Happy "Birth"day, Emma Faith!

   Our newest grandchild was born this morning at 10:00 a.m..  Thanks to my youngest daughter, who came and stayed with the other two grands, I got to be there for the birth.  Here are a few pictures taken right after Emma was born. 

 Emma weighed in at a dainty 6 lbs., 1 oz and looks a lot like her older brother and sister.

 And here she is with her proud mommy and daddy.

 Thanks to everyone for all the prayers offered on Emma's behalf.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers during the next few months as we watch and wait, knowing that she might possibly have the same condition as her sister.  We know that whatever the outcome, our God is in control and that little Emma will be a blessing to this family.  Welcome to the world, sweet Emma Faith!

Wordless Wednesday - The Fisherman

As a boy grows, so does his tackle box!

Tasty Tuesday - Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yesterday, I made this wonderful chicken tortilla soup and wanted to share it with you.  It tastes a lot like On The Border's recipe!
These are the ingredients you'll need:

3 uncooked,boneless chicken breasts, cut up in thin strips
8 cups of chicken broth ( 2 quarts) I use fat-free broth.
3/4 cup of uncooked regular, long-grained white rice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn
1 cup chunky salsa
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice
fresh zucchini
crisp tortilla strips

I realize those aren't zucchini squash, but this is all I could find at Walmart. I'm not really sure what they're called, but they tasted just like zucchini.  Here's a picture after I got all my ingredients measured and cut up.  Aren't the colors pretty?

Step 1: Spray a saucepot with vegetable cooking spray and heat it for one minute.  Add cut up chicken and cook until white, stirring often.

Step 2:  Add the broth, rice, squash and cumin.  Stir well and heat to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Step 3:  Stir in corn, salsa, cilantro and lime juice.  Heat until desired temperature and you are ready to serve!

Add some tortilla strips and cheese.  Yum-m-m!  Just perfect for a winter evening!



Family & Friends- "Blogger" Friends

   One of the fun things about blogging is meeting lovely people from all over  the country.  One of those sweet bloggers, Valerie, sent a package this past week to my oldest daughter.  Valerie lives in Georgia and her blog, Life's Little Garden, is a delight to read!
   Last spring, Valerie announced on her blog that she would like to do some random acts of kindness (RAK's) for three people who were complete strangers.  She encouraged her readers to send in the names and stories of someone they knew who could use a little encouragement in their lives.  I decided to send in my oldest daughter's name and told Valerie of how Lilly, my granddaughter, was born with many disabilities and how Mendy lovingly cares for her each day.
   A few weeks later, I received word that Mendy had been chosen to receive a RAK and this week I got to present her with Valerie's gift!

Valerie sent Mendy a real sweet letter telling her how she was chosen and why Valerie was sending the gift.

The gift was a beautiful quilt made by Val's dad!  You might remember the story I wrote about "my granny quilt" last year.  Even though Granny has passed away, her son is now quilting and selling his quilts on Val's blog. 

  

I know Mendy and her children will spend many hours snuggled up under this comfy quilt! Thank you again, Valerie, for your "random act of kindness"!

Sewing With Children and Grandchildren - Making a Tissue Holder

Teaching a child or grandchild to sew can be lots of fun if you choose the right project.  When selecting that first machine sewing project, try to choose one that:

• gives the opportunity to just sew some straight seams
• can be finished in one session
• is something useful that can be enjoyed or shared with others

This simple tutorial for a tissue holder meets the criteria above and can be made from any fabric scraps you might have on hand.  Once mastered, these make great little gifts to share with family and friends!

Making a Tissue Holder:

Step 1:  Choose a colorful fabric and cut a piece that measures 6" x 9".

Step 2:  Cut a piece of lining fabric the same size.  This could be a coordinating color, the same fabric or a solid color lining fabric like I used.

Step 3:  Placing the right sides of the fabric together, sew the two pieces together with a 5/8" seam, on the two short sides of the rectangle. (Use a 5/8" seam on all seams in this tutorial.)



Step 4:  Turn right side out and press the sewn seams.

Step 5: Bring the sewn, pressed sides together, meeting in the middle of your fabric. Pin in place.

Step 6:  Sew the ends, reinforcing where the pieces meet in the middle.

Step 7:  Turn to the right side and insert a package of Kleenexes. (Leave the plastic cover on your Kleenexes)

And that's how easy it is to make a tissue holder!  I embroidered an initial on mine before sewing it together, but they are cute plain, with ric-rac, buttons or any scraps of trim you might have on hand.