Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Simple Pleasures...

are what I like best.
Lit candles on a rainy day. Knitting, crocheting, reading a good book. A steaming, fragrant pot of soup. And of course, the ones I love around me.
I hope you are having a "simple pleasures" kind of day!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sweet Home...

Sweet neighborhood.
After a fun day spent on the island, it's good to be home.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Giveaway Winner!

Joy!

You are the winner!!! Congratulations~Please let me know you would like your items sent. My email is in the sidebar, bottom right.



P.S~I love your name~it brings only positive things to mind doesn't it?


Thank you to everyone who participated! Check back often for the next one.

Have a happy weekend y'all~~~

Friday, April 24, 2009

A Few Birthday Photos

(GIVEAWAY post below this one)
(birthday flowers)
I thought I'd share a few photos of my birthday weekend from a couple of weeks ago. (Slow to post~I've had computer issues!!! *she whines*) It was made especially fun because my mom was down for the weekend...
cake & ice cream anyone?


Someone watches too much Iron Chef (or whatever that Food Network show is)





pretending to blow out candles (no one had a cake big enough to hold that many!)
And I'm not feigning surprise~trying to maintain some modesty.



Good Lord Mike! We just had dinner. (no I did not eat all of it!)
My beautiful, creative, talented mom showing me one of her quilting projects.
Thank you for sharing my birthday party/memories with me!

Monday, April 20, 2009

"Wouldn't Ya Know It?" Giveaway

(yay! a photo of the apron finally added today, Friday!)
Just as I was preparing to do a long overdue giveaway, we began having computer issues and I am, so far, unable to upload pictures of the giveaway items. So if you will bear with me please, I'm going to forge ahead and just describe the items and will add photos when (if?!) I am able.

1) a precious little (white with green trim) childs apron from years gone by (previously owned and loved by some sweet little one so a little love may show ;-) ) I didn't make this one.

2) 2 new, small, hand crocheted (by me) wash/dish cloths, one in solid yellow & one in a cheerful multi of yellow, blue & green. You can get an idea of the colors in a similar cloth
here.

All you have to do is leave a comment on THIS post and if you mention this giveaway on your blog, let me know about that in your comment and I will give you two entries. That's two times the chance of winning and double the fun!

I will draw the lucky winners name on Saturday, April 25th @ noon central time.

Good luck!

*updated to add: Rachel is having a giveaway too~~an apron!!! Be sure to stop by and enter!!! Thanks for sharing Rachel!
~~~AND, I'm thinkin', if I bat my eyelashes & ask real sweetly, I may be able to talk hubby into trying to figure out why I can't upload pics when he gets home from work. I haven't wanted to bug him while his back was in pain and he was working out the other, more important computer issues. ;-)

Friday, April 17, 2009

Tweet Tweet

Follow TJsSweetHome on Twitter! (Boy am I "with it" or what?!) ;-)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Homemade Sugar Cookies~From the Freezer

A while back I made these and put some of the dough up in the freezer. I had all but forgotten about it until the other day when I was doing a quick clean of our fridge freezer and discovered the package of sugar cookie dough hidden away amongst other hidden treasures just waiting to be eaten! I took them out and let them thaw while I did my chores and just before Ari got home, I baked them up. She was sooo excited to come home from school to find warm, fresh sugar cookies waiting for her since they happen to be her favorite cookie.

And after going through the freezer that day I had to remind myself of a few of things for future reference: 1) label the items I am taking the time to freeze along with cooking/baking instructions if necessary 2) put that Foodsaver to proper use! I ended up throwing away a couple of things that had gone in the freezer pre-Foodsaver and they were so encased in ice crystals that they would have been unrecognizable if they had not been labeled. 3) If I am using a freezer bag that has been previously used and labeled (yes, I'm a zipper bag washer and re-user), be sure to scratch through the old label so I don't have to guess which of the two labeled items it is, should there be any question ;-) Oh and one final thing...I am going to try and be more mindful of using what's in the freezer instead of conveniently forgetting about that frozen terrain that quite frankly, I would rather not deal with at times. Why go out and by more when Lord knows, we have an abundance on hand to choose from already. (Thank you Lord!!!)

Do you have a frozen wasteland that needs attention too?

I Love Wednesdays!

Each Wednesday evening, we go out to one of several nearby restaurants for dinner which frees me from cooking! The hardest part is deciding where to go. Mexican (my favorite), Italian, American, Chinese? Hmmm...

I don't get a totally free pass though. I usually use that day to bake especially yummy things or bake bread.

Tonight however, I have to be careful, since I've recommitted to watching what I eat. I kinda have been backsliding since the beginning of the year. I love my high protien/low carb/food combining diet and it's where I feel most "at home" diet wise. My mom came to visit this past Easter/my birthday weekend and I was motivated to hop back on the wagon since she basically follows the same sort of diet. Mom, you are inspiring!

What are you having for dinner tonight? Home or restaurant? Please share!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

How Exciting!

I won Cindy's (from Yapping Cat Studio) giveaway! Whoo hoo! Thanks Cindy! Be sure to visit her here ~

~~~can't to see what it is!