thrifting, stitching... and staring contests

Last week while I was at the thrift store hunting for fabric and wools I found these four little charmers.

Mini dutch ovens.

Aren't they the cutest things ever?

75 cents each and RED!

Score : )

And here they are topless. Ha.

So I washed them up and made dinner for four with them.

Shrimp, crab and broccoli alfredo.

It was a hit.

I think it was part recipe and part novelty with the kids.

I boiled the noodles and fresh, chopped broccoli together.

I used cooked, tail-on, medium sized shrimp that I broke in half after removing the tails.

And a can of crab meat.

Two chopped green onions.

I used a packet of dry alfredo sauce mix and followed the directions- (the cheapie mix packet.)

Mixed everything together, sprayed the dutch ovens, filled them and then sprinkled the tops with a three cheese blend of  Italian cheeses, Parmesan cheese, and paprika... in that order.

Baked them at 350 for twenty five minutes.

And while they were baking I chopped up a few avocados and a mango.

This is what happens when you go to San Diego on vacation...

still craving the seafood, avocados, and mangos.

I had never tried diced avocados with mangos before our trip, but they are wonderful!

And if you've never put them together, well, you just should.

The flavors are so complementary together... I swear I heard them telling each other how much they liked each other before I ate them.  Ha.

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Anyway,  there's my fancy schmancy dinner recipe of  the week for you.

(Call Paula and Martha and tell them to move over ; D )

The breakfst scene goes like this every morning at our house.

Jesse likes to eat breakfast in the recliner while he watches Sportscenter... and I let him.

Winston sits in front of him and gives him the big staredown for some of his breakfast.

He never takes his eyes off of him the whole time Jesse is eating.

It's too funny to watch.

Sometimes Winston has success with his puppy dog eyes...

and sometimes he doesn't.

This wasn't his morning for leftover success.

Bummer.

I worked all Wednesday on Etsy items ( yes, I'm still stockpiling for a re-opening someday...)

I started crocheting teensy little primroses and then couldn't stop, because that's what happens when I crochet. My brain apparently likes endless repetition when it comes to winding thread around a tiny needle. (Too bad it doesn't like endless laundry repetition-wouldn't that be awesomeness?)

But they'll all eventually get used... they'll get used as decorations for different crafting projects- baby balls, children's totes, barrettes, and stuff.

I also designed a nd crocheted patterns for a little girl's drawstring purse and a sock monkey purse in red. They are finished except for some trimmings, so no photos yet.

I have so many things almost finished- I seem to work better that way... jumping from one project to the next gives me more ideas and energy than working on one thing at a time...

Aren't they sweet and springy?

I stumbled on my first real sight of spring last week... I saw swiss snowdrops peeking out from under brown dead grass while driving through town the other day... what a sight for winter-weary eyes. I blurred up a little and  I think I even exhaled when I spotted them.

The first signs of spring always surprise me...  it's surprise, delight, and relief for me to see that just when I've decided that maybe God forgot to do spring this year, God has decided to prove me wrong- again.

And I am really okay with being perennially proved wrong :D

I felt that same surprised-by-snowdrop-happiness-thing this morning when Sophey pulled this artwork out of her bookbag...

Isn't that just the sweetest piece of construction paper art?!

Love it.

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Okay, I'm off to finish the last  Christmas, er, birthday shopping trip of the Henderson March Madness birthday season.

Three birthdays in one month feels like like a mini-Christmas season around here... crazy.

(And I say that every year here. Sorry.)

Saturday is Jesse's birthday and he's having a party with friends at Boondock's- the local fun center, followed by pizza and a sleepover at our house.

We also have two Cinderella ballet recitals for Sophey this weekend- one tonight and one on Saturday.

Corbyn's band is on the radio tonight with an interview and a live sperformance.

(90.0 KRCL if you are in Utah...)

Oh, and a wedding reception to go to on Saturday. Whew.

I gotta run...

See you next week and have a great weekend everyone!

XOK

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Mike Henderson]

The Shrimp, crab and broccoli alfredo was amazing!

[Maria]

You are one busy bee, Kelly!! Martha should move over... your projects are much more fun. :)

[elma]

Oh I love the little flower thingys you made:) Are they easy to make?
I hear you on birthdays!!We have 12 birthdays from jan thru april:( Thats just ma and Al and our kids. ugggg half the time the kids have to remind me.

[Kelly]

They are pretty easy to make if you crochet at all. I found the pattern in a book of crocheted granny squares and flowers... so if you crochet, let me know. Or I could do a tutorial for you on the blog if you are interested, Elma.