Collars, toys, chili, pie and more......

It has been a long time since I last posted, I have been a busy lady. Since all but one of my nursing courses are over I have a lot more free time that allows me to do some of the things I really love to do. After the cupcake marathon I went on a sewing marathon. Mike needed a new blanket for the station so I got to work on a quilt for him. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of it, but it turned out well and he says it keeps him nice and warm. While I was at the fabric store (three times in three days) I found some fun fabric and made a couple of dog collars. I made one for Nikkia (Steph's dog) and one for each of my dogs.
The collar pictured above is Beck's. She needed something feminine (people always call her a boy) but something that shows what a bad a** she can be.

The one above is for Cassius'. I don't know that the cards have any real meaning for him. There weren't a lot of masculine options at the fabric store and most of the fire fighter prints were too big to be seen on a collar.

After finishing the collars I got to work on a new jacket for Beck. She, unlike Cassius, doesn't need to wear one that often but it is nice when we are traveling during the winter or when she goes back country skiing with us. I don't know if the photo is all that detailed but the pattern on the fabric is more skulls and crossbones. She looks pretty tough I have to admit.

The dogs also got a couple of new toys a couple last weekend. Cassius got a new stuffie, which he never wants to put down, so he sleeps with it and hauls it with him everywhere.

Beck got a new Nylabone that she takes a lot of her frustrations out on as well as a sack of new tennis balls. This next photo is just cute. They actually do like each other. I didn't stop with sewing.....I have been baking and cooking up a storm. Once a rotation Mike has to cook for his crew. I usually end up preparing something for them, not because he doesn't want to cook for them, but because I am always too excited about being able to cook for more than the two of us. This rotation I made up a crock pot full of chili. And you can't have chili without cornbread, so there were cornbread muffins with creamed corn mixed in.To finish it off I used a recipe from Cooking Light for an Old Fashioned Honey Oatmeal Cake. This cake is super easy and ultra delicious.

When the door to the station opened two of the guys shouted, "The Food Lady is here" which had me in stitches.

On Wednesday one of my co-workers asked me if I would be willing to make a pie for her to enter in a pie auction for her church. She is going on a medical mission to Guatemala in a couple of months and the group is raising money to buy all of their supplies for the trip. I couldn't just make one because I had a chance to make pie, and it was for a great cause. I used some of the peaches from our peach picking adventure this summer to make the first pie.

And of course you can't go without an apple pie.

Tomorrow I am will be planning for Thanksgiving. This year at the Orphan's Thanksgiving I am responsible for two desserts and an appetizer. I know for sure what one of the desserts will be, but I am still working on the second one. I also have to decide on what kind of appetizer I want to bring. I have an idea, but need to work out the logistics of it all. Thanksgiving pre-game action photos to come. Oh, and I just have to say how excited I am for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the National Dog Show that follows. Not only will I be cooking/baking on Thursday but I will have good TV to watch while I am working.