Monday - Ugh!

Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain. 
                                                           ~J.K. Rowling

Did everybody have a great weekend? Mine was exceedingly busy. We started out Saturday morning bright and early to attend the Walk To Defeat ALS Bakersfield Walk. I have a super team of friends and family that joined me for this great fundraiser. After the Walk most of us stayed around for a barbecue from which all of the proceeds went directly to ALS! Then it was back to our house along with 8 additional family members, baked a cake, and generally prepared for the barbecue we were hosting for our team members. Hubby cooked Santa Maria style beans and excellent barbecued tri-tip. I prepared a green salad that included grape tomatoes and avocados – two things that never touch our salad and rarely ever make it in the front door. Plus there were chips and beverages, and then, of course, the cake for dessert. A great time was had by all. Sunday morning after breakfast with my DH, DD, and SIL, we all headed to my DM for a quick visit (she got to go home from the hospital on Friday!), a run to Costco, and back home for a lunch of pizza. DD and SIL left shortly after lunch and I began the weekly wash. Needless to say, I am a little tired today. And, to top it off, the Internet server has been down since I got up, well since 4:45a.m. (that I know of) and didn’t come back up until 9:30 a.m. explaining my late post. I hate it when your day starts off totally wrong!! One good thing was I started one of my SAL blocks since I couldn’t do any posting.

Picture Of The Day

This is the t-shirt my team members wore

Here are some of the hundreds of people that turned out for the Walk

I know, not my normal pictures.  I just wanted to share with you a little of the Walk To Defeat ALS walk that happened here on Saturday.  Each year, the Walk to Defeat ALS^TM brings communities together in the fight against Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Though we walk for various reasons, we are united in our quest to find a cure for ALS.  My team rocks!!

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On Friday, I finished and mailed off my block for my first swap in the Australian Block Swap.  After the mailman came and swooped it away, I had a blockhead moment..........I forgot to take a picture of the block when I was finished!  I was so excited to get it done and on its way that it didn't even occur to me to grab the camera.  Can you believe it?!?  So, I emailed Cathy to let her know that her block was on its way and asked her if she could please take a picture of it for me and email it to me so that I may share it with my friends.  I'm such a ditz!!!
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Thank you, Leona!!

A very big bright spot in my day Saturday was the arrival of a surprise gift from my friend Leona, of Leona’s Quilting Adventure (check out her blog!). She must have known I needed a pick-me-up after the week I had just been through. What a wonderful assortment of goodies she sent! Included was a warm note, a pair of adorable “quilting” socks (can’t wait for the weather to turn cooler to wear them), two Harriet Hargrave’s Quick-Look Guides – one on Caring For Fabric & Quilts and the other on Choosing Batting – both are great go-to guides, an envelope that contained 4 wonderful quilting labels (one can never have too many of those!), and an fantastic little Notions Bag that she made just for me! I think I will use it for transporting my hexagon flower notions. Thank you, Leona, for thinking of me! I love it all.

Isn't this a great bunch of goodies !?!

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Since I didn’t have any time to do any sewing over the weekend, I will share a recipe with you today that I prepared on Friday. It is a slow-cooker recipe that is a favorite of ours – and super simple to prepare (my favorite kind!)

Pork Chops and Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops, ½-inch thick
½ medium onion, chopped
4-oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tablespoon red wine
10 ¾-oz can golden cream of mushroom soup

Ingredients - not including the 4 pork chops

Directions

1. Place pork chops in greased slow cooker. Top with onions and mushrooms.

2. Combine soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, wine and mushroom soup. Pour over mushrooms.

3. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Ready to eat (perhaps there is a tad too much butter on the corn - lol!)

Personal Notes

1. Reheats well

2. Original recipe called for 2 medium onions, sliced but the first time I made it with that much onion, the onion was all we could taste

ENJOY!
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Giveaways

Confessions of a Fabric Addict is giving away 5 books as her participation in the Fall Into Fall Bloggers Giveaway.  Check it out before October 15!

Disconnected Stitches is also participating in the big giveaway and is offering a darling baby panel and 3 coordinating fat quarters.

Another participant is Mama Spark's World.  She is giving away a Halloween Schlep bag, an autographed copy of  the pattern Fair and Square from none other than Amanda Jean of Crazy mom quilts, and she cut out enough 6.5" squares to make the quilt along with 2.5 yards of black Kona Cotton for the sashing and the binding (this I did not cut). All you need to add is a back and you will have a quilt!! Check it out!

And don't you dare forget about my giveaway!  I, too, am participating in the Fall Into Fall Bloggers Giveaway.  You can enter my giveaway HERE!!

And if you should be looking for more giveaways, don't forget to check out all of the bloggers from the Fall Into Fall Bloggers Giveaway!
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Final Thoughts

After a frustrating start to the day, I will try to continue forward and accomplish what I can while playing catch-up.  I will leave you with this quote I think sums it up best.............

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.  ~Theodore Roosevelt