The Blue Bird

My mom and aunt recently took on the task (not a little one mind you) of going through my Gram's things (she passed on a few months ago) and passing down where wanted / needed. Among the glass Christmas ornaments, purple glass trinkets, dish towels (enough to clean & dry all the dishes in every cafe, restaurant, bar, pub and hot dog stand in New York City), sheet sets, jewelry, furniture and dog beds was found The Blue Bird. The Blue Bird is a 1967 Robin Egg Blue Style-Mate Standard Zig-Zag Singer Sewing Machine, Model 347.

As mentioned in a previous post, I have recently found myself turning into a domestic...goddess, not so much...diva, goodness I hope not...student. A domestic student...that fits. So mom called and asked if I would want it. Uh...YES PLEASE. I have never sewn before, however I have always wanted to learn. In recent years, our friends have been producing kids like rabbits. So I thought I could learn to make quilts and give me something to do while hubby is working 80 hours a week. So of course I jumped on the offer for The Blue Bird.

It has found a home in my sun room!

So this evening I decided to learn to sew...duh duh duhhhhhhhhhh.

No blood was drawn, no cursing uttered and no animals were harmed in the sewing expedition. However, I did do this:

I know...it's just two things of fabric sewn together...but hey, they weren't attached when I started. So in my book...it was a success. Thanks Gram!

A Brave Man

Friday afternoon I was working away in my office, minding my own business when this smacks into my window:Now let me inform you all that I work on the 29th floor. This modern day crazy man is washing my window and I am sure getting paid a hefty sum as he is dangling 29 stories above pavement...defying gravity by a ROPE. Not a bungee cord, not a steel wire...a rope. Similar to the rope in the back of my husband's truck that he uses to hold down a mattress, granted this one is a smidge thicker, but none the less a rope. Basically he sitting on a wooden swing, just large enough for his bum. There is a painter's bucket of soap water attached to the wooden swing and attached to his harness is a suction cup on steroids that he smacks against the window as he moves from side to side cleaning away. Needless to say for the 3 minutes he was suspended outside my window, no work was accomplished. Brave man...interesting career choice...thanks for the sparkling view.

Osmosis

This week is the Member Guest tournament at my husband's golf course. For those of you not aware...a Member Guest is usually 3 or 4 days of golf, aiming fluid (aka alcoholic beverages), obscene noises and gestures, food and of course, is men only. The hubby is running it, not playing in it, so it gets a smidge hectic for the boys working it. In an attempt to make their lives better during this not so favorable week, (by the way: it is 100+ degrees all week here in Oklahoma) I decided to make them some sweets. I found a recipe for Chocolate Pecan Coconut Bars and decided to give it a whirl. One problem...I don't own a food processor. I quickly remedied that with a purchase and away we go.

Now, flash back 5+ years when I met my husband. I was working too many hours for too little money just out of college, so cooking & baking wasn't at the top of my priorities list. I've always enjoyed the activity, just didn't have time to do it. Okay, flash back to present time...

Ya there?...good...we continue:

So when I purchased the new gadget my husband gets a familiar smirk and just shakes his head. "What is the obsession with cooking? You didn't have that when we met!" So I promptly corrected him and said, "I've always had it...I just didn't have TIME!" But as I was using the shiny new processor last evening (by the way, cool little device, should have bought one a long time ago), lightning struck. It's OSMOSIS!

I know...you are confused. Follow me if you can:

My engagement & wedding rings are a family heirloom from my husband's side. Gooney, his Great-Grandma, was the original wearer of the rings. When he got the rings to give to me, he took them to a jeweler to have them cleaned and sized. When he picked them up, the jeweler told him that they found dough (maybe pie crust) in the settings. Now that I have worn them for 4 years...I believe that my "new found" cooking/baking fascination is the doings of Gooney...through Osmosis!

Another mystery solved. Tonight I venture into the world of Raspberry filled Cupcakes with Chocolate frosting. Mmmm.

Invasion of the Ankle Bitters

For the past 3 weekends, we have had the joy of having friends & family visit our humble abode.
Here are some highlights...

Round 1 was my mother-in-law Evin & our 5-year-old niece Faith. They ventured to Oklahoma from Western (way South-Western...almost Mexico) Texas. This visit taught me a great lesson...kids like things simple. For 3 days we playing in water in some form or fashion...pool, water balloons, sprinkler, slip n' slides, bubbles, sidewalk chalk...simple people I tell ya...they love it!

So here we have Ms. Faith...thuroughly enjoying spraying herself. The valve for the hose is on her right. She very deliberatly placed the sprinkler in front of herself...ran to the valve and sprayed herself...by her own free will...multiple times! Hey, the girl was having a ball, so who were we to stop her!








During their visit, Faith brought her favorite game, Pretty Pretty Princess. Needless to say, we played this on multiple occassions (Great Game, by the way). My favorite instance was when she got to play with Tio. (Tio is my husband, her Uncle. Tio is uncle in Spanish) So here is the evidence of how grand my husband is in jewels...enjoy.

Next up was one of my best friends and her family. I have known Angie since we became lab partners in 8th grade. Ang is one of those friends that I get to see every couple of months and it seems as though not a moment has gone by. She knows all my stories, was there for most of them and we both are still holding out hope that we will once again live in the same town. Fingers crossed. So I was beyond excited to have them come visit. Highlights:

We visited the Tulsa Zoo...pretty good zoo. Not too big, but still quite a bit to see. Hands down best time at the Zoo would be Mya & Angie riding a Camel. Yes a camel: big hump, full of water, spits, usually found in the desert (which Oklahoma can be mistaken for the desert at times). Even better the camel's name was Angie which Mya thought was just hilarious!

When they arrived Mya was not too impressed with our dog Ruby. One thing you must understand about our boxer: she is 5, energy of a puppy when new humans come in the house for about the first 20 minutes. Crazy nubbin shaking, which intern creates the entire backside to "dance", excessive air licking hoping to make contact with anything, panting, sometimes drooling depends on the day. So to an almost 3-year-old who is face to face with the craziness that is Ruby upon entering our home...I don't balme her that she was not a fan. However, as proven by the photo below, she quickly overcame that, Ruby calmed down and they became the best of friends! And then there was Jackson. He just chills. Hangs off the side of his stroller and takes it all in. As his sister is the older of the two, I would say he has the right idea. Just take it all in bub!

Finally we have Ella, Jack & my sister Molly. What a grand time. Nothing like your sister; period. So the weekend began with getting things unloaded and settled. Of course when anyone from Kansas visits there is usually a haul of things that are sent with them. This go round it was items from my Grandparent's that had been passed down, to include: a gigantic snowman, my Gram's sewing machine (which I am SO excited about), Christmas ornaments, and one of the final hats that were made for my Papa's grain elevator...they were probably made in the 70s. So of course we had to get photos of the kiddos in their Great-Papa's hat. (Jack was named after him, so that only seemed appropriate!)

Recently I have found my inner Martha Stewart and have been dabbling in cooking and baking. Don't get too excited, it's nothing fantastic, but I have fun with it and helps to pass the time during my widowed moments of the summer. So it was decided that Ella and I would make Cake Balls. If you have not been introduced to Cake Balls, please pause - open another internet window - and go to http://www.bakerella.com/. She has the expertise in Cake Balls and Cake Pops. Hers are amazing and she provides directions for EVERY holiday, even the one's you didn't know existed. Anywho, that was the inspiration for our foray into Cake Balls. I have made them before and one of the steps involves smashing a cake into millions of pieces and then smoosing it with icing with your hands. What 3-year-old wouldn't enjoy that? Well now, let's not lie...I had as much fun as she did. We then dip the Cake Balls in melted chocolate and Ellas selected the decoration of sprinkles. And melted chocolate is NOT meant to stay in the pot...it's just a complete waste of fantastic chocolate if it doesn't cover some part of a face...which it did!

Off we go...

And so it begins...the world of blogging. I was recently Tagged...as in tag your it...by my friend Lisa in her blog. Instructions...tag 5 friends you think should start a blog. And since I am such a rule follower, here we be. That and the fact that we are in golf season, meaning that I am now a golf pro's widow. Now, for those of you who are thinking you are reading the blog of some famous, golf playing, seen on tv, Tiger Woods wife...sorry to disappoint. My husband is the other golf pro, the one that runs a golf course/country club, teaches lessons, runs tournaments, business type golf pro. So traditionally from April to October he sees the lesson tee and pro shop WAY more than the inside of our home. Thus, I have some time on my hands and thought "huh. great day to start a blog."

As we progress I certainly hope to make this place a little prettier and eye catching but hey, it's only day one. So here is to day one, post one and more to come. As my 3 year old niece says...(we will have more stories from her I am sure)...DIT.

That is what she says when you clink glasses instead of cheers. Why? We have no idea, but aren't going to argue with a 3 year old.