A visit from my family........

We went to Crater Lake on Tuesday. We rented an 8 passenger minivan. It was lots of fun. We went to breakfast and then headed off to the lake. Once we got there we had lunch and took pictures. We got home around dinnertime. I had made the chicken in the crockpot. It turned out very delicious but a little too spicy for my one sister-in-law and my great niece. Here is the recipe I used:

Jamaican Chicken

chicken thighs and breasts

Adobo seasoning

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

4T soy sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 habanero chili chopped fine ( I used a jalepeno and seeded it)

chicken broth

Rub the chicken with the adobo seasoning and brown in frying pan. Put in crockpot and add other ingredients. I cooked it for 8 hours on low. It could have been cooked a little less because the chicken was falling apart but it wasn't dry. I made rice to serve the gravy over.

Wednesday we decided to drive to the coast and show our guests some of the sights along the beach areas. After driving for about an hour and a half we got to our destination only to have one of my sisters-in-law become very sick. She was stricken with a case of the flu. We decided to head for home since she was so ill. It took us four hours to get home because we had to stop every so often for her to use a bathroom. Poor thing looked so miserable. She also felt terrible that our plans were ruined but that is not a big deal. We were just concerned about her. She started feeling better that evening and today feels great again. We're hoping none of the rest of us catch what she had.

Last minute touches

What is going on with me. I woke up at 4am and laid there for almost an hour awake. I decided I would just get up. Now it's almost 6 and I am getting sleepy again. I got most of the things done yesterday so today I just have to dust a little and put a roast in the slow cooker.

Bob and his friend came home with no salmon yesterday. But they said they had a fun time anyway. I guess that's what it's all about anyway.

When we were camping in July a couple we know came camping also and we all had dinner together a few times. The time she made the main course it was a chicken dinner made in her slow cooker. She said it was a recipe given to her by a friend from the Caribbean. She gave me the ingredients. I thought that would make a good meal while my bros are here but I don't know the amounts of anything. I wrote her an email and asked for the recipe. She called yesterday and said she couldn't find the recipe and would call her friend for it and email me. Well, I haven't heard anything from her yet. So.....I figure either she couldn't reach her friend or she really doesn't want to share the recipe so I may have to improvise. After all I do have the ingredients. Only hitch is one ingredient is Goya Adobo Seasoning and my brother is bringing me that since I couldn't find it anywhere in my town. He found it in a Mexican market in Nevada. So I will be making it another night this next week.

The weather is supposed to be better the next week. It's been raining for two days off and on. I'm not ready to have cold and rainy weather yet. Well, I think I may go back to bed for a couple more hours. Have a Blessed Day everyone!

My New Toy........

Here is a picture of my new sewing machine. It has a longer arm than the standard machines do. It's 12 inches instead of the usual 7. I am hoping this will make a big difference when I quilt small projects. The larger ones can go on the quilt frame (when it comes in)
I went to my class yesterday to learn how to use the features on the machine. I am loving it.

Today Bob and a friend went to the coast to salmon fish the river. I have lots to do as both of my brothers are now on their way here. One brother is coming from Kansas and the other from Nevada. They are both planning to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to see them all. I haven't seen the Kansas group in three years. I also have a third brother. I wish he and his wife could make it but they said they couldn't. I tried to stress the importance of spending a little time together because you never know how long any of us have. It's been over 20 years since we all have been together. I plan to make the best of this visit. Lots of pictures and laughter and good times. I thought I would bake some peanut butter cookies for them. When we were kids and went to visit my grandmother (paternal) she always had a crock of freshly baked peanut butter cookies for us. I have her recipe and thought it would be a nice touch. She also used to make a chiffon dessert that she called Pink Puddin but I've never been able to find the recipe. I think it had a cookie crust and was made with Jello and whipped up and was a raspberry flavor. Does it sound familiar to anyone? Well, I guess I should get started with all I have to do...............

Busy week...

I'm sorry I haven't written in a few days. I have been trying to get ready for my two brothers and their wives coming for a visit. They will be arriving Friday and Saturday. We haven't all been together in almost 18 years. I have a third brother but he and his wife can't make it this time. We're getting so excited for the visit. Whenever I am with my brothers there is laughter and reminiscing and such good times. They will be here for a week. I am hoping our weather behaves itself. My one brother has never been to Oregon and the other brother came in April and it rained all week. We plan to go to Crater Lake since they haven't seen it. I checked Weather.com and the forecast looks good.

Another reason I haven't been on here is that Friday was my birthday. Hubby Bob and I drove to Eugene and went to a sewing store to look at machines (not that I needed one). We bought (gulp!) the new Bernina 820 computer machine. It does so much. It even ties a knot and cuts the thread for you if you want it to. No kidding. Also my hubby wanted to help me out with my quilting and bought me a quilting stand. I don't have it yet, since the store hasn't received the new models yet. They were promised them in October. That will give us some time to make room for it. It expands from 5 feet wide to 10 feet wide as needed. This was quite an extravagant gift, he's very good to me. I'll take a picture of the machine and post it later today. I have a class at the store tomorrow to learn how to use the sewing machine. I have to bring it with me plus all the goodies that came with it. It' pretty heavy. Weighs 39 pounds. I guess now I have to start sewing my own clothes and all. NOT!! Well, I might attempt a couple of things, like something simple that nobody would see other than Bob. A nightgown or pajamas. I will hopefully remember all I learn at the class tomorrow. My other sewing machine is feeling pretty dejected I'm sure. I was loving it until I got this bright shiny and large new one. I haven't decided if I will keep it or sell it yet. I have a friend who has offered to buy it.

Winding Down

The time is winding down on both the summer and my time for getting things ready for my brothers visit. I decided to make a pot of spaghetti sauce and meatballs and also to put some chicken in my slow cooker for the day they arrive. That way I can enjoy them all and not be stuck preparing food in the kitchen. My one brother will be arriving next Friday, the 10th and the other brother on the 11th. I am so excited. I tried to get my third brother to come but he and his wife can't make it. It's been over 20 years since we've all been together. I am a little bummed out over it but it will still be fun.

We had the carpet cleaned yesterday. Now I have to get all the little styrofoam squares out from under the furniture and put it back against the walls. I am hoping my sister-in-law will be okay when she gets here. She has asthma and we have 2 cats. They are afraid that they'll have to stay in a motel rather than here in our home. I am hoping the cat dander isn't bad in the guest room since they aren't in there that often. I am waiting until the day before they arrive and I'll wash the bedspread in there. Then I'll keep the door closed. My sewing stuff is in there so I'll be in and out working on my quilt. I haven't done any work on it in several days. I'm thinking I need to get in there and give a good hour a day to get it done. A friend I met at the gym who is also new at quilting has decided to try to quilt her own quilt on her machine after I talked to her about being the only one with a hand in making a quilt. I'm hoping she follows through. It's so rewarding to see what you've done so far and know that it's your own design.

Tomorrow my hubby is going fishing with a friend. I am hoping I can get down to the garage and tidy it up a bit. I am so embarrassed when anyone sees it. It's an eyesore. I love my hubby to death but he has such a bad habit of never putting things away after using them. Every time he cleans the garage it only lasts one day and then it starts to get filled up again with tools and anything else he has used. Every square inch of space is taken up with stuff stacked on it. It's so frustrating. Our house was built in the 70s and the garage was added on after the fact. So, when you look out the window in our door in the kitchen you see this disaster area called the garage.

I have been eating larger portions lately without even realizing it. I am thinking I need a slight adjustment of my band. It's been 7 months since my last adjustment and I haven't lost any weight since April. I am just maintaining. I still need to lose another 27 pounds to be at my first goal. I decided to be more mindful of what I eat and to not eat anything between meals. We are not supposed to eat between meals with the LapBand and I have kind of been snacking on nuts or pretzels or crackers and I think this is a bad habit. Those things are referred to as slider foods since they slide right through the band. So I am getting back to basics to see if I can break my plateau.

Rainy Day

Today was a rainy day and was pretty chilly. It felt like an Autumn day so I made beef stew for dinner. It was comfort food and so good and warm. I didn't really get much accomplished today. I did some laundry and grocery shopping. My brothers will be here next weekend and I am trying to plan a few meals to have while they are here. I am thinking of using my crock pot for a meal or two. I'm checking out my Fix it and Forget it cookbook. If anyone has a suggestion on a meal for 6 adults and one little girl I'd sure appreciate it.

I didn't get any quilting done today. I did go into the sewing room/guest room and look at it. I keep wishing I had started with a bigger meandering (that is the freehand quilting style I am using) than I did. It's going to take me longer and I'll be using a lot more thread. Oh well, it is my first so whatever happens I think I am doing ok. I think it looks pretty good, regardless of how long it will take me to finish it. Tomorrow my friend who got me started in quilting and I might go to Eugene to look at the latest machine out by Bernina. It's a pricey Momma. I can dream can't I ? To tell you the truth, my husband wants to buy it for me. I sometimes have to hold him back. He is very impulsive and thinks nothing of spending a small fortune just to make me happy. You've gotta love a guy like that.

My First Quilt

I haven't posted here in so long. I guess I have been busy with other things. Facebook for one, but even that has been fading lately. Most of my time is being spent on my quilting projects. I am quilting my first quilt. I decided to try to do it myself on my machine. It's going to take a while but I can claim it's mine from start to finish that way. I also bought fabric to make a table runner for Autumn. I couldn't find the fabrics I really wanted but I did get the seasonal ones in Joanne's. Also, a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went up the coast to Newport to meet some friends for lunch and on the way home we stopped at a quilt shop. He came in with me and saw a fishing quilt on the wall. He said he would love it if I would make it for him. So I bought the kit to make it and some extra fabric to make it bigger. He's 6'4" and always needs a longer quilt. I also bought some fabrics that caught my eye in blue and yellow. They had about 12 different ones and I bought a half yard of 7 of them. I am starting to get quite a collection of fabrics for future projects.

In two weeks, two of my brothers are coming with their wives to visit us. One of them has never been to Oregon and is really looking forward to seeing it. I am hoping the weather continues to be as beautiful as it's been. I hope summer holds out a little longer and fall doesn't slip in. He lives in Kansas so he's used to different weather but I would like for the temperatures to stay like they've been in the low 80s or even the 70s is fine. We'll take them to Crater Lake for sure. None of them have seen it and if any of you come to Oregon, it's well worth seeing. It's beautiful.

I just reread my post and it's kind of boring so I apologize for that. I have been having a time with my reflux the last few days. Today we made ribs in a new smoker and I tried the rub the instruction manual said to make. It was soooooo spicy I could hardly eat them. Too much cayenne pepper. I got heartburn while I was still eating it. That is why I am up now in the middle of the night. GRRRRR! Next time I'll only use a tiny bit for a little kicked up flavor not a mule kick. Other than that the ribs were good.

Well I think I'll try and get back to sleep now. My cat is laying on my legs and purring.