Show & Tell and Pink Saturday

Its been a while since I've joined Show and Tell and Pink Saturday. So I'm really looking forward to participating and looking at and enjoying everyone elses posts!
Last Saturday CC and I went to Homestead Handcraft's sidewalk sale. They usually have really great sales, interesting items and great antiques. I got there a little late and it seemed like the good things were gone.I wasn't really looking for anything in particular. But I knew if it was there, whatever it was, would grab my eye. And, I did manage to snag a couple if great things.
The first item I picked up was the cute canister.


I love the red and of course the rooster!



The floral designs are very pretty too!


I'm not sure what I would put in it because the lid isn't exactly tight.


Handpainted in Greece. Pretty interesting!


The best part (aside from how cute it is) is that it only cost $5.00!
We walked around a bit, looked over some tables a few times. I was desperate to find good deals like I had done in the past but it just didn't seem to be happening. Then I saw it! I didn't see it the first time I passed by the table it was on and I didn't see it the second time either. Third time MUST be the charm.


This is just the cutest little pitcher ever. I love it!


I love the soft pink floral design and the clay around the top portion of the pitcher. The lip of it has such an unusual shape. I just love it!!


The back side is not painted. And that's just fine with me.


But the bottom revealed more to me. It was handmade at Emerson Creek Pottery in Virginia. Now I did research it some and found that all the pieces are handmade by artisans in Virginia and there are many different styles and pottery that can be bought from the website. And none of it is very expensive. I didn't find this exact pitcher online but ones similar to it sell for around $18 new. Not bad. I only paid...... Ready? I paid a total of $3.00 for it!! I knew it was mine when I first saw it, then I saw the price and was even happier. I'm not sure what I will put in it. Maybe it will be just fir decoration, like my canister, but I think fresh roses from my bushes will be the main occupant.




My two items cost a total of $8.68. Not bad at all!!

The girls wanted to look at my boxed up tea sets that now live in my room. I hadn't opened these boxes since we moved into this house six or seven years ago!!! I had totally forgotten how very pretty some of them are. But that's a post for another day. However, I did find this small little box full of newspaper. The girls wanted so badly to open it, so we did.


Inside was this cute dainty bowl/cup thingy.



And then I remembered it!



It was the very first purchase I ever made on eBay!!


The scene depicts a lovely Victorian lady and gentleman in a garden setting.


I love the gold artwork on the bottom side of the bowl.


And there are even hearts on the stand.... Upside down hearts but still hearts!



The inside is this pretty irridescent color. It's just beautiful...the swirls and soft pastel colors. I tried to capture it as good as possible. Again, where will I put it? Who knows! What will I put inside.. Probably just the old newspaper and pit it back in the box. My sweet CC said she bets it's worth a couple hundred dollars because it's so pretty. I didn't have the heart to tell her I don't think I paid mire than $15 for it. But it's pretty and I like it and that's all that matters!

Thank you so much to our hostesses, Cindy and Beverly.... And....Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting my blog! I can't wait to sit down and visit everyone elses blogs. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful weekend! I plan on doing NOTHING but staying home, cleaning and watching TV .... It's been a loooooong time coming, believe me!

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Better Late Than Never

I planned to do this post Sunday night or Monday, but as usual, things get pushed to the side.
Saturday morning we woke up a little later than usual. (I was up at 5 am but everyone else woke up around 11.) So Papa Bear decided he wanted Mission Cafe. You can read my previous post on this restaurant. Now I remember why I warned everyone to stay away! I placed my order and drove thru to pick it up. The girl over the intercom asked me if I wanted chips and queso when I ordered cheese nachos. I told her no... I want cheese nachos. Now, my first experience at Mission Cafe wasn't a good one and I vowed to never go back but Emil wanted to give them another try a couple of weeks ago and the nachos were half decent...almost good! So I KNEW what I was asking for when I ordered my Queso Nachos. I get home and open my box and guess what I have...chips and queso. What is the difference? Chips and queso are just that... Chips and a little styrofoam cup with movie theatre cheese. Queso nachos on the other hand are nacho chips with refried beans and salsa mixed in with the queso on top. So I knew what I ordered and I knew they got it wrong. I drove back thru and they made me wait a super long time. When they finally answered I informed them of their mistake and that I had to clarify to the order taker what I wanted and they STILL got it wrong. They told me no... They gave me queso nachos but they put the cheese on the side so the chips don't get soggy... Ok. Well where were the beans? And why did my husbands nachos have queso on top? Their answer... Well that's different. I said.. No not different, you made a mistake ...how are you going to fix it. She said drive to the window and I will pour the cheese on top of the chips for you! Can you imagine this! I told them no thanks I just want my money back. Their response... Sorry, we can't do that!?!?!?! Are you kidding me? I argued more... I can pour my queso on top but where are the beans where is the salsa? Finally, they agreed to make me queso nachos. Really? I have to pay for this kind if service? Unbelievable!
After that whole mess CC and I headed to Homestead Handcrafts for their sidewalk sale. There were lots of cute things. I picked up two I am pretty happy with. ( That will be another post.) and these are the only two pics I took. I got so caught up in looking I forgot to snap a few photos!




These bird houses were the first thing I saw and can you believe I didn't even buy one?!?!?



I don't even remember taking this photo. It must have been a mistake but now I wish I would have gotten that corn thingy. It looks interesting.
After Homestead we went to HEB and bought groceries. We wanted to make sushi. And Toby wanted to help....



Help eat the tuna and salmon that is...
So this is what Papa Bear prepared for us.



And this....



My Papa Bear is so good at this already.




















Toby was poopped out from all the fish!



Sunday we visited Mom and went to Wal-Mart. Nothing too exciting. Monday back at work... Definately NOT exciting!! But I'm off next Monday and Tuesday. Thank goodness!!

Other news, I'm happy Lee won American Idol. I'm not gonna lie, I really liked Crystal but I am happy for Lee! And it was soooooo sooooooo soooooo very exciting to see Brett Michaels singing "Every Rose Has It's Thorn!" Oh my goodness that was great!! And. I'm sad to see Simon go. I don't think the show will be the same with out him!

Gotta go now. My pillow awaits me. And unfortunately, so does the bank tomorrow morning!

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Pasta & Bedset

When CC got her new bedset she gave Lena her old bed. So, for the last two weeks Lena's old mattress and boxsprings have been propped up against the wall in the living room wall! And Mr. Toby has been having a ball climbing up it and hanging on while it tips over on the couch! I was talking with my sister and she said our niece has been needing a bedroom set for her youngest daughter. Soooo..... Friday after work my sister and her daughter drove up and picked up the bedroom set. This was soooo hard for me. I remember when we bought this set for Lena. She was about three years old.

She always wanted me to lower the mirror so she could actually look into it. I never did. And she never got to. And now I feel terrible!
I remember putting her socks in the bottom drawer. The top drawer was for all her little things...markers, pens and pencils, books she was reading and notebook paper.

Her dresser.... I remember filling the drawers with her little girl clothes. And then when she started school filling it with new school clothes. It made me sad.. sad that she was growing up, sad that those cute pink, lace and ruffle clothes would no longer fill the drawers. And as she got older and reached new sizes in clothing and new styles of clothes, I remember getting out the old and piling in the new.

I know it looks messy. We were in the middle of unpacking and trying to find new places for her belongings until her new dresser and night stand arrive. They are much more modern, more contemporary. So I'm sad that I said goodbye to the cute wicker furniture I always wanted to paint white for her and never did. I'm sad that she is no longer in "little girl" furniture. I'm not ready for her to choose a grown-up bedset and decor. I'm sad that this is her last year to be a single a digit. I'm sad my baby is growing up...BUT... I'm so happy with the cute, wonderful, smart and caring girl she is becoming! Ahhhhhhhh!!! Ok.... next subject!

Thursday night I wanted to cook a simple, fast dinner. Of course I made one from new Skinny Italian cookbook, I just added my own spin on it. I had made this earlier in the week and everyone LOVED it. Papa Bear asked me if I really made the alfredo sauce myself.... it was that good! But...while I was getting things ready we heard some strange noises and saw the paper bag moving and....... look who was inside!!!

Toby is such a wild and crazy cat. But so loveable..... and so full of shedding hair! My allergies are NOT loving this!

Back to dinner...I went to Greenfields Market to get a few fresh ingredients that I needed and found this pasta. It looked so good and only took three minutes to cook.. I thought I'd give it a try!

It was great! So glad I found it!

Next I sauteed my onion and fresh garlic in olive oil.

While the pasta was boiling and the onion and garlic sauteeing (is that a word) I rinsed my fresh spinach. I learned the best way to dry it is shake and sit since spinach bruises easily.

Once the onion and garlic was transparent I dumped in my spinach and added a little salt.

When the spinach was soft (and that doesn't take long) I added my cream, a bit more salt and about a fourth cup of freshly grated Romano cheese. The cheese makes ALL the difference! I swear!

After the cream mixture started to boil I added my drained pasta...

This dish was soooooo good!! It took a total of about ten minutes to make and everyone loved it! I am so happy I found a healthy book with great recipes that we all love! And honestly, I can feel and see the difference. Lena has lost weight, Emil is looking better, CC is always skinny, so there is no change there and me... well I looked at a picture of me from a few months ago and let me tell you.... the change is OBVIOUS!!! I will try to post pictures...

Today we went to Homestead Handcraft's sidewalk sale. I found two great goodies that I will post about later. And we are making sushi tonight! Finally!!! This is my weekend.. how has yours been?

A Day Off

Yesterday morning I woke up at 4:30 as usual and prepared to go to work. I made it about three miles from my house and the thermostat on my car was almost touching the "H". I just imagined if it was that high at 5:15 in the morning with no traffic and no stopping what would happen when I drove home from work at 3 p.m. and in 90 degree heat? So I called in and headed home. Papa Bear and Lena were still up so we watched Robin Meade for a while then we all laid down and took a nap. I woke up at 9:45 and IT FELT GREAT!!! I honestly can't remember the last time I slept in that late. Even on weekends I wake up around 7:30. I made us a quick snack and then Papa Bear and I went to fix the car. It turns out there was no water and it needed water/anti-freeze mix. Once it was added the car was perfect. Even the air conditioner was colder!
After lunch I checked in my roses. We have had so much rain and thunder and lightening. The grape vine and my roses have loved it! I was so excited to see my Peace rose had three new buds!



And my double knock out now has red leaves....


I'm not sure why but I hope it's a good thing. Maybe it's the Miracle Grow for roses.

Later in the evening the girls were watching TV and I pulled out the quilt top I purchased on eBay. (Cheating I know)


Charlie had to make an appearance.





There were some patched that needed mending...


So I pulled out my white thread and quilting needles and got to work.


That's an area I patched yesterday. I liked to think i did a good job but ad you can see I patched it so well it's pulling apart again! Ha! At least I had fun trying. It was relaxing. And of course Toby wanted to be in a picture too!


For dinner CC and I made more homemade pizza. This time we topped it with cilantro lime chicken, fresh tomatos, basil and mozzarella. It was delicious to say the least!


I got so much accomplished on my day off! I cleaned my bathroom, washed all but one load of clothes. Oh and I went to college to register for summer medical transcription classes. It was definately a productive day! I wish everyday was like this. I truly miss being at home.


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Skinny Italian.. (the cookbook..not me!)

As I mentioned in my last post, on Mother's Day I got Teresa Giudice's Skinny Italian cookbook! I LOVE this cookbook!! It teaches you so much. Who knew there was such a difference in olive oil's? I didn't! Who knew that oregano has more concentrated antioxidants than blueberries or that the oil from basil can actually kill bacteria in the food near it and in your body?!? Not me!! I have enjoyed just reading this book. But the recipes .... Oh my the recipes! They are so good! So easy! Simple, fresh ingredients! I LOVE it!
This past Saturday Mom came over and I picked out a couple of recipes I wanted to try from my cookbook, namely Solerno Stuffed Mushrooms and Margherita Pizza with home made Old World Crust! The crust was so easy... A total of four ingredients.. After mixing the ingredients and kneading for several minutes ( thanks Mom for helping me with that) we formed the dough into the six balls that would later become our pizzas.



it had to rise for an hour and a half then an additional 20mins.
Once time was up and they were ready to be shaped Lena stepped in and helped us shape the dough into individual pizzas!


My baby had so much fun helping out in the kitchen!


While the dough was rising the second time I threw together the stuffed mushrooms! The fresh Romano cheese made all the difference. They were so good!


I put five slices of bread in the oven to make bread crumbs, diced the stems from the pitted mushrooms, sauteed onion and garlic and the mushroom pieces in olive oil and added the Romano cheese. It was delicious!
In all my excitement I forgot to add salt! Imagine that!! Not to worry! I just dashed some over the top and it was just as well!
There was some extra stuffing left over so I pitted out some tomatos and stuffed and baked them. My word! It was so good! I didn't get a picture of those. They went too fast!
Back to my pizzas. Being Margherita pizzas the toppings were simple and fresh... Fresh tomatos, fresh mozzarella and frah basil! Just dribble it with olive oil and put it in the oven.


Wait 8-10 minutes...


And then enjoy this!!!



The pizzas were so unbelievably good! Papa Bear told me he wishes he could eat like that everday! My response? Let me stay home and you will! And he would! Now I know I didn't bake the pizzas on a pizza stone. This is my first time making pizza and didn't want to rush out and buy an expensive pizza stone for something I wasn't sure I would do again. But this was so much fun and do good I might need to start looking around. I'm not going to spend $100 on one! But I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to invest in one... Soon!

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