What a busy couple of weeks!

I've been absent because of several factors, but I will blame most of it on the fact that we

 have been painting the whole house.

I am now of the opinion that huge painting jobs are better left to the professionals.

We have two more rooms to finish before we pronounce it finished, but at least now we can see the end. We came to a good "stopping point" and I set out to do some other things that required my attention.

During this time, I ordered a case of apricots from Bountiful Baskets.

When I got home and opened the box, I discovered that about a third of them were moldy.

I was pretty disappointed. However, I was determined not to waste the rest and I knew they wouldn't wait for me too much longer. I hurried and made up a few batches of apricot-pineapple jam.

MMmmmm! It's yummy.

I also loaded up my dehydrator, thinking about how much I looooove dried apricots.

I put the dehydrator in the preschool room so as to not be disturbed by the sound,

shut the door and forgot about them.

For TWO days.

There was no happy ending for these apricots.

I also have been using the "you know what" out of my new toy....

It's an Accuquilt GO! fabric cutter! :)

I was given a very generous gift card to JoAnn's from my preschool mommies this year for Teacher Appreciation Day. (I was so surprised and touched! :):):) Thanks again!!!)

Craig also subsidized this purchase.......in the name of Mothers Day, of course! haha!

I have cut out so many shapes that I should have enough to have quilt top going until the end of time!

I can cut up to TEN layers of fabric at a time! Cutting out a quilt top takes just minutes! There isn't a lot of measuring...just layer the fabric on the die, put the cutting mat on top and crank it through the machine.

I love it so much.....

I could marry it!

hahaha! :)

Go Banana's!! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!!

Often times I go grocery shopping thinking that I still have 4 growing kids at home.

Call it what you want, but I often refer to it as "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Shopping".

When this disorder decides to rear it's ugly head, for some unexplained reason I feel compelled to buy an item in large quantities.  

Only then to take it home to my brood, who were always on a continuous feed.

Well, this time it was bananas. 

I don't know if it was the inexpensive price of 49 cents a pound that gave me the flash backs or what,

but I scooped up WAY too much.

My reality of having only ONE banana eating child here

 became clear the moment the little brown spots began to appear.

Well, not to waste the bananas, I decided to slice those babies up and put them in the food dehydrator.

If I am anything....it's resourceful....

ya, whatever.

Anyway, after a lemon juice dip, they made their way to the dehydrator trays. 

After a whole day and a night, they looked like this.......

MMMmmmm! They are so delicious!

 I have to say that these are SO much better than the dried bananas you can buy in the store!

 I'm not kidding...If you were here, I would share.....

but since you're not....

I guess I will be eating them all.