Inspiring Gardening Quote

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ALL THE FLOWERS OF TOMORROW ARE IN THE SEEDS OF TODAY.

I bought this because it is one of my favorite gardening/life analogy quotes. I also love the one that says, “You can’t tell the quality of the soil until you plant the seed.” So profound. I think of my kids and friends with that one, as well as sharing the gospel. Hope you like it as much as I do!

The Last Hurrah – Aunt Lili Visits Houston

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My sister Lili flew in on late Thursday afternoon and we went to Mega Mel’s Cafe in Tomball and then to the boys’ favorite tire park (Jerry Matheson park, also in Tomball). We are going to miss those places. I heart Tomball. If we ever have to move back to Houston, that is where we would go! Then, Friday, we got up early and drove to San Antonio and went to Six Flags for the day and wore everyone out. Saturday we drove to Kemah Boardwalk for the Crawfish Festival with Zydeco music and, no, I did not eat any crawfish. We went to one of the best restaurants for my birthday that I have ever eaten at: Saltgrass Steakhouse. It was very yummy and I only had the steak salad! Sunday we went to church and then looked for dolphins as we took the ferry across Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula and spent the day at Crystal Beach. It was a wild ride (with lots of time in the car!) but we had such a great time with Lili here to celebrate my birthday. When we dropped her back off at the airport on Monday, I think it felt like she had just arrived — what a whirlwind tour. It was nice to have a visitor before we leave for Oklahoma.

Spring Break, George Bush Park & Old Friends!!

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We had a great day today! It felt like it was the first day in 8 months (since we moved here) where we could just get in the car and explore. We met some old Nebraska friends at George Bush Park in Katy and then we headed to Bass Pro at Katy Mills to get Cole some things for his scouting adventure this week. We wandered home on the back roads with happy hour Sonic drinks and had a wonderful day. It was so good to see the amazing women from back home. Love ya, Lorelei, Julia & Becki — you’re part of who I am. I have the fondest memories of growing up together. xoxo Lizabeth

Book Club at My House (aka Learning to Make Do)

Book club at my home was approaching. All the other book club ladies have such nice homes and nice furniture to go with them. I was aching for a coffee table and perhaps an end table or two so that people wouldn’t have to put plates on their laps. It is a tight week for us this week so I also wanted to make nice things to eat without going to the store. Which meant no fresh fruit. Hmmm. I made a blackberry coffee cake streusel and a bundt cinnamon coffee cake as well as a hash brown bake. No going to the store also meant no paper plates (at least not sturdy enough ones to use)…no problem, I don’t mind doing dishes, and using real plates is always nicer than paper.

I was trying to clean stains off the couches, stains off the carpet and feeling bad for myself that I didn’t have all new-matching-beautiful-perfect furniture. I could quickly see everywhere the dog has been…but would I give up the dog? Definitely not. She is worth the stains and hair. Then, I quickly got a grip and realized none of those things are important.

The house looked so nice from midnight to about 10 minutes AFTER book club was over. I was very thankful for Cole – one of the BEST KIDS EVER – who was more than willing to stay up and help me clean. He even manually picked out leftover red M&Ms from the Christmas bags I stocked up on after the holiday when they went on sale (he did the same thing with candy DOTS! What a kid!). The red looked so cute in my valentine heart dishes and nobody knew how frugal I really was.

I had been at Kohl’s earlier that day and had a clearance banquet tablecloth in my hand for $19.99. Mind you, I have two white banquet tablecloths that I can’t seem to locate since our move. I searched. Don searched. No such luck. I put the purchase back on the shelf at Kohl’s and walked out empty handed. Even though I felt like I desperately needed that tablecloth. So, I went home and took a cream colored fabric shower curtain and washed it and laid it out on half the table. Then, I took another cream colored tablecloth I had (smaller than banquet) and put it over the other half. Then, I took a small square tablecloth my mother made for me and put it over the seam. I can honestly say that I doubt anybody even noticed and it looked so good! I really AM learning how to make do and it felt pretty good! Give it about 3 days and I’ll find my white banquet tablecloths somewhere…isn’t that how it always goes?!

When all was said and done, I was so happy with how everything looked and tasted and the company was the best of all. I learned a couple of things: 1) if you refrain from the impulse to buy something just because you think you need it, DON’T DO IT!!. You’ll feel better in the long run. You and your home can shine with what you already are or have. 2) Women who don’t care about those things, anyway, are the best friends to have. If anybody would have cared in the least, I really wouldn’t want to have them as a friend, anyway!!!

Klein Ward Summer Picnic

Gabe & Benjamin getting drinks.

Beanie eats a doughnut for his main dish! Our standards have gotten so low this past year…we hope to reintroduce vegetables now that we’re a bit more settled!

A gaggle of girls catching toads and the jealous boys looking on!

Our new ward is huge. Really big. We have 3 or 4 Sunday School teachers who trade off teaching every week. Seriously. They make up callings so everyone can have one. I realize this won’t last long because there is a new church being built not very far away and everything will be rearranged and we’ll probably lose half the ward but, still…it’s a nice respite. Not that I don’t enjoy serving. It’s just very nice to not have to magnify four different callings for awhile!

So far we have met only really nice people. Nadine’s best friend is my new Mariyn Godby. She’s wonderful (but I still miss you Marilyn!). There’s a piano playing beautiful woman who reminds me so much of my cousin Leslee Bartlett (and she just got called to Stake YW Pres – lets hope she isn’t there quite as long as Leslee was as Stake Primary Pres!). Let’s see…today we saw a glimpse of a Jared Boldt serving in Primary with his computer. It’s funny how you see people you miss in people you meet. I don’t have a new Sheila Lauducci or Benay Derr yet but I’m looking…not that either of those women could EVER be replaced! I just need a cheap substitute.

While we are enjoying our new ward (you can see pictures of the ward party here), we certainly do miss the Gretna Branch. Our hearts were there when it was formed and will always be there – even when it becomes a stake.

Old Friends in Gravette, Arkansas!

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Thanks so much to a very dear friend, Elaine Holmgren Brandli, and her family for providing us a much needed home cooked meal on our way to Shreveport, Louisiana. We loved Elaine’s home and what they’ve done on their acreage with a great gardens and chickens. My kids loved the dogs, bunnies and chicks. Arkansas is a beautiful place. We drove through Bentonville and have never seen so many Wal-Marts in our entire life (it’s the headquarters). I was so surprised at how green Arkansas is and the weather there was not bad at all. I really, really liked it there but most of all it was fun to see Elaine and her family – we have been friends a very long time and it is fun to see her kids – and they are all such good kids! Thanks, Elaine & Fred – we appreciate everything! Come and see us in Houston anytime!

Buffalo Diversion While Getting Sod

Some nice person from church has a tiny bit of sod we could use to patch in where we sold our playset a few weeks ago so I drove into Papillion to pick it up. Along the way there was a field of buffalo – with TWO BABIES!!! Two baby buffalo – they were so cute that on the way home, I pulled over to get a better picture (where, oh where is my Nikon D90 when I need it – hurry up and get out of the shop already – did I mention I kicked it out of the car and broke MY SECOND over-a-thousand-dollars camera?). Anyway, I was midway through the street and the big one actually growled at me so I was not brave enough to get any closer. It looked like it would come through that measly barbed wire fence and get me! I’ve never heard a buffalo growl before – and neither should you. Trust me! The video of Jack is just a bonus for his Dad who is still lonesome for us (I hope) in Texas. It was in the car on the way to get the sod.

Post Birthday Gratitude

Thank you, friends & clients, for the birthday cards in the mail!

Thank you, dear Facebook friends, for taking the time to email me short notes of love and encouragement.

Thank you, dear sister, for bringing over flowers and checking up on me (even if Mom did ask you to do it!). It helps.

Thank you, dear sister, for taking care of Mom & Dad this week and helping me feel better with an overly generous gift card (which will be completely used by me, I promise, I’m not even sharing!).

Thank you, crazy friend, for being so utterly creative and helping me have fun and vent my frustrations at the same time. I am so glad you didn’t get a ticket by that policeman.

Thank you, kids, for always being willing to help and snuggle only sighing mildly when you’re asked to pick up your things for the zillionth time.

Thank you, Don, for bringing home chocolate upon request and letting me sleep in.

Thank you, neighbor and friend, for your listening ear, cooking magazines, and rescuing my child from wandering the neighborhood.

I have been blessed!

Lunch with Friends

Last Friday (I wish I could repeat this day), I was able to get out with some friends – and their kids – and have a nice casual Panchero’s lunch. Here’s some cute pics of the kiddos – they’re growing too fast! Afterward, I got to do some shopping at Sephora. I’m still reeling.

Korean Pojagi & Fabric Wrapping Ideas

IMAGES REMOVED – website no longer linking correctly. It’s a shame, but people change and websites change, too — apologies to anyone who went to the link previously here that is now an anabolic steroid site! Yikes!  (The UNL Quilt Museum link is still very valid and interesting!)

One of my friends who went with me to the quilt study museum in Lincoln at UNL where we saw the Korean Pojagi exhibit made me this and wrapped up a yummy loaf of bread. What a great treat, huh! I do have great friends…any of you would be jealous of Billie Kay. She can make, bake or create just about anything. I attract those kinds of friends because the universe knows that I am sorely lacking in those areas, but I keep trying! I forgot to take a picture before I unwrapped it and I could NOT get it wrapped back up the way she had done it.

Christmas Party Pics

Here’s a few of our favorite shots. We are going to miss so many wonderful people when we finally move! You can see ALL of our church Christmas party pics here.

Pictures from Vala’s

Fun day. Lots of sunshine. Great new jumping pillows at Vala’s which we all enjoyed immensely.

Kara’s Cupcakes – Halloween Ideas

I was out to lunch yesterday with a friend and we stopped by the bookstore to look at some quilting and knitting and design books and she said, “What is up with cupcakes? They are everywhere these days!” and I’m not sure what I replied but I wholeheartedly agree. They are everywhere – and for good reason. It’s the perfect little sugar package.

Fast forward to this morning, I open my email and another friend, Kara, has started a new blog. Kara is the sweetest (and one of the prettiest) girls you’ll ever know. It makes complete sense that everything she makes is ultra sweet and adorable. She had more talent in her pinky toe when we met (she was 10 and I was 20) and she still could teach me a few things. Anyway – her new blog is all about cupcakes and I wanted to share her beautiful creations with you! There’s some adorable Halloween ideas here. I made the mummy cupcakes a couple of years ago – I’ll see if I can’t dig out a picture of my own from way back when!

Another Beautiful Set of Cupcakes…

Another adorable blog that is one part sugar, one part presentation is Amy Atlas. I do not personally know her but wish I did!

Grosgrain: Girl’s Giveaway Blog! (sew cute!)

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I don’t have any girls but I would remiss if I didn’t pass along the latest find I have seen recently: a blog where the creator gives away the things she makes. And it’s all good. Check it out here and have fun! Hope one of my friends wins something…and if I ever do have a girl (not that one is in the works), I will expect hand-me-downs from these same friends that are going to click there. Yes, that means you.

Muttropolis – Online Utopia for Dogs

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So I was reading Entrepreneur magazine (no worries about my actually achieving anything, I’m so behind it was the Sep ’07 issue) – anyway, I saw this great article about someone who had developed Muttropolis stores and was successful. I just loved the name and had to check it out and share with all my other pooch pals out there.