Potluck Sabbath

Today was our three church Sabbath and I always enjoy having potluck lunch at one of the little churches that we visit once a month. However, today, I stayed home with Madeline since she is recovering from her surgery. Shannon was here too and we spent the day together while Bob went about his travels to the three churches. Today Madeline could eat ice cream and pudding. Her favorite ice cream is chocolate and her favorite pudding is chocolate. She definitely is related to her grandma.

After breakfast, we all three went out and sat on the steps of the porch and petted the dogs and watched the birds. We saw the yellow finches, the tree sparrows, and the hairy woodpecker all eating at the various feeders we have in the yard. Madeline is feeling much better. It's amazing how quickly she has recovered.

Madeline wanted to play hospital this morning, so Shannon pretended to be the patient and Madeline was the nurse. She wrapped Shannon's arm up like hers was and laid her hospital gown on top of her and put all the stuffed animals that she received while in the hospital all around Shannon so she would feel better. It was interesting when Madeline was in the hospital, because she asked if she could have her hospital gown, and of course they said they thought they could working something out. Then when they took out her IV, she wanted the board they had her hand taped to and she wanted the gauze too. They were treasures to her and she enjoyed wrapping her mom's hand up and making her lay still so the (pretend) needle wouldn't come out, because if it did, then they would have to put it back in and that would really hurt.
Then Madeline wanted to play with the play dough and make pretend cookies. She had a great time and the cookies looked almost good enough to eat. Remember I said, almost . . .

Then we went outside and walked around to look at all the pretty tulips and daffodils that Bob planted last fall. They are so beautiful I couldn't decide which pictures . . .





Then Madeline wanted to cut some flowers and take them in the house. So I went in the house and got the ceramic pitcher I painted last summer at Camp Cherokee to use as a vase. Madeline had a great time picking out just the perfect flowers.

Then Shannon suggested that we pick some white tulips and put them in water with food coloring to see if the flower would change colors.

Madeline put blue food coloring in one jar and purple food coloring in another jar. The flowers in the jar with the blue food coloring have turned blue, but the ones in the jar with purple food coloring haven't changed color yet.

Then I washed Madeline's hair and put these curly-q's in. When my girls were young, their grand-grandmother made these type of ribbons in every color of the rainbow and more and my son, Ryan, remembered his sisters wearing them and has for several years been wanting me to make some for Hannah. I had no idea how to make them, but when I mentioned it to one of my friends, she remembered making them for her daughter and thought she still had the pattern. A few days later she called me and gave me the simple directions. While I was with Madeline at the hospital I made several sets. Madeline loved the purple ones and wanted them. I wasn't sure they would work in her hair because it is so short, but we put them in today and they look really cute. Shannon says it's sentimental to have Madeline wear them. She remembers wearing the curly q's when she was a little girl.

She looks so cute!

Then it was time for supper. Friday Bob picked asparagus from the garden. Our first harvest of the year. So, I made creamed asparagus on toast. Madeline was able to eat the cream sauce and Shannon and I enjoyed the fresh creamed asparagus on toast.

Our first harvest of asparagus for the season.


Creamed asparagus on toast!! Yummmm!!!