Thursday, January 27, 2011

Organizing and Knitting

The other day I was going through some papers when I came across a pattern for a circle cloth dishcloth.  So I set it to the side knowing I wanted to give it a try.  As a matter of fact, I then proceeded to put away the basket of items I was going through, made a visit to my yarn stash, located the proper size needles, and began knitting right then and there.  Don't you think that is a fun thing to do while organizing papers?  In fact, I haven't revisited that particular basket since because I am still knitting away.  I figure it is all part of the organizing process.  Why find a pattern just to neatly put it in its proper place.  Why not begin working on the pattern immediately.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Breakfast Cookies

My daughters used to buy breakfast cookies at the grocery store, and then they seemed to disappear from the shelves.  They liked having them on the mornings they needed to grab a quick breakfast before school, or now and then when they needed a filling snack.  I had forgotten about them until last week when King Arthur Flour posted a recipe for them on their website.  I gave them a try, and they are very good.  It was a great opportunity to use up all of the leftover bits of dried fruit and nuts that we had used in our Christmas baking.  And they are definitely filling.  I also think they would make a great snack for active kids that need something healthy and filling in the afternoon.  They also keep well just in case you don't manage to get through them all in a day or two.

(Note ... my picture didn't come out very well, so I am hereby giving full credit of this picture to King Arthur Flour).

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Staying Warm

I love the fact that I can buy hand and toe warmers in bulk at Costco.  This winter I have taken advantage of them while shopping in the cold before Christmas, shoveling snow, and walking out in the snow.  It makes spending time outside in the cold much more enjoyable; and from looking outside at this moment, it looks like I will be making use of them today as well. 

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Left Behind

When Christmas is over, it  always seems to take a little longer to get all of the Christmas decorations down and put away.  It just isn't as fun to take them down as to put them up ... nothing cheery about that at all, just a feeling of wanting to get things cleaned up and put back in order.  So in contrast to decorating for Christmas, I just begin to gather things from here and there and start putting them away in their boxes.  After I thought I had all of my decorations put away this year, one of my daughter's brought to my attention my large crock that sits under my desk.  It seems that there was still a bit of celebrating going on that I had forgotten about.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Colorful Cooking

I think that adding cute and colorful utensils to your kitchen repertoire just makes the whole cooking experience that much more enjoyable.  A good example is my little whisk that was a gift from one of my daughters.  Who wouldn't want to do some baking just as an excuse to pull this little jewel out of the drawer.


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

A Teeny Tiny Scarf

Before Christmas gets too far behind us, I just wanted to share one little gift that I received.  It was from my youngest daughter, and was given to me as an advent gift.  You see each day leading up to Christmas I leave her a little gift and note on her doorknob before she wakes up; and then she leaves little gifts and notes for me on the stairs leading up to my bedroom.  One day I received the cutest scarf that she had knit.  In fact it is a very teeny tiny scarf knit on toothpicks.  I just love it!  And even though it won't be keeping me warm during this winter, it definitely warms my heart.