Crafty Dad

Chips and Salsa at Hacienda Restaurant

Chips and Salsa at Hacienda Restaurant
Originally uploaded by crafty dad

It's 10:34 p.m. and I'm thinking:  Chips and Salsa. 

But..instead of going to the pantry and the refrigerator, I'm going to do the right thing and Go. To. Bed.

Good night!

Ok...it's 10:37 and I wanted to let you know that I DID get a tote bag made (out of one of those vintage pillowcases).  I kid you not:  I really got one done.  I will post a picture tomorrow.  Cuz....I really gotta go to bed now.  G'night.

Cemetery Clean Up

One of our spring-time rituals is to tidy up the cemetery plots.  It's a good time to have the boys help out and gives them a good opportunity to ask questions about the folks that are buried there.  The dogwood tree is past its prime flowering time for the year, but it still looked good.  We cleaned up the leaves from the winter, spaded up the area and then planted geraniums and marigolds.

Grandma Jackson (my wife's side of the family) took very good care of this spot when she was living.  Now my wife is carrying on the tradition.

                                      The boys helping out.

Your grandma would be proud of you honey.  It looks beautiful!

Some people think of cemeteries as 'creepy' places.  But..I like to think of them as historical places.  I am humbled by them and find our clean up time to be a time of reflection and celebration of the life and stories of our ancestors.

Need to Get Busy

The vintage pillowcases have made their way through the washer and dryer.  Now it's off to the ironing board for some de-wrinkling and some fusible interfacing. 

Stay tuned for another Crafty Dad production.  I may even surprise myself and complete an entire project tonight!

Weekend Update

This past Saturday was a flurry of activity.  The forecast for Mother's Day was rain, so we jam-packed in as many chores as we could on Saturday. 

Let's see how many -ing words I can come up with:

Banking
Shopping for flowers
Cutting grass
Pulling weeds
Cleaning house
Planting flowers
Helping my little guy plant his  "garden"
Wrapping birthday gifts
Attending birthday party
Asking the boys to behave with their makeshift swords (so as to not put anyone's eye out)
Watching my youngest son have fun with the tire that got punctured a few weeks ago

Here are some visual aids that go along with all the -ingy stuff above:

What Do You See: Vintage Pillowcases or Tote Bags?

Camera Phones don't take the best pictures.  But...you get the idea.

Another good day at the thrift shop.  I found these tucked away on a rack and felt the need to rescue them.  I see summertime tote bags in their future.  I enjoy taking something old and transforming it into something new. 

Recycle-Reuse-Reduce is my middle name.

Stay tuned.

Super Easy, Super Good Egg Omelet for Mother's Day

Here's a great way to start your Mother's Day -- a microwave omelet.  It's really easy, fast and (most important) tasty!

You'll need:

• A large (4 cup) measuring cup or other microwave-proof bowl
• non-stick cooking spray (like Pam)
• a piece of waxed paper to cover your cup or bowl
• 3 large eggs
• a handful of chopped ham or bacon (we use the pre-cooked version)
• a handful of chopped green pepper
• a handful of chopped onion
• a dash of seasoned salt
• a dash of pepper
• a dash of paprika
• a splash of half-and-half or whole milk
• a tablespoon of butter or margarine

Make it:

• spray the measuring cup with the non-stick spray
• break the three eggs into the cup or bowl
• scramble the eggs with a fork
• add all the ingredients except the butter, stir to make sure everything is mixed up
• add the butter or margarine (no need to stir)
• place the waxed paper over the container
• microwave on high for 3 minutes
• remove from microwave (watch out for the steam!)
• uncover bowl or cup and (using a fork) open the center of the omelet
• return the container to the microwave, cover with waxed paper
• microwave on high for an additional one minute (or until egg is cooked completely)
• remove from microwave and transfer omelet to serving plate

This recipe makes a generous sized omelet.  My wife and i usually share one.  I'm going to whip one up this morning as we start Mother's Day Sunday.

Need a ride?

DSCF0064
Originally uploaded by crafty dad

With gas prices so high, this might become my new best friend.

Do you post your family photos online? Read this!

I originally found this here.  And the details are here.

This is serious stuff, so please read it and TAKE ACTION.

Thanks,
Mike

Happy Mother's Day !!

Just a quick tribute to all you 'moms' out there.

Moms are the best.  That's for sure.  I miss my mom very much.  She passed away very unexpectedly 13 years ago.  It was the worst time of my life.  Words really don't even come close to capturing those last days in the hospital. 

My wife lost her mother to cancer just a few short years ago.  Another horrible time.  My wife was with her til the very end.  It's funny how the life cycle works: your parents take care of you, then....you end up taking care of them.  It's a beautiful, yet bittersweet ordeal.  That's for sure.

I don't mean to bring everybody down with this post.  But...I want to let you know that sometimes the things that are closest to us, and very dear -- we sometimes take for granted.  [I know:  I'm preaching to the choir here.]  I do the same thing.  And I get upset when I step back and think about what I'm doing.

So...Moms:  have a great weekend.  And to the rest of you: make sure you tell your mom how much she means to you.  Give her a call.  Send her some flowers.  Give her a hug.  Cuz, moms are the best!

Happy Mothers Day!

P.S.  To help celebrate the day, I'm offering Free Shipping on any item purchased from my Etsy shop.  Just enter MOM2008 in the comment field and wait for a revised invoice via PayPal.

Breakfast at George's

My son and I continue the Thursday ritual:  breakfast at George's.  It's a great time to have some one-on-one time with him.  Keeping connected with the kids is high priority with my wife and I.

Hope you're having a great week.  Wow..tomorrow is Friday already.