Happy New Year!

Dumpling
Pumpkin and I and a pile of presents...

The cousins!!

What I've been sewing: Aprons for all the ladies...

...and jammies for the kiddos...

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I didn't mean to fall of the face of the earth, but I did fall off the stairs. A trip to the ER and a lovely air cast later, I am glad to say that my ankle is not broken, but my Mother's hand is. Huh? It's quite simple, really.

Saturday evening we were all bundled up to go out when I went upstairs to get a map off the printer. On the way down the stairs, I somehow missed the last stair, or few, and fell. As I sat on the step trying to not pass out or throw up, Sweetheart called Mom to come over and watch the boys so he could take me in for an x-ray. She drove/sped over and took care of the little guys while we went to get my ankle checked. So far, so good--for her.

Now, fast-forward to Sunday. Mom came over to give Sweetheart a hand with the boys while I layed on the couch with my foot up on ice. They went upstairs to get the boys. No problem. The next thing I heard was an awful thud. Sweetheart was carrying the boys down with Mom behind them. She reached down to pick up Pumpkin's Bunny on the stairs and down she went. We are all glad she wasn't carrying anyone. Except Bunny.

She got her x-rays on Tuesday, and Wednesday had to see a hand surgeon. She now had surgery scheduled for tomorrow. As I cannot drive yet, Sweetheart will have to take her to the hospital. She'll stay with us afterwards.

I'm in the recliner now with the laptop on my lap and the boys playing at my feet. I am up and around now, but trying to not stand or walk too much. While no time is good for something like this, we are all grateful it happened the day after the rest of the family left town and not before Christmas.

We had a Merry Christmas and are enjoying a quiet week this week. It's time to go fix supper now. Blessings to you all and a very Happy New Year!

National Apron Day

I made the Everyday Cake with Butterscotch Frosting from the Hamilton Beach Food Mixer Cookbook that is pictured above. I had that mixer for about 10 years, until the Tragic Banana Bread Incident of '03.

I was making a batch of bread for Sweetheart and shoved a banana into the beaters that it wasn't drawing in. However, I shoved with a bit too much force and sent my hand into the beaters as well. Um, ouch. Sweetheart was in the basement and I stomped and yelled until he came upstairs. See, my hand was still in the mixer. He ended up having to get his metal cutters and cut my fingers out of the beaters. I'll stop there. probably too much information already. Needless to say, that was the end of those beaters. We used a few replacement/thrift store ones for awhile, until Sweetheart got too freaked out that I would do it again and so he surprised me with my Bosch mixer.

Now, my Bosch and I turn out endless loaves of bread, brownies, cakes, and all sorts of nutritious foods, and a lot of yummy not-so-nutritous-treats. Today I wore my vintage red gingham full apron that I love. It's trimmed in white rickrack with a delightful ruffle around the bottom. Paired with my red gingham shirt it was a bit much, but the boys didn't complain.

I kept all my Hamilton Beach mixing bowls shown on the cookbook that I had collected over the years as they are wonderful white Pyrex bowls. I use them all the time. I have three large and two small bowls. They can even go in the oven. I still miss that mixer. *sigh*

Apparently, National Apron Day is the day after Mothers Day, so the date changes. Oh well. Everyday is Apron Day around here! (Sweetheart is getting seconds on the cake as I type. Woohoo!)

(I got the National Apron Day button here from her post last year.)

What is she making?

Seeing a woman wear an apron lets you know

she loves to create.

Her creations may be pies

or paintings

or pottery,

but she also produces

an aura of comfort,

ease,

and curiosity.

You just naturally think,

"What is she making?"

~Jeannnie Pierce

an excerpt from

MaryJane's Farm Magazine

"Artists in Aprons" Issue