With winter right around the corner, I'm trying to prepare myself for the "Wintertime Blues" that seem to get the best of me every stinkin' year. This year I'll be stuck at home with a 1 year old, so that will make it all the more interesting.
So, in addition to my Etsy shop, I'm trying to come up with things I enjoy doing (and preferably am good at.) Naturally, cooking & baking came to mind. So, in an attempt to spice up my Recipe Box & hone my homemaking skills, I'm going to make a goal of trying 1 new recipe every week. Dessert, main dish, side dish, drink, it doesn't matter. But I'm going to try one new thing each week.
This week I'm attempting a number of new dishes:
Orange Chicken
Pioneer Woman's Enchiladas
I also attempted some Apple Pie Muffins--that, well, didn't turn out so good. I'm not sure if I was having an off day or if it was the recipe. Seems I couldn't get the cooking time right-so we'll try that one again someday. :)
I'll review these recipes after I've given them a go. Have a great weekend!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
This is going to be nice & quick. I hate it when my pillow cases don't match my sheets. It really doesn't matter- no one really sees it. It's functional--but I just find it irritating. And sometimes DH finds the need to change his pillowcase before I do. So I'm left with a mish-mash of bedding.
I've started putting the entire bedding set in it's pillowcase. Makes it super easy to find every piece & prevents mish-mash bedding (typically).
Check out what Works for others @ We are THAT Family
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Works For Me Wednesday
I was so stressed this morning (I'm drafting this Tuesday night). It was extra frustrating because I couldn't put my finger on what it was that was causing this duress. Finances? Possibly. Housework? Probably.
One thing that I have been noticing lately, though, is that I spend a lot of time on the computer. Too much. I mean, some of it is necessary for running my Etsy shop, but most of it...well, its just extra. Time wasting. The other day I was sitting at the computer & turned around to check on Shawn & he was standing at the coffee table & as if it were nothing, started walking away. By himself. Unattended. A good seven steps. I almost missed it. I mean, those are the moments that I'm staying home with him for. And I almost missed it.
So, I'm making an effort to spend less time on the computer & more time doing. Laundry, cooking, playing, reading, studying the bible. You know. The important things.
So, in support of this effort, I downloaded a new gadget. Now, I haven't sung the praises of Firefox (internet browser) yet, but don't worry-its comin'. Here's my newest goody.
TimeTracker It keeps a running total of how much time you spend in FireFox. If there's no activity after 60 seconds, it stops the clock (you can change those settings, though.) You can also set it so that it doesn't count certain websites (Etsy, for example). I set it to disregard my G-mail account since I keep it open so I can see if I've received mail for my Etsy shop when I walk by the computer.
I haven't decided on a limit for myself yet (its hard to do that when I don't know exactly how many hours I was averaging before) but it definitely makes me more aware. That being said--that's enough for now. :)
Head over to We Are That Family for more great tips!
"If I am Missing or Dead" Book Review
So, I love to read. I'm trying to expand my horizons, and generally speaking, memoirs aren't my thing. I like mystery, suspense. But when my sister left If I am Missing or Dead out & I found myself nursing with nothing to read, I picked it up.
This "New York Times Best Seller" totes being a 'riveting memoir'. I expected it to be about Amy, the author's sister who penned the title in a note that was found after she went missing.
But it isn't about that at all. I mean, Amy is in the book. Janine (the author & sister) talks to her sporadically on the phone. But, the story line is much more important.
As I neared the middle of the book, I found myself more & more put off by the fact that the book was marketed as it was. It rubbed me wrong that Amy's death was the main source of marketing for the book & that isn't what its about at all. Maybe I'm harsh-but it just seems unethical.
However. Now that I have finished the book I can see that it is about so much more than Amy & her life (and death).
Throughout the book, Janine struggles in her relationships with men. The relationship with her husband is truly abusive. It goes beyond physical abuse. Probing into & destroying the emotional stability of Janine. Since the book begins at childhood & continues throughout the girls' lives, you can see how Janine's father contributed (even molded) the woman that Janine (and probably Amy) would become. The kind of woman that allows herself to be treated unworthy of basic compassion.
Amy & Janine were two very different women if you were on the outside looking in. Janine was a prominent, affluent author who had a handsome intelligent husband. She was attractive & sociable. Amy struggled with her weight & self esteem. But she was loved by everyone. She, too, was bubbly & successful in her career. She worked hard to become what she considered successful.
Yet these women found themselves in nearly identical scenarios. Making up excuses for the loved ones who did nothing but bring them down.
This book shows that abuse can happen to anyone, and offers some insight as to why women stay. I'm glad I read it. It certainly opened my eyes.
More about If I am Missing or Dead By Janine Latus here.
This "New York Times Best Seller" totes being a 'riveting memoir'. I expected it to be about Amy, the author's sister who penned the title in a note that was found after she went missing.
But it isn't about that at all. I mean, Amy is in the book. Janine (the author & sister) talks to her sporadically on the phone. But, the story line is much more important.
As I neared the middle of the book, I found myself more & more put off by the fact that the book was marketed as it was. It rubbed me wrong that Amy's death was the main source of marketing for the book & that isn't what its about at all. Maybe I'm harsh-but it just seems unethical.
However. Now that I have finished the book I can see that it is about so much more than Amy & her life (and death).
Throughout the book, Janine struggles in her relationships with men. The relationship with her husband is truly abusive. It goes beyond physical abuse. Probing into & destroying the emotional stability of Janine. Since the book begins at childhood & continues throughout the girls' lives, you can see how Janine's father contributed (even molded) the woman that Janine (and probably Amy) would become. The kind of woman that allows herself to be treated unworthy of basic compassion.
Amy & Janine were two very different women if you were on the outside looking in. Janine was a prominent, affluent author who had a handsome intelligent husband. She was attractive & sociable. Amy struggled with her weight & self esteem. But she was loved by everyone. She, too, was bubbly & successful in her career. She worked hard to become what she considered successful.
Yet these women found themselves in nearly identical scenarios. Making up excuses for the loved ones who did nothing but bring them down.
This book shows that abuse can happen to anyone, and offers some insight as to why women stay. I'm glad I read it. It certainly opened my eyes.
More about If I am Missing or Dead By Janine Latus here.
Baby's got a brand new trick.
I call it "Pants off Dance Off". Now that the weather is cooling, but it is not yet cold enough to have the furnace running, it just doesn't seem fair to have baby running around in nothing but a onesie (even with the addition of shorts). So Shawn's been wearing jeans & pants of different varieties.
Or so I think. Recently he's been coming over to me with pants in hand. I *think* he ends up walking on the bottoms of his pants & they slowly creep off . Of course, this all happens within a time frame of 3 minutes. I don't think (genius that he is, however) that he grabs the pants at the hips and whips them off. Although if that is the case, I certainly need to get it on tape (digital?? camera? How would one say that now?)
Needless to say, I find myself wondering which is more responsible: letting the kid run around sans pants or wrestling him 50 times (in vain) to get pants on his chubby little legs.
Or so I think. Recently he's been coming over to me with pants in hand. I *think* he ends up walking on the bottoms of his pants & they slowly creep off . Of course, this all happens within a time frame of 3 minutes. I don't think (genius that he is, however) that he grabs the pants at the hips and whips them off. Although if that is the case, I certainly need to get it on tape (digital?? camera? How would one say that now?)
Needless to say, I find myself wondering which is more responsible: letting the kid run around sans pants or wrestling him 50 times (in vain) to get pants on his chubby little legs.
Monday, September 7, 2009
My First Public Menu Plan
Alright! Here is my very own menu plan for the next week. You'll notice that I don't have days assigned--too often I find myself not in the mood for whats on the menu, so I'll do a different day but that chafes at me, hence I'm giving myself freedom with my menu plan. Cuz I'm a wild child like that. Ha!!
So that is it. As you can see, we're a meat & potoatos kind of family. I have a few rules as far as what kind of recipes I'm willing to try. Here's a few, off the top of my head.
- Teriyaki Chicken, fried rice & Potstickers
- Chili Baked Potatos
- Meat Loaf & Jo Jos
- Spaghetti & Meatballs
- Enchiladas & Spanish rice
- Fried chicken & mashed potatos
- Breakfast (I'm going to try making crepes!)
So that is it. As you can see, we're a meat & potoatos kind of family. I have a few rules as far as what kind of recipes I'm willing to try. Here's a few, off the top of my head.
- Maximum prep/cook time is usually one hour. This correlates with my sons nap/happy time & that way my husband comes home to a yummy dinner & happy wife.
- If I can't pronounce it, I don't try to make it. What good is it if you can't say, "And tonight, we're having __________!" (Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine does this to me too often.)
- If the recipe calls for something "found in the Asian/Hispanic/ethnic" aisle, I don't even bother. (Again-darn it Rachel Ray!)See, I live in a very, very small town that has no such aisles. And I'll be darned if my family falls in love with a recipe that I need to drive 45 minutes to get a main player of said recipe. I can't even get pitas here for gosh sake. (I make my own)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
"Family" Frame
I "helped" my sister make this picture frame for her boyfriend & I gotta admit, I never would have chosen this paper & color scheme. Don't get me wrong, I love black & red, in fact, I have a red focal wall that features black & white pictures of Paris, but this just wasn't the direction I was going for things in my shop. But I just may re-think that. I'll definitely be looking for papers with a more open mind from here on out. Anyway, here it is!
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