O's Mama: Random thoughts and anything crochet: 2013

Another pattern I've created

I have created this very textured double thick, reversible hat using only 2 stitches. There are multiple sizes. Toddler (1-3yrs) will work for anyone with a head circumference around 16-17”. Child (4-10yrs) will work for anyone with a head circumference around 18-19”. Adult Female will work for anyone with a head circumference around 19-20”. and Adult Male will work for anyone with a head circumference around 21-22”. It is worked in one continuous “tube”, and it can easily be lengthened or shortened, with instructions on how in the pattern. Although I used Red Heart any worsted weight yarn should work.

Materials needed include 5-6 oz (200-280 yds) worsted weight yarn in 2 colors, H/8/5.00mm hook, blunt-end needle.

Written in US terminology.

Intermediate level: although only 2 sts, 1 is not a “typical” stitch and the pattern can be a little confusing with the increases and decreases.

A very big thank you to my testers: Joanne, Carmen, Cindy, and Shannon!

You can buy it at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/xs-reversible-hat for $3.50

<b>When it snows, she does not fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.</b> <i>Proverbs 31:21</i>

An awesome crock pot breakfast casserole

So I was trying to find a fairly quick and easy crock pot meal as I wanted to leave and knew I had Praise Team practice, but the husband and son would want supper... I searched and found several breakfast casseroles but they used potatoes (afraid hubby would have a texture problem with that) or the reviews weren't very good (one was written on a blog by someone who didn't like the recipe)... So I decided to try my mom's tried and true breakfast casserole, that we make in the oven, in the crock pot... *insert nervous laugh lol* So I did... Then got home and had 15 mins to change, eat, run through with hubby what our son needed and get out the door... Needless to say I forgot a picture and since there is none left with only 2 adults and a 4yr old, I would say it's a hit!
So here is my recipe
1 lb ground sausage
1 box stuffing (we prefer cornbread flavor)
6 eggs
Approx 1 cup milk (honestly I never measure this, just use to thin out the eggs some)
A lot of shredded cheese (we usually use cheddar and you can omit as much of this as you want)

Brown ground sausage in skillet (wished I had some sage to cook into this). Place evenly across bottom of crock pot. Place half of cheese on top (if omitting some, but not all, I would omit this layer). Add the stuffing (straight from the box). Add the rest of the cheese. Whisk together eggs and milk (add salt and pepper if you like) and pour over the entire casserole. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. I don't think I would recommend much over 6 hours, and be warned that the cheese will burn at this length of time (my family loves burnt cheese).
That's it! The longest part was browning the frozen sausage and I was still done in less than 30 mins!

Hope you enjoy, I'll try to get a picture next time... I may also try seeing what veggies I could add to the sausage layer, but I didn't have much on hand...

Proverbs 31:27~ "She's watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness"

Some pics of O

Whatever pics I feel like putting here :-)

This one my Aunt took...

Our First Day of School

So today, we started our preschool year when the area schools started... It seemed to go very well... I bought a preschool kit for O for Christmas, plus I have other material to use as supplement... I'm also making a calendar that will portray which 180 days we will have lessons, what I plan to work on with him, and what we accomplish... This should also work as a way to help Greg know where we are in his lessons, which means that he can help out on the days that I can't work with O... So here's to attempting to home school... Wish us luck, pray for us and cheer us on :-)

So are you wondering how the first day went? I think it went rather well... We used the "magna-doodle" and transparencies to practice facing shapes/forms that will come in handy when he learns to print... He can do vertical and angled straight lines fairly well, circles/ovals decently (not necessarily doing the one that he says he'll do), curves like C's and backward C's easily become circles when not tracing and hills and valleys (like n's and u's) also weren't as easy if he wasn't tracing... Considering I've always just let him draw with no direction, I think it was an excellent start!

Now I need to get the office recleaned so I have a good homeschool room...

I learned to knit!

My first ever completed knit project! I made a tablet cover, all in all I don't think it is too bad... So far I can cast-on, knit, purl and bind-off...

Early Mother's Day gift...

My beautiful hanging plant that my wonderful Husband brought me for Mother's Day!

Finally got another haircut!

Cardmaker? Neat trick...

So my mom posted this on Facebook and wants to share it with others...
"Idea my sister gave me when you give a homemade card don't write on the card write it on post it so they can use the card. let's them send it to someone else."

"I then added it to larger envelope so it could be mailed but if giving in person you can skip this step."

Please help this mom...

From Garrett's mom on Facebook:
PLEASE HELP US. We are using this a tool for several things for Garrett. We work on his skills for opening things when he opens mail. He also gets to see where it is from on the map. (honestly he doesn't really understand distance as you read further down you will see why) Then we also write thank you notes and he gets to sign them so he is very involved and he get them when he gets up to go to school which has been a very hard adjustment for him this year.

Even if you can't send a keychain then a postcard or letter (which I will read to him) will make his day.

Garrett doesn't get to travel alot. He is special needs and traveling can be a huge under taking.He is equal to about 3 to 6 year old depending on what he is doing.
He is in a wheelchair and is non verbal. But the happiest kid. (except when you mention the "school" word lol)

He loves trains!!!! snow globes and merry go rounds. would be lost without his ipad. it also has a small program that sort of talks for him.

we are working on the USA map we are missing a few states but getting close. Garrett sees the map and everywhere is 5 hours away (yes even New York from Texas) So we have been working on collecting and yes we mean collecting. We love all of them and we will post on here the pics of him getting his mail :) He smiles and loves to open every
envelope. Please try to help.

In all fairness I must say that yes I did start the collection because I love them but because the map is in the room that Garrett goes all the time he loves to look at them and play with them and he loves maps. So it is something we both love.
Our address
Garrett
2222 Viola Dr
League City, TX 77573

this is an update from the above original request:
Yes we are still collecting key chains of any sort. We are just about done with the USA map that we have but please if you want to send us your state or city etc feel free. For we will still put them on the map and video him opening your package. We are working on the world map and just in general key chains.

BUT Garrett loves any mail. Even just cards or notes. It doesn't matter. He loves anything and gets so excited when he sees he has mail. He is getting more than mom and that includes the bills lol.

John 15:12~ "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

New Pattern released!

Well I finally did it! I got the XOXO Cross Blanket Pattern ready for sale and now it is available! You can buy it on Ravelry (you do not have to be a member to buy it)...

A very textured blanket using only 3 stitches. This is available in 2 sizes- Baby and Toddler/Lapghan. There is a “relief” of a Cross in the middle of the blanket, making it perfect witnessing or as a Christening Blanket. The Baby size is approximately 38” long and 26” wide. The Toddler/Lapghan size is approximately 50” long and 38” wide. It is worked bottom to top. Although it is designed with Pound of Love(a worsted weight), it can be done in many yarn weights. Use a finer yarn and a larger hook to get a lacier effect, or a thicker yarn with a comparable hook to get a bulkier look.

Funny face I love you!

Went out caching on the trail and found these glasses in one... O says "do you like them?!"

A nice Good Friday

So what a nice day today! Hubby let me sleep in and took O out for a while.. When I woke up I had them come back and we decided to go do something as a family... So we went for a hike on a bike trail, while doing some geo-caching... O loves going and it was definitely a family day... Greg got some pictures and I just enjoyed my family... On our way home we were discussing supper and Greg mentioned a new recipe I tried the other day saying that he wouldn't mind it again tonight... So we stopped for a can of refrigerated biscuits... we had to alter the recipe slightly as it was a little too sweet the first time but boy was it good!

So here is my 25 min?meal (as soon as I'm on my computer I'll link to the place I originally got this) Keep in mind I did not make this meal up, I just followed the recipe!
A can of refrigerated biscuits
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. Brown ground beef. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray and place a biscuit in each space, pressing into a cup shape (I only had 8 biscuits so I left 4 spaces empty). Mix barbecue sauce into browned beef. (Because I had original Sweet Baby Ray's and not the Sweet and Spicy that I highly recommend, I added some chili powder to give it a savory and spicy kick). Spoon beef into cups. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and add cheese on top, finish baking for another 3-5 minutes. (I put the steam-able broccoli into the microwave at this time, when the microwave dings supper is done!)

Now it is off to bed as we have 2 Easter Egg Hunts tomorrow, the Easter Service Sunday followed by 2 Easter Dinners...
So thankful the He died for my sins and that He rose again!!

Our fun "pinking" (painting)

O wanted 2 "pink" Mickey Mouse (aka paint Minnie Mouse)...

and when he was done with Minnie, he "pinked" Lightning McQueen!

So I decided 2 work on an Eagle paint-by-number... This is how far I got when I worked 20 minutes longer than O

On our walk/ caching adventure

It was such a beautiful day today, so Aunt and I took O out on the bike trail to blow off some cabin fever steam (and of course get some caches on the way)... This nice little rest took our fancy, and O just loved the stone :) Wish I could have gotten the picture that Aunt got of O sitting on the bench! (I'll try to get it from her later)

Praise the Lord!

So I have to share this story!
Saturday, we decided to head to one of our big cities (about 90 mins away) to do some geocaching and take pictures... We found a series that was dediated to churches and thought it would be fun, called my aunt that got us into caching and we decided we would go in her car... She will drive but if someone else is willing she will gladly let them! I was going to, but the very light flurries was making everything look wavy with my disease, so we decided Greg would drive... We got on the road and was about half way when a car went to pass us on the freeway, we were doing the speed limit and he was doing maybe 5 or so over... He lost control and did a 360 in front of us, hit the guardrail then continued to bounce off the guardrail while doing another 180! after the first spin his tire came bouncing across the road in front of us and went over the rail down into the embankment... Greg was able to use his SMITH training and somehow (I can only guess that it was God) kept us from hitting the guy... We also expected the guy to go over the rail and he didn’t! In fact he had no injuries at all! We stayed there because he was facing the wrong way in a travel lane (it was the shoulder being used for travel because of the construction) and the guys lights weren’t working... So we had our hazards on and Greg kept “pumping the brakes” to show approaching vehicles to get out of the lane... There were several times that we were worried we would be hit, we can only imagine how much worse it would have been if we hadn’t been there to warn other drivers! PRAISE THE LORD for keeping all of us safe!!

No details, and don't know what to say...

So I really don't have many details, but I am again in shock! Mom called me to tell me that Shawn's school was evacuated for a bomb threat! They took all the High School students to the "next door" Junior High building... They escorted all of the driving students to their cars and they had to leave right then, no going back into the building... Then they escorted all the walkers/pick-ups (they no longer bus the High School kids, no matter their distance) to the parking lot and they had to get into their ride's vehicle and leave, again no going back into the building... I am hoping that they let the kids get their coats before doing all this outside stuff, since they aren't allowed to get them now! Please pray for these students and the people that are doing these threats! This town needs God more than I could even possibly think they do!

Matthew 9:11-13: When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Greg's Birthday Dessert means finding our new favorite frosting!

I stumbled across the best frosting recipe ever by accident… and best part is that when I was searching for a frosting recipe, I had forgot that powdered sugar is a main ingredient in frosting and I don’t have any… so here’s what happened: Greg’s birthday is Wed, we celebrated last night since he was off because of the holiday and he has a meeting right after work on Wed that will keep him out until 9 or 10pm… He said “since we are celebrating tonight, will you make this sugar cookie mix that Rick gave us?” I said “I was thinking about that since I can’t get you a cake ” (money too tight)… so I started looking for a frosting recipe and found "that's the best frosting I've ever had" on the Tasty Kitchen Blog… looked at it and thought “you don’t put flour in frosting?” (I keep telling y’all that I am not a Susie Homemaker lol) so anyway, you use 5 Tbs. flour, 1 c. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 c. sugar and 1 c. butter (can do half butter and half shortening which I did to conserve my butter supply hehe)... Whisk the milk and flour together and place over medium heat, stir constantly until it becomes thick (mine wasn't thickening for a long time, then suddenly it did!), let it cool completely! add vanilla and stir together. In a bowl, combine sugar and butter (in my case 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c. shortening) and whip until fluffy and well mixed. Make sure your flour/milk mixture is completely cooled, add to sugar/butter and mix on medium-high until completely mixed and resembles whipped cream (I beat it for about 3 minutes)... frost your cooled dessert... Oh My!! it is delicious Greg was in love with it as well as O and I! (yes, we taste tested it before frosting the cookies)... So I frosted the cookies, and I stuck a candle in the middle cookie and we surprised Greg by singing Happy Birthday.. we all enjoyed even though it isn’t a sugar cookie frosting (apparently it’s best on chocolate or red velvet cake )... Oh by the way, the frosting was the perfect mix between a buttercream and a whipped frosting! Delicious!

My Crockpot Italian Sausage

So Wed night I need to have an easy Italian Sausage sandwich, that doesn't require a stove... My first thought was a crock pot with some peppers and a little broth, but of course I don't have peppers in my house :( So I went online to look up recipes and most of them required peppers and some even had onions (which sadly I do not cook with hehe)... Then I found one that uses spaghetti sauce and tomato paste and tomato sauce, but I used the last of my spaghetti sauce 2 nights ago- shoot! So I went into my kitchen and came up with this concoction:

8 Italian Sausages (I plan for left-overs for lunch the next day)
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 can diced tomatoes
approx (I didn't measure this at all) 3-4 cups Chicken broth (would have used beef if my chicken broth didn't need used up right away)

1. simmer sausages in some water (not enough to cover, but enough that it could boil- in fact I accidentally boiled mine for a minute) for about 7 mins (long enough for me to fiddle with figuring out what I wanted to put in the crockpot and put it in)
2. mix together in crock pot the rest of the ingredients
3. add in sausages and make sure they are coated
4. cook on low 4-6 hours, my crock pot seems to cook hotter than most so I will cook mine on low for about 4 hours
5. Serve on Hot dog or Hoagie buns

I'm thinking (and thought while I was adding it) that I added too much broth... so you really can't use the mixture as a "sauce" on your sandwiches, so maybe a little less broth would be better... I didn't take pictures, but the family seemed to like it! Will definitely try again :-)

Crochet and freezer cooking update

So I haven't accomplished much, but wanted to post an update...
I don't think I like freezer cooking... The meats disintegrated beyond recognition for 2 of the recipes, 1 recipe didn't care for and 1 recipe I didn't care for... plus the 2 that didn't work took just as long if not longer than a normal meal prep would have taken to fix, so it didn't save me time and the 2 that worked would only take about 20 mins prep in the morning... Therefore I don't see how this method saved me any time... :-(

As for crochet, I have the pattern for sale and haven't had a chance to do much else... I am trying to design a versatile finger less mitt pattern to match the scarf but haven't been able to do yet... then I want to design a cover for my tablet and that,s not going so well yet... Finally I want to design a shawl that has an inlaid cross design, and haven't had a chance to start it either... but at least the ideas are there!

So far that is all that I have for an update...

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles." Isaiah 40:31

Book from 'Grandpa-doodle'

O got out his book & laid down while listening to it

Freezer Cooking?

So I am trying the idea of freezer cooking... I spent about an hour and now have 6 meals in my freezer that all I have to do is thaw the night before and cook the day of, and these 6 are all crock pot meals! I will take another hour or so tomorrow and make up more (at least another 8-10) which will give me 14-16, but there will be 7-8 different meals as each meal type is 2 different evenings... I'm excited to see how it turns out! I'll let you know after I have tried some of them...

I finally did it!

So I have been crocheting for several years, but really picked it back up and learned the most in the last 2 years... Greg has been watching me and listening to me talk about it (even though he could care less) and finally asked me the one day "Why don't you sell your patterns?" I told him that I didn't have any patterns since all I do is alter patterns to meet my needs... So there was a lot of back and forth on it and finally he understood why i couldn't sell what I had altered slightly for fit or something... Then I made a blanket for a friend's baby shower that was a MAJOR change from the original design... Greg told me to sell that pattern and I continued to fight him on it... Finally, I had several people explain to me how it was my own design, so I have that pattern being tested for clarity/errors... Then I designed a scarf, using some other patterns as reference, but my own design... I am happy to tell you that the pattern for that scarf was tested by two lovely ladies and is now finally ready for sale!!! X's Keyhole Scarf is now available to buy for $2.50, as a Ravelry download... As of right now, you have to be a member of Ravelry (free to join) to purchase this pattern, but I am working on figuring out how to make it available to anyone... (Edited to add, I think the buy now button will allow you to purchase without joining Ravelry) So here is my scarf from the X's Keyhole Scarf pattern:

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Snow fun @ night...

O building his "snow turtle"

Some goals

I have decided to make some goals for this blog and try to stick to them... I don't really do resolutions (which is one reason this was not posted on the 1st), so this is just some thoughts/plans...

I want to make 2 small projects each week, and have them posted no later than a week after I make them... If I don't do 2 mall projects because I am doing larger projects, I want to post progress pictures...

I also want to try to post at least twice a week... It can be about anything, but cannot include pictures from the cell phone- those are just because I want to share cute pictures of my family...

Anyway, these are what I would like to do, but I'm not guaranteeing anything :)

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12

Some overdue Crochet projects (Christmas gifts)

So I am long overdue on some of these projects, but since they were Christmas gifts it's ok that I waited to post them hehe

Nordstrom-Style Hobo Bag for Jas