So Much News!

I have been missing for a few weeks. Not that I didn't think about everyone, just wasn't able to pull together a block of time to get the blogging done. So, I am trying the draft feature and we will see if this works or not.

Everything is fine here, just my work schedule, hubby's doctor and dialysis appointments, usual day to day errands, studying for my aromatherapy course at www.aromahead.com just became overwhelming and I was paralyzed by it for a bit. Have a handle on everything again and hope to get back to normal starting today!

Do you notice the cute new widget off to the right? The Pink Slipper Project is an absolutely amazing new project the boutiques at Make Mine Pink are undertaking. Shabby Lane Boutiques and Nashville Boutiques have recently joined in. The brainchild of Joyce Lucas in cooperation with Enchanted Makeovers is to make slippers for the women and children who are forced to live in shelters to avoid abuse. In addition to the other pledges we have made to Enchanted Makeovers, we are now pledging over 100 pairs of slippers which will be needed in November. Joyce has been kind enough to draft a pattern for the most amazing slippers - only 1 seam per slipper. If you would like to be a part of this program, please contact Joyce through the Pink Slipper Project Blog. Fabric donations, batting donations, monetary donations or slippers will all be gratefully accepted. http://www.pinkslipperproject.org/

How cute are these slippers??

Speaking of feet, my family and I will be participating for the seventh year in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk For The Cure in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey on October 18, 2009. We started participating in the very next walk after my grandson was diagnosed with Type I diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes) several days before his first day of Kindergarten. He was rushed to the hospital with a blood sugar of 904 after playing outside. He missed his first day of Kindergarten but made the second day! Several weeks ago Justin made a comment that about broke all our hearts. He can't remember not having diabetes. For the first few years, this little guy had to be injected four times a day with insulin and have his blood sugar tested four or five times a day. He has been very lucky in that he was eligible for the insulin pump and the past year has been a bit easier for him. He still must test his sugar, but he has learned to program in the numbers and the pump just gives him the insulin he needs.

To put into perspective what these children go through, with 4 blood sugar tests a day for the past 7 years is 10,220 sticks, 6 years of 4 insulin shots a day is 8,760 injections. Another thing that threw me into a tail spin is the fact that the children are taught to take their blood samples from their forearms. The reasoning behind this is the not uncommon side effect of diabetes is blindness and they don't want the children to loose feeling in their fingers in case they need to learn to read Braille. Mind boggling, isn't it? He's only 12 years old right now. So, I am shamelessly begging you to donate even $1 for the cure. Visit my page at the JDRF Walk Site to hear from the pros and hopefully give a donation. http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=87421573 Patricia Rose will again be donating 25% of all sales between now and then. Here's a picture of our team from last year--

And so dear friends, that is the news for today. I will try my hardest to be back on Mondays with the fun Show and Tell which the Make Mine Pink boutiques participate in. Hugs to all, I've missed chatting with you all.

Pat

Sunshine

We have finally had a few warm (hot) days here in New York. The vegetables are finally coming in after all the rain we have had. As I was carting in a nice basket of tiny cucumbers, I remembered a fun recipe that I did with my kids and the 4H gang and want to share it with you. Children love this one,

SUNSHINE PICKLES

1 quart water

1 pint vinegar

1/2 cup coarse salt

2 sprigs fresh dill

2 cloves garlic, chopped

dash turmeric

small cucumbers

Heat everything except the dill and the cucumbers, do not boil. Pack a sterilized quart jar with the cucumbers and fresh dill, add the heated brine. Cover jar and set in sunny area for 3 weeks.

That's all there is to it. They are really yummy! I wish I could give credit for this, but it's one of those old recipes that has been passed from friend to friend and I have absolutely no idea where it originated!

As long as we are on a sunshine topic, how about this nice diffuser blend from http://www.aromahead.com/:

SUNNY DIFFUSER BLEND

5 drops grapefruit essential oil

5 drops orange essential oil

2 drops lime essential oil

Add to diffuser and soak up the sun!

Christmas in July is finished for this year. It was great fun. Many of you are now looking at back to school shopping. I can't say I miss those days too much! After a hard week of shopping, come on over to Make Mine Pink for Pink Friday this week. The theme is Tea for Two and Two for Tea. You may need the relaxing break!

I had a wonderful day and night down at "The Shore" with my daughter, her hubby and the grandkids. Takes an hour of watching the ocean for all the tension to just drain away! I just love the beach.

Have a wonderful week all,

Pat