Winding down for the school year

 Probably you would assume that  I would have a pic or two of Bubbie in a post about the last band concert of the year. Wrong. Take my word for it:  the kid had clean and pressed clothes and was in the right place at the right time...

By 7 p.m., the auditorium was standing room only - after all, it was senior night.  He's in there somewhere.  

Hubby plopped down, saying in a voice that was a little too loud "I forgot about the darn concert".  Then he asked me twice what is for dinner.  We do not speak of dinner at a two hour band concert.  That's torture.  I do not condone torture.  So, just wait til we get home and whatever I serve you will love, as you will be starving.   And stop talking so loud or I will kill you.

Scout lent his undivided attention. 

I know he's texting while listening to the band, but he's there, for his brother, and that's what counts.  And his calming presence brings out the calm in Hubby and I, too.  Sigh.  These days are slowly winding down.  It's bittersweet.  Two years to go 'til our youngest is out of high school.

Gina

5 thing Friday - stuff to store, art, graduations, sussies, fun at work

We moved The Girl from Waco back to Austin for a couple of months until she starts her new job in Houston.  This is the pile that could not fit into the spare bedroom so it is destined for the garage.  There was also a giant cooler of groceries, loads of paper towels and ziplocs, and enough laundry soap, softener, and bleach to last all summer. 

 At some point I will find a spot for it in the garage.  (Insert insane hearty laugh here.)

I popped into JoAnn Fabrics for some pretty fabric to spruce up my desk area last week and found this giant canvas print/painting for $37.  It fits the colors in the room and the space better than what was there before.

It's graduation season and I am falling behind on getting cards and gifts out.  Aunt Gina and Uncle Mark will be late!  Please forgive us Olivia, Laura, William, Paxton, Emma....you people are growing up way too fast.  Congrats to all of you!

On Wednesday I took a belated Mother's Day gift to my mother.  Empty egg cartons for her chickie eggs, some boxes of Sure-Gel, a new ironing board cover, some packages of deluxe nuts, a couple of paperback novels, bread for the chickens, a few empty jelly jars, and her watch that I had the battery replaced in.  Plus, we cleaned out her clothes closet and ate lunch out, which is always nice.

I'm so glad to be back at work.  Can't say it enough!

Gina

Pimiento Cheese Spread

I'm a big fan of homemade cheese spread - as a child my mom would make her own version with grated cheddar, mayo, and bacon instead of pimiento.  While that was very delicious, I wanted to make the southern version of pimiento cheese.  So, recently I made it for dinner using a recipe from Martha Stewart and making slight changes.

It was creamy and sweet and cheesy and so good on ciabatta rolls!  An easy dinner and everyone loved it.

Pimiento Cheese Spread
1 1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar
1 1/2 c. grated monterrey jack
1/2 real mayo
1 tiny jar of pimientos, undrained
freshly grated black pepper, salt
Mix all together and chill.  Serve on bread, rolls, toast, celery sticks...

There's nothing like fresh grated cheese.  I used to buy the big bags of pre-shredded cheese, but what I found was that we ended up eating too much cheese and it didn't melt or taste quite the same - fresh is best.  Still, I made this a couple of hours in advance of dinner, and the next day it was even better!

Gina

Shared with

Cozy Little House 
and
Yesterfood

Giftie pots for Mother's Day

I wanted to make a sweet little something for my co-workers for Mother's Day. It was time to get creative!

I did some last minute scouting around while out doing my Friday errands.  I bought bright pottery pots, M&M's, cute magnet list pads and scented markers,  and some herb pods to plant.  I also printed an M&M themed label from here.  

Do you ever use those magnetized lists?  I make lists all the time.  Seriously.  I am a big fan of my notebook planner, but sticky notes with lists follow me everywhere!

 I tucked the goodies in the ceramic pot with some tissue and tied with gardener's twine.

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Gina

5 thing Friday - room prep, the view, scalped, lunch out, carpooling fun

Today the plan is to clear out the Lounge in advance of The Girl coming to stay until her move to Houston.  The futon, sewing table, and ironing board all have to find a new home.  As does the exercise equipment tucked over by the window.  Plus, I need to make her some space in the closet. 

It will be good to de-crapify in here. 

A recent storm knocked the screen off this window in our master bedroom.  (there it is, laying against the bottom of the window) Now that our backyard tree is well-established, I kind of like the view.  I discovered that I liked it in the kitchen, too, so I simply raised the blinds and left them that way.  We might as well enjoy the pretty trees!

I should have taken a "before" shot of these shrubs.  They were out of control.  It had gotten to where we had a narrower area of front step and I had developed a bad habit of leaning on them as I was learning to navigate the step.  And to think, I counseled my mother about doing the very same thing!

 It will only take a month or so for them to fill in.  For now they look scalped and woody.  But all of the landscaping has been doing great with this rainy spring.  Less than a month after Bubbie and I trimmed and cleaned out the lantana, it is blooming and filling in nicely.

 

 I took Scout and The Girl to Chuy's for lunch on a random weekday.

I wish The Girl would have let me take a pic of her pretty new adult working woman haircut.

The front of Hubby's office,  just because I was sitting there waiting to pick him up from work, then head across town to get Bubbie from driver's ed.   His car was in the shop this week, and we have more work to do on it next week.  Good thing we don't work the same hours.

Gina