The Graduate!

Precious graduated from High School today! Seems like only yesterday she was getting ready for pre-school. Now she is ready for the world! Where did the years go...

Sweet Mama and I did not attend the ceremony. She was concerned about all the people and becoming too tired. But there were lots of family members who did come in to town for the celebration! I went over to the house, tidied up and decorated the dining room while they were at the event. Sweet Mama's best friend can over while I was away and visited a spell. Today was a day of drop ins... family and friends!

Next step...college!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Found this recipe that combines two of my favorite cookies! What a great recipe! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 1/4 cup oats ( old-fashioned or quick-cooking)

1 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat sugar and margarine in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg. Beat in flour and oats on low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until edges are golden ( Do Not Overbake). Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Makes 18 cookies

Sweet Gardenias

I don't know about you but I love the smell of Gardenias! Usually they bloom the first of June, this year they started early. One of my bushes bloomed a full week before the others.

This bush is right out side of my window and beside the screened-in porch. It is heavenly to smell on a nice evening relaxing outside! When Sweet Mama and I returned yesterday from Atlanta, the bushes in the front yard were beginning to bloom. So pretty!! I took my trusty scissors and cut a few blooms to have in the house. You have to be careful cutting them as they will turn brown from the oils in your skin! It can be kind of tricky!


The good news is that there are plenty more to come!

Back Home Again

Sweet Mama is back home from her last surgery! We were released at 3 pm today and made it back home by 4:45! It is so nice to be back here. The kitties were so glad to see us. Beau had to bend my ear with all that he did while we were gone and Bella was just sweet!

Sweet Mama has her good eye patched. Her bad eye is swollen and it is hard for her to see. So basically she is temporarily blind. And that makes her a bit disoriented. We go to her Opthamologist tomorrow afternoon. Just have to make it through tonight. A scratched cornea is so painful but she is slowly getting better everyday!

Sweet Mama Operation #2

Back here at Emory for the latest procedure! Yesterday we got here at 7:30 a.m. They didn't call her back until after 11:30...It seemed like forever! But once things started, they happened fast. The operation was over in 15 minutes! So much better than last time which was 4 1/2 hours. She got back to her room around 4:30 and was doing very well. She started having pain in her good eye and, after a ophthalmology consult, found out she had a scratched cornea! She has had a lot of pain with this eye but hopefully it will be better by the afternoon. She had a good night (I was the night nurse) think that we will be able to go home after lunch. It is a cloudy day with possibility of rain. Hopefully we make it home in between drops!

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!! Enjoy the first official weekend of summer! Time for pool parties and barbecues! But please take time out to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their life for us and the freedoms that we enjoy. Then honor those are are still here, fighting for freedom in far away lands! Thank a vet! Without them the world would be a very different place!

Thank You!!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Need a great dish to take to you Memorial Day Barbecue! How about this one! I got it from my cousin a few years ago after we had it at a get together! It is so delicious! The family will love it and you will be such a hit!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 cans boneless chicken or 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

6 oz bottle Texas Pete hot sauce

2 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 16 oz. blue cheese or ranch dressing

12 oz shredded cheddar cheese

In a 9 x 11 baking dish, sprinkle chicken and cheddar cheese on the bottom of pan, reserving 1/4 of cheese, then hot sauce on top. Mix softened cream cheese and dressing of choice together (We used ranch). Spread over chicken. Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes, then sprinkle on top the remaining cheese. Return to oven till cheese melts. Serve with chips ( We like Frito's Scoops). Enjoy!

Surgery Delayed!

More rain today and wind! I think that we are going to get washed away!!

Sweet Mama's surgery has been pushed back to Tuesday @ 11:00a.m. The surgeon called this morning and said that Tuesday would be better. It is to last about an hour. We are still going to spend the night afterwards and probably the night before! They want her to be there at 7:00 a.m. so in order to make that we have to get there Monday afternoon.

The good news is that it won't be raining (well, maybe)!! Today felt like hurricane weather...squally bands...hope we aren't being prepared for something!

Outpatient Surgery

The nurse called today to tell us that Sweet Mama's surgery is set for this Friday. We don't know what time though...the Surgery Scheduler is to call either this afternoon or tomorrow. Since it is now 8:00 p.m. she should be calling tomorrow. I hope she calls early! This is to be outpatient surgery...the only problem is that we do not live in Atlanta and can't just run over to the hospital at any time. If it is an early case then we will have to go tomorrow and spend the night. I hate the waiting game.... Sweet Mama is staying overnight after the surgery anyway...again because we live out of town. You never know what Atlanta traffic will be like. Some days it's good, some days it horrible! I am ready for all this surgery to be over and for the healing process to begin!

Today's Appointment

Just got back from Atlanta and Emory. Sweet Mama had the packing removed from her mouth. It was quite a chore to get it out. It was sewn in so well that it took some effort to get it out! The Surgeon also went over the pathology report. It showed that there was cancer in the bone of the cheekbone. He thought that he had removed more than enough of the bone for it to be cancer-free, but the report said otherwise. We had to have more surgery either end of this week or next. He said that it is hard to detect cancer in bone just by looking at it. We still won't know if it is all gone until we get the next path report. She seems to be in ok spirits...just glad that the packing is gone and she can swallow again. Tonight she gets REAL FOOD!

After a windblown ride and back to Atlanta, I am glad to be home. I checked my Esty Shop and found out that I have been listed in another Treasurty list! That makes 4 in 4 months!!

The address is http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25221127 (This is the apron that made it on!) treasury:http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=54432 It expires Thursday May 21 @ 10:52 pm! Check it out and click on my apron! It is a cute Tropical themed Treasury. Lots of cute and different things!!

Sweet Mama's Follow-up Appointment

Sweet Mama's follow-up appointment is tomorrow at Emory. We see the Surgeon and the Prosthodontist. She is having the packing removed so hopefully she will be feeling a little better! She still has not had any pain, just itching of her bad eye. If that goes away she will be a lot happier. She can't rub it because she has still has stitches below the eye. It also gets a little goopy now and then (that's just the healing process). These little annoyances are a bit trying to her but will soon work themselves out! We will know more tomorrow...It's just going to be a long day!!

Beau woke up this a.m. at 5:03...only because Bella threw up a hairball in the hall at 4:30. I tell you, if it is not one it is the other!! He stayed up until 7ish then came back and got it the bed and stayed there until 9:30! I had to get up at 8!! It is just not fair!! Yawn....Who knows what the morning will bring... I plan on sleeping through the night! I hope he heard me...

The Baby and The Crack Of Dawn

This is the face of the Crack Of Dawn!! Today we awoke at 5:30!! And by the time it was 6:45 he was back in the bed ready for his nap! I tell you he is wearing me out! When Sweet Mama got up around 8..the baby was fast asleep. It is driving me crazy! I wish he could at least sleep until 7:30...I would be so happy.

Now his deal is...he likes to get up and go outside on the screened-in porch...Early! Just to check out the perimeter! He is my cat security guard making sure we have no intruders of the feline kind! Then he comes back in and tells me he is hungry by beating on the side of my bed. So I get up and walk...in the dark to the kitchen and stand by his bowl. Beau then say ...Oh!! There's my breakfast! Thanks...yummy!! I then go back to bed. All the time hoping that we are not waking up Sweet Mama...Beau also has quite a loud mouth and can be quite chatty in the morning!! I know I am enabling him, but it is the only way to keep him quiet! I wish I knew a better way!

It rained again this afternoon...more like a monsoon! So I decided to try a nap again...hoping no one would call..Thankfully they didn't! Only one crack of thunder woke me...and the baby! He came back to my room (from the porch) got in the bed and fell out! We had a nice 2 1/2 hour nap! Much better day! Now if only he could sleep all night!

Rainy Afternoon

Rainy afternoon... This morning I had errands to run, mail an aprons, grocery store, bank and gas station. It was sprinkling then but stopped, got hot and sunny! I was wising for a good thunderstorm and maybe a nap. Soon after lunch and a walk around the yard with Sweet Mama, it clouds started coming back. About the time I laid down...got all settled in...the phone rang! It always happens that way! People start checking on Sweet Mama and wishing her well. That's okay but....Beau has become quite a morning cat. Awake today at 5:45, yesterday 5:20. After a few days of this it will wear you out. So all day today when I see him napping I wake him up! Hopefully this will work and I will be able to sleep until at least 7:00 a.m.

Barbecued Chicken with Citrus Yogurt Marinade

Found this recipe, caregiver I have become, looking for things to make with yogurt!! Great for the grill now that it is warming up!

Barbecued Chicken with Citrus Yogurt Marinade

1 lemon, juice and zest

1 orange, juice and zest

1 cup Dannon Plain Yogurt

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup parsley

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

12 boneless chicken thighs

1 tsp kosher salt

In a large bowl combine citrus juice and zests, yogurt, olive oil, garlic, spices and herbs. Mix well. Put all but 1/2 cup marinade over chicken and toss to coat completely. Let chicken marinade 1-2 hour (or overnight) in fridge.

Salt chicken. Place chicken side down on grill/barbecue and cook with lid up 10-12 minutes. Turn and baste with reserve marinade. Continue to cook, basting occasionally, lid down for 10-12 minutes.

Serves 6 (2 thighs per serving) Enjoy!

Tomatoes!

It is official....we now have tomatoes!! Each one of my plants has four baby tomatoes!!

Now we wait...and hope Squirrely doesn't find them!

Lowfat Layered Mexican Dip

As Sweet Mama's caregiver, I have had to come up with a way to give her medicine since she cannot swallow a pill! The best way I have found is to mix the liquid or powered capsule in plain yogurt. Red bought me a large container of Dannon Plain Yogurt and when I opened in I found this on the lid! It sounds so good I thought I would share!

Layered Mexican Dip

2 cups Dannon Plain Yogurt*

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 16 oz. can refried beans or black beans

1 cup chunky salsa

1 cup sliced olives (black or green)

In bowl, combine beans with 1/3 cup salsa. Spread half of mixture into a flat dish. spread 1 cup of yogurt over the bean mixture, followed by 1/2 cup olives, 1/3 cup salsa. 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup lettuce. Repeat layering. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 27 servings

Nutrition Facts:

*Amount per serving -

Dannon All Natural Plain Nonfat Yogurt - Calories 50, Calories from Fat 20, Total Fat 2g, Protein 3g, Carbs 5g

Dannon All Natural Plain Lowfat Yogurt - Calories 50, Calories from Fat 25, Total Fat 2.5g, Protein 3g, Carbs 5g

Dannon All Natural Plain Yogurt - Calories 60, Calories from fat 25, Total at 3g, Protein 3g, Carbs 5g

Enjoy!!

Sweet Mama's On-Going Recovery

Sweet Mama has this sign hanging up in her kitchen. It is a reminder that there is something good happening every day!! I have been her caregiver here at home since Saturday. I have to make sure she has something to eat, takes her meds and is resting comfortably. It is a non-stop job. She related it to bringing a new baby home from the hospital! Boy is it true! I have been so busy...washing, feeding and cleaning!! Not to mention running my Etsy shop...But it is worth it! She is getting better everyday. Her main problem is not related to the surgery but to the cold she has been fighting for the last week and a half! With packing still in one side of her nose and cold in the other, sometimes it is quite a chore just to breathe! But like I said...every day is better than the last! Just waiting for the 19...when we see the doctors again for followup!

And remembering to "Look for the good in everyday"! It's always there!!

It's National Apron Day!!

Today is National Apron Day!!

Don't forget to wear your favorite apron today. If you don't have one...well... check out my Etsy Shop!

We now have FREE SHIPPING in the USA!!

Pick out your favorite today! Makes a great bridal shower gift or hostess gift! And you can tell me your favorite by leaving a comment...I love hearing from you!

Don't forget and tell all your friends! :)

Sweet Mama's Brown Rice

In honor is Mother's Day I have selected my FAVORITE recipe from Sweet Mama! When I was little I thought that this was brown rice...it was brown of course! When I grew up I found out that it was just the early 60's take on brown rice! But it is so tasty and I still love it today!!!

Sweet Mama's Brown Rice
1 cup white rice
1 can French Onion soup
1 can beef broth
1 stick margarine

Place in small casserole dish. Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Enjoy!

Home At Last!!

We got to bring Sweet Mama home today! She was discharged around noon and we made our way down the Interstate back home. Not too bad of a ride...just one back up in McDonnough! She dozed in the backseat most of the way, which was good. She hasn't slept that well for the past few nights. Hopefully now she can rest!

The babies were glad to see me! Beau just kept following me around. But now they are both out on the porch...chillaxing! It is a beautiful day!!!

Sweet Mama Day 5

Here we are at day five! Sweet Mama had a restless night last night...coughing the whole night! I saw each hour go by with about 15 minutes per hour of sleep! Her nose is stopping up on the good side which seems to be causing a post nasal drip.

I left around 6:45 am when Red got here. Went straight to the hotel and got ready for bed. I slept for about 2 1/2 hours when some rocket scientist decided it would be a great idea to get the blower out and clean off the sidewalk. He didn't just blow off the dirt like a normal person...he gunned it and basically played all the way down the building! He must have been 10!

So now I am awake. I lay around trying to go back to sleep but there are too many sounds going on outside! I fiddle with the AC to try to have some white noise but to no avail. I call Red, get the update and then decide to get something to eat..which involves driving! Now I have been awake all night, so if anyone I know had seem me you wouldn't have recognized me! Seriously, I looked like a train wreck! That's the problem with being a sitter. You never get any rest!

I got back from Mickey D's ate and went back to bed....it is now 2 or 2:30..I sleep until 3:48 when LB calls! So rest time is now over!! After chatting, a shower and packing up I head back up to the hospital! So much for sleep!

The good news is that Sweet Mama is going home tomorrow!! Yay!! Now we all can sleep in our own beds! The kitties will be so glad to see us. I know Bella has missed her napping partner and Sweet Mama has missed her!

Sweet Mama Day 4

Well, here I am sitting in the dark...wishing I had asked LB to leave the booklight here with me! Can't read my book :( It has now flown away to it's new home in Iowa!

Sweet Mama had a better day today after a bad night! She is having problems swallowing with all the packing in her mouth. When she took her night pills, one when down and then one got stuck in her throat. She said that it felt like it burned her throat all night. Around 4:00 am she asked for some Tylenol from the nurse...she ended up with a shot of something which turned out to be Morphine. After restless sleep and crazy dreams we all decided that she must be allergic to it!! She had never had it before. Now keep in mind that she has had no real pain...just didn't feel like she was resting very well.

After a little sleep this morning, we had a few visitors! We had the speech therapist, the social worker and our minister from home! Mom enjoyed the visit from The Rev! It seems to pick up her spirits!

Tonight she has had some liquid Benedyrl so hopefully she will rest! As for me, well it's always tricky to sleep in a chair!

Hospital Oberservations, Sweet Mama Day 3

Has anyone every noticed that when you have a loved one in the hospital the temperature is either freezing cold or hot! Sweet Mama goes from being cold to hot...trying to regulate the thermostate is challenging! This hospital is so quiet at night and all the people have been so nice! Only problem we might have is that we are right beside the helipad... the chopper took out yesterday right before Sweet Mama came back to the room! It has not been back yet..but will.

She is having a better day today...It has now been offically 24 hour since the surgery (as of 1:15pm). LB spent the night last night and, according to Sweet Mama, was a very attentive and good nurse. Keep in mind that LB is the baby in the family...It's me and Red and then 10 years later...LB! Sweet Mama said that she appreciated his help..and enjoyed him!

We had a speech therapist come in this morning to check on Sweet Mama's swallowing. With this new surgery, the doctor sewed in her prostestic and put packing underneath and around it. With this, the prostestic feels like it does not fit well and the packing feels like it is filling the entire inside cavaty of her mouth. But we are learning to adjust and are loking forward to May 19 when it can be removed!

We are so glad to be having a better day. Hopefully with some rest Sweet Mama will feel better every day!

Sweet Mama Day 2

Today has been a very long day...if I don't make good sense...sorry. The day started at 5:15 am. We got to the hospital at 6:15 and started the waiting game. The surgery finally started at 8:45 and lasted for 4 1/2 hours...in recovery 4 hrs. The doctor said that she had a golf ball sized tumor behind her cheekbone which was removed and sent to be biopsied. Two more teeth were also removed due to cancer in the soft tissue. She is doing well and looks a lot better than she did after the last surgery four years ago. She has some numbness and swelling in the area which hopefully resolve itself as she heals. LB is on the night shift, so Red and I are ready for a good night sleep!

Sweet Mama Day 1

We made it to Atlanta...through the on and off rain showers! Got to the airport 20 minutes before LB's plane landed! Sweet Mama had called the doctor's office first thing this morning. Of course the nurse called the minute we stepped into the airport bathroom! After a brief discussion, she said the doctor wanted her to come on over to the office. LB showed up and we all made it back to the car.

Note for those of you who travel to Atlanta to pick up someone...it's easier to park in the International parking deck than the regular "Delta" one! Much easier and faster to get in and out!!

We drove straight over to the doctor's office and waited.. When we saw the doctor he checked her out (because of her major cold) and checked out her face. It had been swelling on and off in the past few weeks. He said that it was not a tumor just a spot in her mouth that her prosthectic was rubbing. It had cut the top of her mouth causing it to swell. The surgery is still on for tomorrow. The doctor thinks that it will only last 2 or 3 hours...a lot shorter than the last time! And we don't have to be there until 6 or 6:30! The surgery will not start until 8:00.

So now we are resting and getting ready for dinner at Outbsck. The rest of the week...hospital food! :(

Preparing for Sweet Mama's Surgery

Tomorrow we leave for Atlanta for Sweet Mama's surgery! But first she is calling the doctor. She started with a sore throat Wednesday night and it progressed to a full blow cold by the next night. She also had Laryngitis Thursday. She thought she would be over it by the end of the weekend but not so. So I think that the doctor needs to be informed. He may go ahead with the surgery or postpone it. Sweet Mama wants to get it over with but that is for the doctor to decide.

Anyway we have to go to Atlanta to pick up LB from the airport. He arrives at 12:30ish. Maybe he will have a quick layover or maybe not...we will just have to wait and see! So I am packing and sorting and waiting!

Last Day at the Market..For Awhile!

It is my last City Market on the Green for a little while. Sweet Mama surgery is on Tuesday in Atlanta. We leave on Monday and pick up LB at the Atl Airport. He stays until Thursday and hopefully Sweet Mama can come home Friday or Saturday! Her surgery is the first case Tuesday...Cinco De Mayo. ( Her last surgery at Emory was on Tax Day and before that St Patrick's Day...what's up with the holiday surgery?!) I glad that it is first because that way we can get it over with and start the healing process. But that means we have to be there at 5:50 a.m. It is going to be a long day!!

We had a good day at the Market today. Red went with me as Sweet Mama has a horrible cold! (She was a lot better when we got home!) It was so windy!!! I had to rethink the display because things kept falling over. The rain held off until this afternoon which was good. I f it rains and the car is not close we will have a mess...lots of wet aprons!!

For those of you who are wondering who will be minding the store while I am gone...it's Precious! I have given her all the details on how to ship out all Mother's Day items! So don't let that stop you from placing your order now!! Oh, and another thing...if you want to know what I am adding new everyday...just look to the right of this post (top right corner) and you will see my Esty Shop photos. These are of the most current items I have added (the 1st 3 are of the ones I have featured for the week!) You can easily keep up with the shop here! The apron I have posted here is my newest, Breath of Spring Vintage Inspired Ruffle Apron! I love it! Don't you?! Thought I would sell right off but nooo... You never know what people like!

I will be posting updates on Sweet Mama all next week. Please keep her in your prayers!

The Adventure of Squirrely

The adventures of Squirrely continue... When we last left Squirrely he was looking over the fence watching the cars go by. Well...he has been very busy since we saw him last! I decided that this year I was not going to plant a large garden. I choose instead to plant just some patio tomatoes on the back patio.

I cleaned out my planters that had died back over the winter and planted my tomatoes, cages and all! My first attempt was very un-squirrel friendly ...so I thought! Sweet Mama helped me to come up with this idea!
This lasted a few days...maybe a week, when I noticed that I had been out smarted by Squirrely! He had been digging on the sides of the plants...all the way down past the roots!! I had to do something fast! I went to my local big box store to find some medium size rocks to place around the edges. They did not have such a thing..just teeny ones that are for an aquarium! That would be more fun for Squirrely so I decided against it. I went back home and started looking around and came up with this!






Hopefully the spinners will distract him as well as the lower tinfoil! It keeps getting better and better...I know the neighbors are wondering what kind of art project I am making!



I already have blooms my tomatoes!!






So far Squirrely has not bother the tomatoes...he just chillaxing and figuring out his next move!!