Summer Part IV: Antonito

Our final day on the road took us to Antonito, and the oldest Catholic church in Colorado, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

This was very curious. The bell tower was aparently infested with bees.

Can you tell what object in this picture just doesn't seem to "go" with the rest? One of these things is not like the others....
Beautiful stained glass.

We drove home after visiting this beautiful old church. We had a great vacation and hope to see more of our country next summer.

Summer Part III: Mesa Verde

The next day we went to Mesa Verde.

The dancers demonstrated traditional Indian dances.
This man explained some of the dances and traditions of his people, and told funny jokes.

Here are some of the famous ruins of the Mesa Verde area. You could not live in these dwellings if you were claustrophobic.
This photo was taken from the van across a chasm.
Amazing how these ancient people built these dwellings.

Our last night on the road we had an indoor pool at the motel:

Summer: Part II: Aztec

On the road we stopped at a scenic overlook to stretch our legs a bit.

Our next stop was Aztec National Monument.

Our last stop this day was Four Corners. We took the requisite tourist photo:

Food Meme

Mimi over at Bigger than a Breadbox had this meme up, so I consider myself tagged.

You take the letters of your name and write a little food-related factoid for each.

K - Kielbasa. Yummy. a friend brought over a casserole with penne pasta and kielbasa - delicious!

I - Italian Wedding Soup. This is such a good "comfort food!" It's a meatball soup with spinach I think - it's been a while since I made it; time to find the recipe again, methinks.

T - Tea. This is the perfect time of year for it. A friend of mine sells very good teas, and I had a tea party where she demonstrated how to brew different kinds for the best flavor (white, green, black, oolong and red). I ordered a bunch of them for myself and for Christmas gifts.

T - Tortillas. Corn for enchiladas, flour for fajitas or burritos. Fry some up and eat them topped with fried eggs and salsa. Mmmmm... that sounds good right now.

Y - Yogurt. Plain with honey; Raspberry in the blender with bananas and frozen berries; Strawberry with Cool Whip, poured into a Graham cracker crust and frozen - Yogurt is a great treat!


Note to self: Never do food memes when you're hungry.

What I Did This Summer: Part I: The Great Sand Dunes

This summer we took a family road trip to several places relatively near our home. This is the first trip we have taken as a family that wasn't specifically to visit more family.



Our first stop was the Great Sand Dunes. What a fun day that was! We had fun wading through the stream that runs at the foot of the dunes.



Once we made it across the water we began the climb up the sand.
It was a windy day, but other than the stings from the flying sand, it was a wonderful day.

Highland Fling

Over Labor Day Weekend, we got all dressed up and headed up to the Longs Peak Highland Festival and Games. Dad had signed us up to march in the parade to represent the Rutherford Clan earlier in the summer, so we all got together for that.
Front row: Lucy (8), Andrew (5), Susan (3), Margaret (7), Anne (4), Benedict (almost 2), Peter (1 1/2).
Back Row: Rebekah, Mike, Benjamin, Ian (in back), Mom, James, Dad & Paula

James (holding St. Andrew's Saltire flag above) bought fabric and supplies and he and Mom & Dad made the clan banner and the clan banner (being held by Ian, right behind Mom) Here we are in the parade (above). Doesn't Dad look great in his kilt? His kids all got together and bought him the kilt, jacket & brogues last Christmas. My beautiful Sister-In-Law is in the center wearing a skirt she made herself, and Mom is behind the second stroller wearing her gorgeous hostess outfit. I wish I had a better picture! I am bringing up the rear (37 weeks pregnant) in a navy blue dress my mother wore to MY wedding 11 years ago. I pinned a mini-sash in the family tartan on my shoulder.
Here's Mike holding a banner while we waited for the parade to start. Doesn't he look handsome in his Tweed jacket and cap?

Anne, Lucy, Susan, Margaret & Andrew cooled their feet after the parade at our picnic site not far from where we started marching.

We had a great time and hope to do it again next year!
We ha

The Lord's Day

We try to make Sundays special. We go to Mass in the morning and don't do any unnecessary work, and I try to have a special dessert just to celebrate the Lord's Day and the gift of family.

Last Sunday we woke up to blizzard conditions, so we did not go to Mass. Instead, we had our own Liturgy of the Word and Spiritual Communion. Susan even sang the Sanctus for us, so we recorded her:


Later, we made an apple pie!

Here's Susan helping with the flour:



Here's Margaret with the pie filling we made a few weeks ago and had in the freezer:
Here's Ian putting the pie crust in the dish:

YUMMY!!

Wordless Wednesday

Curse You, Danielle Bean!!!

Just kidding! I love Danielle Bean, and I love Faith & Family magazine, of which she is the Senior Editor. I am just complaining (in jest) about the burned cookies which resulted from following the directions for the Gingersnap recipe in the latest (Nov/Dec 2007) issue. I had to reduce the time the cookies spent in the oven to 8 minutes instead of 10 - 12 minutes. I am sure it's my oven's fault, not Danielle's:

Baby, It's Cold Outside

This is what it looks like outside:



So this is what we did inside:



Yep! It's time to make Christmas cookies! Today we made Gingersnaps, and hopefully in the coming weeks we'll make Rum Balls, Springerle, Pine Bark, and Christmas Eve Mice. If we do get around to doing all that, I'll post pictures and recipes.

Here's the recipe for Gingersnaps (adapted from Faith & Family magazine, Nov/Dec 2007 issue)

2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. each ground ginger, cloves, and cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3/4 Cup shortening
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 Cup molasses
granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375*F. Greese 2 baking sheets. In a bowl, mix together the flour, spices and salt. In large bowl, cream the shortening, brown sugar, egg and molasses. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until well blended. Pinch off 1-inch-sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes*. Let cool on wire racks.

* 10 minutes was too long in my oven: I had better luck with 8 minutes.

Fried Green Tomatoes, Anyone? Please?

My Father-In-Law's greenhouse yielded quite a bounty of tomatoes this year, as you can see.



Unfortunately, the growing season in our part of the country does not allow ALL the tomatoes to ripen, so now we need to do something with the green ones. Does anyone have a recipe or two for unripened tomatoes, and will the recipe freeze well?



Here's Ian making salsa with some of the red tomatoes. Yummy! That will go into the freezer.



This is the recipe we used for the salsa:

Tomato Freezer Salsa

5 large field tomatoes, peeled
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped*
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place in a sieve over a bowl to drain extra juice.

2. Heat oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet.

3. Add onions, jalapeno pepper and garlic; cook for 7 minutes or until softened but not brown, stirring often.

4. Let cool.

5. Stir in drained tomatoes.

6. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper.

7. Spoon into tightly sealed plastic containers and freeze for up to 4 months.

* For a little bite of spiciness, keep some of the seeds and put them into your salsa with the jalapenos. The salsa we made had NO heat whatsoever without the seeds.

New Christmas blog

Here is a new blog dedicated to spreading the True Meaning of Christmas! I hope you will visit and find some good ideas for this coming Advent!

Idea #20 says to buy an oplatek - if you want to see what oplatki are or buy some, go to my husband's online store Aquinas and More and see!

I live in the Hundred-Acre Wood

Not really, but I am Kanga, according to this:


Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

Pioneer Tough

On Thursday, Sept. 20 I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl at home, with the assistance of 2 midwives, my husband and my Mother-In-Law. I was in labor since 6 that morning, but hard labor didn't come until almost 10 that night, and Maria Isabel Andrea was born shortly after.

On Sunday, Sept. 23 we drove into town and went to Mass. Afterwards we went to the parish hall for donuts and coffee. We met a couple of families with lots of children, like us, and one man looked at me incredulously when he found out how old our baby was and said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are pioneer tough!"

I laughed about it then, but after Mass we spent the afternoon and evening at my In-Laws' house where they were having a farewell-to-summer party. I didn't do much more than sit around nursing the baby, but I spent the next few days groaning and staying in bed as much as I could. Not too pioneer-like at that point!

Fall is Here

Yesterday was a glorious day. The weather was beautiful and we spent the afternoon and evening outdoors with family and friends celebrating the end of summer and the beginning of autumn feasting on paella & gazpacho (two traditional Spanish dishes) and sangria (Spanish red wine punch), as well as desserts and appetizers galore.

Today started foggy and cold, and right now, at 1:30 in the afternoon, the rain has started and the wind has shifted to the North. Definitely tea and cozy sweater weather!

Birth Announcement!

My newest daughter Maria Isabel was born on Thursday, Sept. 20. She's a real sweetie and we all love her. Praise God she is finally here!

Forget the Poinsettias this Christmas!

I recently came across this post over at O Night Divine. It seems that 70% of the nation's poinsettias, those beautiful red plants used to decorate our homes and churches throughout December, are provided by the Ecke family in California. Sounds great - support a family business and decorate to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

BUT this family, unfortunately, uses the money they get from the sales of these poinsettias to renovate abortion mills and support Planned Parenthood's agenda of more abortions!

So, can anyone think of a better alternative to buying poinsettias this year? Get the word out to your pastors about this!

Musings from A Catholic Bookstore has more on this.

Please post any church and home decorating ideas!

Everybody Loves a Parade!

* I will add the photos to go with this post later. *


Last weekend (Saturday, September 9, to be precise) we all drove up to Estes Park, Colorado to participate in the Longs Peak Highland Games Parade. I made hard-boiled eggs and gingerbread cookies the night before so we could eat on the road, since we had to leave at 6 AM.

We arrived at the parade site supposedly just before the parade was to start, but had to stand around for a while before we actually started moving because there were many clans and bands there, and we had to wait our turn to go. Next year we'll send one person to sign us all in, and actually bring everyone to the line up later. The littlest ones got a bit impatient, and I (37 weeks pregnant) was anxious to get going, too!

My Brother-In-Law bought the fabric and designed the banners which were carried by the men in the family.

Doesn't Dad look great in his kilt? Mom looks elegant in her Hostess Dress. My beautiful Sister-In-Law made the skirt she is wearing when she was in Junior High School! And look how gorgeous she looks in it now that she is married and has an almost-two-year-old son (the cutie in the Glengarry hat), and a "bun in the oven." The guys looked handsome in their Tweed jackets and driver's caps. My guys all had matching tartan ties. I wore a tartan mini-sash over my shoulder with a navy blue dress my mother wore at my wedding 11 years ago!

It was wonderful to see that many people still know what to do when the Flag of the United States passes by. Many veterans in the crowds stood and saluted, and many civilians and children put their hands over their hearts.

After the parade, we had a picnic lunch at a nearby picnic area. The kids had fun dipping their feet in the stream at our picnic site.

It was a great day - the weather could not have been better. Next year we'll do it again, God willing!

Retreat

Today I am alone in the house for a couple of hours. Normally, Mondays are for grocery shopping and errand running, but today I am just too pregnant to walk, much less drive all over town getting groceries and library books.

So Ian took the kids (all 6 of them by himself - what a man!) and loaded them into the van after treating us to a yummy breakfast of oatmeal and home-made biscuits. They are off to do the necessaries of the day while I waddle around the house looking for the last items I need before the baby's born. And then I'll lie down and let my back relax for a few minutes while I do some spiritual reading. That's probably all I have time for today, but it is enough.

Back To School

Well, here we are in the middle of August again! Normally we would not start school so soon, but the kids have actually been asking (!) and since baby Snowdrop is due towards the end of September, I thought we should start so that we can take a break when baby is born.

So far so good. All three of my school-aged kids did extra Math pages the first day - they decided to do this without my prompting, and no complaints, except that some of them wanted to do more when it was time to clear the table and prepare dinner. If this good cheer continues, we might finish school this year by Christmas (just kidding)!

Sharing the Bounty

Peach jam! Pickles! Applesauce!

My Mother-n-Law is taking time this summer to teach me how to make such culinary delights, and if we can control ourselves and not eat it all before Thanksgiving, there will be a jar of peach preserves for Uncle Tommy and his family, a jar of applesauce for Aunt Mary, and a tin of spiced nuts for Uncle John. Not to mention the rum balls for Aunt Elizabeth and Gingerbread cookies for Grandpa.

I am hoping that Uncle Brandon will share his home-made Christmas Ale in return!

Win Dairy Products from Horizon

Go HERE to sign up to win $300 of dairy products for your family! Here''s a link to Horizon Organics too.

May She Rest In Peace

Last night our family drove home from the home of my husband's grandmother. She was 92 years old when the Lord called her home on Thursday, July 12. All of her children and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were with her when she died.

The Rosary was held on Monday of this week, and the funeral Mass was on Tuesday. The ceremonies attached to these events were beautiful and dignified, as was the life of our Nana. Please pray for the repose of her soul as well as for the strength of the family to carry on without her here.

Asking for a Miracle NOW!!!

Please pray! I know someone who needs a large sum of money TODAY. If you would please pray that somehow this money will materialize before midnight, it would be greatly appreciated. Please pray for this person to be able to trust God as well. I beg of you to implore heaven. Give your Guardian Angel something to do: Send him on an urgent mission.

Pro-Family Businesses Wanted

In my previous post "Is it Wrong to Buy at Discount?" Someone commented that her family tries to support Catholic businesses whenever possible. I responded with this (below) and thought I should start a new post on the subject, asking if anyone knows of small family-run businesses that struggle to stay afloat because they cannot compete with larger corporations that discount more than the smaller businesses can (perhaps because they have their items manufactured in China or other countries that do not promote freedom for their people):

Kitty's response: "Which reminds me! I am planning on repainting my kitchen and saw a wall hanging I really wanted at Hobby Lobby. It is just exactly the size and shape of what I was thinking of to put in the mud room - it is black wrought iron and has a rooster at the top and 7 hooks along the bottom - perfect for little coats and gloves in winter and little sun hats and gardening gloves in summer. HOWEVER, it is made in China and you have just reaffirmed why I cannot buy it. It supports forced abortions instead of strengthening families. Do you know any American family-run businesses that make and sell "country" type items for the home?"

SO! If you know of any such small businesses I would like to have a list here. It does not have to sell "country" items, but any small business that sells wholesome items NOT made in countries where Catholic values are trodden upon and people are enslaved. My blog does not reach millions, but I want to do my small part to help families trying to earn a living doing something worthwhile. Tell your friends to send me information on these businesses. I am especially interested in online and "local" stores (local to your part of the country or world).

Pray for Nana

My husband's grandmother is old. Her 93rd birthday is coming up this August, but she may not make it. All of her children and some of her grand children and great-grandchildren are gathering at her house this week and next week to say goodbye. We will probably be headed there on Monday also.

Please pray for safe travel for all of her family who are going to see her, for strength for those of us left behind without her, but most of all for a happy and holy death for this beautiful woman who has touched so many lives with her generosity and hospitality.

Put On a Happy Face!

We were talking about all of the kids' cousins, whom we will see at Christmas time.

Me: And Uncle Tommy & Aunt Dwija are having a little boy a little before our baby is born, so we'll see him too!

Andrew (5): You mean they already know it's a boy? How?

Me: Yes. Do you remember that thing my midwife put on my tummy and we could see the baby on a little TV? Well, they can sometimes see if the baby is a boy or girl.

Lucy (8): yeah, they look at the...

Me: Wait, let Andrew answer. Andrew, how do you think they can tell if it's a boy or girl?

Andrew: They can tell by the face!

Two-Year-Old Self Awareness

Susan (2): Mommy, I don't have...I don't have...have...have...have... Oh, I don't know what I'm talking about!

Is it wrong to buy at a discount?

I have been mulling this idea around for quite some time now - at least a year. I wonder if anyone has any insight into this problem.

Is it wrong to buy at a discount? Or is it SOMETIMES wrong and sometimes ok?

I am somewhat of the opinion that if I can afford to pay full price (or sale price) at a regular store, I perhaps should not go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill store to buy something that someone who truly cannot afford to shop anywhere else might need. For example, I found a long black skirt in my size at Goodwill last year for about $3. It was the only one in my size. If I have enough money to buy a similar skirt at a regular clothing store, is it ok for me to buy it for so little and perhaps deprive someone who really can't afford it of needed clothing?

On the other hand, someone pointed out to me that she deliberately buys from secondhand stores because she does not want her money to go to large companies that support ideologies that she does not believe in (abortion "rights," gay agendas, etc). I see her point, too.

Another scenario: We own a Catholic bookstore. Our staff is knowledgeable about all our books and products and are always reading and researching in order to help our customers choose what they need, we strive not to carry anything made or printed in China, and to carry only orthodox Catholic materials.

We have friends who will either come into the store or call and keep an employee busy answering questions about various products, sometimes for hours. When these friends have learned what they need to know to purchase a book or gift, they'll say something like, "I am going to go order it from Amazon because they're cheaper." They have just stolen time, expertise & information from our employees when they had no intention of buying from us. They have just made it that much harder for us to compete with giants like Amazon or B & N, who can afford to buy books in large quantities and offer deep discounts. They have pushed us one step closer to closing down, and they are supporting a company that supports gay agendas and abortion on demand. They are taking food out of the mouths of our children and those of our employees.

Why do we always strive to buy it cheaper if we don't need to, or if by doing so we are hurting families? What are we saving the money for? To buy more stuff?

Baby Belly Band

No, it's not musical. I found this contest at 5 Minutes for Mom. They're giving away a Belly Band from Baby Be Mine Maternity

If you or someone you know if pregnant, you may want to see this style innovation. It may even save you a little cash on maternity clothes!

Now THAT'S empty!

Andrew (5): "My tummy was as empty as water after you fish all the fishes"

Home Decorating: Hall Bath

This room is between the girls' & boys' rooms, and the space between the three doors is fondly referred to as "the hall" (it measures about 4 X5 feet). The walls of the bathroom are currently white, but I would like to paint them a shade of tan to go with the various other tan rooms. I would like to put a frame around the mirror which is glued to the wall (so we can't replace it easily). There are 5 bright "vanity globe lights" above the mirror. There is a toilet, and tub with a green/ burgundy/ gold plaid curtain around it. I might like to replace it with something like this. The counter which holds the sink has 3 cabinet doors under it, and lots of storage room. There's also an attached linen cabinet between the door and the sink. I would like to put a framed picture over the towel rack across from the toilet. The one that's there is a hand-painted water color of the cathedral in Florence. Ian & I bought it from a street vendor on our honeymoon. It may stay there. I like it. Maybe add a nice bath set.

Home Decorating: Guest/Play Room

This room is white, but I'd like to paint it green or tan. I wish that it could be strictly a guest bedroom, but we don't have any other room for sewing supplies, toys with small parts that would be dangerous for the little kids to find, or boxes of things I need to go through and get rid of or find a home for. Eventually, if we don't sell our house, this will have to become a bedroom, probably for girls. Right now, it would be best to make it a play room/sewing/seasonal storage room. So, I need to go through those boxes of things that didn't sell on eBay and give them away. Next, go through the shelves holding school things and see what can be thrown or given away. Put the kids' toys on the shelves in bins so they can find what they want without everything falling off the shelves. Move the coffee table in here so they have a place to build their creations. Take the things stuffed into the closet out and go through them. Acquire some cabinets with doors so I can bring in the boxes of fabric & patterns that we took out to the garage "because we won't need them before we move in a month or so" almost two years ago. Maybe I can move the folding table from my bedroom in here so I can sew. Guests can sleep on the floor on an air mattress. Maybe we can make room for their clothes in the closet.

Home Decorating: Boys' Room

This room is currently white, and one boy & one girl sleep in here. There is one small dresser that holds the boy's clothes (but he's getting bigger and his clothes are too). The toy box is also in here, along with a couple of larger toy vehicles. I would like to move the girl into the girls' room and the baby into this room. The walls I would paint two shades of blue: one above a chair rail, the other below. I would put the older boy's bed along another wall where it would not be in the way of the closet door, and I would put the crib where the bed is now, eventually replacing it with the toddler bed that one of the girls is using (and later just one set of bunk beds and no toddler bed). I'd like to put up shelves in here too, for some special collectibles or boy memorabilia.

Of course, if the baby I am now carrying turns out to be a girl, we might be in trouble. If he's boy, we'll just add another bed or set of bunks to the boys' room.

Home Decorating: Girls' Room

As I mentioned, I painted a mural on 3 walls in here. It is unfinished and I doubt that I'll ever finish it. I am thinking of painting the walls two shades of pink - one above a chair rail and one below. We currently have four girls, three of whom sleep in this room. We have one set of bunk beds in here, and a toddler bed. I would like to bring in another set of bunks and get all four girls in here. If I do that, I will need to figure out where to store all their clothes. Currently we have two dressers, two closets, and two very big drawers under the lower bunk holding all of their clothes, but I may need to remove one of the dressers to fit the other bunks in here. I'd like to put shelves on the walls to hold special things away from the reach of the littlest ones. This room will basically be only for sleeping and dressing, as there will be no room for desks or lamps, unless the lamps are wall-mounted next to the beds. The biggest problem I foresee is that both younger girls will be in the same room at nap time, which is not a good idea.

Home Decorating: Master Bedroom

This is a big room. We have a Queen size bed, a side table with drawers, a tall chest of drawers, a Jacobean table that is in use as a computer table for when Ian works from home, a folding table with my sewing machine on it, and a large, green recliner that I sleep on in the last trimester of my pregnancies. We recently moved the furniture around in here and it actually doesn't look too bad (except that the folding table is old and the top is torn and stained, and I have boxes and piles of books and things to "get to" one of these days around the recliner and by the windows - ok it looks pretty bad). The walls are currently white. I have been wanting to paint them a deep red, but with the red already so prominent in the kitchen and dining room, I may want to choose a more soothing color in here. I found a picture in a magazine once (which I kept - maybe I can scan it in sometime) that showed a very nice bedroom. The walls were a cool, light teal, and the bedding was a mix of pale teal with peach and soft gold, I think. I'll have to find it again. I actually bought some upholstery remnants with the colors so I could make some pillow shams if I painted the walls that color.

If I could, I would replace the Jacobean table with a roll-top or some other kind of desk that would hide any trace of technology (Ian's computer, etc). It would take up less room than the table, and could be put in the corner. I would then replace the card table with the Jacobean for my sewing (and while I was at it I would replace my Brother sewing machine with a new Bernina heehee - I might as well dream big! If I REALLY dream big I will dream up a sewing room with a clean, neat place for all the supplies I need. I want and get it out of my bedroom altogether - but that will be another post). I would like to get the big green recliner out too, but there isn't another place to put it, and it seems to be the only place I can sleep (or at least rest) during those last months. I wish I could at least replace it with something smaller and more feminine (but just as comfortable). Next to it I have a small side table with attached lamp. It doesn't really "go" but I need light when I work on hand sewing, reading etc. It is in a "country" style, so maybe with a new coat of paint it would work somewhere else in the house.

Home Decorating: Master Bath

The walls, as I mentioned, are dark blue with metallic swirls hand-painted ALL OVER them. This is a very big room, for a bathroom. To give you an idea, there is enough room to place a twin bed or two in the middle of it. It has a big tub in one corner (I can put 5 of my kids in for a bath - although it is getting a bit tight now), and a shower in another corner. the third corner has the toilet, and the fourth has an attached linen cabinet. Between the cabinet and the tub is a counter with mirrored medicine cabinets above. Between the tub and the toilet is another counter with a sink and mirrored medicine cabinets above it. Between the shower and the linen cabinet is the door to the Master bedroom, and between the shower and the toilet, the wall juts out with a coat closet and the door to the mud room. Next to the shower is a space big enough to place a vanity and chair, but we currently have a changing table with a shelf above it for diapers & supplies. Whew! I am sure that is confusing, but there it is. The original white walls made this room look very big and cold. I think I should cover the gold swirls, but a dark blue might work in here if it coordinates with the red in the kitchen and the cashew in the mudroom, which are both just outside the door. But maybe a more subdued sage green would work, too, and make this a more restful place, especially as it connects to the Master Bedroom, which should be a place of rest. I'd like to run a chain across the ceiling and hang a lamp above the changing table. You'd think the 5 bright, hot vanity bulbs above both counters and the fan light in the ceiling would light up every corner of the room, but they don't. I would like to also keep these counters clear of anything except for a pretty liquid soap dispenser and a hand towel holder by the sink, and maybe some candles or a tart burner on the other counter. I would like to eventually have a vanity where I could keep my makeup and do my face with good light, but diaper changing days are not over yet, and they won't be for a while. A new toilet brush and plunger would be good, too. 10 years is probably long enough to use the same ones.

Home Decorating: Living Room

This room faces southwest, and has a gorgeous view of Pikes Peak from the windows. The walls, as mentioned earlier, are painted a warm "Roasted Cashew" which I love. There is a wood burning fireplace in one corner near the windows, and on the other side of the windows is the "front" door (which leads to the back yard) and the door to the coat closet. The opposite side of the room opens to the kitchen, with a pass-through between the two rooms. It is a long, narrow room, which I find difficult to decorate to my satisfaction. There aren't any "corners" that can be used for furniture placement. One corner has the fireplace in it, one has the door and the closet, one is open and leads to the kitchen and dining room, and the last has a door to the Master bedroom in it.

We currently have two large sofas, a love seat (that matches one of the sofas - both quite faded), a coffee table, a matching side table that has at least one broken leg, a hand-me-down piano that is badly in need of tuning on the inside and refinishing on the outside, a sofa table that is in use as an altar, and an old fiberboard cabinet with a TV on it. The kids keep all their kitchen toys in it and "cook" and have picnics in the living room. The doors do not close all the way & I am always afraid the very heavy TV is gong to fall on the baby, who likes to climb!

What I would like to do is throw everything out and start over. However, I don't think that's going to happen. I like having enough comfortable seating for everyone, but I just can't get it to look nice, even with sofa covers, and I don't find this room a peaceful place to be. There's just too much in it and none of it seems to "go" with anything else. I really want to get a nice TV armoire so that I can hide the TV away when it's not in use. I would put it in front of the wall between the closet door and the opening to the dining/kitchen area, perhaps flanked by matching (or at least coordinating) book cases. On the book cases I would put potted plants, a matching buffet lamp on each one, and nothing else. I don't think I would put anything on the wall above them. I'd throw away the old fiberboard cabinet, and find another place for the kitchen toys.

If I could, I would get rid of all of the seating and get one pretty love seat and two upholstered chairs to go in the middle of the room, centered around the windows. I'd like one of those small coffee tables with a glass-topped cabinet for display in it so I could put some decorative items in it without danger of little hands breaking them (things like Russian lacquer boxes, silver bouquet holders, little porcelain figurines, the displays changed with the seasons). As it is, I don't have the budget to do this, and will probably just give away one of the sofas and save up to buy some nicer slip covers for the matching sofa & love seat. I would like to move the coffee table to the guest room (which is a play room for the older kids to play with things that the littler ones might swallow). It is the perfect height for the kids to build things on with Lego.

The upright piano I would like to have fixed and restained one color (it currently has brown on most of the body and orangish paint streaked on the lid and front. I don't know how it ended up this way). I do not know where I would put it at the moment besides its current location between the fireplace and the door to the Master bedroom. I would not put anything on it, but on the wall above it I would put a framed picture (I don't know what yet). The cover on the bench I would replace with something other than brown velveteen with orange flowers on it. It isn't hideous, but it doesn't "go." Above the fireplace I would like to hang a large framed mirror, (or one like this) with nothing but a couple of seasonal items on the mantel (pillar candles for winter, white tapers in tall silver or crystal candlesticks (or these) for summer, a couple of ball topiaries for spring, etc.)

The altar I would like to put in a place where it is prominent and usable, but I really don't know where. It is currently against the wall between the Master bedroom door and the opening to the kitchen. I wish I could center it on the wall opposite the windows, but there is no wall there - just the open space to the kitchen with the pass-through in it. Even if there were no other furniture in this room, there would be no prominent place to put it. maybe it can be transfered to the buffet in the dining room. The Guadalupe picture will already be there. I don't know where we would put our Sacred Heart wall statue (He's 3 -dimensional, except that his back is flat, to hang on a wall). I'll try to post pictures later so you can give me ideas.

Home Decorating: Dining Room

This room is open to the kitchen, so I think the same color walls would be good. It is a very large room. We have a huge conference table as our dining table in here, and wooden chairs with broken rush seats and folding chairs, some with booster seats on them for the kids. I love the table. We have a large family & everyone fits when my In-Laws come over. I found some table cloths online that were on sale, so I can cover the whole thing (it's about 20 feet long, I am guessing) and make it look quite elegant. When not in use as a dining table, it is excellent for school work and art, as it is not wood and wipes clean easily. I would like to replace the seats on the wooden chairs with pads or solid wood seats, but I am not sure how. I know I can figure it out; just haven't had time to think about it. I would like to upholster them with something that will coordinate with the living room furniture, so we can take chairs in there for additional seating. The folding chairs keep losing screws, but they have not fallen apart yet and aren't stained or torn, so we'll keep them until we don't need them for the booster seats. Ideally, I would replace the carpet in here with wood or nice-looking laminate (along with the kitchen & mudroom, which are all the same room). But then kids' running and shouting would be a lot louder and the winter would be colder. Sigh. Maybe a runner along the side of the room that leads from the kids' rooms towards the kitchen & living room would be a good remedy.

In this room there is also a metal cabinet that holds school supplies, my computer desk and chair, and a buffet. My desk's horizontal surface ends up looking pretty bad because if the kids break a toy or draw a picture for me, or if they don't know where something goes, guess where they put it? I do this too, so I am partly to blame. It has a hutch, where I used to keep my cookbooks (when the desk was in the kitchen), but it was put in the garage when we first put the house on the market because we expected to move right away. If I had my 'druthers I would replace this desk with a roll top or something to hide my computer from view unless I were using it. I would get an attractive (not metal) file cabinet to file away beautiful artwork and broken toys until I could get to them. I would also replace the metal cabinet with something attractive (wood would be nice). The buffet is nice, but it needs to be cleaned and polished (and dusted regularly). I have a beautiful framed picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe which I would love to hang above the buffet, flanked with metal candle sconces or lamps of some sort. I would also like to replace the ceiling fixture with something more attractive than the flush-mount glass bowl with the "energy saver" bulb in it. A chandelier like this would be nice, and keep with the "country" feel of the place. I would probably put little lamp shades on it. I don't know if there would be a way to center it above the table (or put two in), as the light fixture is not currently centered above the room). There is one long wall in here which I would like to turn into a family photo gallery. I have portraits of our family and I want to frame them and get them on the walls where they can be enjoyed. If we do paint the walls barn red, I think the pictures would look good in black frames with white mats.

Home Decorating: Kitchen

This is the sponge-painted room I mentioned above. The color clashes slightly with the mudroom & living room walls (which both open to the kitchen), so I am thinking of repainting. I like the barn red of the dining area in the article I linked to above, but I need to find a shade that will go well with the Roasted Cashew of the two adjoining rooms. I don't think that will be hard to find.

I also want to add a little color to the floor in the form of a rug near the sink, and a pot-hanger above the sink where I could hang plants in front of the window. I would love to add lighting to the counters, but I am not sure how to do this (nor do I have the budget). I have some appliances on the counters, and I would like to keep them in the cabinets until I use them. Clutter accumulates on any horizontal surface & it is a constant battle for me, as I don't have a place (or this) to put a lot of the stuff that ends up there (my purse, receipts, cookbooks, notebooks, etc). I know I have a lot in the cabinets that I never use, so I am going to get rid of a lot of that so I can make room for my appliances and maybe have a special place where I can put the phone book and other things that are needed but don't have a home. I'd also like to have some sort of box I can hang that will have holes on the bottom and a door on the front, where I can "hide" my cell phone while it charges. I don't like the "look" of technology and would rather hide as much of it as possible. If I could have clear counters all the time (except for when I am actually preparing and serving a meal) I think I would be happy with my kitchen. I would love to only have a vase of fresh flowers on the island counter, and possibly some decorative item, like a rooster statue (or this one) or pretty lamp on the pass-through, and a fruit basket. A galley slave to clean up after me would be nice, while I am dreaming.

There's a big blank wall between the mud room and the living room, where we recently placed a chest freezer. There's still lots of room, so I would like to put a "family center" here -I have a magnetic dry erase board here but would like to replace it with a magnetic blackboard and a shelf for chalk, eraser, extra magnets to "keep it country" - I think the white dry erase board says "technology" don't you? Maybe I'd top it with some wall decor - a clock perhaps, even though there is a digital clock on the microwave and the stove. How are my kids ever going to learn how to tell time if there are no "real" clocks in the house? I'd also like to move our family calendar here. It is currently on the side of the refrigerator, but it's not easy to access because of the counter.

Home Decoration: Entrance/Mudroom

This is actually the back of the house, but we had the builders put it on our property facing the front, so that we'd have someplace easy to clean where people would be coming in from the outside. The actual front door opens onto the living room, which is carpeted. I am so glad we did this! We've had some very muddy winters & springs out here. It's getting better as grass grows in and we landscape a bit, but still I like the idea of being able to mop instead of cleaning a carpet all the time. Anyway, the walls are currently "Roasted Cashew" which is very nice & warm. I have a picture of the "Polish Madonna" (Mary hanging clothes on a line with Baby Jesus sitting on the ground playing next to her) which would look great in here, especially as this is also the laundry room. A Holy Water font would be good to have in here by the door. I hung a curtain made of solid burgundy sheets from the ceiling in front of the washer & dryer to make this room more welcoming. I hope to hang a large mirror on one wall, and add a bench and a short cabinet with doors and shelves inside for shoe storage. Maybe some hooks on a wall for hats & coats. We currently have a tall fiberboard cabinet in here which holds kitchen towels. I would like to move the cabinet to the garage for use there, and find another place for the towels (some of the wash cloths need replacing too).

Home Decorating

I have been itching for a number of years to redecorate our manufactured home. It is a big house, and it had a lot of big white walls when we moved in 7 years ago. That first summer, while I was pregnant with my second child, I painted the kitchen with a sponge roller, using a honey-hued paint mixed with glaze over solid cream paint.

The next time I was pregnant, I painted the Master Bath "Neptune Blue" (dark) and added metallic gold swirls freehand all over. I like it, but it definitely does not look professional. I am considering covering it and painting something else that might be less scary to potential buyers.

Then, during another pregnancy, my Sister-In-Law came over and watched the kids while I painted a fairytale mural in the girls' room. I should say I STARTED the mural. I painted the background land color and sky on three walls, and added a castle on a hill, a big tree in a corner, a lake by the hill, flowers, and clouds in the sky. I meant to paint the wall surrounding the closet doors to look like a wooden wardrobe, but I never got that far.

Another time my Mother-In-Law and I painted the living room and mudroom a beautiful color called "Roasted Cashew." I got paint chips back then in shades of tan and rose that coordinate with that color, which I have wanted to add to the walls of the dining room, hall & Master Bedroom. More recently I found paint chips in blues and greens that also coordinated with those colors for the boys' room and the guest room/storage room/ whatever else room and hall bath.

Instead, though, right after I gave birth to my 14 month old, I invited a family with teenage and pre-teen boys over to help me paint the boys' room and the dining room white, because I thought that would be more appealing to potential buyers. Well, no one made an offer on the house in the 18 moths that it was on the market (perhaps due to the "scary" Master Bath, but no one ever said anything), so now I am looking for a more colorful way to express "home" that would still be appealing to potential buyers.

I just found this over at Starry Sky Ranch.

This country look would work well in our home. We live in the country (on 5 acres), and most of the year we have cool if not cold winds blowing. I think cozy colors would make this house, with its large white walls, more inviting. I don't necessarily like the "shabby" look of the used furniture with the scraped paint job or ladder used as a decoration, but I think the wall colors used here (warm barn red in the dining area paired with the black furniture, and the warm honey walls of the family room with new upholstered chairs) are charming. The light fixtures and other "country" decorations add the finishing touch.

I have been too afraid to put much on our walls. I know I probably have plenty of things that would look nice on display, but I lack the confidence in painting & putting up shelves or even putting a nail in the wall.

I am pregnant now, and the weather will hopefully be getting warmer soon, so it is the perfect time to do SOMETHING! I tend to have the creativity, energy & will to do that kind of work when I am pregnant, if you hadn't noticed.

I have decided to put each of the rooms in a different post for easier reading. This post was getting way too long. I hope I am not boring anyone. These home decor posts are basically so I can put my thoughts into words and decide what I can do and what I cannot do to make my house run more smoothly and be more peaceful.

Mother's Day Giveaway!

Here's a neat set of contests for Moms! I entered today. Go see all the cool stuff you could win.

Peter Rabbit

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter


Discussion questions: Did Peter do as he was told by his mother? Did he get into trouble? What did he get for supper? Did Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail obey Mrs. Rabbit? Did they get into trouble? What did they get for supper? How should we behave when our parents tell us to do something?


Outdoor Activities:
Mr. McGregor's Garden
Plant Peter's favorite vegetables (carrots, lettuces, radishes, parsley, etc.) in a small garden plot or in containers if you don't have the space in the yard. You might consider planting "rabbit tobacco" (lavender) and chamomile, too! Take care of your garden throughout the summer and harvest your vegetables.

Make and run an obstacle course, like Peter running away from Mr. McGregor

Take a nature walk through a rural area: spot bunnies or rabbit tracks. See what other animals or tracks you can find! Keep a nature journal an draw the animals, plants & tracks you see.


Indoor activities:
Pretend to be a bunny in the living room or play room. Hop slowly, like Peter did when he was trying to find his way out of Mr. McGregor's garden (lippity, lippitty).

Draw Peter and his family in various scenes from the book, or use your imagination and draw what you think they might do on another day.


Snack: carrot sticks, salad, veggies with dip, chamomile tea with a little sugar or honey (and milk if you like)

New Project!

Many years ago I interviewed for a job at a library. It was for the position of children's story hour reader. I did not get that job, but I found the most wonderful book at a children's bookstore. It had short children's stories in it, like Peter Rabbit and other classics, along with an activity for each story. Unfortunately, I did not buy the book, and I have kicked myself for not getting it ever since, especially since I started having children of my own! I do not remember the name of the book, nor have I been able to find anything like it again.

So! As we near the summer months I am going to attempt to compile my own ideas here. We'll start with Peter Rabbit, since soon we'll be able to go outside and garden and see rabbits hopping around. My next post will have some activity ideas for children to do with adults after reading the story. I hope you enjoy them. Please feel free to add your own comments with ideas for any books you liked as a child or any your own children like, as well as activities (including cute snacks)!

Lent is over, time for a meme

It's been a long time since I posted anything, and as I live my life and care for my children, I find that there is really very little time for me to blog much. I intended for this site to be a weekly spiritual exercise, but sitting at the computer offers too many distractions from what I really ought to be doing during the day (home school, kid care, meals, dishes, laundry, etc). And at night when the kids are in bed and Ian comes home I don't want to be at the computer!

Anyway, I have a few minutes today to fill out this meme. I don't play tag, so if you feel like answering this yourself, just leave me a comment so I can know more about you.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:20am (I think)


2. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls mostly, but some day I'd like to wear diamonds with a dark blue velvet dress!

3. What was the last film you saw at the theater? Night at the Museum (at Christmastime).

4. What is your favorite TV show? I really have no idea what's on - we don't have TV. We did borrow the 1st season of 24 a while back and that was fun. I also liked Stargate.

5. What did you have for breakfast? Oatmeal with bits of dried apricot in it.

6. What is your middle name? Maria

7. What is your favorite cuisine? I like all kinds of food. I have a craving right now for Chinese (specifically egg rolls and lemon chicken) . And pickles. And pistachio ice cream. I'm pregnant.

8. What foods do you dislike? I really dislike liver, but not in all its forms. I like pate and liverworst on crackers or in a sandwich.

9. What are your favorite chips? Pringles in the potato variety, and I like white corn chips (no particular brand, as long as they're crispy & not thick) in the corn category, with salsa and guacamole.

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Hmmm. Hard to say. I like Enya, the soundtracks to the Lord of the Rings movies, and Haydn.

11. What kind of car do you drive? Chevy Venture 2003 minivan - this is for sale, if anyone is interested and lives in the Colorado Springs area or can get here to pick it up. We're about to outgrow it (as I said, I am pregnant, and as soon as baby #7 is born we will need a new van, but we need to sell this one first).

12. Favorite sandwich? BLT. With avocado. I'm hungry.

13. What are characteristics you can't stand? insincerity, lying

14. What are your favorite clothes? ballet-neck linen dress with soft floral print and princess seams, and heels.

15. If you could go anywhere on vacation where would you go? Italy

16. One random fact about myself: I like to sew (and wear) costumes from various time periods.

17. Where would you want to retire? Colorado. I love it here!

18. Favorite time of day? nap time! And when Ian gets home!

19. Where were you born? California

20. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hockey, but i don't watch sports much.

21. Coke or Pepsi? neither - I don't like soda much. I'd rather have root beer if there's ice cream in it ;)

22. Beavers or ducks? What a weird question. To eat? Ducks. To watch build dams? Beavers.

23. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Neither. I like 9 AM to about 1 PM for being awake.

24. Pedicure or manicure? manicure I think, but I have never had a pedicure (first one is scheduled for Monday)

25. What did you want to be when you were little? a veterinarian.

26. What is your best childhood memory? Playing in the back yard with my siblings, building villages for the Star Wars figures in the sand box. And swimming at night in our swimming pool with our cousins, and making "night rainbows" with a hose and a bright light.

27. Ever been to Africa? No

28. Ever been toilet papering? No

29. Been in a car accident? Yes.

30. Favorite day of the week? Monday. No kidding!

31. Favorite restaurant? 3 Margaritas is up there. The Briarhurst Manor is WAY up there.

32. Favorite flower? rose

33. Favorite ice-cream? Coffee

34. Favorite fast food restaurant? Wendy's or Chick Fil A

35. How many times did you fail your driver's test? None.

36. From whom did you get your last e-mail? Pikes Peak Library District

37. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? I don't have a credit card, but I would spend money, if I had it, at Bombay Company, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma, and a good nursery.

38. Last person you went to dinner with? Ian - 10th anniversary dinner!

39. What are you listening to right now? Kids playing in the living room.

40. What is your favorite color? red

41. How many tattoos do you have? None

42. How many people are you sending this to? zero

43. What time did you finish this blog entry? Well, at this question, it is 10:53am.

44. Favorite magazine: Faith & Family and Romantic Homes, when they don't go overboard on the Shabby Chic look.

45. Coffee or tea? I like both, but rarely have either.

46. Do you tan easily or burn easily? neither. I don't go outside much. I guess I tan when I do gardening in the summer.

47. Do you color your hair? No

48. What was the first car you ever purchased without the help of your parents? 1996 Voyager minivan (actually my husband bought it)

49. What is your most dreaded household chore? Ironing.

h/t: St. Francis Academy

Bleg for Prayers and Letters

Some friends of mine are facing trouble in the near future, concerning their land and the government. Read Here what's going on, and how you can help! No one deserves to lose their home, their life savings or their good health!

Housekeeping Meme

Tagged by Michelle at the Family-Centered Life!

Aprons – Y/N?

Yes! I just bought a new one because my old one was tearing at the pockets. It is my uniform for daily tasks from homeschooling to cooking to cleaning. I have used its pockets to carry produce from the garden or seeds and tools TO the garden.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake:

Blackberry Wine Cake

Clothesline – Y/N?

Yes, in summer.

Donuts – Have you ever made them?

No, but I have been tempted. Actually, I think I attempted them once, before I was married.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day:

Dishes

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?

Yes, in the mudroom.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?

No. Compost.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?

My Mother-In-Law. No kidding - she's good at it and I admire her orderliness!

Ironing – Love it or hate it?

Ask my poor husband. Better yet, don't.

Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?

Well, I don't have enough drawers to designate one for "junk" but I have a "storage room" (which is also a play room for the older kids, a guest room, a Christmas present wrapping room, etc. heehee. It used to be a sewing room and my dh's office when he worked from home.)

Kitchen: Design & Decorating?

big & open with a large island in the middle. Not much in the way of decorating, unless you count "clutter, early 2000s." I actually think my kitchen is too big for me - I am a small person and find it tiring to work in there, even though I like to cook. I would design a smaller, more efficient space. Good for parties, though.

Love: What is your favorite part of homemaking?

Cooking, and putting fresh linens on the beds.

Mop - Y/N?

Yes but not often enough.

Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?

washing machine.

Oven - Do you use the window, or open the door to check?

Window, unless I need to check the temp. Time to clean the window by the way. Yuck.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?

Oooo... Feta, fresh tomato slices, a bit of olive oil, fresh mushrooms...maybe asparagus if it weren't so expensive!

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?

What's that? Can I get it online? Actually, pray a rosary, spiritual reading or nap.

Recipe card box - Y/N?

No. If it isn't in my head, online or in a book I won't find it again.

Style of house -

2000 manufactured ranch-style

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?

Yes. Tablecloth or place mats for every meal. Usually paper napkins, but I am trying to build a collection of cloth for every day use so I can just throw them in the wash.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?

Neither. Not much under there except some empty jars for disposing of used oil, but it could use a scrub-down around the trash can.

Vacuum - How many times per week?

I'll let you know when we get the vacuum fixed.

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do a week?

average: one or two a day except Sundays.

X’s - Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?

No. I have tried this, but I keep misplacing it. I haven't found my "system" yet. I do put important things on the calendar, which I look at several times a day. I get daily reminders from www.fylady.net in my email, too.

Yard - Who does what?

dh mows and waters grass and trees, and helps me prepare the soil for seeds, and I water and tend the flower and vegetable gardens in summer.

Zzz’s - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?

Clear the dinner table, put food away. If dh doesn't have time, sometimes I will wash dishes and clean the sink, check on kids in bed and turn out lights.

My Path

We have decided to take our house off the market for at least 3 months to have a "breather" while we work on school and live without having to interrupt our day for potential buyers to come see the house. In May we'll re-assess the situation and go from there.

A few weeks ago I was really excited about painting all the rooms in the house and had the energy to do it. Unfortunately, it was extremely cold outside and I couldn't do it (although we did buy some new interior doors to replace the ones on the children's rooms, and some nice paint to go on them). It is nice and warm today (has been in the 60s the last few days) but I have no time, energy or desire to paint. All I want to do is take a nice, long (like 2 days long), hot shower and then sleep for a week on clean cotton flannel sheets under a down comforter in a dark room.

Instead I am feeding the kids some good leftover chicken stir-fry I made yesterday, and finishing up today's school work with Lucy, and listening for Peter's voice (I put him down for a nap but the other kids keep forgetting that shouting in the house is not allowed). God knows what is good for me. Sure, I could use a week at the spa, but changing diapers and doing laundry is the path God has set me upon, and it is the path that leads to heaven.

Well, it is quiet time now, so maybe I will get a 20 minute shower.