Dinner 1/23/2014

Salmon crusted with almonds, slightly burnt applesauce, and sweet Tater fries...

12/31/13 ~Teriyaki pork, greens, and potatoes

I had to work on New years Eve until 6:45 or so, so I slow cooked some teriyaki pork from ALDI with some potatoes. Threw some Hawaiian rolls in the toaster oven when i got home...only burnt a little bit...and chopped up some romaine lettuce. Et voila.... Food. The pork feel apart when i asked my husband to turn it over when i was still at work... It was tasty and filled up DH, too! :)

12/30: spaghetti, blackberries, and eggnog

Just for fun, I'm going to post our dinners on here on occasion.

Perhaps it will help you decide what to cook for yourself, or maybe it will give me an incentive to be inventive, frugal, and healthy in my meal planning.

12/30/2013 ~we had multigrain spaghetti with canned sauce (Shoppers brand), blackberries (on sale at Shoppers for $1), and eggnog (Aldi's).

Mitten basket

We were in desperate need of a mitten basket... so I took a medium wool sweater from the thrift store and put it on a milk crate ... wrapped the arms around so it hugged itself and tied it into a bow. Et voila! Practically free, and useful (and i think kinda cute, too....) and no sewing or glue involved, so easy, too!

Variegated yarn ....present. (stay tuned)

Just a tiny snapshot of the yarn I'm using for hubby's Christmas present... i love the way variegated yarn makes such interesting designs!
I'll share the pattern I used after he receives them :)

Snore

December 8, 2013- first sticky snow started about 9:30. It is about 10:00 right now. David and I are making the trek to our little church, and then plan to drive to Michaels for my shift.... enjoy your morning, and don't forget to listen to His Word today.

Coffee or tea? Why not save time and have both?

Have you ever had a craving for some delicious fruit tea, only to find that you'd left a K-cup with coffegrounds in your brewer, leaving you with a half-caff cherry berry coffeetee?

365 temperatures - a year's worth of blanketing

I have decided to undertake yet another a rather momentous project. . . and am looking for your help!

Perhaps you have heard of the temperature scarf? As in, you knit/crochet a row a day in various colors depending on the temperature out-of-doors? ...(seen on revelry, with bernat yarn, and several bloggers' attempts.)

Well, I would much rather have something more all-purpose-and-all-encompassing, so my goal for January1st - December 31st of 2014 is to crochet a blanket (potentially 10 foot long, enough for couch-warmers to share/stay warm) with a row-a-day based on the temperature.

Here are my color choices, and the temperatures I chose to associate with those colors:

(All yarn is Caron Simply Soft, found at Michaels, Joanns, Walmart, and online retailers).

100F and higher:  Autumn Red

90-99F: Red

80-89F: Persimmon

75-79F: Bone (also used in another afghan I am trying to finish)... 

65-74F: Sunshine (because I hope to have lots of sun this coming year, obviously!)

55-64F: Sage

45-54F: Light Country Blue

33-44F: Blue Mint

21-32F: Pagoda

10-20F: Ocean

0-9F: Iris

below 0F: Passion

....would you be willing to sponsor me by donating a skein (or more?!) of yarn? My goal is to start and finish this project by January 1st of 2015, and I would need to start ASAP on January 1st of this coming new year :)  I can't promise you a prize or anything fantastic if you donate some yarn, but I will mention your name (or not, if you prefer anonymity) on this blog and post updates regularly of my progress.

Please let me know in an e-mail (if you have my address), FB message (if we're friends), or a comment if you would like to donate some yarn, and I will message you my address if you will be willing to be so fantastic as to join me in this!  ... and share this post with your friends, and maybe we can keep this fun little (well, large) trend going!

~Amanda

nothing = 0

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." 
-Theodore Roosevelt (born in New York City on October 27, 1858)

201 (boldly approach because of Him!)

This is my two-hundred-and-first-post. Here's something insightful:
my next post will be number 202, which is coincidentally "Amazing Grace" in my favorite hymnal, right next to hymn number 203, my favorite hymn, "And Can It Be" -

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.