Homecoming Bolero Jacket

My daughter wanted to be comfortable in her homecoming dress. It had thin straps and she knew she wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it without something over it. So, I told her I would make a bolero jacket to wear over the dress.

I went to a friends (Thank you Donna!) who had a bolero jacket and made a pattern using some old craft painting paper. I placed the jacket down on the paper and traced 1/4 inch around it on the paper. The jacket is lined so I cut out two of everything including the back.

Following the pattern of the jacket, I sewed it after cutting it out on cotton fabric I already owned. I then used the see through pieces I had pulled out of the side of the dress during alteration and sewed them on as a cap sleeve to help the jacket match the dress. You could just put similar jewels or sequins on so it could be used with any dress.

I did have to take it in a bit after sewing it as the original bolero was a bit big.

So, we added a few bling pieces of jewelry and she decided rather than the beautiful but painful pumps we bought to match it, that she would rather wear her silver sequin converse to the dance to be comfortable. Rather than taking a purse to keep her cell phone handy, she wore knee high socks so she could feel it ring and keep it safe.

After taking back the pumps, all in all, the whole thing cost us $15 and my sweetie was beautiful!

Homecoming Dress Alteration

My daughter was asked out for her first date to homecoming. She was excited by the prospect. Having five girls I thought she could find a dress that one of her sisters used that she would like. Styles, and sizes kept her from finding one she liked that we already owned.

We visited several second hand stores in hopes of finding something that she would like that would be in our budget and one that was modest so she would feel comfortable wearing it.

We found a black evening gown that was beautiful but had a see through strip on the side and was large. I told her I thought I could alter it and get it to fit and could make a bolero jacket to make it modest to wear. We bought it for $15.

It had some tape sticky stuff on it. I am not sure why someone had tape on it but I took some scotch tape and put it over the sticky and rubbed and then pulled it off quickly and the area looked like new. I did this same trick where some deodorant got on it under the arms. I just used scotch tape, rubbed the top of the tape after sticking it on the dirty area and pulled the tape up quickly and the white came right off.

I did have to replace a few beads that had been lost or come loose but that was an easy fix.

I used a seam ripper to take apart the side seams removing the see through section completely. You can see it in the above picture. I then sewed the two remaining side together and tried it on her. I just kept taking it in until it fit perfectly. Then I sewed up the lining on the inside by hand making it so you couldn't even tell that it had been altered. Tomorrow, I'll show how I made the jacket.

En Lighten Me

We have a street light across the street from my house. I live in a dead end street with several undeveloped lots. One day a few weeks ago, I was in my garage finishing up a project when I looked out at the street and it was BLACK. I couldn't see anything.

I had never realized how much light that one street lamp gives our cul-de-sac. I was a bit startled and scared for a minute to see such blackness. I closed the garage and called the city the next day. I guess they got someone to come and look at it but something was wrong with the lamp not just the bulb. They came four different times to work on the bulk fixing its crooked top, cleaning the glass, checking the bulb and eventually figuring out what was causing it to not work.

I never told my kids anything about calling or how dark it was but the first night this week it was working, my daughter commented "Hey we have light!" They missed it on their own as well.

I couldn't help but think that sometimes this is how we are when we don't have Heavenly Father in our life. We may have borrowed light for awhile but lose it. Until times are really dark in our lives, we don't realize how much we miss or used that light as a source of comfort and guidance. When the night was dark, we couldn't see very far in front of us without that light. Especially when all neighbors lights were out.

I think this is how life is without God. We can't see much in front of us and the future looks bleak and scary. We don't know which way to go to be safe and each step takes strength and causes fear. Sometimes we can use (or borrow) the light from other friends and neighbors to see the path but it isn't as powerful as the larger lamp post.

However, when God is put in the picture and the light bulb turns on, we can see clearly in the dark. We can have faith and take the steps needed to progress without fear. Even though there is darkness all around us, the direct path in our lives has light and we can KNOW for sure which path God wants us to take as he lights that path for us.

I hope you have many people in your life that "share their light" and act as lamp posts and share God's light with you making the path clear and safe.

May you also be that light for others. Since you are reading this, you must be one of the people I count as a light in my life! But, most of all, I hope you know that your loving Father in Heaven's light is always there for you. Christs light is also there brighter than any other light if we just reach out to him and share in that light!

Now You See It part 2

Ok, so I wrote the "Now you see it" part one a few weeks ago but didn't post it because I didn't want it to be lost when we went for her next check up. So, since we were going Friday last week to the Dr. for her next eye exam, I decided to post part 1 on Thursday.

You won't believe what happened. She tried on the newer contacts they ordered in but the right eye was blurry so she didn't wear them for the week. She put them on right before going to the visit. She said it was so blurry that it was making her sick.

The Dr. checked and her eye had improved again. HER RIGHT EYE IMPROVED SO MUCH IN THE TWO WEEKS SINCE HER LAST VISIT THAT SHE CAN NOW WEAR NORMAL CONTACTS IN BOTH EYES! No special order needed and they are normal price!

No change for a year. In a month, her right eye went from a negative 6 on the right eye to a negative 2.75. What a huge blessing in her life. Rather than having to wait a week or two for the special order contacts, the doctor went right in and picked out normal cheap contacts in stock and she put them in and could see clearly for the first time without glasses in 3 years. She still has issues with seeing and needs the help of glasses or contacts but with gratitude and looking at the issues that create her "not wanting to see," I have no doubt that her eyes will continue to improve.

Her sister asked me to help her look at the issues she has with her vision. I keep telling them "the secret is gratitude!"

The right side of the body holds masculine issues, left side of the body holds feminine issues. The question I ask people with bad vision in the right eye would be, "What don't you want to see clearly with someone masculine in your life?" Once the issue comes up we use the script on the main page for tapping or EFT to tap out the issue. If nothing comes up, we word associate like I wrote about before.

My excitement is for what else this can transform in our lives. It is endless.

Happy Tapping!

Mother Daughter Bunko Fun

I started a bunko group in my neighborhood over 16 years ago. I did it to get to know some of the women in my area better. Most of us were young moms with children of similar ages.

12 of us are in the group and there have been a few that moved away over the years but the main part of the group still remain.

I did my last "Mother/Daughter Bunko Night" tonight. Over the years, we have had couples bunko when I hosted over Valentines, and this will be the fourth and last Mother / Daughter bunko night. It was fun to get to play with the girls. There are some whose children have moved on with no children left at home. We have our first grandma in the group.

The theme of tonight's was "breakfast for dinner." People wore their pajamas and we had breakfast for dinner. I did "Jays famous french toast" I posted about before and "Banana Nutmeg waffles" which are also posted. I then made cheesy eggs and regular eggs. I made most of it last night and then just put it all in the oven for an hour before it started to heat it up which saved me stress. We had berries and fruit, sausage, and lots of pastry. We did have cake for desert.

I wish now I had taken pictures of the tables and food. I used our fall leaf plates, place mats, napkin rings, salt and pepper, serving bowls etc. It looked so autumny. However, it was a bit crazy as there were children of all ages about. I did get a photo of me with each of my girls during the game which made it a memorable night.

Some of the other themes have been or could be: Favorite star, American Idol, literary character, inventor, princess/prince, Disney night, etc for Mom and kids bunko. We have done several different themes depending on the month matching the holiday or season with the food and the decor along with matching prizes.

I joked about having a "Grandma / Grandchild night in a few years. We all laughed but I can see it happening in the not so distant future! My how time flies.

Happy rolling!

Now You See It......

My youngest daughter fell on some ice at school and is very blind in one eye as she hit her cornea on the ice. It has been three years since her fall. We watched her eye for a few months for the corneal swelling to go down. Her eye got a little bit better. Then, during the next year, it got even bit better. This past year, no improvement.


We asked the Dr. about contacts. Because she is so blind in that eye and bad in the other as well, six sets of contacts cost $250.


For a single mom on a limited income, that is an unreasonable amount. Also, what if she lost her glasses or cracked them like the last two pair she owned? I wanted to allow her to try them just to see if they would be an option for special occasions. So, the Dr. ordered a trial set and we looked at the prices. When I found out how much they were, I talked to my daughter about working on the issues that may be linked with "not wanting to see things clearly in life."


We set out to tapping (EFT) which I describe in my blog pages on the home page. We used word association to work on the issues. For example, "What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of not being able to see clearly?" Then she would say something like "blurry." Then I say, "When I say "Blurry" what comes to your mind?" She says, "Ice." I then say, "Ice." She says "fall", I say "Fall" and she says, "School." etc.


Most of her issues dealt with my divorce and her not wanting to see what was happening with her parents. None of my kids needed glasses until the divorce. I also did foot reflexology on her feet about four times and I also rubbed essential oils on the "eye" reflex area on the toes.


When she put the trial contacts in, she said they were blurry. We went in today, less than two weeks since her last eye exam and check up in which there was no change in her eyes for over a year. She couldn't see with the contacts in. After the exam the Dr. said that her left eye is so much better now that she can wear the cheaper contacts and he ordered a new contact to try for the other eye!


No one can tell me that tapping doesn't work! I am going to continue to work with her on letting go of "not wanting to see things." I have also talked with her about having gratitude for what she can see. Giving thanks for being able to see flowers, trees, people, movies etc. I give gratitude for my eyes at least weekly when I see a beautiful sight and I don't need glasses when many of my siblings and parents wear them.


So, I'll let you know how it goes but even if there isn't more change, I am giving gratitude that at least one of her eyes will be able to wear thinner and cheaper contacts and pray to our loving Heavenly Father that we can heal the other enough as well!


Just glad we no longer live the law of Moses, "An eye for an eye!" Happy seeing!

The Breakdown Blessings - Part 2

Blessing number ten. My younger brother took his kids home and returned to help my dad with the car. They noticed that the serpentine belt was cracking and since they were in the area, they wanted to put a new one on reducing the risk of me breaking down in a remote area as I live 3 hours away and there are areas with no cell service.

Blessing eleven. I called three major auto part stores and only one in town even had a serpentine belt in the state for my car and it was only about 20 minutes drive to get it. Otherwise, I would have had to wait a few days to get an ordered one.

Blessing twelve. The alternator is in a horrible spot in the back middle of the engine. My brother got online after looking it over to see if he could get any help as to how to get to it without taking the motor apart. My dad and brother laughed as the only suggestion they were able to find online said, "Don't do it yourself. Take it to a mechanic. It took me six days to put an alternator in." I had been praying all along as my kids needed to get home for school Monday morning. By the time I got back from getting the belt, they had already replaced the alternator. It took them less than an hour to remove and replace it.

Blessing thirteen. My younger sister lives near me. She had come to the family lunch without any of her six children (which doesn't happen often) so she was able to drive the three hour drive taking my girls home so they could get to bed at a decent hour.

Blessing fourteen. My brother "felt" to grab a long handled screwdriver from home before he came over. He went back in to get it before leaving. The serpentine belt was very awkward and only with the help of that long handle driver was he able to get it on while my dad held it from the top. It took him longer to get the old belt off than put the new one on. He said it was weird how he went to get that screwdriver and he didn't know how come the alternator went so smoothly. My dad said outright that he wouldn't have been able to do it and was amazed that my brother was able to do it at all let alone so quickly.

Blessing fifteen. I was able to share that I know my Heavenly Father loves me with my brother. I also shared with my sister that when I started to break down, I thought, "I guess I won't be going dancing. Perhaps something would have happened if I had gone." I explained that the place where the dance was being held is right down town and has the darkest parking lot of any of the dances I have attended. Going myself probably wouldn't have been the best idea. My sister said, "You are so good to think that way instead of complaining that you broke down. I am glad that I have been blessed with an ability to see things as blessing rather than trials.

Blessing sixteen. The belt and the alternator both being replaced cost me under $100. If I had broken down even across town, or at that same spot during the day when shops were open, I would have called AAA and been towed and had a mechanic do the work. Because of breaking down at that time and place, I was blessed to have the help of a loving father, brother, step mother, sisters, daughter and best of all, a loving Father in Heaven. They saved me hundreds of dollars in repair costs and parts.

Blessing seventeen. I drove home without incident to find my angels sleeping and when I had the battery checked, it was fine. Even if it weren't it is under warranty.

I hope your breakdowns are as BLESSED!

The Breakdown Blessings - part 1

Heavenly Father has always protected me. Through my life there were many times I felt guided and found out later that if I had gone and done what I was going to do, something could have happened.

I had one of those wonderful moments this weekend. I was visiting family in another city and was headed to go dancing this weekend. My dancing buddy called last minute telling me she wasn't able to go with me. I called another friend but she didn't answer.

I decided to go anyway. On the highway halfway to the destination at 10:00 at night, my radio shuts off. Within seconds, the lights begin to fade and the car starts to lurch.

Blessing number one. I was near an off ramp of the highway and by turning the car off and putting it in neutral, I was able to coast down to the bottom of the off ramp to the light and pull off the road.

Blessing number two. I was able to call my dad who lived only miles from the off ramp where I broke down. I was staying with my sister 30 minutes away.


Blessing number three. Some gentleman stopped and offered to push me. It was dark and he looked nice enough but I didn't know where to have him push me or if he could push me anywhere so I told him thanks but that I had help on the way.

Blessing number four was great as I was able to start the car and drive into a motel parking lot before the car lost power and went dark and the hazard lights no longer worked which would have left me dark on the off ramp.

Blessing number five. My dad picked me up and took the battery out thinking it was the alternator or the battery or both. He took me home to his house where I was able to borrow pj's get a toothbrush and sleep on the couch.Thanks to my sister for keeping my kids overnight.

Blessing number six. Getting up in the morning, my dad had charged the battery. We put it back in the car and were able to find a Auto Zone open at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning. They checked and said the battery was bad and that the alternator was going out.

Blessing number seven. My dad insisted on paying for the alternator and saved me $150 on the part as we got part back when we returned the bad one to the store later. He followed me to his house where he had ramps to work on the car.

Blessing number eight. My wonderful step mother had fresh waffles, cut strawberries, cream and fresh juice slush for breakfast when we got back with the car and parts.

Blessing number nine. We were having a family party for lunch as a nephew is leaving to serve as a missionary in Mexico this week. My kids and I were fed lunch. My older daughter did the youngest daughters hair and drove them to the luncheon but had to head for college in another city after.

To be continued.....

Imperfect but Sweet

Our nectarines are so sweet the bees go to town on them leaving trails and sticky sap on many similar to the trails on watermelon. The sweeter the melon, the more trails on the skin, peel or rind. Sometimes the most deformed fruit is the most sweet and tasty. Bugs can sense the sweeter fruit.

I think sometimes people are that way. Weathered and marred from "stings" but if we take the time to open them up, we find they are often the most kind and learned spirits of God.

Many times when I have met someone that seems a bit "stung" and marred, I find out what their likes are and make a sincere effort to get through that outer mess. Most times, I find something wonderful inside.

Have you ever picked a piece of fruit that looked so beautiful on the outside but when you started eating it, it was pithy and had no flavor? Or, have you eaten the fruit and it tasted sweet and fine only to bite in and get a mouthful of rotten in the center including a worm or bug? I think people are also like that.

Some look beautiful and amazing. You hang around them because they “look good” or “seem fun” but after being with them for awhile, you find they have no flavor. They aren’t what they appeared to be.

There are others who look great. You spend time with them and they seem sweet. You enjoy their company. Then, perhaps they gossip or tell little lies. They aren’t as sweet as they first seemed. You are “bugged” by their behavior just as the apple or fruit had bugs.


Is there anyone in your life that seems deformed and "stung?"
Pray to God about how you can get through to enjoy the sweet inside. Just as I don't like to waste fruit, I feel the same about people. God didn't make something that wasn't perfect in some way. Each of us has perfection in something, even if we don’t look perfect and have weathered the stings and trials of life, we each have something to offer another.

Look for the perfection in each "fruit" and enjoy the sweet flavor of even the most deformed and scarred.

The Whole Fruit and Nothing but the Fruit

I hate to see anything go to waste. Time included. If something can be done quickly, it will be. If there is a faster way to do something, I will find it.

Because of frost, our fruit trees didn't produce as much fruit this year. I could have horded it, drying it for a later date, but I enjoy sharing what God has blessed me with so my youngest and I got bags for each friend in the neighborhood and put 6 beautiful nectarines in each.

As we were walking to the neighbors, she said, "I like sharing what we have." I told her "I do as well." I am so grateful that she has learned the "Pay it forward" idea and enjoys sharing. As we went from house to house, I collected several of our Tupperware containers from taking over veggie salsa and zucchini muffins. How blessed are we that I have so much to share when so many have nothing? And, how blessed that so many others share their blessings with us!

I kept the more imperfect looking nectarines and put them on the dehydrator tonight. I just rinse the fruit and use a knife and cut them into rings or wedges depending on the size and any bee stings on the fruit.

I also used a hammer and put each pit on edge and broke it open to expose a soft almond shaped nut. I posted about plum pits and their health benefits and have been enjoying the nectarine and peach pits as well.

So, my challenge to you.... Use the Whole Fruit!

Fresh Corn on the Cob in Three Minutes

My neighbor gave me some fresh corn. I was going to use it for dinner tomorrow night but got hungry after working this evening so I looked in the fridge for a healthy snack and the corn looked good.

I didn't want to shuck and boil it as I usually do so I wondered how it would be microwaved right in the husks? I put it in the microwave for 3 minutes, shucked it and put butter right on it and added salt and pepper and was eating wonderful, hot, flavorful corn within 4 minutes of deciding what to eat.

I don't know how it would taste if it weren't going to be eaten right away. It was so good, I put another two cobs in and finished them off as well. Tasted just as wonderful as if they were boiled.

I have heard of people putting them on the grill in the husk before. I'll have to try that another day.

When you only have a minute but want a healthy snack, try corn!

Sweet Sixteen Fun

My third daughter turned 16 this week. We usually take cake and ice cream to the school lunch room and give it to all their friends and a few others as they always have more friends when treats are involved.

This year is her Jr. year in high school. She said that all her friends go out to lunch. I asked what she wanted to do? She asked if we could just go to Wendy's for lunch? I contacted a few friends and had them notify everyone to meet at Wendy's for lunch to enjoy cake and ice cream. I didn't tell my daughter. I stuck balloons, cake and ice cream in the trunk. I picked up both my high school kids and we drove to Wendy's.

The birthday girl wanted to drive through and eat at the park. Earlier she texted saying she wanted to have me pick up the food and meet them. However, she got out of the car and saw the balloons and cake in the trunk and she got excited.

Surprise!

It is tradition, how could I skip it? I asked if she liked that I did it or would have rather eaten alone and she was happy that I planned a party. Every time, including yesterday, at least one of the girls friends says, "I wish my mom would do this for me." or, "No one gives me a surprise." etc. I love giving the girls happy memories with friends. I took plenty of pictures and video which will be added to past memories and will come in handy for the Jr. Prom video slideshow.

We did our family party before her older sister went off to college. What does a teenage girl want most? clothes...... new phone, and she did get some sweet ipod accessories. Everything has been enjoyed already!

Happy Sweet Sixteen my beautiful daughter!

Count Your Blessings....

I bought this little wall hanging craft a few years ago. I really liked the saying, "Count your blessings as they come and go." I have it hanging on a door at the end of a hall so every time we go into one of the five rooms off the hall, we see it. It is a constant reminder for me to be grateful and count my many blessings. It is actually on my laundry room door so when I head in to fold laundry, I am reminded to give gratitude while I fold listing the things I am grateful for in my life.

My youngest child wanted to play the clarinet in band this year. I looked at some used stores and found one in good condition for about $65 which is less than renting one for a year.

When I looked at the name on the clarinet case, I laughed. It is a "BLESSING" clarinet! I couldn't help but think that the angels in the sign above had worked their little miracles to get us a clarinet for that price with the name "Blessing."

School started and the band teacher had a "rent an instrument" and "buy a book" night at the school with two different companies. My daughter didn't know about cork grease and the cork on the mouthpiece broke. We took it in to have it looked at and neither company had a cork with them. The instructor had several mouthpieces there and told us to borrow one until we could get hers fixed.

I went to buy the beginning clarinet book. It was the only book they sold out of that night. I asked the teacher to write down the name of the book so we could find one elsewhere. He went into the other room and came out with this book and told us to just borrow it for the year.

So, it turned out to be a blessing that they were out of the books. It saved me about $13 or so and the borrowed (and sterilized) mouthpiece is working well. She is already sounding out songs. Plus, for the price of a rental, we own the instrument and if needed, could sell it for the same price we purchased it.

I can't tell you how many times things like this happen in my life. Daily little blessings happen. Some are involving others so I can't share them as they would be personal to them but when I can, I love to share with others how God blesses our family. It is a constant reminder that I have a watchful father who cares about me.

I often list my blessings while in bed before falling asleep at night. It is much more enjoyable to count your blessings than sheep! What are some of your blessings? Count them as they come and go.

Customer Appreciation - Turn Around

Our orthodontist has a customer appreciation day every year. He rents out a pool and lets family and friends of patients come. They have tickets when you come in and they put patients in one bucket and family and friends in another. They have a meal, this year it was YUMMY pizza. They have gifts for each person. They have games with prizes and then they have a drawing. They have so many prizes that most people go home with something.

I have to say, our family has been blessed during the prize drawings. Each child goes home with a nice prize most years. They had snow cones, cotton candy, and tickets for free skating at another local place. They also gave away left over pizzas, bread sticks and watermelon.

We went home with a full pizza, bread stick, $10 Wal-Mart card, 2 free movie passes, $10 pizza certificate and a fun noodle for the pool!

What a great blessing and fun day!

I thought about how I could pay back for all the kindness the Dr. and his staff show in giving a gratitude/appreciation party each year. I decided to be the photographer this year. I could see they were busy so I took my camera and went around taking pictures of patients, staff and families. When the kids saw I was doing action shots off the diving board, we had lines waiting; they would nod when ready so I could catch them mid air!

I went in the next Monday with the pictures and a big "Thank You" for the staff. They really appreciated it and thought it would be nice to get the pictures printed and give them to the patients and put some up on a poster.

I tried to think when I have thrown a party or a family dinner, what help did I need? I usually have to ask someone to take pictures for me so that is what I thought I could do.

Come to find out, it was a good idea. What a blessing to be able to give back to those who are so thoughtful to us and we were able to have fun at the same time. I was blessed to win a wonderful camera a few years ago from Panasonic so the pictures were better quality than the one camera the staff had.

Four of my five girls have had this Orthodontist. It is almost like they are part of the family! Thanks to them for providing such a fun day and beautiful smiles on my girls! Haven't they done a great job?! (I'm not biased!)

Zucchini as Spaghetti

I read an article recently that talks about a link between eating wheat and diabetes. The study found that wheat may be the cause of so many getting diabetes in our nation. It was quite recent and was sent to me by my brother.

The reason he sent it is that if I eat whole wheat anything, about 15 minutes later, I am exhausted! I can't function. If I have a piece of bread hear or there, I am fine. However, if I eat large amounts of bread or other wheat laden items, I can hardly move. So, with that information, I was looking for an alternative to spaghetti. I found it in zucchini.

When I put zucchini in my little Oster food processor or shred it by hand, it almost looks like spaghetti. Heated up for a few seconds in a sauce pan with melted butter and it has the texture and taste of spaghetti.

I make spaghetti sauce from scratch and bottle it every year. It has a wonderful taste but isn't as thick as the traditional spaghetti sauces.

The nice thing about zucchini, is that you can freeze it and use it at any time. I shred lots of it at the same time. I freeze it in yogurt containers to keep it from getting squished or damaged in freezing and thawing. It can be used for breads, other baked goods or as spaghetti.

For stir fry, I slice it in circles or quarters. It is one of my favorite items to add in a stir fry with summer squash and fresh tomatoes from the garden. I will add zucchini and summer squash to my spaghetti sauce also cut into small chunks. It really is one of my favorite summer foods.

Here is to the green wonder veggie!

Zucchini Brownies by Julie

My girlfriend Julie gave these brownies a few weeks ago. It was so good. It was more like a cake or bread than brownies. We enjoyed it so much I asked her if I could share it.

The second one she gave us was more like a cake with frosting but it was her standard brownie recipe but she added two cups zucchini and increased the flower and sugar a bit until it was a brownie consistency. My kids liked it so here it is:

Brownies with Zucchini

2 cubes butter

2 Tbsp cocoa

Melt the above in a microwave bowl until melted.

Mix by hand:

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

pinch of salt

Pour butter over sugar mix then add:

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

Mix together until moist.

Add 2 cups zucchini and add flour until brownie texture again. You can add more sugar if desired.

Pour into a baking pan and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cover with your favorite frosting recipe. She uses a butter frosting which my girls and I enjoyed just fine!