i'm happiest when

our weekend was spent together as a family.
i can honestly say that i'm happiest when we, as a family are working together.
i guess if you are talking love languages mine would be acts of service.

yes, yes, i am married to a marriage and family therapist...can you tell? we talk about this crap all the time.
and no he doesn't analyze me and everyone all the time.
but yes he can scare the crap out of our children with his army interrogating skills.
pretty sure no boy will ever get close enough to date katie, as he will probably be polishing his hand gun as he asks the boy what his intentions are with his daughter.
and pretty sure he'll have some pretty good follow up questions to "We're just going out dad." when our boys are of age and want to go out for the night.

yup, being married to a marriage and family therapist has it's upsides...being the kid of an interrogator for the army has it's downsides.
anyways i digress...our weekend.
it was good.
there were some downtime at times, so the boys of course took the situation at hand and turned it into a clone wars battle field and made, in this case, big huge branches into weapons to save the day.
seriously give the kids anything and this is what they do. katie on the other hand can hang with her brothers, no problem, but in the middle of a "war scene" she'll break out in song about princesses and pink kitties and snakes.
drives her brothers into hysterics at times with some of her songs.
it's her proudest moments when she makes them laugh.while the kids were saving the day in the clone wars, and while the husband was being all manly and using a chain saw...
i went exploring and saw some sage-y looking bushes.
i thought i should pick some up and see if there was anything i could do with it later...it is currently drying in my kitchen.
i still have no clue what i will do with it.
it may just sit there for all i know...
we shall see.
all in all it was a great labor day weekend.
close to home.
working hard.
together.
sometimes my heart is full and i feel really blessed.
we'll talk soon.

3 minute microwave homemade fudge

this last week was our first "mommy and littlest ones left at home get together" during the school hours. we were celebrating one our friends moving. wait, that sounded wrong. we were getting together to send her off with one last get together in celebration of her.
hmmm.
okay words are not working for me today.
anywho...
we all made something because what's better than getting together with friends and talking?
getting together and having a blast talking AND eating.

i made my neighbor's 3 minute (three ingredient) cook it in the microwave homemade goodness fudge.

here's the recipe:
2 packages of choc chips (1 milk chocolate, 1 dark or semi sweet chocolate) i've also substituted the milk choc with andes mint chunks and it was delish!
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 or 16 oz)
3 tables spoons of butter

combine all three ingredients in a microwaveable bowl.
microwave on high for 3 minutes.
stir everything up.

pour into a 9 by 13 pan (for thinner fudge) or a 9 by 9 pan for the ticker version shown above.
enjoy making your jeans tighter.

have a good weekend.
we're hoping to collect some wood for our fire place.
oh yeah
here comes the fall
lalalala....

*sigh*

tutorial: fabric bow pasta

something's cooking in the kitchen!
can you see what it is?
go on take a closer look.
mmm garden flavored bow pasta!
sure to be a delight in anyone's kitchen!
cook it....
drain it...
and serve it!


want to make some for your little darlin's kitchen too?

what you will need:
*5 by 5 squares of fabric in greens, reds, yellows, creams, and orange.
each square makes two fabric bow pastas.


take your 5 by 5 square.
fold it in half...cut at your fold.
fold it in half again and cut at that fold as well.
sew around your edges
take a needle and thread and do a running stitch through the middle.
pull tight and wrap around a few times the thread in the middle and tie a knot in the back.

bon appetit! too bad real pasta isn't this low in carbs and calories.
oh well.

have a great day.
i'm actually cooking something in MY kitchen today...maybe i'll share it if i get a chance!
we'll talk soon!

morning squeeze: win $100 visa card

this week i talk about my morning squeeze, you know cause sometimes you don't get to sit and eat a full breakfast...enter to win here

also if you'd like a chance to win my patterns go here!

winner of week three $100 visa card is:
amy l

homemade play doh = coolest mom ever

last friday was a half day for the boys, so katie and i had to get some fast "creating" stuff done. no sewing projects were on the agenda (my sewing machine was at the doctors getting all nice and fixed after being abused everyday for like 2 years...so i was without her.)
no, katie and i actually hit the kitchen.
we made play doh.

which btw if you haven't ever made your own play doh, i highly recommend it, because you become the coolest mom EVER in your kids' eyes and not only that but the kiddos will be thoroughly entertained for like hours.
heck the boys got home and were all over it as well.
i do dare say some pigs were a flying...because the words "video games" were not uttered once. crazy i know.
my floor though was really crumbly with play doh bits and colors were mixed so some almost 4 year old girl drama was had, but it's nothing the boys haven't seen before.

so here's the recipe used to make home made play doh:
so you too can be the coolest mom/wife ever too
1cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp. cream of tartar

combine and add to above:

1 cup water
2 tsp food coloring
1 Tbsp. veg oil

cook over medium heat stirring constantly (like 5 minutes)
slowly it will form a ball in the center.
remove from pan and on a lightly floured surface knead for a couple of seconds.
place in a plastic bag (with air our of it)
or an air tight container.

watch your kids play with the stuff for hours, get to read a book while they make a mess.
enjoy your afternoon.

on the agenda today. a little bit of sewing.
well after katie and i hit hellmart for groceries.
then the little miss and i will try to get back on the horse with a nicely tuned up sewing machine.
we'll talk soon.