Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Nature Valley Giveaway

New winner - I never got a reply from Diannia so I picked a new winner and it's Lana! hope you enjoy them Lana.
Contest is closed and the winner is Diannia,
Congratulations Diannia!
thanks to everyone who entered, I'll be hosting a soup giveaway soon.
I had already bought some Nature Valley Nut Clusters before I was contacted by MyBlogSpark to host a giveaway contest for Nature Valley. Jeff and I both enjoyed our first bag of mixed nut Nut Clusters. We wanted a healthy snack after he had been to physical therapy 30 miles from our home. So we stopped in the Walmart in that town and got some orange juice and a bag of Nut Clusters.
We liked them a lot and I am very happy to be able to host this giveaway to tell you about them and so one of you can win this great prize package.
My gift package came in the mail on Monday and it is a great gift.
Just leave a comment, I'll draw a winner late Sunday night, Oct. 4th, then I'll get the winner's mailing info and MyBlogSpark will mail out your gift pack.



Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters is giving one of my readers
a prize pack that includes:
all four varieties of the Granola Nut Clusters - full size bags
a sling backpack
stainless steel water bottle - a very high-quality one
flashlight -the kind that you crank and it never needs batteries
binoculars in a case

To enter :
simply leave me a comment but if you don't have your email linked up through your blog account, then leave me your email too.

Sandwiches - and they're reading....

We like sandwiches and have been especially eating them often while Jeff is home recuperating. Plain meat and bread sandwiches are OK, but we prefer
ours with extras. I don't have all the free time in the world so I like to make up a few days worth of toppings at one time. We like lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickles and onions - pretty much the same toppings for hamburgers too. So I put them all in a plastic container and store in the fridge. They keep fresh for at least 3 days - but we usually eat them before that.
I put the pickles and tomatoes in their own container so their juice does not run all over each other and then put those dishes inside the big dish.
Speaking of sandwiches, I wrote a post last week or so just telling that we like Oroweat Sandwich Thins. It was an ordinary post, just to you all. The next day, I got an email from a communications rep for Oroweat/Arnolds.
And yesterday, the Fed Ex man brought us a package of Arnolds rye Sandwich Thins.
We had the Rye Sandwich Thins for lunch today and they were delicious, really good with turkey and mustard.

So, don't be surprised if more than your family and few other homemakers are reading your blog.
Here is more info about our favorite bread - they really are our favorite - and I thought that before they FedEx-ed me a package of bread.

Hi Rhonda,

Since you’re a fan of Arnold Sandwich Thins I wanted to let you know that they’re now available nationwide! Liven up lunchtime with a bakery product unlike any other - Arnold Select Sandwich Thins, sandwich-sized sliced flatbread rolls. Each variety of Sandwich Thins contains no high fructose corn syrup and provides the benefits of whole grains and fiber. Available in four varieties: 100% Whole Wheat, Multi-Grain, Seedless Rye and Whole Grain White, they are each an excellent source of fiber and contain only 100 calories.

Sandwich Thins are available for a suggested retail price of $3.19, for more information visit Arnold Sandwich Thins
here. Let me know if you’d like to try a sample in a variety that you haven’t already tasted.

Furthermore, since September is Whole Grains Month, I wanted to also let you know about Arnold’s Dutch Country 100% Whole Wheat Bread, a soft and flavorful whole grain loaf with the heart healthy stamp of approval! It’s a good source of Calcium, Vitamins A, D and E packs 3 grams of fiber per serving and contains no High Fructose Corn Syrup. Each slice offers 19 grams of Whole Grains so you can feel good about lunching on a sandwich made with Arnold Dutch Country 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

If you’re not familiar with this bread, let me know so I can send you a sample as well! You can learn more about the bread
here, which is available nationwide (branded as “Arnold” east of the Mississippi and “Oroweat” west of the Mississippi River).

Best,

Valeria

Sunday, September 27, 2009

End of September yard sales

Jimmy is home for a 4 day weekend.  Nina and Jimmy both wanted to go to yard sales so we all got up early Saturday morning, and with Jeff as our chaffuer, we went to several sales mostly on Nina's side of town.


Nina's finds

a small printer tray type shelf,  a very pretty green message board and a big clear vase.

Her best deal was all this hardware - 60 knobs and 22 draw pulls for $10.  She is planning on painting them, maybe silver or black. 
Anyone have any advice on painting hardware?



Jimmy's finds

some books and dvds
he says he always wanted a ram statue and was glad to find one.
The rug is brand new - he says it will be just right for his tiny bathroom.



My Finds

4 small Tupperware storage dishes
a bag of apples - they look great in my milkglass urns
an old Oklahoma history book that Jeff picked out.


and a stack of books for Baby Gavin - all were 25 cents each
The one called "What Are You So Grumpy About?" is especially funny


My yard sale companions,
daughter Nina, husband Jeff and son Jimmy

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

the cutest.......

Shopping bag, ever!
I won this from Audra, a giveaway on her blog. It is the nicest shopping bag too, thank you Audra!
Her blog is full of funny tales of thrift shopping and trying to live a slow year with less consumerism.
and the cutest baby!
Baby Gavin is almost 8 months old. He's wearing long pants and long sleeves, our first day of Autumn in Oklahoma is a cool one.

Friday, September 18, 2009

A little fall fluffing

I got some inspiration from Manuela and her beautiful fall ideas for decorating our mantel. She used apple green paint to paint the frame on a print and I thought it was so pretty. Well, apple green does not really match my house but I liked her idea so I used some Martha Stewart paint that does match my house on an old frame, put a table runner in the frame, and filled the apothecary jars with fall things.
Yes, Nina, those are your turkey salt and pepper shakers from Grandma Campbell, but they like sitting on our mantel for now.
Green polka dot sheers from my favorite thrift store - $2 for the pair

I put the wreath my brother made back in the same spot as last year.
Jeff hung up the bird hanger - I got it at a yard sale in the spring and painted it black and just now decided to where to put it.



Fall wreath I made this year for outside - I got all the "parts" at Hobby Lobby for 1/2 price and I think it looks almost as good as the readymade ones that were priced at $40-50.
And since mine cost less than $13, I won't feel too bad when the Oklahoma wind beats it up.

Oroweat Sandwich Thins

Oroweat Sandwich Thins are a new bread product that Jeff and I really like.
They have no fat, 100 calories, 5 grams of fiber in each one.
We've been making breakfast and lunch sandwiches on them.
They toast up really nice and don't seem as dry or crumbly as other low-calorie bread.
I'm not an expert label-reader but I don't they contain any of the "bad" sweeteners either.
They come in multi-grain and whole wheat - frankly, they taste the same to me.
I buy them at Wal-mart for about $2.70.
I think they would make excellent mini-pizza crusts and that is on my list of things to cook soon.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Knee Surgery 101

Hello everyone!
I have not personally had a knee replacement but this is what I've learned from taking of care of my husband through his.
We've known for years that Jeff needed a knee replacement but because the prosthetic joints wear out, just like natural knees, doctors won't do replacements until you get "old enough" Jeff just turned 53.

Before the surgery, find about your hospitals policies. And you might want to ask more than one person there. I asked the nurse who did Jeff 's pre-admitting if visitors could stay all night at the hospital. She said absolutely not.
So I went home the evening after Jeff's surgery. He had a very bad night and I decided I would sleep in my car if I had too, but I was going to stay close. That pre-admitting nurse was wrong and family members were allowed to stay there whenever they wanted.
That same nurse also said all the rooms were 3 people rooms and the hospital was almost always full capacity. So we were pleasantly surprised when Jeff had a private room and most all the rooms around him were also private rooms.
Jeff stayed in the hospital for 7 days. His surgery was on a Friday. Most of the hospital activities seem to almost shut down over the weekend so he pretty much stayed in bed all weekend except for going to the bathroom at first with a wheel chair and then on crutches.
On Sunday, he talked to the head of physical therapy. He set Jeff up for a week of intense physical therapy in the hospital. Physical therapy to get the joints working again seems to be equally important to regaining mobility as the surgery and Jeff was ready to do everything they asked of him.
Now that we are home, he is going to out-patient physical therapy 3 days a week as well as exercises at home and slow walks around the block.

Hospital food is not wonderful. Neither is the cafeteria food. Both are edible but only if you are hungry.
The hospital had lots of vending machines but none took paper money larger than $1. I took quite of few with me but ended up needing a few more.
I wish I had taken a few snacks with me too.
Lots of equipment comes with surgery. Besides a wheelchair for a little while and then crutches, we have been using these things too....
DonJoy IceMan
this is an electric ice pack system that works great!
a shower chair -

before the surgery, Jeff installed hand-held shower heads in both our showers.

A raised toilet seat because squatting is not allowed or even possible very soon after knee surgery.
Jeff also had a pile of medicine including different pain relievers and a blood thinner. He also learned to give himself injections for blood thinning to prevent clots. We thought these would of been a big deal but he learned to do it quickly and had no trouble giving them.
While having all the tests before and after surgery, Jeff's blood pressure and blood sugar levels were somewhat elevated so he got instructions to eat low-fat, low-salt and lower calorie.
Trays for eating at home are nice.
Store up extra ice for icepacks.
Nightlights are good - both for the patient and the caregiver.
Easy to prepare meals at home are essential. I had planned a few ahead and wish I had planned more.
Any loose rugs that will be in the main path of a person walking with crutches should be put away to prevent slipping.
Have some thank you cards and stamps on hand.
Jeff feels good and his new knee does not pop, lock up or give him constant pain like before.
The new knee does not move quite the same as a natural knee though. He is working on his range of motion but so far, it is limited. When he rides his recumbent exercise bicycle, he cannot make a full revolution yet with the pedal.
All in all, we are both glad he had the surgery and are looking forward to more active and normal life.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

finds from one yard sale

I've just been to one yard sale recently and that was because it was just 4 blocks from Nina's house. I'm really glad we stopped though as it had some great bargains.
Not shown - because Nina wanted it - a smoothie blender machine for $1
Pampered Chef glazed stone pan - $1 - really, can you believe it?
2 Pyrex pie pans

incomplete set of Correlle dishes - I really like the red pattern though

3 pieces of milk glass


nice toile box that will match one of the guest rooms I've been working on and it was filled with.....

an assortment of nice pens and a few pencils

Saturday, September 5, 2009

a little bit of this and a little of another

Hello everyone
This post will cover several topics - thought about making them all separate but decided to just put them all together.
First - Jeff is doing great! He had his first outpatient physical therapy session on Friday and today he walked our whole block - he is on crutches and slow but he is walking with full weight on his new joint.
"Stinkin Cute" towels
these 2 pictures are from Nina after she put the towels we embellished in her guest bath room.

They are really cute, aren't they?



Premier Jewelry
I had never heard of this company before 2 weeks ago. It is a jewelry company that sells its line like Tupperware. Nina had a party about 2 weeks ago.
I ordered some necklaces and they are already here.
The jewelry is very nice and stylish. Premier seems to have a great profit percentage for the hostess and the company rep.
So if any of you are looking for something to sell to make some income, this might be a company you should look in to.


My brother grew these flowers, mostly from seeds, except for the canna bulbs that he got free from a lady he met at Wal-mart.
I really like his zinnias. My mom did not garden a lot but she always grew zinnias.


I planted some zinnia seeds but I think a big rain came right afterward and washed them mostly away - except for this one that grew. I've already cut the flowers off of it once but it keeps blooming ....


and has lots more buds on it that just seem to keep coming.



close-up of one zinnia
I will for-sure be planting more zinnia seeds next year.


Grandson Gavin just turned 7 months old.
Gavin is a face-maker and keeps us all laughing.
He is doing his snorting face here.
he is stinkin-cute too, isn't he?

Thursday, September 3, 2009

We're back home!

Hello bl0g friends~
Jeff's total knee replacement surgery was Friday, Aug. 28th. Ever since then, I have pretty much been staying at the VA hospital in a recliner in his room.
I did come back home 3 times for showers, laundry, clean clothes, etc though.
His surgery went just fine and his recovery is progressing much faster than I ever expected. This was his 6th surgery on his right knee and we hope it will be the last one for a long, long time.
He is back home now and will start 4 weeks of out-patient physical therapy tomorrow.

This is the motto of our VA hospital and they do a great job of just that.
So many Veterans depend on the medical care received there. You hear lots of horror stories on the news about bad care but I did not see any deficiencies at the Oklahoma City VA hospital.
Jeff had many medical people caring for him. They all seemed to enjoy their jobs and took great effort to care for their patients.

busy, busy hospital entrance


lots of flags flying outside the entrance, and if you look close on the right edge, you can see the Oklahoma State Capital building with its dome top.
this is really pretty sight in real life - my photography does not do it justice.


Jeff, on the second day after surgery


His knee - pretty impressive incision, huh? It is 9 inches long, closed with 34 staples.
For now, Jeff and I are both so happy he is recovering and that we are back home.
I'll be back to my normal blog topics - cooking, crafts, sewing, spending wisely soon.