What's This? Something Quilt-y??

I feel like my life has turned upside down in regards to my free time since the beginning of this year. I've made a few changes that have nearly robbed me blind of free time.

This past Sunday, I started not feeling real well about 4:30 PM. By Monday I was so ill with a sinus infection and ear infections that my DH had to drive me to a doctor's office. Thank God I could get an appointment that same day. As a NEW patient, too! I got two shots (I can't remember ever getting a shot) that day as well as antibiotics and steroids for the infections as well as a super-duper dose of a prescription decongestant. I am feeling much better today, but am now at the coughing stage. Boo!!

All that to say that I stayed home from church tonight. Our mid-week services are such a blessing. The singing is just glorious. Since I stayed home, however, I was able to sew on 3 of the 4 flying geese triangle borders on my fall quilt. It's been soooo long since I worked on it that I forgot the name of the pattern. It's Fall Festival. You can see a picture as it appeared in a magazine and caught my eye here. If you want to see my progress on it, click on "fall festival" at the bottom of this post (in green letters beside "labels") to see all posts relating to it.

Happy clicking,
~Joan

Two of My Teens on the Road

This is James in the parking lot of the DMV letting Elisabeth know he also has his driver's license. James is older than Elisabeth. He has been so patient about getting his license. He has been riding his bicycle to work for the past year plus. I have never heard him complain about it. Now he can drive, which will save us from having to pick him up after dark. Not that *I* am complaining about that. It is a joy to have a son like James. I've enjoyed chatting with him after I get to Arby's while he eats supper. When one has eight children, having one of them alone is rare!

~Joan

Another Milestone

Elisabeth got her driver's license today. What a milestone for her! I'm sure this means many changes for our family in the upcoming days. I hope they are good ones!!

She's such a good driver that they have named a street after her...

...or maybe it's named after Emily. There's no telling.

~Joan

4-Layer Dessert Recipe

Here is the most-requested recipe we have at Parker Ranchero. I don't remember where I got it. Much gratitude to whoever it was though.

FOUR-LAYER DESSERT

Mix 1/2 cup softened butter (do not use melted butter), 1 cup flour, and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans. Spread evenly in 9" x 13" pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely.

Mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 cup Cool Whip (out of a 12 oz. container) and 1 cup powdered sugar. Spread over cooled crust.

Mix 3 cups milk and 2 small packages INSTANT pudding (any flavor...our favorites are chocolate and banana cream) for 2 minutes or use 1 can (21 oz.) pie filling. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 15 minutes minimum if using pudding.

Spread remaining Cool Whip on top. Garnish with additional chopped nuts if desired.

Enjoy!

We've got much company in the next 3 days. That means lots of food preparation for us. We're having a family of 11 for supper tomorrow (and we can hardly wait!!), 1-3 college young men (we haven't heard back from 2 of them yet), then a family of 5 for lunch Sunday afternoon. Then the family of 11 again (same family!) possibly Monday or Tuesday, or BOTH!

I overheard my WH talking to his sister on the phone tonight (we are in NC, and she lives in TN) and inviting her family to spend part of the weekend with us. He told her of the plans we had already for guests, and I was thinking, "What's five more??" She can't make it this trip however. Too bad...the house will seem empty without them.

~Joan, from the home that never seems to have a dull moment

It's My Birthday (or at least it was a few days ago)

When I hear the phrase "it's my birthday, it's my birthday" I can't help thinking of Sid on the movie Ice Age. Hilarious fellow, that Sid. Especially when playing keep-the-watermelon-away-from-the-dodo-birds.

A friend from church (hi, Tammy!) told me days ago that my blog was behind the times. I was touched that she reads it (sniff, sniff). As an excuse, here's what I've been doing:

Saturday (August 23 in case you want to make a note so you can send me a nice gift next year) was my birthday and we didn't do anything all that special but my WH and I did go out for lunch which is always special to me because eating out at a real live sit-down and look down at the menu place is just such a treat then much later we had the delicious recipe I posted a couple posts ago for supper but not cake (4-layer dessert is so much better) because cakes are just not special enough for someone embarking on year 46 who also had to select and perfect an offertory for the next day which included other family members in spite of being busy doing laundry grading schoolwork chauferring children and self and going to Curves altering a jumper for a young lady at church to deliver on Sunday and so on and so forth. And that's just part of Saturday!! Are you tired yet??

Seriously, though, there were a few special moments on the big b-day. Not in order of importance or anything...more of a chronological thing. I was walking into Curves when I received a text message. It was from my son's friend, Josiah. He was wishing me a happy birthday and ended with "are you 36 yet?" Don't you just love a kid like that? And all you hear about is the bad teens. Well, this one is a keeper.

DD1's boss (hi, Vik!) drove her home after work (what a great guy), and he made a special stop so Elisabeth could get me some fresh flowers. That's her story and she's sticking with it. She knows how much I love flowers, potted or otherwise. She picked several types and made sure to include my favorites...daisies. They still look lovely. She was so thoughtful.

Emily bought me some of my favorite chocolates. I am horrified to see that I have eaten them all already. Honestly, I reached in the box for one today and they...were...gone! I pulled out the tissue paper and shook it several times just to make sure they truly were all eaten. I gave a few to my offspring, but how could they possibly all have been consumed? Where did they go (imagine me looking down at hips)...oh--there they are. Never mind...drop subject.

I could have done like my b-friend, Elaine, and asked my DH to hide them from me (and dole out one a day), but think of the time I would have wasted searching for them! Elaine--that was hilarious. We must be twins separated at birth...I'd have done the same thing! Oh, my!!

It's nice to know I have been missed. Once my children's violin and piano lessons are regularly scheduled again, I'll have more quiltiness to share. Until then, stick a daisy in your hat and be happy.

~Joan

New Project for Daughter (Seamstress-to-be)

The above picture is from the newest Quilts and More magazine. My b-friend, Kathie Holland, designed it.

I think it's the perfect quilt for my 10-year-old daughter to sew, with a little help from me. No offense to Kathie, but even a 10-year-old could sew this and make it marvelous!! Thanks for a great pattern, Kathie.

I'll post Rachel's progress if she wants to make one (I haven't actually asked her if she's interested yet, but I think she will be).

~Joan

Cheesy Bacon Chicken & Rice Unleashed

Cheesy Bacon Chicken Rice...that pretty much sums up our lunch (with the addition of fresh salad and cucumber slices). We all heartily agreed that this is the perfect marriage of cheese, bacon, chicken, and rice...hence the catchy name!

Emily made this for the first time today because we had all the ingredients thanks to sale shopping. I asked her where she got the recipe. Mysteriously enough, this recipe was in my recipe box (thank you, Dad, for the box) in my own handwriting on one of my recipe cards. Less mysterious is that I don't recall WHERE I got it or WHEN I wrote it. The little grey cells are not always firing on all cylinders.

But back to the recipe. You layer uncooked bacon in the bottom, then sprinkle long-grain white rice over that. The rice picks up the bacon flavor and is sooooo moist and tasty. The chicken and cheddar cheese on top are just bonus. Here it is in all its glory...try it soon. Gratitude to whomsoever I got it from in the first place.

CHEESY BACON CHICKEN & RICE

12-16 oz. bacon, cut into thirds

1-1/4 cups white long-grain rice, uncooked

1 can cream of chicken soup

1-1/2 cups water

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange bacon in one or two layers in a 9 x 13 baking dish, fully covering bottom of pan. Sprinkle rice over bacon. Combine soup and water in a separate bowl. Pour 1/3 over rice. Arrange chicken in dish. Top with soup mixture.

Cover with foil and bake one hour 15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted.

You're welcome! Let me know if you try this and like it.

~Joan