved it.

I was not even fast enough to get a pic of it before they got into it.

 Jayne has been after me to make it again and when I went looking for the recipe I could not remember where I found it. I thought that I got it off of one of the daily blogs I read. I remember seeing the pic of it in a square pan but I decided to put mine in a tub pan.
Well I have been looking for this recipe ever since and no luck so far. (I guess I should have put in my recipe box right away)
If anyone has it or remembers seeing it about a month or so back,please do let me know.

I put on Beef Stew on for Supper tonight (it smells soooo good in here) ,and since it is Monday well yep you guessed it I am making bread.
I am also going to whip up a poor man's pudding for Dessert and If I have enough cream left in the fridge I will whip that too.
I have some laundry to go put out on the line,and I need to take some time today and get some laundry soap made as I am getting low (scrapping bottom)
I also received my call from the general store advising me that my annual order of flour has arrived. I always order it in through them as a special order, in 50 pound bags as it is so much cheaper. So I will nedd to run into town and get my order.
So I better head out to the cloths line and get busy. Take care and I wish you all a great Fall day.

We Got The F Word

Yep! We had our first Frost last night. Can you believe it. I knew it was coming as the mornings as well as the nights have been getting so cold.
HB came home from night shift this morning and everything was covered with a white shine.
I always loved Fall as it is my favorite time of year, but I have a hard time first adjusting to the bitter cold. I have began to keep a small fire on in the house already.
Yesterday was a beautiful Fall day,windy but excellent for drying.
I have taken out the winter quilts for the beds and hung them on the line to air out. We put them on the beds last night and the weeones were happy to have them.
I also changed the sheets on the beds to flannel and washed up the cotton ones and placed them away till next Spring.
I stayed up very late last night, to finish up our beets, I did up another 30 pounds and that will make 50 pounds altogether. I can finally say the beets are done.

I still have the carrots to get done,this week.
Another thing I love about Fall is that we get to enjoy lots of stews,soups,and chowder. I always try to have my favorite dutch oven on the wood stove with something simmering away. The best way to warm up after being outdoors.
I also begin to use my aunts pyrex coffee pot and place it on the wood stove to boil away as well (nothing better)

Yes I love FALL !!!!!
I wish you all a great Sunday with your Families.

Cleaning The Other Kitchen

Good Morning. It is definitely a true Fall morning here. The temp today is only going to reach a high of 12. We went all the way down last night to 5.
I went out early and picked what was left in the veggie gardens,except for the onions,corn ,pumpkins,squash and  .zucchinis.
I will gather up the rest this weekend along with the herb garden.
It is a windy day so I suppose the apples will be mostly on the ground by this evening. I plan on getting the weeones to give me a hand and gather up all the fallen ones tonight. We will divide the good ones into the barrel and make cider tomorrow while the bad apples go into another barrel in the barn for the pig, horses and chickens.
I can't believe it is apple picking harvest already. WOW! where did our Summer go?
We will have to get busy in the next week or so and bring in the potatoes as well.

Well I spent a couple hours yesterday in the Fiber studio Kitchen making a huge clean up. Cleaning out pots, labeling selves and it looks so much better.

To bad I could not get into my house Kitchen and do the same.

I am getting very excited as the day is coming so quickly.

Well I must get back out and pick up so more around the yard. I have so many pots needing to be dumped, from our summer annuals. Take care and Have a great Weekend Everyone!!!!!

News Bulletin From Family Farm Living

Good Morning everyone! I hope you are all doing well this Fallish morning.
We have had a whole lot going on around here, so I thought I would update you all.

To begin HB has just started a new job. After getting on this past Spring here at the local Mines. He was asked to take a new position with another company at a new mine is being built and underway, about a hour away from the town. The job came out of the blue and had to make the decision ASAP so after a lot of meeting took the new job and began it last evening with having to put in 5 night shifts (which he as not worked in a very long time hehe!)but I am sure it won`t be to hard to get back into the routine. He then gets 5 off and then 4 days and 4 off. (not to bad of a shift)

My Mom was suppose to get out of the hospital today, but yesterday she did not have a good day, and she had stopped breathing for a little and they had to call a code on her again. But she seemed to be better into the afternoon and evening. I was to see her this morning and the Doctor came in and said that they are going to run more tests and will go from there as they do not know what is causing this. But she is feeling herself again.

Do you remember be telling you all that I had new news on my Fiber studio and was making some changes and additions. Well I have decided after many friends and others approached me to buy my fiber,yarns,and wanting to learn how to spin themselves that I am going to open my studio up to the public to buy my fiber,yarns and to teach a few classes. When I through the idea out to friends and family then  immediately went and spread the word to others. My phone was ringing off the hook.
We (meaning the whole family) have worked very hard and a few good friends that are great carpenters
have made my studio a amazing place to be!

I use to only have a little room cramped and very limited to space.

And now WOW!

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED!!!!!!
I will be beginning classes the first week of October.
The hours will only be a few a week and will decide if I need more after a bit.


The new puppy is growing and goes for her first set on boosters tomorrow afternoon. She has settled in nicely and is coming along.

We made a big decision this year and decided not to go back to Girl Guides. The girls really did like it but was so late at night and we did this for a lot of years and decided to make a change. Jayne is wanting  to join indoor soccer
 and Jill is wanting to go to paint art classes as well.

 They say sometimes change is good so we will see.

Hankie Holder

Good morning! It is another Fall crisp morning here in our little neck of the woods.

"Tis the season for those little runny noses" and after coming across this little project from Martha Stewart I thought it was perfect for my weeones to add to their bookbags.

These would be so cute made out of those pieces of felt you have in your craft cupboard. Made their favorite colors (green and blue of course)and their initials.
I might even get the girls to help and make their own.
Tonight's Project !!!!!!

Tomorrow I have some new exciting news from our household!!!!!!
Take care everyone and enjoy your crafting!

Recycled bag

The girls have been after me for the longest time to make some Juice box bags out for recycled juice boxes.
Yesterday I came across them in a tub that I had put away to"someday finally make"
I decided today is the day and whipped up our first one that is the small size.

I added a little gling,gling to it, but would make my next one mote plan.

I only made this one one juice pack wide but still a nice size.

I tried different kinds on the inside.

All in all a pretty basic project.
Come back tomorrow to see what I found for "tis the season for running noses"

Have a great day Everyone!

Sunday Night's Supper

Good afternoon. My morning has flown by. After getting the weeones up and on their way to school with a good hearty breakfast of  French toast, and bacon, I had to get washed up and headed into town to order my new glasses.

I have been having a lot of trouble with my eyes over the last year and have found out that I will need lazer surgury for Glocoma in the beginning of October. I also needed a new percription for glasses and been putting it off till the weeones went back to school. 

I hope it will help me to see better with night time driving,as I can not do that anymore. 

As for last night's supper it was DELISH!!!!!!

Jayne has been asking for a boiled dinner for a while now as it is one of her favorites. With this I decided to let the girls help me chop and prepare the veggies for it. 

They found new ways to bring a boiled dinner to life.

Not what I had in mind when I asked to help prepare the cabbage for the dinner. 

I also decided to try and make a old family favorite recipe for dessert. My Mom use to make these squares when I was growing up. It just hit me the other day when I seen the pudding on sale at the general store. 

Pistachio Squares Dessert

36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

6 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding

2 cups  cold milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

I used chocolate wafers like mom did.

I pit them into a clear bag and began reaving stress by beating away with my rolling pin.

Then I melted the butter and mixed it with the wafers in a bowl. but keep a little aside to sprinkle on the end.

next spread it out into a 9x13 dish. 

then place in the fridge for at least 15 mins. to chill.

While your waiting on that, place your 2 packs of pudding mix together with 2 cups of milk. I used my electric beaters.

now spread it over the crumbs but keep out about a cup or a little more.

(Pretty color)

now divide your frozen topping in half and fold in the rest of that pudding and layer it over the green one. 

Spread the rest of the topping over that layer

Then finish with the crumbs you kept for the sprinkles.

That's it, now chill for 4 hours and there you have a rich but yet light dessert.

A Weekend Recap

We had a nice weather wise weekend. The weather has sure became Fall like since the weeones went back to school. We have even began to put small fires on in the mornings to take the chill out of the house.
The weeones have settled in nice at school and are happy to be back.
Jill made the cutest bookmark at school this week.

Owls have became a favorite in our home over the last year.

I thought this was such a cute idea and the wings and head get placed over one side of the page while the back is on the other.
Friday evening we went out to supper with a other couple. The husband works away and when he comes home we always try to go out to supper. It was very nice and we enjoyed our time together.

With Fall arriving here the flowers are showing many signs. The annuals are turning to seed and I have been collecting almost every day now. While I was out collecting I noticed the flowers I had planted in a old cedar stump were still very pretty.

I even noticed a bumble bee taking his last of necter for the winter months ahead.

I walked throughout the flower garden deciding where we might need some changes for next year and where  some perennials need to trimmed and divided up as they have taken a little over. While I was walking I also came across these most beautiful mushrooms.

Besides owls our family has taken a real liken to mushrooms as well.( this one almost looks fake)

Hb has been busy this weekend working on getting the roof on and finished on the new addition to the house.

The days seem to take so long for the dew to lift that yesterday when the dew did lift after lunch we ended up getting a rain shower,so he had to stay working on the rook instead of making hay.

I put a boiled dinner on for supper tonight and we have bread a rolls rising and the girls will help me make pistachio squares for desert.

This afternoon we are going to visit my Mother at the hospital she is doing well and we are hoping that she will be able to come back home this week.

Well I hear my washer stopping so I must go and hang out yet another load on the line.
Have a great Sunday Everyone.

Finger Nail Art

The girls had a great day playing with a nail polish and decal the other day to wear to school. They love to be little girly girls sometimes.

I love the little flower stickers.

What good be more fun then Nail Polish floors and little girls

A Special Gift

Yesterday I went to the mail as I was waiting for that cross stitch book to arrive. It was not there but there was another package for me.
A while back I joined in on a online craft swap. This was the first time I had ever done this and was excited see what it was all about.
I was teamed up with a very nice lady from Australia through email. (which we could get to know a little about each other that way) I got busy working on my project and sent it out.
Well today I received the most beautiful gift. A perfect Market bag.

This bag has all the Australian wildlife print on it.

The colors are so pretty,the pockets on the sides are going to come in handy, and you can sure tell by the stitching all the work that went into this.

There is even a place to hold my cell phone in there.

Thank You so much Jeni, for this lovely gift. It is my new goto bag when I head out to town.

Wooly Work

Good morning, another nice start to a the day without any rain. However we feel how much the temps have changed over the last week or so. It is so Fall like now. We are however expecting a high of 20 degrees today.
I will at least get some more laundry out on the line.
I thought I would share a little from my under construction fiber studio with you today. I have been in there a lot lately with the weather not so pretty outdoors. (what else to do when it is raining)
We had a nice heap of wool this Spring from our sheep,as well as a bit from the Llamas. We all took part in the sheering and the girls and I worked hard this Summer skirting, washing drying ,carding,spinning and dying. The colors were beautiful and we all had our favorites.
I wanted to card up some fall batts in some nice fallish (if that's a word) colors.

I think turquoise is my new favorite color next to terra cotta .

Thank you to my lovely flock another satisfying year.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Wednesday Chat

Good day! The sun is finally trying to come out and the rain is now behind us for awhile.
The weeones started school yesterday and it rained so hard in the morning. They were all super excited to get there and see all their friends they have missed all Summer.
They got off the bus and never stopped talking about their day until after supper, and in between bites of supper,and dessert.
Ok here's my recap for the last few days.

My Mom got transferred back to the hospital yesterday and I went to visit her last night. She seems to be doing well.
Hb worked on the new addition for the house last evening till dark and it is coming along finally. (even in the heavy rains) Gotta love him!!!!
The veggies in the garden are still hanging on seeking for sun a little heat to finish up.
We just finished closing up the pool for the fall and the weeones were sad know that the season is done. (They love the pool)
I began to decorate the house for Fall. (table cloth, candle holders, towels)
Last night's supper was club houses,homemade fries and mac salad. (Left over turkey from the night before)
Tonight's supper is shepards pie with garlic bread, and toss green salad. Poor man's pudding for desert.
Trying to catch up with some laundry as it has became a mountain in there,with all the rain we could not put any out.
Sitting by the mailbox waiting for a amazing book that I have always wanted but never could find for cross stitching. (finally found it on ebay) THINKING WINTER PROJECTS ALREADY!!!! It's a long winter here.

Well I better get up and keep going. The day is passing by so quickly.
TATA for now

Back To School

Tuesday is the first day back to school for my weeones. Justin will be entering his last year of middle school (grade 8), while Jayne will be going into her last year of elementary school. (grade 5) and little Jill will be starting grade 3 which means that she is in the big kid wing at school and she stays the extra hour. (this is the first time in 8 years that I do not have to meet the early bus.)
WOW the years are going do fast and the weeones are growing so quickly.

We went to visit Mom on Friday and had a lovely visit with her. She is doing so well, and the care there is amazing.
We also did our back to school shopping, and managed to get most of what they all needed to go back with.
We were late leaving and only got home at 11 but the weather was great and we did not see any wildlife on the roads.
Yesterday we went into the city to pick up those few last minute things we were unable to get (or that we forgot about)
I took out a turkey and will have it tomorrow night for supper, so that we will have meat for lunches on Tuesday.
Today I am making a meatloaf for supper, and we are cleaning up the house and getting the school supplies together and book bags packed.
I have been working the last few days on Jayne's room make over. It really has been a big change and I can't wait to show you the final finished project. What I can say for now is the colors are Lime green and yellow.
This is what it was like before

Stay tuned to see what the redo turned out to be..........


PS Yes I do have to much on the go!
Take care and have a great Sunday.