Giant Window Star

Every July and August, it is county fair time. Whether it is 4-H projects or open class projects, the girls and I have been competing in two local fairs now since Sophia was six years old - so 2007. 

For the past few years, I have chosen a complex window star from one of the pattern books I used to use when I sold window stars on Etsy. I haven't sold anything on Etsy since I was in a car accident several years ago and had serious neck and upper-shoulder issues which resulted in surgery.

At any rate, I looked at Pinterest to get some ideas for another window star pattern. I came across this pin which led to Conscious Craft. 

Window star I made. 

It took 512 folds to make this star!

There are quite a few window stars that are unique and beautiful on that website. The one that caught my eye is made up of 8 stars of varying sizes: 3 stars in the smallest size, 3 stars in the medium size, and 3 stars in the largest size. 

Each point of the stars uses the same pattern that has 8 folds. 

With 8 points (per star) multiplied by 8 folds per point multiplied by the number of stars in each grouping (see table below), it took a total of 512 folds to make this star. 

Paper Size      Number of Stars        8 Points x 8 Folds x The Number of Stars 

0.75”x1.5”                 3                                                192 

1.5”x3”                      3                                                192 

3”x6”                         2                                                128 

                                                                      Total folds: 512 

The smallest paper size is very challenging to fold. I have never folded anything that small - much less eight times. Needless to say, I was relieved when those 24 points were done. The medium paper size is easier to work with, yet still smaller than that with which I normally fold. The larger paper size is very easy to fold. 

To best see the folds and pattern of this star, hold it up towards the light.

Cinnamon Roll Turkeys and Thanksgiving Dinner

A long time ago I pinned a recipe for Cinnamon Roll Turkeys that led to the Pillsbury website. I thought it would be an easy and fun breakfast to have on Thanksgiving morning while we prepare the other food for the main meal.

Our version of the cinnamon roll turkeys turned out quite different from the food-styled pictures on the Pillsbury website. Nonetheless, it was a quick breakfast before we dove into the food preparation for the Thanksgiving dinner.

 

The ingredients include:

1 can (17.5 oz) Pillsbury Grands refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
10 slices bacon
5 candy corns
5 red mini candy-coated chocolate candies (I didn't use these)
10 candy eyeballs
15 mini pretzel sticks, cut in half

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.

Set icing aside. Separate dough into 5 rolls; place about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Unroll each roll about 1 inch; tuck dough into roll to create neck of turkey.

Bake 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel-lined plate. Cut bacon slices in half. Tuck 4 halves of bacon into back of each cinnamon roll so they stick up and look like tail feathers.

Drizzle tops of rolls with icing. Decorate turkeys with candy eyeballs, candy corn and candy-coated chocolate candies. Before serving, place halved pretzel sticks underneath each turkey to resemble turkey’s feet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We had 13 people gathered at the farm for Thanksgiving.  We were missing my nephew and niece, and my nephew's girlfriend. However, my nephew's girlfriend's sister and brother attended Thanksgiving at our farm which was nice. They had never been to one of our Thanksgiving dinners before, so it was nice having them here.

There was a prayer on Pinterest that I saw that was printed onto a table runner.  It is a simple one, but one that is "general" enough to not offend anyone. It is:

Thank you for the food before us,
The family beside us, and
The love between us.

I planned on having someone say it before the meal, but it didn't work out that way. I forgot the cheesy potatoes and dressing that were staying warm in the oven, so the meal started out a bit less "formal" than I thought. That's fine...everyone was eager to begin eating anyways.

We had the traditional components to the Thanksgiving meal that family members expect or request: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, cheesy potatoes, banana bread, and salad. My brother brought the rolls and beverages; and sister brought the pies and brownies.
 

This year, I made some new recipes including: peppermint cookies and blueberry pound cake. I made molasses cookies (my grandma Olive's recipe) and oatmeal raisin cookies, but there were plenty of other desserts to choose from so we didn't offer these as an option.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After dinner, we had a bonfire in the backyard. We had a rather large brush pile because of branches that came down due to storms this past summer.

We wanted to burn the brush pile before rabbits and birds began using it for their winter homes and spring nests. If that was the case, we'd have these huge pile of branches and sticks lasting until next Fall. They have plenty of other brush piles to use on our farm.

After we had dessert, the kids and teens played games, played the piano, and talked. There was lots of laughter which was good to hear.

My brother, sister, and I went through pictures and books that my parents had and chose ones we wanted. The others we agreed to let go. There are many more slides, photos, and books to go through still.

It is quite a process - even 2 years and 3 months after my mom died (and 5 years and 10 months after my dad died). It's the personal items - the photos, especially - that are the most difficult to go through. However, the longer it has been, it has gotten a bit easier. 

Mardi Gras Meals with Recipes

Normally we don't celebrate Mardi Gras. However, I thought it would be a good excuse to try a few new recipes and ideas I saw on Pinterest. There are some ideas that I pinned to a Mardi Gras board on my account. Looking at them, I picked out three to try this year: Mardi Gras King Cake and Mardi Gras Lunch.

For breakfast, I made Mardi Gras King Cake from a pin I saw on Pinterest that led to Taste of Home. It takes about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish to make, so it's important to allow enough time in the morning if you want this for breakfast.

We ate the Mardi Gras King Cake shortly after it came out of the oven so the filling, bread, and frosting were all warm.

Mardi Gras King Cake that I made.

We all thought it tasted good, although there was quite a bit of filling in comparison to the bread. The frosting also could be cut in half. We normally don't use that much frosting on homemade rolls.

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cans (12-1/2 ounces each) almond cake and pastry filling

GLAZE:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons water
Purple, green and gold colored sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll one portion into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread almond filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cooled cakes. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Yield: 2 cakes (12 servings each).

Nutritional Facts

1 serving (1 slice) equals 227 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 123 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

For a Mardi-Gras theme dinner, we had bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches presented in a different way.  The idea came from a pin on Pinterest that led to JDaniel4's Mom.

The mask shape is cut from a tortilla. Behind the mask was hardwood smoked bacon, sliced cherry tomatoes, and lettuce. On the side, were veggie straws (to represent confetti).

Ingredients for a BLT with veggie straws on the side.

The mask shape is just a decoration. Sophia used a full tortilla and filled it with the BLT ingredients to make a BLT roll. I did the traditional BLT sandwich on a multi-grain, whole-wheat bread.

Dinner with a Mardi Gras theme.

Olivia doesn't like BLTs, so I made her a cheese quesadilla since we had plenty of tortillas.

I also served Dirty Rice for dinner. It was from a package that I purchased when I visited Louisiana and wanted to bring back some local food to enjoy at home.

Package of rice I bought in Louisiana.

It was easy to make - one pound of ground hamburger that was browned and drained. Added 2 1/4 cups of water plus the package of seasoned rice.

Hamburger with water and rice mixture.

Cooked it for about 20 or so minutes.

Dirty rice.

Everyone liked the rice. I was surprised that Olivia even enjoyed it since it was a bit on the spicy side.

For dessert, we had Mini King Cake Cookies. The recipe came from a pin that led to Flying on Jess Fuel. The cookies have a very strong almond taste. We all liked it, but the amount of extract could be reduced slightly if less of an almond taste is desired.

Mini King Cake Cookies


Cookies that I made and 
Sophia frosted and decorated. 

Ingredients for the Cookies

¾ cup margarine
¾ cup sugar
3 ½ cups sifted flour
5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp almond extract
4 eggs

Ingredients for the Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp flour (we didn't use this)
1 tsp almond extract
4 tbsp milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it. (Note: The person who wrote the recipe noted to use margarine since the cookies come out weird if you use butter. So,I used 1/2 cup margarine and 1/4 cup butter and they turned out fine. )

Add the rest of the cookie ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Roll about 1-tablespoon of dough into balls and put them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes (or a little less).

Olivia with one of the cookies.

A traditional king cake has a little baby, bean, or other trinket hidden inside it. Whoever gets the piece with the baby is king for the day and/or gets to make/buy the next king cake. Place it in a cookie that has cooled completely. (Make sure to let those who are eating the cookies know that there is a surprise hidden inside one of them.)

Sophia is showing a peanut that was in one cookie.

For the frosting, mix the powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons of flour. Add 1 teaspoon of the almond extract and the milk slowly until it is a creamy consistency. Frost and decorate the cookies.

Sweet and Sour Chicken on Chinese New Year

This year for Chinese New Year, all of us are not feeling well. So, we are having a low-key celebration to acknowledge this important date and how blessed our lives have been since adopting Sophia and Olivia.

I took a look at my Chinese New Year board on Pinterest and found a pin for a recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken that led to Mel's Kitchen. The recipe serves 4-6 people.

The recipes notes that if extra sauce is desired, to double the sauce ingredients. Half of the sauce should be poured over the chicken. The other half should be put into a small saucepan and cooked on the stove at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

I did not make an extra batch of sauce. However, the girls both said they would like more sauce next time. It was fine as it was with a single batch of sauce.

Sweet and Sour Chicken that 

I made for Chinese New Year.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten (I used three eggs)
1/4 cup canola, vegetable or coconut oil

Sauce:
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want the sauce - I used somewhere between 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar)
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. (Note: I just added the cornstarch to the bowl that the chicken was in and stirred it.)

Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot and rippling. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet.

Cook for 20-30 seconds on each side until the crust is golden but the chicken is not all the way cooked through (this is where it's very important to have a hot skillet/oil). Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. (Note: the oil was getting low about when I was three-fourths completed with the chicken. I had to add some more oil to the pan and let it heat to a high temperature again.)

The fried chicken pieces.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce.

The finished chicken with sauce.

Serve over hot, steamed rice.

Dinner for Chinese New Year. 

I really should have used our place mats from China. 

However, it was late and we were ready to eat. 

Olivia is working on a 1,000-piece puzzle on the dining room table. 

Thus, the puzzle box is in the picture.

Red Waldorf-Inspired Window Star

A long time ago, I pinned an image on Pinterest that led to a pattern for a Waldorf-inspired window star on a blog called Deschdanja.

There are several patterns featured for window stars - some of which I've already done. However, there was a pattern for a blue star that I had never seen.

So, being that it it very cold outdoors, I created a windows star. It has been a while since I've tried a new pattern and is the perfect day to do it with the windchill in the double-digits below zero.

I chose red kite paper since Valentine's Day is coming up. There are 12 fold/unfolds per point. With eight points, that's 96 folds/unfolds to make this window star.

It was a simple star to make...and a quick creative activity to do on a weekend morning.

Countdown to Christmas - Days 14-18

Monday, December 14th

On Monday, Sophia and I made Salted Caramel Chocolate Pillows. The recipe came from this pin on Pinterest that led to Artzy Creations.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Pillows

Ingredients
• 1 refrigerated pie crust, thawed (we used both pie crusts)
• 14 Hershey Kisses of choice, (you can use different flavored Hershey Kisses; we used about 32 Hershey Kisses)
• 1 egg white whisked with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 small jar Mrs. Richardson’s Caramel Topping (we used Breyer's Caramel Topping)
• Mediterranean Sea Salt
• Other optional toppings (we didn't use any of the following):
    • 1 cup chocolate chips melted
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
    • Powdered sugar for dusting
    • Granulated sugar for sprinkling before baking

Instructions
1. Turn oven on to 350 degrees.
2. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or spray with non-stick baking oil.
3. Roll out the pie crust on lightly-floured counter top.
4. Made 2 1/2 inch circles with a knife or biscuit cutter (we used a biscuit cutter, although we didn't measure how big the circles actually were)
5. Place one Hershey Kiss in each circle.
6. Fold 1/2 of the pie dough over the Kiss and seal the pie dough.
7. Pull the other half of the pie dough up forming a criss-cross and pinch to seal the edges.
8. Brush each pillow puff with the egg wash and then sprinkle with a little granulated sugar or Mediterranean salt (we used salt).
10. Bake at 350 degrees, for 15 to 20 minutes or until your pillow puffs are golden brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with Mediterranean Sea Salt.

These taste incredible right out of the oven (well, actually, after they cool for a bit). We will definitely make these again.

Tuesday, December 15th

We had leftover Hershey Kisses, so Sophia wanted to make peanut butter cookies with the Kisses on top. My mom used to make peanut butter cookies with chocolate stars on top. I didn't have the recipe handy, so Sophia used the recipe off the Hershey Kisses bag. They are called "Peanut Butter Blossoms."

Ingredients

48 Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup additional granulated sugar for rolling (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, if desired; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.

These are just the right size for a dessert. They are - like the other cookies we made - best right out of the oven. However, even cooled they taste delicious.

Wednesday, December 16th

Today was Las Posadas. In past years, we've made a more elaborate Mexican-theme meal for breakfast and dinner. This year, we had nachos again. This time, though, it was even more basic than the nachos the other night when we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

This time, it was close to 6:45 p.m. when we started to eat. Olivia wasn't too hungry, so she just had some chips with shredded cheese on top. Sophia had some blue corn chips. We couldn't find the salsa, so it was just the chips with melted cheese on top.

To give you an idea how informal this dinner was, Lucy (the cat) joined us and watched us eat chips or nachos.

Again, maybe next year will be different. I just am not in the Christmas spirit at all the year. And maybe that's normal when you're dealing with grief that is relatively fresh. This time of the year was a favorite one of my mom's, in particular. 

She never celebrated Las Posadas. In fact, it a holiday I learned about when the girls were smaller and I came across a book about it. I thought it would be interesting to learn more about it and incorporate it into our holiday plans. It has been fun trying different foods and learning about this holiday. I'll aim for something special next year on the 16th. 

Thursday, December 17th

For a few years now I've been wanting to do something a bit more intentional during Advent. Before both my dad's and mom's health declined and they died, I did a written retrospective of the year that was tied somehow into Advent. I have no idea where the questions went which is too bad. That was a meaningful activity to do.

I found a pin on Pinterest that led to Praying in Color. I had to do some digging to find the Advent calendar for 2015. There were different versions. The one below is the one I chose.

I'm using markers to color in the tree shapes and garlands that connect each one. In the middle I'm writing the name of a person/people, pet, or animal that was in my thoughts or life that day. Sometimes the name reflects an activity that we did with a person. Other times, they are people who I am missing. A lot. Like my parents.

The colors reflect ones that the names - to me - represent and/or are/were ones they liked. I probably could write about each day in a journal to make it even more meaningful. Perhaps another year. My goal this year is simply to get through this first year without either of my parents. That, in itself, is enough.

Friday, December 18th

Today we did two things that related to celebrating Christmas. One was seeing the Nutcracker at O'Shaughnessy at the College of St. Catherine (where I went to college). It's now named the St. Catherine University. However, it will always be the College of St. Catherine to me.

At any rate, 29 youth and parents from our 4-H club went to see the ballet this morning. We filled almost an entire row which was impressive. That was the highest turnout for one of the field trips that our club has gone on!

Somewhere in this row Sophia and Olivia are seated. Sophia is wearing a brown sweater (with her back to the camera) and Olivia has black boots.

The costumes were beautiful. That was one of favorite parts of the ballet.

I enjoyed seeing how some of the ballet was different from other versions I've seen in the past.

The parts that always stand out for me are the accomplished dancers who are so elegant and graceful.

Having done both ballet and pointe, the effort and hard work that goes into the performance to make it look so "easy" is not lost on me.

After the ballet, we went to the nursing home/assisted living facility where we volunteer. We went around with one of the seniors to pass out calendars and gifts. We've done this for the past three years and he - as much as we - enjoy doing this tradition together. 

Afterwards, he stays and listens to music and people come up and talk with him. Many know who he is because of his involvement in the community.

This year, he went into some of the rooms if people were there. They enjoyed having a visit from Santa.

Sophia played to a full room of seniors and their loved ones.

    

The activities/volunteer director sang along to some of the songs.

   

While Sophia was playing the harp for the open house, Olivia was practicing on the piano in the lounge for an upcoming performance that she and Sophia will do next Tuesday at the nursing home.

Arlyce, who helped paint each one of the barn quilts on the Washington County Barn Quilt Trail that Olivia coordinated earlier this year, wanted to hear the girls play their instruments. She seemed to enjoy her time at the open house and wants to come back next Tuesday to hear them perform.

Arlyce said that she and Olivia even played a duet together. It sounded like both of them had fun doing that.

After Sophia took a short break, she played a couple more songs while Tia sang along.

   

It was a nice way to wrap up the week. Only one day left - Saturday - and then next week is the final few days of the countdown. December went by way too quickly. 

Take-Out, Fake-Out: Beef & Broccoli {Crockpot}

Last year I was doing 101 Days of Summer Fun, and the theme for Mondays was Make It Monday. I made "Take-Out, Fake-Out: Beef & Broccoli" that everyone enjoyed. However, I forgot to take a picture.

So, I thought I'd make it again this summer while we were working on the Barn Quilt Trail project. The recipe is from a pin that I saw on Pinterest that led to Table for Two. It's a perfect Chinese-inspired main entree for four people that can be made in a slow cooker.

Beef & Broccoli that I made on June 7th

The ingredients include:

1 pound boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips (this is put in the crockpot raw - do not precook or brown the meat)
1 cup beef consumme or beef broth
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons sauce (from the crockpot after dish is cooked)
Fresh or frozen broccoli florets (as many as desired, I used about 2 cups)
White rice, cooked

The instructions are very easy:

In the insert of the crockpot, stir together the beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and minced garlic.

Place your slices of beef in the liquid and stir to coat.

Turn the crockpot on low and cook for 6 hours.

After this time period, whisk together the cornstarch and cooking liquid in a small bowl to create a slurry. Pour the mixture into the crockpot and stir to mix. Add the broccoli florets. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to thicken the sauce, and defrost and cook the broccoli.

Serve over white rice. Enjoy!

Adding other vegetables - like snow peas - might be 

something that we would enjoy as well.

Diaper Bassinet and Washcloth Bouquet for a Baby Shower

Sophia, Olivia, and I went to a beautiful and heart-warming baby shower this past weekend for the daughter of our neighbors. We have been neighbors since 1995, and have watched their daughter grow up from a middle-elementary school child to a engaging and thoughtful young woman.

So, I wanted to do a couple crafty gifts along with our other gifts as a way to celebrate this special milestone in her life.

The first project I did was a diaper bassinet. The idea came from this pin on Pinterest that led to Cute as a Fox's tutorial.

I used 14 diapers (size 1) to make the bassinet. There are ten for the bed, one for the backing, one for the top, and two for the base.

The first one took a bit of time to figure out since the tutorial was for size 3 diapers. However, I think they came together nicely.

I made two of them since there were plenty of diapers in the  bag. The second one was easier to assemble and didn't take as long to do.

The second project I did was a washrag bouquet. The idea came from a pin on Pinterest as well.

Basically, you take eight washrags and roll them up, insert them into a cone made from scrapbooking paper, and attach some curling ribbon.

As I looked back on the pin and my washrag bouquet, I would re-roll the washrags as shown in the pin. They look a bit more like flowers rather than washrags in the original pin. Regardless, it was still a fun way for me to present a gift rather than just having them sit in their packaging.

When we got to the baby shower, everything was so beautifully decorated. There were other ideas that  Jeannine (the grandmother-to-be) had seen on Pinterest that she created - like the balloon clouds with blue raindrops that Holly (the mother-to-be) sat under while she opened the gifts.

The little clothesline of dresses, ruffled diaper covers, and colorful toys brought back nice memories of picking out the same type of clothing for Sophia and Olivia when they were younger.

There were fun games - like a diaper raffle and  guessing how many jelly beans filled the baby bottle.

There was the Baby Shower Price is Right game. The total for the products was about $63. Most surprising was how much powdered formula had increased since we had to purchase it back in 2001-2004.

The food was spectacular - everything tasted so delicious - from the fresh fruit kabobs to the chicken salad.

If that wasn't enough: the dessert table was overflowing with beautifully-decorated desserts.

The chocolate-covered strawberries were huge and tasted so fresh - just like they were picked that morning from the strawberry patch.

Holly and her husband (Alfred) received gifts that will completely set up the nursery, and their forthcoming daughter's wardrobe for quite some time.

We had a wonderful time at the baby shower. Seeing how much work and love was put into the baby shower; the handmade gifts that Jeannine and her husband (Kent) made for the baby; and the attentive hospitality of Kent and Holly's brother, Michael, showed toward the guests made the afternoon one that was memorable and special for everyone there.