CLEANING REVELATION

I have to dedicate today's blog to this fantasic new addition to our household: Rubbermaid's Reveal Spray Mop Kit!
I was looking for the Swiffer WetJet, but there was a display of these next to them, thank goodness.  The pros over the WetJet are reusable microfiber pads and refillable bottle that you get to choose your cleaner for.  What a money saver by eliminating "have tos" for buying their pads and their cleaners!
I mopped my floor this morning with it and danced the whole way around my kitchen!!
If you need a last minute Christmas present, this is it! (But, you husbands, I highly recommend including coupons for free moppings by you!!!)  Just saying.....
Happy Cleaning!
TJO

COOKIES, BARS & GOODIES

I had a fun weekend filled with baking and secret project sewing (will share after the holidays).  I had some new ideas from a Disney magazine that I'm still not sure how I received in the mail and I also had a new recipe to try for an annual cookie swap.

I tried chocolate dipped candy canes with sprinkles from the magazine.  They leave out suggestions on the best ways to dip the canes.  My recommendations after trying them is to melt your chocolate in a tall, thin container versus short and round.  My other, learned the hard way, suggestions is to add the sprinkles over a container so they don't end up all over the counter and floors!

I also made Almond Poppy Seed Cookies for and annual cookie swap with friends.  I highly recommend these swaps before the holidays!! Google them.  I took a tray of my cookies and came back with I'm guessing 10 other types of cookies and all of the recipes.  What a great idea!!

I wanted to share my recipe but BetteryCrocker.com is not cooperating with me at this moment.  So if you are interested, go onto www.bettycrocker.com and search for Almond Poppy Seed Cookies.  Make sure it is the recipe that includes cream cheese.  They are so easy and SO good!

I think I will go have myself one in fact.....

Happy Holiday Baking!
TJO

EARLY CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

All I want for Christmas is my two........new windows. 

No, wait, that isn't how the song goes?!

West window



Supervisors



Before the white stuff came, so we thought, we wanted to install a couple of new windows.  What a disaster that process was.  With the help of great guy and even better worker, Charlie and him were able to get two big windows installed.  They look fantastic and what a difference in the indoor temperature. 

Old Front Window to the South

Doesn't it feel great to squeeze in those last minute projects?  Now if CEO would only get the trailer out of my front yard!!  It is distracting from my Christmas lights!!  Hint, Hint Hubby who may read this.  :)

FABRIC FRIDAY FOR GRANDMA

I just love conversations with my Grandma!  We talk about weather, family, ways to get my mom into trouble and yesterday we talked fabric.  She has been looking for some coffee material and I knew instantly where to go.  My friend made me the cutest placemats out of the top four fabrics. 

Grandma, let me know if you like any of them and how much is needed for your project.  LOVE YOU!

Have you called your Grandma lately?

TJO

REMEMBERING

I am working on our Wedding Album (finally) and what a job it is.  Most of the time I find myself lost in the many, many memories.  What a great time we had.  It truly was the perfect day.

PROJECT WEEKEND

After a great day of shopping last Thursday with my handsome hubby, I spent Friday with a great friend.  We sewed, sewed and sewed some more.  It was so much fun.  A whole day of great coffee, great projects and great chit chat with a great gal.  Get my theme here?!  :)

I completed throughout the weekend, including Friday, 3 Origami Table Toppers (pictured above) and the Sassy Strips Table Runner (pictured below).  I made two of the Origami and the Sassy Strip for my upcoming Annual Meeting silent auction and door prizes for work. The 3rd Origami is going to be shared also.  I made up the striped backing out of the scraps and on a whim.  Took longer than expected (as usual) but was lots of fun.

Next project: Mug Rug Swap. 

Anyone want to participate?

What project are you working on?

TJO

ROUGH WEEKEND

I don't like to be the "woe is me" person, but I have to share this just because it is so surreal.

I started fall grass seeding at my work and it has been quite the adventure so far.

It took us 3 days in one field due to some unforeseen circumstances that arose, including but not limited to:

having to drive at 5 mph to the field,

learning where to set the seed cup feed rate

(this entailed about an hour or more of phone calls and frustration),

setting the feed rate too high and running short on seed,

more learning on the seed cup feed rate and a trip to the local grain elevator,

broken hydraulic hose,

wrong end put onto the hydraulic hose,

trip to town for a brand new hydraulic hose,

tractor driver seeding the wrong field,

hitting a fence post on the way out of the wrong field,

removing bent tire and not having the right tools to remove it,

and the big finale.....

getting the tractor and seeder stuck 50 yards from being completely done!!

This is where the surreal part comes into play.  We tried everything to pull out the tractor on our own with no luck at all.  We, my tractor driver and I, then went to town to ask around.  We "thought" we really got lucky when a county worker came into the local gas station and he said he would help us out.  We loaded up chains and led the brand new county blade out to our location just for him to get about 30 yards in and get stuck also!!!  I am well into meltdown mode at this point with no means to end in sight.  We, my tractor driver, the county worker and I, get into the truck and start searching for local farmers with possible tractors to help us all out.  The second farm we get to, we spot a tractor in behind the trees.  Straight into 4th gear we are after him.  Thank everyone we possibly can, he agrees to come help us with his HUGE buhler tractor.  This thing is massive!!  Also, lots of thanks to many that a local tree remover was around with some cables.  We shredded the first cable under the weight; my heart is coming out of my chest at this point.  The buhler pulled the plow out, our tractor and our grass drill out like they were wet towels.  It was amazing!  I have some many people to thank and no way to be able to actually thank them enough for everything and to do all of this on a Saturday, and to top that off it was opening weekend of deer season! Just typing about it stresses me out and makes me laugh because that is all that you can really do.  We are thankful that only a little blood was shed by myself loading the cables up and no equipment damaged.  Just crazy!!  Tomorrow I am taking a day of sanity to go shopping with my husband.  Is this really a sanity day or a continuation of insanity?  I will tell you on Friday!  :)

Did I just make your bad day seem good?

TJO