Mrs. Nicki S. Ordinary

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T18:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, this time last year I was not yet a mother. This year, I am taking toys out of the package and preparing the presents for my very own little girl. It is making my heart soar.
Tonight at church, tears welled in my eyes for this wonderful and magical night. Not because of the legend of Santa Claus and his eight tiny reindeer, but of the truth of Jesus Christ and what his birth brought to all of us.
My favorite Christmas song is, "Mary Did You Know," and seeing the beauty and wonder of my little baby, a normal baby, I can only imagine what joy and wonder Mary experienced all those centuries ago. Christmas, to me, will always be about Jesus Christ's birth. In this politically correct society that we live in, people are offended by Christmas Carols and the mention of Jesus, but no matter how materialistic it becomes, I will always remember that I am a child of Jesus, and that is why I celebrate this season. I celebrate this season as a time of giving and kindness. I celebrate extra time to spend with my family and friends. I celebrate the chance to proclaim my love for my Savior.
Merry Christmas Eve! May the peace and joy of the season well in your heart!

Absent from the blog

2011-11-17T11:39:00.001-08:00

I swear, I do this post all the time.....
"I'm sorry I haven't written, I am really busy. I don't have time. Blah, Blah, Blah."
Bottom line is that I love to write. I miss it, a lot sometimes. I have missed it terribly lately as I have been helping my students with their research papers. I find all sorts of ways that "I" would write the paper. Of course, I have to remember, I have years and years more experience than they do. It's hard. I need to write a good essay or something. Sick, I know.
As for the frugal part of my life...I miss that, too.
To be honest, I have a hard time even getting to the grocery store, let alone shopping sales and matching coupons like I used to. And, I just lost a very valuable coupon and it frustrated me to no end. Fortunately, I work and make money to make up the difference in the money I am not saving. I am still frugal when time allows me to be, but more often than not, I am just grabbing what I need, whatever the price may be. I love to shop at the bread outlet, but it's pretty far from my house and going there means picking up Ayla late from daycare, a trade-off I am not willing to make. So, I buy bread at the regular grocery store at double the price, because we NEED to eat, right?
I have been able to work on a few projects, including making a diaper box into a storage bin with fancy fabric and a liner (I will try to post that soon. TRY is the key word.) If you can't wait for my post, Google it. It's amazing. And I have tons of diaper boxes in all shapes and sizes.
And, on the home front, we finally refinanced our home...our payment is $60 less a month and we went from a 30-year mortgage to a 20 year. Woo hoo. How about that for saving money?

Busy Mommy

2011-08-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

I miss writing on my blog. But I have to say that every time I am on the computer it's usually managing the millions of photos I have been taking of my little lady and backing them up, since we had a computer scare, nearly losing all of our data and photos on the lap top. And, Life has sort of taken over. In one week, our DVD player, DirectTV, bathroom electrical outlets and laptop all took a crash. It all happened while I juggling phone calls and scannning and sending documents to two mortgage brokers in an attempt to refinance our house.

I have found time to do some frugal things such as can salsa and pickles, make homemade baby food and stock up Ayla's wardrobe by shopping yard sales and consignment sales. I also seemed to amass hundreds of diapers.

I recall writing a blog about being scared to be a mom. There is so much to worry about, so much to do, so much to handle. But, it turns out, God blessed me with a wonderful little baby girl with the happiest and most predictable personality. We have really shared some fun together this summer. We dance, sing and have a great time together. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work in two weeks. I am soaking up every moment of those two weeks and looking forward to next summer already. I know she will love the ladies and kids at day care. I can already tell she is a social butterfly.

Let's hope that I can find time to keep up my frugal, crafty ways and share them on my blog. I love this blog...and I hope to find a schedule to keep on writing, since writing has always brought me joy.

On working....

2011-05-31T03:13:00.001-07:00

In just three days, I will be headed back to work. Fortunately for me and my dear baby girl, it's only for a week before summer vacation, and daddy will be home to watch Ayla. I can already feel the guilt and regret. My favorite time with Ayla is the morning. I love going into her room to see her playing with her hands or feet and cooing softly just waiting for me. ME. She needs me. And, I love morning feeding time. Then we play on the floor, singing songs and reading books. These times I cherish so much. I know her dad will be wonderful with her, but she has to drink from a bottle which oddly bothers me the most. Nursing is a comfort for both of us and a time to bond.

I keep reminding myself that if we want to provide our children with a sprawling yard to play in and a larger house, I need to go back to work. And when August rolls around, Ayla will be older and needing to eat less often...so maybe it won't be so bad. I try to remember the positives of day care such as the socialization and stimulation from other babies her age. If all goes as planned, she will be in the same building I am in which may mean that I can even feed her myself if the schedules works out just so.

All I know is that I would have regrets and doubts with whatever decision I make, so it's probably best to just make one and be content with it. As a Mom, I realize I am going to have to make a lot of tough decisions and this is just the beginning.

Mommyhood

2011-05-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

So, life hasn't been so ordinary around my household. I mean, a little bundle of joy as joyous as they are, really throws your ordinary life for a loop-de-loop.
The first weeks of motherhood were so exciting and new. Then reality kicked in and a little depression hit. Then, mommy read an amazing book about sleeping, Ayla found her thumb and started sleeping like a log. Now, Mommy isn't sure what to do with the segments of free time she has during the day, especially now that she is rested and well. I can't throw on the running clothes and leave like I used to. I have to make sure the few clothes that fit are clean. I have to don two sports bras and even then I feel like I am dragging like a two-ton tractor at the Buck. And I have to strap Ayla into a jogging stroller that with her in it weighs at least 25 pounds, if not more. It's really not appealing. I am working through finding my new identity. I get the taste of what it's like to be a stay-at-home mom for approximately 6 months before the new school year starts (with a week in the middle to finish out the current school year.) I have mixed feelings about to stay at home or not and I don't think I'll ever feel secure with any decision I make...more on that later!

Mommy must-haves

2011-03-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

After two-plus weeks of Motherhood, I came up with a list of items that have made life a little easier.

1. Burp cloths, and a lot of them! I am sure even the best fed babies spit up. I lay one under Ayla every time I put her down to sleep. It's an extra layer to protect from the continual washing of crib, bassinet and Pack 'n Play sheets.

2. Swaddle blankets. These seem to be the key to getting little Ayla back to sleep after a nighttime feeding.

3. Diaper pail (or two). The Diaper Genie II Elite is a wonderful invention. We have one in the nursery and I am thinking about putting one downstairs near her Pack 'n Play. We were putting diapers in the kitchen trash and the smell just became too much. The Genie keeps odors at bay and is a convenient way to dispose of diapers...and you will go through a lot of diapers.

4. Travel system. The stroller/car seat was a Godsend. I love to go for walks with Ayla and the Graco travel system makes it very easy. We bought an extra base for another vehicle. It's just very versatile and useful.

5. Breast pump. If you are breastfeeding, you need this. It's great to pass over the feeding to someone else with a bottle. Ayla was a champ after 2 weeks taking the bottle from Dad. And, sometimes a bottle is more convenient out in public. The cost of the pump is worth the investment.

6. Pacifiers. I was afraid to give Ayla a pacifier, but it's also a key component to soothe her back to sleep at all times of the day. She seems to know the difference between the paci and when it's time to eat.

7. Amazon Mom membership. This has been invaluable to me. Since I couldn't drive, shopping online became the way to go. By joining Amazon Mom, I was awarded free 2-day shipping on baby items. By using Subscribe and Save for diapers, I have saved a ton, and I don't even have to leave the house.

8. Subscription to various parenting magazines. The parenting magazines are not only filled with helpful articles and reading material to pass the time, they also contain valuable coupons to Amazon.com. Sometimes there are $10 coupons, and sometimes there are 20% off coupons. With a $10 coupon, I got a case of diapers for $3.15.

9. Practical PJs. Skip the cute newborn outfits

10. Pack 'N Play. I set up the Pack 'N Play in the living room. That is where Ayla gets changed, during the day. She also takes naps in it. I set up a little station for her with all of the items I need during the day, so I am not constantly running upstairs to her nursery.

11. A REALLY comfy chair. I obtained the corner of a sectional at Pottery Barn for $75. It takes up a lot of space in the nursery, but it's ideal for nursing in the wee hours of the morning. I can sit in various positions and lay my head back. It makes nighttime feedings very doable.

12. Boppy. It's very helpful in feeding.

13. A night light. The put one of those cheap battery operated push lights on the changing table. It's bright enough to help me change her, but also dim enough that it doesn't wake her up too much.

I am sure there are more must-have items, but 2.5 weeks in, these are the things that stand out to me.

The little love of my life: Ayla

2011-03-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

Why did I wait so long to be a mom? This little princess has brought such joy to my heart. I never could have imagined how much love I could feel for one little 8-pound newborn. She was a little stubborn in making her appearance, but I would do it all over again just to hear that first cry and to learn that she was healthy.

Her daddy has been a wonderful help around the house, and all the food that has already arrived has been a blessing as we are trying to navigate life with a little baby.

Having a baby is a blessing. I am looking forward to so many years of memories with this little lady and our family. Wow, I have a family :-)

Baby blog

2011-02-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

I have a feeling that before I know it, this blog is going to turn into a baby blog. I am a little worried that I have not learned the art of bargain shopping for diapers yet. I know what a good price is on ground hamburger and boneless, skinless chicken breast, but diapers is not something that I have mastered yet. I am also worried that my baby won't breastfeed, and I will have to spend a fortune on formula. I am worried that even after all of the preparation I did stocking the freezers and cupboards, my husband is still going to resort to ordering take out.

I really want to be frugal about this mommy thing. My eventual goal is to stay home, and that is not going to happen if I can't keep the spending under control. I love my job, but I don't ever want it to interfere with my family.

I think the best advice I can give myself is to stay laid back. That is my mantra in life. The more laid back you are, the less worried you are and the more things seem to work out. Fingers are crossed and prayers are being said!

Cook Ahead

2011-02-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love to cook, but I never seem to have time during the week. In an attempt to stock up the freezer with some casseroles, etc., I spent Saturday morning in the kitchen. It's really therapeutic for me. Messing up a lot of dishes and cleaning out my cupboards to make something edible makes me feel accomplished.

Nate thinks I am nesting. I think I am just being me and loving to cook and create. My hope is to employ this strategy when I am out of baby mode and back into normal Nicki mode. I'll cook on the weekends and the dishes will be ready to pop into the oven at a moment's notice. I froze my meals (Bottom left going clockwise Lasagna, Mexi Shells and Macaroni and Cheese), but they would probably last in the refrigerator for a few days. I completed the recipe up to the point where it says to cook it. I wrote the directions on a little card and taped them to the top of the foil wrapped casseroles and stacked them in the freezer. Hopefully they will taste yummy when it is time to eat them!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-01-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

I am on an organizing binge, trying to rid my house of everything that hasn't been used in quite some time. That organizing spilled into my kitchen this weekend. I was given an abundance of craisins. The little orbs aren't easy to eat alone. So, when I came across a recipe in a magazine for Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies, I immediately ripped it out. First of all, because I love cranberries and white chocolate chips (the Panera Pink ribbon bagel was my favorite.) Second, because I wanted to rid myself of the craisins. And it must have been meant to be. My food scale measured 6 ounces left in the container, which is exactly what the recipe called for. I also was able to finish off my old-fashioned oats and brown sugar. All I had to buy was white chocolate chips.

I made a few substitutions applesauce instead of butter and whole wheat flour instead of regular bleached flour. But, here is the recipe. Mine came out more like round balls, but by the last batch, I tried to flatten them out, since they were flattening on their own. They don't look as good as I thought they were, but they are still mighty tasty.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces of craisins (dried cranberries)

2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several small additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes approximately 2.5 dozen.

Trading in challenges

2011-01-18T12:11:00.000-08:00

I got the e-mail notice the other day for the YWCA Sprint triathlon. The same triathlon that I have trained 12 weeks for every spring for the last three years. It's a part of me. Last year, I completed it while a few weeks pregnant and beat my time from the previous year. I can't tell you how accomplished I feel after finishing that race. I got butterflies when I opened that e-mail, thinking about the commitment I make each spring to be able to complete six workouts a week all of which are usually anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours each, some that start with the alarm chirping at 5 a.m. And then reality set in. I am not competing in the triathlon this year. It almost brings tears to my eyes, like I am losing a best friend. I am trading my spandex, padded shorts for nursing bras. I am trading running shoes for slippers. I am trading my swim suit for burp cloths. I am trading the challenge of completing a three-event race for the challenge of giving birth to a beautiful little miracle. I have talked a lot to my mom and sister about child labor and delivery. It's a scary process, but they both have all of the confidence in the world in me because they know that when I face a challenge (like the triathlon), it's my mental more than my physical shape that carries me through. I don't like to quit. So, even though a part of me is torn and wants a find a way to do it all (raise a newborn and train for a triathlon,) the less crazy side of me says that my baby is more important than a race any day. And, of course, I am not saying goodbye to an exhausting challenge, just trading it for a new one!

Nate calls it nesting....

2011-01-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

I call it doing all of the creative crafty projects I can before baby bottles and dirty diapers replace my crafting scissors and sewing machine. Starting at Christmas break, I had a pretty long list of craft projects I wanted to start and/or finish. Surprisingly, I was able to get nearly all of them finished. The final entry to cross off my list was to make an abundance of cards to carry me through birthdays and other occasions that require a card. So, Saturday night, I set up a long, rectangular table in my living room and went to town. I spread out papers, ribbons, hole punches, stamps, brads and other baubles, and inks and markers. I can honestly say that my inspiration for cards comes from scraps. I like to use every last piece of scrap I have created. The photo represents some of my favorites. Between Saturday and Sunday nights when my living room was turned into a crafting room, I cranked out nearly 30 cards. Nate came home late on Saturday night from work and gave me the concerned husband look. "Are you nesting?" In birthing class they say nesting can be a sign you are soon to go into labor. I guess he is worried that my love of homemade items will set me into pre-term labor. He should fear not. I just really enjoy immersing myself into something creative. The more cards I made, the more ideas I came up with. I have a ton of materials and supplies, so it doesn't cost me any money. I told Nate that I would miss these long hours of immersing myself in a project. Then the sweet man said, "All you have to say is, 'honey, I need some alone time.'" What a man!

Nursery, continued

2011-01-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

Here is the view of my cozy corner with the awesome canvas paintings Amy made me for Christmas and the prints I also received. The chair was a steal for $75 at Pottery Barn...one of my first baby purchases. I draped the quilt and the other cover is from my mother-in-law.

Nursery, check!

2011-01-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

Well, thanks to my mom, the nursery is pretty much done. We have one more project to hang, but that is Nate's job because it's a big, heavy window and I am not attempting that. The first picture is of the crib with the lovely tree decal from Stampin' Up. It took two, but with my mom's expertise, we easily got the tree up on the wall.

More to come...

Dinner dilemma

2011-01-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

I am horrible at planning dinner. It is never a priority for me. I realize that as I build my little family, I am going to have to get better at this. I would have been devastated if I came home from school and asked my mom what was for dinner and she said, "I don't know? What do you want?" That is what I say nearly every day to my husband, Nate. I get frustrated, because he never has an answer. And when I do cook, he never seems really impressed. I call him picky, but maybe that is because I will eat ANYTHING. I hope my daughter gets my appetite.

No matter what, my mom had dinner on the table. I don't really recall eating out a lot. There was always something hot on the table, even if it was later in the evening than I would have liked as a growing teenager.

So, today when I was getting in my car at work (a little later than I like to on a Friday afternoon), my husband called.

"What's for dinner?"

"I don't know," I said.

It's not for lack of food in my house...because I spend a lot on groceries and pride myself on having a stocked pantry.

I start going through the file in my head. What can I make quick? He said he is starving.

In my defense, Nate doesn't eat lunch at a set time every day like I do. When he is on day work, he can be hungry for dinner at 3:30 p.m. when he gets home or at 6:30 p.m., which is way too late for me. So, even if I planned, it might not work out perfectly.

Tonight, I happened to have chicken breasts set out. I called my sister for a chicken and rice recipe she had made when I was visiting for New Year's Eve, but it took an hour to bake and sit, and that was too long for my starving man.

So, I saved it for another day and tried to improvise something quicker that would taste similar.
Here is what I came up with.

Chicken and Rice Skillet

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can cream of chicken soup (plus one can water)

2 cups instant rice. uncooked

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 small can mushrooms

1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch strips. Cook the chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until no longer pink inside. Add the chicken soup and can of water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, onion powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for a few minutes so the rice cooks. Add mushrooms. Stir. Remove from heat and let it sit until the liquid is absorbed, about five minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with crumbled buttered crackers if desired.

Enjoy!

Another baby blanket

2011-01-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

I knew that I wanted to attempt a quilt, which I successfully finished. However, my favorite blankets in our house are the double fleece style with the knots. And, I have been told that babies like tags or little items to play with, so I wanted to make my daughter one of these, too. You can never have too many blankets, or so I have been told. Fleece was $2.99 a yard back before Christmas, plus there was a 20% off coupon for an entire order. What a deal! I couldn't pass that up. So, I picked out two prints and both matched the cream fleece. Then, I found this gorgeous fleece on the remnants rack. It wasn't the fleece that was on sale, but it ended up being about $4 for about a yard and a quarter. It fit my organic, earthy theme of the nursery and even had a little pink for my gal. The blanket took less than an hour and when I was finished cutting, I tied the knots while sitting in the nursery chair. When it was all finished, I curled up and fell asleep with it. Super cozy. Click here for more detailed instructions on how to make these blankets. They are so easy, inexpensive and make great gifts.
I still have a yard of each of the other prints, so I am trying to decide what to do with those. The one is adorable little birds, which matches the nursery! We will see.

Nesting or organizing?

2011-01-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

I am on a mad dash to organize and clean my entire house. It all started a few months ago when I had to clean out the spare bedroom (aka my personal dressing room) to make room for our first born. I have been very proud of my dedication to getting rid of junk. I sold a lot at yard sales/flea markets this summer, which proved to be a great way to spend time with my dad and stepsister as well as a good way to rid myself of unwanted goods and make a few bucks. I also unloaded some large furniture items on Craigslist, which has proven to be both profitable and easy. Now it's down to the items I am just not sure where to move and what to do with. I have one day left of Christmas break, and I feel like I am running out of time (which is totally not the case since I still have 8 weeks until the baby is predicted to arrive.) I have been moving organizing units all over the house, filling drawers with baskets and containers to organize items.

One of the major dilemmas was my jewelry. I had it organized nicely on an accordion peg thingy (sorry, that is the best I got) and hanging in my dressing room. Well, that had to go. So, I ended up using a bulletin board with thumb tacks in my closet (still in the nursery..sorry baby, Daddy and I can't share a closet) and a silverware drawer in a plastic organizer in the bathroom closet to organize. With Nate and I getting up at different times, we try not to get ready in the bedroom so we don't wake up the other one. That doesn't leave for much choice in where I keep my stuff. Because everything was in my dressing room, I had to move a lot to the bathroom, which made for a lot of creativity in using the space wisely. It's amazing how beauty products, cleaning products, lotions and body splashes accumulate. I am not done yet...I left a lot laying around because I just got tired and overwhelmed. I still have tomorrow. Thank goodness for resourcefulness, but I still have a long way to go.

Quilt Success

2010-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

I call it imperfect perfection. This quilt was a labor of love. It definitely has flaws, but the fact that I stuck to it and it's finally complete is a miraculous feeling. I got my information on how to do each step from a variety of sources. In crafting, you have to be resourceful. There are a lot of steps in quilting, but I have always been one to change gears, so quilting was a great project to embark on. First is the piecing together, which is fun because you get to cut out a variety of squares in cool colors and use your creativity. Then comes the putting it together with the backing and the batting. Then, you have to quilt it together, which I found to be the most challenging step. I had a hard time not getting it to wrinkle and scrunch up. And while I hand quilted the middle yellow square, I resorted to machine quilting for the rest to save time. Then, I had to trim the quilt. All the shifting and wrinkling that occurred made it a little tough, but I improvised and made it work. Then, I had to bind the edge to make it look finished. And, this is where the fun came in. I learned the invisible ladder stitch from a blog and was so giddy with excitement, I couldn't stop smiling the entire 4 hours I finished the quilt. I ended up finishing the quilt at 7 a.m. this morning (couldn't sleep). It's done a whole 8 weeks before my little girl is predicted to arrive. That just means, I can do a few more craft projects in the meantime.

Big crafting plans

2010-12-23T11:09:00.001-08:00

I have big crafting plans for Christmas break. I am thinking...finish my baby quilt and make some more onsies. I think the list is longer, but I can't recall it right now. I have a lot of other projects in the nursery, but that will wait until the new year when my crafty mother comes to help me.
Oh, I also want to stock up on homemade cards so as I get really, really busy with the new baby, I still have a stockpile of cards to send for birthdays and other occasions. Hopefully, I can set aside a chunk of time to really dig into these projects and not dabble in them. I am really ready to finish. Let's hope that I do and post pictures to chronicle my adventures in quilting.

Another homemade onsie

2010-12-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

I was so inspired by the camo onsie that I posted on, that I used the same technique to gussy up a blue onsie that was handed down to me. Not too shabby. It was pretty tedious with the small parts, but I am proud of the outcome. I didn't attempt to sew this one in place, so let's hope the Heat N. Bond works well. I love birds for my baby (it's the nursery theme), so it was easy to get inspired.

Cute and personalized onsies

2010-12-20T17:14:00.001-08:00

I wanted to get Nate a camouflage outfit for the baby so he would be at ease that I wasn't going to frill up this little lady. It was way too hard to find something cute, but not cheesy. So, I decided to make it myself. The first photo shows what I came up with. It took only about 10 minutes to make, and I have to admit it's cuter than anything I saw online.

Materials:

White onsie

Camo T-shirt ($2 at Salvation Army)

Pellon fusible interfacing

Heat N' Bond Iron-On Adhesive

Embroidery floss

Here is what I did:

I cut the sleeve off the camp T-shirt and ironed it to the Pellon. Pellon makes the stretchy T-shirt material easier to work with. I used a heart stencil and cut out a heart from the camo material. Then, I followed the directions on the Heat N' Bond. The purpose of the Heat N' Bond is to adhere the material to the onsie without sewing. Once I applied the heart to the onsie, I used a running stitch with embroidery floss. Voila, it's done. The hat is homemade, but not by me. It's from Etsy, I believe the store is called Little Lids. This will be wrapped.

Grand plans for sewing

2010-12-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

My sewing machine has been getting a lot of love lately. Since I abandoned the T-shirt quilt for a bit, I focused on the baby quilt. I had to do a lot of reading in various places to feel confident enough to tackle the little thing. I even experienced ripping out hundreds of stitches. You never understand the power of a sewing machine until you have to rip out it's work.

I think all I have to do is bind the edges of the quilt, which is a little scary. However, I have my trusty books to guide me along the way. I also recommend YouTube, if you are a visual learner.

Once this little thing is finished, I am going to try to sew some onsies. I was having a hard time finding cute, girly camo. Nate wants our baby girl to wear something other than pink. So, I decided to make some onsies with camo shapes on them. I just have to get to the sewing machine. I bought a worm camo tee at the Salvation Army for $2 and plan to cut some shapes out. I will fuse them to some backing that makes it more sturdy (have you ever tried to sew straight on T-shirt material?) We will see how it comes out. I want to have it done in time to wrap it up for Nate as a surprise.

And, I still have high hopes of making some personalized touches for my nursery. I didn't want the cookie cutter nursery, and tried to steer clear of all things commercial. That, my friends, is pretty much impossible. Look at all of the packaging and plastic. I hope to spend Christmas break getting some more things organized and put in its place. I have a long way to go. I need a dresser, first. However, I have to remember how far I have come.

For now, the nursery is a playground for my cats who love the tissue paper and baby-smelling items.

Where does time go?

2010-11-29T06:43:00.000-08:00

I really don't have time to be blogging. I mean, I have lesson plans to develop, an IEP to write, two graduate research papers and a few reactions to wrap up the semester. But, I miss my crafting. I have so many ideas in my head. Being 27 weeks pregnant, I am starting to think of all the little projects I want to do for my baby, who is due to arrive Feb. 24. The T-shirt quilt was put on hold for a baby quilt. I am nearly done, but it's been a work in progress. I wanted to tackle something smaller to get the gist of actual quilting before I tackled a full-size bed blanket. It's been interesting. Of course, it's not perfect and there are a lot of flaws, but my baby is probably going to love it anyway.

And, I will continue to dream about other projects, like wall art, decorative pillows and maybe a mobile!

Stay tuned for photos of my completed projects.

Canning disaster

2010-08-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ugh. That is how I feel right now. Completely defeated. Although, even with the raging hormones baby Stiger is sending my way, I held it together.
Here is how this scenario went:
Step 1: I planted a garden and picked tomatoes out the wazoo all summer. I stored them in the fridge until I had enough to make a batch.
Step 2: I didn't have enough, so I raided my mom and stepdad's tomato plants.
Step 3: I cleaned and weighed 12 pounds of tomatoes.
Step 4: I roasted 12 pounds of tomatoes on the small grill.
Step 5: I roasted 4 bulbs of garlic in the oven
Step 6: I started the canner water.
Step 7: I washed the jars and lids and put them on the stove in warm water to simmer.
Step 8: I peeled the 12 pounds of tomatoes and attempted to deseed and cube them (nearly impossible because they were too soft). This took forever.
Step 9: Simmer tomatoes on the stove, as I added the roasted garlic.
Step 10: Discovered that the canner never boiled the water. I had been warned that a flat-top stove might not have enough to boil that beast of a pot. That person was right!
Step 11: Turned off all the burners, called my dad and we decided that I should just freeze the tomatoes.
Time of all this was 3 hours.
I am feeling defeated, yet optimistic that I tried, that is more than many people can say. No one learned any of this overnight! I will get it eventually.

Dinner inspiration out of no where

2010-08-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I headed back to school today for a meeting. All summer, I have been slacking on cooking dinner. Poor Nate has been living on frozen pizza, macaroni cheese and lunch meat sandwiches. I don't know if it was getting back into a routine today, but I was inspired to cook a decent dinner. I could see the joy on Nate's face as he said, "I like when you cook dinner, babe."
Before I left in the morning, I pulled two boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator. When I returned home, I completed the thaw in the microwave. I cut the chicken into strips and marinated them in Kraft balsamic vinegar salad dressing for a little while. Then I made baked corn. I have NEVER made that before. Before making it, I wasn't even sure that I really liked it. I am never a fan of adding butter, milk, eggs and other fattening ingredients to a vegetable, even if it is a starch. Nate mentioned that we should use the leftover corn on the cob from a few weekends ago for baked corn, a dish he only tried for the first time at my mom's house. So, I did before it spoiled. While the corn was baking, I cooked the chicken on the George Foreman grill, which went very quickly because the piecs were small. I topped off the meal with instant mashed potatoes, well because, we like them and they are easy.

Here is the recipe I used for baked corn from a church cookbook (which contained three recipes for baked corn. This one had the shortest cooking time.)

Baked Corn
2 cups cooked or canned corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 4.

See, quick, easy and absolutely yummy!

Roots and Tupperware!

2010-08-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

After spending much of the summer taking classes, cleaning, organizing or working at Cracker Barrel, I knew that it was time for fun. I mean, after all, summer is almost over. So, I hooked up with some co-workers and headed to Root's Market in Lancaster for homemade ice cream, whoopie pies, Smitty's Candy, and inexpensive fruit. But surprisingly, I found the pick-a-deli Tupperware container as well. Just like Root's, Pick-A-Deli is a memory from my childhood. We always stored pickles in it so we didn't have to reach our little hands down into the depths of the pickle juice. I love it! For $9, I can store pickles. And look how cute the color is. Much better than the drab 1970s green container from my mom's fridge. Despite the horrible heat, it was a great day!

Really?

2010-08-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Has it really been three months since I posted? Since that post I completed a triathlon, finished three graduate classes, planted a garden, cooked a few good meals, resumed work on the T-shirt quilt and started some new sewing projects. I've tried to clean and organize, but I usually end up taking a nap. I've worked weekends at Cracker Barrel and continued writing my column for the York Daily Record. Hopefully I can take some pictures of a project or two before the whirlwind of the school year starts again. My fingers are crossed, but don't hold your breath.

Positive thinking

2010-05-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

I am just having one of those days. It's been my new mantra lately not to complain. Complaining only really makes the problem more apparent to everyone around you. And, it makes you look like a whiner. I have plenty to be thankful for, so I am trying not to focus on the little things. And, typically I think I can control everything, including the little things..well, I can't. And, I need to stop being so hard on myself or I am going to have a full head of white hair instead of just a few. So, here is to hoping that I can remain positive and be thankful for what I have until this rough patch of the end of the school year passes.

The female brain

2010-05-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

As I ran 4 miles in the heat today, the conversation in my head went something like this:

"Wow, I didn't realize how hot it was."
"It smells like a ferret out here. I wonder if there is one hiding in the bushes."
"I should have brought some paperwork home for the weekend."
"Man, I am parched."
"Why don't people acknowledge that I am saying hello."
"Why do people spell my name wrong so often?"
"How can the outside smell like a ferret? Am I suffering from heat exhaustion?"
"I wish my shorts weren't so short."
"I wish it was safe to drink out of the creek."
"Can I really beat my time in the triathlon."

And that was only in the first five minutes.
Imagine, if we could organize our brains better! We would rule the world.

Craving freshness

2010-04-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

I want fresh veggies so bad. Nate has been a machine in the backyard, extending and tilling the garden and filling the flower beds with bushes and other great landscaping elements that are making our house look awesome. But, we can't plan until May and even then there is the horrible waiting time until the veggies start budding and popping up.Tonight, I made a dish that reminds me of the taste of last summer. I had to use store-bought cucumbers at 99 cents a pop and tomatoes that were $2.99 a pound, but it was yummy. I chopped up those two ingredients, added some chopped fresh mushrooms, a sprinkle of feta cheese (which makes everything better) and drizzled it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is such a healthy, fresh treat to get in several servings of vegetables and there is no turning on the stove.I did buy a basil plant today at Wal-mart. I love basil and my soil seems to do really well with it. I love to saute it into pasta and mushrooms or serve it on a sandwich. Now, I just have to get to planting!

A quick and convenient gift

2010-04-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

I love to bake. But, I am watching what I eat, and Nate can't consume an entire 6-dozen batch of my chocolate chip cookies (not sure why, cause I could if it didn't go right to my hips.)
So, I found a few co-workers who love my cookies, and I am more than happy to take them a treat. My mom gave me a cool stamp set, so I put it to use. I stamped "A little yummy for your tummy" on sticker labels and smacked them onto some plastic baggies. I think my little treat brought a smile to their faces and mine, as well.

Travelin' trail mix

2010-03-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Trail mix is good for you in small doses, but who can eat it in small doses? Especially when it contains chocolate.
I have a cupboard of random nuts, seeds and other fruity-type odds and ends. Every now and then, I get sick of it piling up and make a batch of trail mix. It really takes not effort at all, just a little dumping. It's great for a mid-day snack or a little salty/sweet combo for lunch packing. And, it doesn't spoil!

This beauty contains:

Leftover Hershey's Mini Kisses from cookies
Peanut Butter Chips (also leftover)
Pumpkin seeds in shell
Craisins
Raisins
Cashews
Granola
Salted pumpkin seeds (no shell)
Sunflower seeds (no shell)

My solo candlelight dinner

2010-03-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

I love sharing dinner with my husband, but I look forward to the times he is on night work and I can cook what I want. It usually involves a lot of vegetables and feta cheese. He is a real trooper, trying new stuff here and there, but overall, he is pretty good at taking a few bites, giving me a sideways look as if to say, "I am sure YOU this is good, but I don't like it."
So, he worked the other night and after a long day of cleaning the house, going for a jog and playing with the dog at the park, I needed a serious cache of calories. I put on a pot of boiling water and threw in some shredded red cabbage. In a frying pan, I dumped 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it warm. I sauted 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/4 cup onion and 1/4 cup red pepper. When those veggies started to get tender, I added one cup of fresh spinach and watched it wilt. Soon, the cabbage was tender, so I drained it and added it to the fry pan. I boiled 1 cup of whole wheat pasta noodles. In the meantime, I added 1/2 cup of imitation crab meat to frying pan. In a few minutes, I dumped the noodles and the veggies into one gigantic bowl. I sprinkled it with 2 tablespoons of feta cheese and had myself a colorful pasta dish that reminded me of summer. So, I lit some candles and put on soft music. It was a relaxing way to end my weekend!

My baby is growing up

2010-03-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Moose is 10 months old. I can't believe it.

Forget what he looked like as a puppy...check him out here.

And now, we estimate he is at least 85 pounds. He walks like a champ and is listening like a good dog. So happy with him!

Oh for the love of chocolate and peanut butter!

2010-03-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter...well not yet...but if you have some time before the Holy day...make homemade chocolate peanut butter eggs. They are to die for!

1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups 10X sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Mash margarine in a bowl with a fork. Add peanut butter and milk and vanilla and stir until creamy. Add sugar. Shape into egg shapes and refrigerate on waxed paper. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and coat eggs. Keep in refrigerator at all times.

Enjoy.

Asian inspiration

2010-03-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

I love soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and noodles. But, since I am trying to eat very healthy, I try to stay away from take out. A lovely friend from work shares her Real Simple magazine with me (a great frugal tip).And I tinkered with a recipe in there for dinner the other night.

Here you go:

8 ounces soba* noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breast
2 cups shredded red cabbage
5 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ginger

In a saucepan, cook chicken with 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium high heat. Cook 8 ounces soba* noodles, cool, and toss with chicken, cabbage, 3 tablespoons canola oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with ginger and toss.

*Soba noodles are Japanese Noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour, which gives it a dark-brownish gray color.

Quick Cold Dinner

2010-03-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Isn't today the first official day of spring. For a few days, spring weather has been knocking at my door. I turned off the heat, put away the winter coats and dusted off my bike. I actually didn't have to wear wool to run in.
So of course, I am looking for yummy, yummy cold recipes that are refreshing and quick.
This is what I came up with. It's healthy, quick and filling. It makes one serving.

White Bean Salad

1 cup canned cannelli beans, drained
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1/4 ounce avocado, diced

In a bowl, put beans and peppers. Stir in olive oil. Top with feta cheese and avocado.

Why I write and why I stay busy

2010-03-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

After waking from a catatonic nap post school day, taking the pooch to the park, riding bike 15.5 miles, showering and making dinner, I was finally able to carve out some time to sit down. I am watching "Julie and Julia" and got the sudden urge to blog. I love to write, especially in first person when I don't have to find peer-reviewed journal articles or wait for people to return my call. I miss taking all of the thoughts that swirl in around in my multi-tasking woman brain and putting them on paper (or computer screen.)

On my bike ride today, one of my riding partners said, "You never had a problem being over-committed." Is this what people think of me? The girl who can't say no? But I like to be busy. It's a blessing from my parents. They are hard workers that hardly ever sit down. And I have inherited it. And I am OK with it. When I am in the midst of being busy, I feel busy, but rarely overwhelmed. I have really low blood pressure and rarely feel anxiety. Sometimes I can't sleep because lesson plans are flying past my eyelids and referral slips are haunting me. But overall, I crash when I hit the pillow.

I feel like I am at a good place in life. I love my job most of the time, I love my husband and my small brood of animals. I have a wonderful new nephew Joey (See me and him in the photo) who is going to be raised into a awesome young man because his parents will be sure of it. I am getting my master's degree, something I always aspired to do, and I am finally recommitted to eating healthy again.

So, my next goal is to get back to the blog to share my frugal tips. When you are busy, it's hard to be frugal, let alone blog about it. But, I am going to try to over commit and do it anyway! So, here is to trying to get back to the blog and really exercise one of my passions...writing!

Wonderful intentions

2010-01-23T19:16:00.000-08:00

Over the past several weeks when I run across something, it flicks a switch in my head that says, "You should blog about that." But life has been so busy, I tend to forget what I wanted to blog about when I finally get a minute to sit down. I am running around a lot lately. After school, I've been running with my new running partner. Then, I take my little pup to the park. Then it's dinner and school work. Last night, I was so exhausted, I went to bed at 7:30 p.m. I can't believe January is almost over. 4 more months until summer. I keep telling myself that! Here is to hoping that I can remember what to blog about the next time I have a moment!

On food

2010-01-04T17:34:00.001-08:00

Every one's choice of food is influenced by something.
And being raised on mostly American and PA Dutch delights such spaghetti, Hamburger Helper and meatloaf makes me wonder how I have ever came to love practically everything. And not just everything, but in weird combinations, too.
As I sit here and write this, I am snacking on a bowl of couscous mixed with raisins, chic peas, avocado and feta cheese.
After a lot of thinking, I believe I found the root of it all. Besides watching scary movies way too scandalous for our age, freezing underwear and making prank calls, we partook in another tradition at sleepovers as children. We dared people to drink whatever we mixed up in the kitchen. Our concoctions of mayonnaise, hot sauce, applesauce, milk and egg yolks must have made me tolerant and in fact enjoy food of all flavors and types.
So, I find joy in looking in my refrigerator and combining whatever it is that I see. And the more I try, the more I find flavors that mix in a magical way. I love Guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, because he mixed sushi with pork barbecue.
It's a great way to use leftovers, experience new flavors and come up with a new favorite recipe. I am sure you will run into a few mishaps, but your won't find the gems if you don't eat the dirt first! Enjoy experimenting!

Online shopping

2009-12-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

These last few weeks leading up to Christmas have been very busy for me...and I haven't been preparing for the holiday itself. I have been studying for grad finals, writing and grading papers, attending meetings, volunteering at the library, taking cycling classes, taking the dog to the park and doing everything but shopping for Christmas. So, when I did have a moment, I signed online. And did everything I could to save money. Before I viewed my cart, I googled coupon code and the store I was shopping at for some savings. Even a very obscure police officer site I ordered some items for Nate for, had a great coupon code. I usually end up at www.retailmenot.com, but a co-workers swears by www.gottadeal.com. Even if it saves you shipping, or covers tax, it's better than nothing, right? So, don't' forget to take a few extra seconds to save that holiday dough!

Snowed in

2009-12-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a novel idea...staying home an entire day. I just finished up my grad classes for the semester, the program to write IEPs is offline for the weekend and I have been doing a decent job keeping up with the house cleaning. So, what do you do with an entire day to yourself? Well....I cleaned most of the house. I vacuumed up a lot of dog and cat hair. I washed, folded and put away four loads of laundry. I made two lovely pieces of jewelry for Christmas gifts. I got a head start on the library books I picked up for my extended Christmas break. I took Moose out in the snow to play. I did dishes. I put away piles of things that had been sitting around for months. I watched some silly Christmas movies. I shoveled the walk.
I definitely didn't eat very healthy. The neighbor baked cookies and brought them over. I sampled one of each variety. I ate lots of chocolate and candy and sweets today. And, of course, I didn't exercise. It's just one day, right?
What a day!

Refrigerator

2009-12-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

What disappointment and anguish the refrigerator that came with our house has cost us. $500 and 6 months later, we still had a broken fridge. We had two separate companies come out and look it at least 4 times. At $500, we would have half of a new fridge that was the color we wanted. But sometimes, you get into something that you don't want to stop. But, this last time it broke, just two months after the last fix, I had had enough. I drove my behind to Lowe's and picked out a new fridge. I bought the extra 5-year $100 warranty because I know how these things work. Refrigerators are the number one repaired appliance according to the salesman at Sears. Lowe's delivered for free and carted out that terrible old fridge that I never want to think about again. My advice for repairs! Don't do them. And stay away from Miles Maytag. We paid them at least $400 of that $500 and still ended up with a broken fridge. They replaced the main control panel...which apparently was the last thing we would ever need to replace. Yeah right! So, as of Monday, I turned over a new leaf. I am in love with my new fridge. I didn't like the nearly $1,200 price tag, but it works. And it has a warranty. And it matches. Thank goodness for getting rid of that horrid mess of a GE Fridge. We are onto Whirpool!

Black Friday Bonanza continued

2009-12-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

So, after my Wal-mart adventure, I drove over to the Target Complex to a parking lot crowded with cars. It looked like the auto auction. People were parking on the grass on top of the hill. Who even knew there was a hill there?
As I walked into the store, I headed for the clothes. There were a few items that I wanted to pick up. I saw people lined up snaking through the store. I assumed it was like Wal-mart and people were waiting for electronics like video game systems, big screen TVs and Blue-ray players. Little did I know that this line was really the line to check out. I took my time browsing the aisles, only to find the items that I wanted were gone or picked over. I grabbed a few items and walked around the store to find the end of the line. It was back in the pet supplies, but snaked through every other department at least once. It lead into lingerie at least twice. There were employees directing "traffic." Thank goodness I ended up in line behind a very pleasant mother and daughter team, who were also out on their first (and last) Black Friday expedition. We had so much fun watching each others carts in line while the other went off on an adventure looking for items. The mom found me two of the items I wanted that I thought were sold out on other racks. They helped me match items together for my gift giving. It was so fun. I even found out the daughter and I are both in grad school at Temple and have classes on the same night. It was a long line, and I probably ended up spending $75 more than I did when I entered the line. That was the strategy of the marketing department, I am sure. People are on a spending high and just keep throwing items in the cart. I saw it happen over and over again! Even items that weren't on sale were flying into carts. I even bought a few regular priced items. I am hoping that the items go on sale soon and I can get a price adjustment. Well, after I finally exited Target with $175 more on my credit card (but a $10 Target gift card for spending $100) I stopped at Boscovs where I picked up three items (two of which I will probably return) and thank goodness for NO lines. That was the end of my shopping. I made it back home before 10 a.m. and my hubby was still in bed. I snuggled up on the couch with the animated movie UP and slept away most of the rest of the day. But, I think it was worth it. Next year, I am not venturing out alone. I need a partner to keep me sane in all the madness!

Black Friday Bonanza

2009-12-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Never have I ever woken up before daylight to fight the crowds until Black Friday. Up until Friday, that would have been me. But alas, I gave in. I don't know if it was the joy and elation of having off work for several days in the a row without having to take a vacation day, or if it was the fact that my dog was up at 4:30 a.m. with a sick belly, but something made me go. I applied no makeup and left the house in a pajama-like outfit. I headed to the East York Wal-mart. There were a few I had in mind that I wanted to buy, but nothing that I was going to camp out for. I arrived at about 5:20 a.m to a parking lot that was overflowing. I parked all the way back behind Panera in the lost cart graveyard. I was smiling. It was a nice day. That is until I walked into Wal-mart and saw that lines a plenty. I was confused. Apparently the digital camera I had in the ad was one of those items that were highly sought after. I had to get a number. After I received number 110 out of 120, I had to wait in line for the camera. That seemed silly, since I already had the number, so I did a little shopping. I didn't find much, so I went back to the line. It had gotten a lot smaller. Yet, it still took me at least 45 minutes to get through. At least I had picked up a magazine before I entered the line again. I left with a $69 camera, an $8 memory card and a new pair of slippers to sooth my aching feet.
Then I went to Target, but more on that tomorrow!

Five second rule

2009-12-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I hate to waste...ANYTHING. I dream about using every last ingredient in my overflowing pantry in some dish or dinner. As I use it, I get excited that it's dwindling down. I hate to throw things away. I recycle incessantly. Can, bottles, cardboard and paper. Even the food scraps go in the compost bin. I reuse EVERYTHING.
I also apply the five second rule to everything. I am clumsy. I can easily drop stuff on the floor and think it's a big waste (and a no-no) to throw it away. However, I drew the line the other day. I was packing my husband's lunch when a few potato chips fell on the floor. NO, I didn't pick them up and put them in his lunch. I know not everyone subscribes to my no-waste rule and shouldn't have to suffer. But, I did eat one. As I popped it in my mouth, I cringed. We have a big dog now (60 pounds), that sheds big black coarse hairs all over my house. And that hair really, really sticks to everything, including potato chips that have been on the floor for less than five seconds. I immediately ran to the trash can and spit out the chip, along with at least a half dozen dog hairs. YUCK! I don't vacuum daily, like I should, but I do vacuum as often as I can. Apparently, it doesn't matter. So, I guess the five second rule is null and void in my house from here on out.

Why I chose this job!

2009-10-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

1. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a psychologist, because I love to listen to people talk. But when I realized I like to talk more than I like to listen, I wanted to be a teacher.

2. Did you ever pursue that career?
After a little detour with a few road blocks, I am finally a teacher.

3. If you are not in that field, what changed?
I am finally in this field after a few years of maneuvering to make it work.

4. What is your current job?
I am learning support teacher at York County School of Technology. I teach English and reading.

5. What’s the best part of what you do?
I love the structure. I know what is expected of me and I have a very set schedule with freedom in between that schedule. But I think what I love the most are the students. I really enjoy seeing them try to learn and breaking through their bad habits.

6. Do you have plans to do something else down the road?
Maybe teach a different subject or level, but I never want to leave teaching.

7. How did you get your present job? If you are a stay at home mom, how long did you need to plan that move?
my husband and I made the decision for me to quit my full time job as a food writer to start my master's and certification in Special education. In the meantime, I would substitute teach. I ended up subbing in the school's ES class run by the IU. After 5 weeks of that, I was moved to work with the school's learning support staff as a long-term sub. And, I was hired full-time after not making any major mistakes!

8. Did your parents influence your choices of jobs over the years?
Not really. My mom always encouraged me to go to college, but never pushed me in any certain direction. I am sure her creativity has been passed onto me.

9. What advice would you give your children on careers?
You don't have to make 6 figures to be happy. Find something that you love to do and a schedule you can keep. Your job has to feel rewarding and it has to be bearable more than it is unbearable.

Shopping sorrows

2009-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

I had an outdoor wedding to attend this weekend. It was rainy, it was cold and most people stayed at home in their sweats to watch a movie. I realized that the cotton dress that I had planned to wear wasn't going to cut it. I decided on an impromptu shopping trip after work on Thursday. The problem was, where could I go? I wanted to get home to spend time with Nate, but still hit up the store that would have the best selection. I started at Burlington Coat Factory, where I had luck earlier this year. Nothing looked right. The Calvin Klein sweater dresses were adorable on the racks, not so much so on my curvy figure. It showed off every angle. I ended up buying a pair of cute brown short boots...1980s style. With no luck on the dress, I headed to Ross, which was my first instinct. I loaded the cart with 18 items. No lie. There were so many cute dresses there. I couldn't decide what to wear, so I ended up spending $111 and taking it all home to Nate to help me decide what to wear. I ended up with a Calvin Klein pleated dress, a long sleeved brown and purple dress that will be great for work, four pairs of tights, a brown cardigan, a purple sweater cardigan and a purple Nine West purse. All of the items are interchangeable and great additions to the wardrobe. I ended up wearing the tan Calvin Klein dress with a brown cardigan, brown tights and knee-high brown boots. I was warm and I felt dressed for the season. I got many compliments on my outfit. I actually got some inspiration at a blog I follow...wardrobe911.com. Check it out if you are in a fashion slump.

I tried Thai

2009-10-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

Lately, Nate and I have been discussing eating at a Thai restaurant. But today was spent watching football, walking the dog and doing yard work. It was the perfect day to spend working outside and around the house. So, I decided to cook at home. Thai Chicken is what I came up with. Here is the recipe. Check it out. It's adapted from "Good Seasons Casual Entertaining," a gift from my sister a few Christmases ago.

Thai Chicken and Sesame Noodles
1 cup Asian Salad dressing, divided

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into strips

2 tablespoons each peanut butter and honey

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like heat)

8 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked and drained

3/4 cup each grated carrot and sliced green onions

Pour 1/3 cup of the dressing over chicken in medium bowl; toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Drain; discard dressing.

Mix remaining 2/3 cup dressing, peanut butter, honey and pepper; set aside.

Cook chicken in a large skillet on medium-high heat about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Mix chicken, spaghetti, carrots and onions in a large bowl; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

It's autumn

2009-09-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

This morning as I rode my bike in the YMCA Sprint Triathlon, tears rolled out of the corners of my eyes. The cool breeze shot through my body and invigorated me! I LOVE THIS WEATHER. I love nothing more than to walk hand and hand with my husband at a fair or festival wearing jeans, sweatshirts and boots. I purposely dodge towards leaves when I run to crunch on them. The bills are low because you don't have to turn on the heat and the air conditioning is off. The windows are open and the nice crisp air filters in. It's just a beautiful time of year.
I am hoping the mild weather is motivation to get me back into my running routine, this time with my canine partner in toe. Moose is getting big. He loves to run and play and the vet said 5 months is the time he is allowed to start running. After he gets nuetered on Tuesday and has some time to heal, it off to the rail trail we go. I can't wait. I miss running. I need to get my cardiovascular system back into shape. And even though my blood pressure still tests low, I feel it slowly rising with every day I teach and learn the ropes of Special Education.
So here's to a happy fall filled with memories and motivation!

How do you eat an elephant?

2009-09-21T16:52:00.001-07:00

...one bite at a time. I heard this wonderful analogy at a recent new teacher meeting. I am trying really, really hard not to freak out. I am trying to stay positive and remember why I left a laid-back writing career in the features department for the high-stress loveliness of special education, it's piles of paperwork and regulations.
I rarely have time or energy for the exercise that I love, and it makes me feel guilty. I feel pulled in many directions, and I just want to be good at everything. I feel like I am falling short at it all.
Yet, I try really hard to smile. I try really hard to be happy and jovial so that the people around me don't start to hate being around me. I want to be a good wife who keeps a clean house, dinner on the table and food in the fridge. Something always gets left out.
I am trying to prioritize. I look at what NEEDS to be done versus what I WANT to be done.
Just like with spending and saving money, I am learning to budget my time. If the hamper is full, the laundry doesn't have to be done. If we have no clean underwear...the laundry needs to be done. If the dog is eating trash and running around like a wild mut, he needs to go to the park, and I have to skip my bike ride.
I have given up reading. I make it through a paragraph and fall asleep. Instead, I choose books on CD that I can listen to in the car on the way to and from school and class.
Like my mom always says, it's a matter of positive thinking. If I think like is crazy and hectic, it will feel that way. If I can take life one bite at a time, it won't seem so big and overwhelming.
So, even as paperwork piles up and the calendar fills with meetings and projects...I will remember that it's about budgeting time and tackling the most important tasks first.
And hopefully, that way of thinking will keep me sane!

Just about me

2009-09-15T18:12:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted in forever. I feel like I am consumed with school, and with little free time outside work, school and puppy play time, I am forgetting who I am. And, I don't even have kids yet. I must say though, my job combines what I like with a pay check. Today, I spent time helping students edit their creative writing, which was very therapeutic for me.
So, I decided to do a little creative writing about me in my blog tonight. Not only to help me rediscover what I love about me, but to do something else I love to do, write.

I love Sheetz iced coffee, filled Maple Donuts and pizza shops that serve their subs on homemade bread. I think I love sharing the stories of my athletic adventures of triathlons, half marathons and long bike rides just as much as I love participating in the events. There is no substitute for exercise. Even though my long runs and bike rides have been replaced with doggy walks filled with, "no" "head up" "don't eat that worm" and "what the hell is the matter with you today", I have hopes that some day soon I can pick the pace back up.

I love to shop, but have been trying to refrain from it. I am always on the hunt for the best bargain, which means I end up with a lot of nice things, without the nice price tag.

I love books. Volunteering at the library was the best move I ever made. I love to be surrounded by the dreams and adventures that the books hold. It brings back memories of when I used to volunteer with my mom at the library. When I step into the children's area, I am bombarded with a flood of moments. I feel so happy when I remember a book from my childhood. My mom made the best decision ever when she decided to read to me as much as she did. It created a fascination with books that I will never let go.

I love to be creative. Crafts are a great way to express my creativity and create something that I can give as a cherished gift or decorate my house with. Just like my athletic adventures, I like telling people I made it, just as much as I love making it.

So tired

2009-09-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am constantly thinking about what I should be doing. I stay at work hours after I am supposed leave and have to fix a lot of mistakes because I am so new. I have 5 million things to do and not enough time to do them. I have 5 chapters to read for my master's classes and when I sit down to read, the dog starts beating up the cat. So, I put him in the crate to get some peace and quiet to read, and he barks out of control because, guess what? He has diarrhea again. It's a lovely way to spend your time, running the dog outside every few minutes to let him relieve himself. Poor dog. I wonder what a quiet life would be like. And I wonder how I will ever handle children. That is just unfathomable. I wonder if the black circles under my eyes will ever go away. Or if the extra pain in my stomach of nervousness will ever subside.
But click here to see my awesome dog, warn out from a long walk and an evening at the park with his puppy buddies and it's all worth it.

I love teaching, but it takes a lot of time

2009-09-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would stay past my 8 hours day and not be bothered by it. I actually don't mind sticking around school when everyone has left for the day and getting my paperwork done. "Paperwork?" you question. I know. Teachers aren't supposed to do paperwork. But special education teachers are buried in it.
I do mind that I miss time with my husband and dog, but they are understanding, thank goodness.
IEPs are time consuming. Having a caseload of students, calling parents and checking up on them is also time consuming. Not to mention that I teach, have duties and want to spend time with my students.
The thing is, I really love this job. I don't mind getting up early and going in to get work done. I enjoy looking for activities and plans to do with my students. I like hearing about their day and how they are doing. It's still the beginning of the year (well nearly two weeks in), but I am looking forward to an awesome school year!

Ask and you will recieve

2009-09-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

I needed books for my classroom. SSR is a great way to get my readers to read independently. If I had planned ahead, I could have spent the summer hitting yard sales and thrift stores for 10- and 15-cent books. But, I didn't even think about it.
So, I sent out an e-mail, thinking that people like me like to purge their books and maybe they were getting rid of some I could use. And, my request was answered. My wonderful neighbor scoured the book sale her employer has and pulled out some great titles for me. And, a wonderful person donated $30 for me to go shopping for books that I would like for the classroom library. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to shop. I plan on hitting up a few fall yard sales and thrift stores. I also plan to head to some of the used book stores. It saved me a ton of money by asking for help. Imagine if I had gone to Barnes and Noble to stock my classroom library. That would have costs a fortune!

Back to school so soon

2009-09-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to get so much done this summer! And I've already been back to school for a week and I think I have gotten more done in that week than I did all summer. It seems that when you have a schedule it's easier to stick to. When I get home at 4 p.m., I feel like I have hours and hours of time to get stuff done.

I got really into beading again. I spent tons of money on beads at A.C. Moore and Michael's. I got matching colors in all different shapes and sizes with outfits in mind that I wanted to make them for. But then I hit a creative block. I had all beautiful beads, but no ideas. If I have a pattern, I am a whiz at beading. When I have to come up with own ideas, I never like what I do. I attached some photos of what I ended up making on my beading spree. Since school has been back in, I have been trying to make great use of my large collection of jewerly by wearing different stuff everyday that matches my outfits. After a summer of living in cotton shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops, I so ready to get back into nice clothes again and wear makeup and do my hair. What a relief.

Just when I thought I could save money

2009-08-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

I am a huge saver. I stress when I don't save every month. And every time Nate spends, I sigh. Did you have to spend that money? We could have saved it. It's silly really. But I never want to be in debt. I never want to put something on a credit card that I can't pay for that month. I think is has come from doing without time and time again.
I should have known when I left the newspaper that we wouldn't save. In fact, we would be taking money out of the savings. But it would eventually pay off in the end. Summers off!
Finally at the start of the 09-10 school year I am making nearly what I did when I left. And with the additional money I make freelancing for the newspaper and waitressing, I well surpass my newspaper salary.
Yet, we still won't save any money. We got rid of two cars that were in need of many repairs, but we added a new car payment since then. And I just bought a much needed laptop. Since I will be doing a lot of paperwork for school in the comfort of my own home, I didn't want to be confined to the PC. Unfortunately, I came one year too late to get a laptop. All the funds for classrooms for the future ran out and I am stuck laptopless.
Oh, and we have a dog. Last month, we spent nearly $300 on cat food, dog food, vet bills and other pet supplies. Wow. That is a lot.
I try to remember that I am in my late 20s and saving isn't really all that expected from someone my age. I mean, doesn't everyone think that my age group spends and spends and spends?
So, here is to hoping that maybe, just maybe, we will save some money in October!

Thirft store treasures

2009-08-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

It's really no secret that I love to shop at thrift stores. There is nothing more thrilling than finding a great piece of clothing for a fraction of the cost. It allows me to shop without guilt. I am supporting a wonderful nonprofit as well as my shopping habit without breaking the bank. It's pure bliss.

Up until today, I never shopped there unless it was a Wednesday. It's because regular thrift store prices aren't cheap enough for me anymore, I need to go when it's 50-percent-off day. However, my sister-in-law, Hannah, came to visit me today and we stopped by. I found better deals than on 50-percent-off day. They had shorts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and long-sleeve sweaters for 99 cents. 99 cents!!!! A soda is more expensive than that. And, on top of it, blue tags were 50 percent off. I got the most beautiful purple pea coat from Gap for $3. I found a nice black cardigan for my teacher look for 99 cents and an awesome teal hoodie from Gap for 99 cents. My back-to-school shopping has been CHEAP!

If you are up that way, The Danskin Outlet on State Street in York is going out of business . Everything in the store is marked down. Hannah got a bathing suit for $4. I found great workout clothes for cheap. I am sad, really sad, that it is closing. That is where I purchased my triathlon suit for $15. If I would have ordered it, it would have been closer to $100. Most of my running clothes are from there and I will be sad to see it go. So, of course, I had to stock up a bit!

Insomnia

2009-08-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Oh how I loathe falling asleep at a decent hour only to wake up an hour later unable to return to my blessed slumber. It's been happening a lot lately. I lay there and think about how I should really cut my toenails. But the toenail scissors are downstairs, and I risk waking the dog to go get them. I think about how I would really like to lose 10 pounds, but never seem to stick to anything I try because I always have an excuse. I think about the book sitting beside my bed and how much I want to finish it. I think about the students returning to school in a week and how I am going to get them energized to start the school year off right. I wonder if my dress clothes still fit and if the 9th graders I have for Reading will be as good as the ones I had last year.
All of these wonderings are happening while I am supposed to be resting for a 60-mile bicycle ride tomorrow.
So, I get out of bed, sign onto Facebook and read status updates, look at photos and waste time. I check my e-mail over and over hoping something new and exciting will pop into it, even though it won't.
I toss and turn and try to get comfortable. I looked at old photo albums which makes me want to lose 10 pounds even more.
I turned on the TV for a few minutes, only to be disgusted at the lack of programming (despite my $75 a month satellite bill and hundreds of channels).
I have to get up at 6 a.m., drive to Lancaster and fight the heat to ride 60 miles. And, I can't sleep. The cruelty of it all!

Where has the summer gone?

2009-08-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

I didn't make the cucumber soup yet. For some reason I can't get to the grocery store to get the sour cream. It's so hot today. I wanted to go swimming, but I feel to hot to do anything other than lay on my air contitioned room and read. When I took Moose to the vet today, the car seat burnt my legs.

This is how my summer went. My thoughts are all over the place. I have grand ideas and big plans, but I end up getting little done. I did find a summer to-do list I made during the school year and I hit almost every thing on it. But for having 10 days off, I didn't really accomplish all that much. I hope I can me more committed and organized during the school year. I certainly didn't keep up with this blog like I wanted to.

I did make tuna steak for dinner. It was yummy. I marinated 1 pound of tuna steaks(bought frozen at Giant) in this mixture:

1/4 cup vegetable oil, half of 1/3 cup of soy sauce, tablespoon of garlic, tablespoon of sesame oil, and teaspoon of ground ginger.

Then I broiled it on high for 15 minutes, turning it once and adding more marinade a few times through! Yum. I love, love, love tuna. I ate it with wasabi may (a mixture of wasabi powder and mayo) and pickled ginger.

Glorius garden treasures

2009-08-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

I ventured out to the garden this morning and what I found was a jungle of green vines entangled among each other. The tomato and cucumber plants have taken over everything else in the garden. I think the green beans and zucchini are finally done producing, which gives me time to focus on the peppers that are dangling from the plants. The tomatoes are going to inundate me in a few days. With Nate keeping an eye on Moose, I had some time to tackle the over abundance of fruits and vegetables I have been collecting.
I blanched the green beans and froze them. I chopped up the hot yellow peppers and froze those, too. I gave away some cucumbers when I was at school for meetings, but still found more this morning. I am going to try this recipe from Real Simple for Chilled Cucumber Soup. I mean, a girl can only take so much cucumber salad.

Here it is:

3/4 cup sour cream
4 scallions, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded (which I happen to have a ton of growing in my garden)
1/2 cup fresh basil (another ingredient that has gone ape wild in my garden)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 pounds cucumbers, about 4 peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
Kosher salt and pepper

In a blender, puree sour cream, scallions, jalapenos, basil, lime juice, half the cucumbers, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the remaining cucumbers and puree, adjusting the consistency with water as necessary, until smooth. Serve with baguette slices, thin slices of salami, feta and olives.

Recycling makes me crazy...in a good way

2009-08-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

I don't know when it happened, but something touched my heart when it came to saving the earth. Maybe it's my fear of unwanted waste, but I HATE to see a plastic bottle go into the regular trash. SO many places I have worked don't recycle. I bag up my bottles and take them home. Today, I threw a soda bottle in the trash can at school. I felt sick to my stomach. I recycle EVERYTHING at home. Do you know if it's paper or cardboard or anything really that you could probably burn like paper, you can recycle it with the newspapers? I just added an extra trash can in the office to make it easier for me to collect unwanted papers and trash that I could recycle. I have a compost bin and that helps reduce our waste. We might throw out one trash bag a week, even though we pay for four bags a week.
I do every bit I can. I do vaguely remember Earth Day in 4th grade and how much I wanted to be someone that saved the earth. I think as I get older, it's more the fact that I see how beautifully blessed we are with farms and forests and other natural resources, that I really would like to save them!

Weird ways to save water

2009-07-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

As homeowners and some renters know, water bills can be expensive. Ours went up $20 last quarter and I am not sure why. So, here are a few off the wall ways that I try to save water.

I empty the dehumidifier water into a bucket and water my plants with it. On these humid summer days, I dump it a lot. It's free water and it saves me from running the faucet to get fresh water for the plants.
I shower at the gym whenever I can. Come on! It makes sense. We pay $70 for a gym membership, I can at least use their water as often as possible!

Ok, those are only two weird ways I save water! Any other more practical ideas?

Quilting progress

2009-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

So, a few years ago I started accumulating dozens of T-shirts from races and events I participated in. A girl can only wear so many shirts, so I decided to make a quilt with them. I picked up a free pattern at JoAnn Fabrics back when I lived in York and started cutting the T-shirts each time that I cleaned out my drawer.
Well, all 26 T-shirt pieces are finally cut and this is what it will sort of look like, the basic layout. I think that was the easy part. Next, I have to cut all the binding, border and sashing to separate all the T-shirts and make it look more uniform. That, may also be fairly easy compared to sewing it all together. My aunt is coming for lunch one day next week. Maybe she can assist me. I just get so scared sewing on a 1/4 inch seam in a straight line that it won't all line up. I guess the more practice I get the better it will be.
Nate asked me if I starched the T-shirts to get them all so stiff, but it's fusible interfacing that you iron on to make it more stiff and easier to work with and sew. If I had to do it again, I would cut out all the right sizes for the interfacing, then match them up with T-shirts. I ended up with 3 pieces that I would have liked to use that didn't really fit into the pattern. I could have deviated from the pattern, but that is even more scary.
So, the next few weeks that I have left of summer will be spent cutting the other pieces...so hopefully I can post that next.

Proud of my dinners

2009-07-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

I apologize ahead of time for my lack of photos. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really mean to take photos. But, in the heat of the moment, dinner is done and we're hungry, and we eat. I've been trying to make new and different meals since I am home and have a little time to do my homework and dig through recipe books. One day this week, I made Parmesan-crusted chicken. I mixed bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and a mix of spices such as oregano, parsley and the like. I dipped the chicken in egg beaters and rolled it around in the mixture. I baked it for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Meanwhile, I cut up three potatoes into wedges. I sprinkled them with a mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder and baked them for about 30 minutes at the same temperature. What a quick and easy dinner.

The next night, I made Cuban sandwiches. YUM! I had made some pork in the slow cooker earlier in the week, so I sliced the leftovers as thin as I could. I laid a hamburger bun open on the counter and spread one side with mayo and the other with mustard. I layered provolone (the recipe called for Swiss, but we don't really like that), cooked ham slices and the pork on the bun and a layer of dill pickle slices. I smashed it all together (recipe said 1-inch thick) and buttered both sides of the bun. I grilled each side about 3 minutes and voila, dinner was done. Nate asked for seconds and I thoroughly enjoyed my first.

And on another note, I found the problem with my flat cookies. I've been puzzled as to why my chocolate chip cookies have been thin, flat and crispy. Through advice from many sources (namely my mom, stepdad and mother-in-law) I added a little more flower and used shortening instead of butter. And, wouldn't you know it? It worked. I must have eaten 2 dozen cookies in the last two days. They remind me of my mom's!

And the zucchini is still cranking. I peeled and shredded up the ones I have and will freeze them in 2-3 cup bags so I have them to make zucchini bread and cake and muffins and all that this winter! Man I love not wasting and saving money!

For the love of the library!

2009-07-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

I volunteer at the library on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I started as a way to stay busy in the summer and get me out of the house. Monday was my first day. I LOVED it. I checked books in and out, I shelved books, called patrons to let them know their books were in and a few other tasks the librarian needed me to do.
I forgot that the library has magazines you can take out. I have always loved Real Simple, but never took the time to subscribe. I already subscribe to at least four, maybe five magazines. So what a savings. I can check out the magazines they have read them in a few days and return them for someone else to read! It saves money. Volunteering also saves me the fine money I would have to pay! I am notorious for not being able to finish books on time.
I also get to see what all the kids are reading, the new books, etc. It also forces me be to up on my literature knowledge because as an English teacher, people think I know it all. I am really glad that I took this volunteering on. It's a relaxing way to spend Monday mornings!

Zucchini out the wazoo!

2009-07-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

So the one zucchini plant I put in the garden is seriously on steroids. Being one that hates to waste, I have been trying to use it. I have basically been baking as much zucchini bread as I can. I will be trying to distribute it soon.

Here is the recipe:

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together. Mix eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, crushed pineapple, walnuts and zucchini together. Mix in dry ingredients. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Check with toothpick to see if done.

Here is another recipe I use. It's for Poorman's Crab Cakes. It doesn't taste like a crab cake, but it's really yummy. And fairly healthy. Nate actually liked it, which is rare!

Poorman's Crab Cakes

2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste.

Combine ingredients and shape into cakes. Fry in a skillet until golden brown.

Yay beans!

2009-07-14T06:58:00.001-07:00

We have green beans! The garden is in full bloom. Well, sort of. Zucchini is definitely producing many fruits a day. Nate picked at least a quart of green beans last night for dinner. We also picked two cucumbers, which I used for cucumber salad. I really wish some tomatoes or peppers would show face. We had a really yummy dinner last night. I stopped at Giant for fresh a pound of fresh Catfish for about $5. I sprinkled some Cajun seasoning on it and cooked it in foil on the grill for about 20 minutes.
We sauted the green beans in olive oil, garlic and onion and covered them to help soften. And then because my potatoes were seriously rotten (I mean oozing white creamy goop), we had to opt for instant mashed potatoes.

Here is my recipe for Cucumber Salad if you need a use for ALL those veggies!

Cucumber Salad

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium onion sliced into rings
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Chill for 24 hours before serving. YUM!

When stocking up doesn't save

2009-07-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

For the second time in two years, I have had a printer bite the dust on me with no warning. The problem for me in both instances is that I stocked up on print cartridges (which aren't cheap) and now I am left with them. Printers are made so cheaply, it doesn't even pay to have them fixed. That is what the guy at Geek Squad has already told me not once, but twice! You think I would have learned the first time. But alas, I did not. Geek Squad guy told me to sell them on eBay, but I spent nearly $60 on three, and three are selling for $20 or less on eBay. Not even really worth the hassle. I wonder if churches are nonprofits would accept a donation like this. I mean, if they even have that kind of printer. I am learning to live by Nate's motto, "it is what it is," but it burns me up that I wasted the cost of half a printer on cartridges I can't even use.
I got a letter in the mail from Penn-Mar about them accepting used cartridges as donations. If none of my family or friends can use the ink, I might just see if they can accept it as a donation. We'll see how that goes!

Puppy parenthood

2009-07-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

Has it really been nearly two weeks since I posted? I can't believe it. Since we picked up Moose, an 8-week-old German Shepherd Puppy, I've been following him around the house hoping to catch him in the act of peeing or pooping so that he becomes housebroken. That means I've skipped out on exercise, barely cleaned the house and didn't really do anything productive. It's rather disturbing, since I am used to being so active. I am sure before I know it, he will be housebroken and a joy to have.

I am a really impatient person, too, which makes it hard to stick to being consistent and not seeing immediate results. Hopefully, I can stick it out so Moose is a well behaved and socialized dog.

What a weekend

2009-06-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how tired I was until today. I had a very busy weekend.
I spent most of last week cleaning, painting and doing other errands and chores to prepare for our housewarming party. By Friday, it was time to dust, vacuum and wrao up all the other odds and ends that needed to be done. Then, I went to Cracker Barrel to work from 5 to 10 p.m.
I was up at 6 a.m. Saturday morning to drive the Honda to Lancaster and attend the 13th annual Refton Fire Co. auction. It's a family tradition. Nate scored some great garden tools for $1 a piece. I bought a cat carrier (a bigger one for my 20-plus-pound cat Toby) for $5, a box of household items for $2 and an antique chest for $30. It's a great place to get bargains.
Sunday morning I was up bright and early at 6 a.m. again to get ready for my triathlon. Having this be the second year that I participated, I didn't feel too nervous. It went pretty smoothly. I swam and did my transitions faster than last year but was a little slower on the run and the bike. One of the reasons the run could have been slow is because I did the entire 3.1 miles with my headband (that I forgot to put on my head to tame my pool and sweat soaked unruly hair) in my shoe. Nice. Overall, I was pleased with the results. I did motivate me to stick to a more strict traning regime for a triathlon coming up in September that I plan on participating in. I ended up finishing 65th out of 189 women, which even though my time was about 5 minutes slower, is a much better showing than my 66th out of 160 last year.
We got home at about 11 a.m. and started preparing the food for our housewarming party that started at 1 p.m. I chatted and showed the house a million times. It was so much fun to see my family and friend all at one time!
Now, it's recovery and clean up week. I also picked up some good library books. I'll also be eating leftovers for quite some time!

Sad news

2009-06-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

I hate to break the sad news, but Simon is in kitty heaven.
I took him to the vet this morning. He was extra energetic, meowing and trying to get out of the cage with all the strength he could muster. It made me hope that he was feeling better. But a test for feline leukemia quickly came up positive and the vet recommended that I euthanize him. She said he probably had a herpes virus and severe skin problems from all the fleas and ticks he once had. She also said by the looks of his teeth, he was probably an older cat, maybe 7 to 10 years old.
But he was so brave. He let them pick him up and take his blood without as much as a peep. The vet said they sedated him to calm him to sleep so he wouldn't feel any pain. I couldn't help but feel so sad that I was carry his limp body out in a cardboard box. I tried to tell myself that this was just a stray cat that I only cared for for less than a week. But he really touched me and I couldn't help but shed a few tears. I know I did the right thing. He would have probably died sooner than later and suffered badly in the process. Even though it cost me $77 (definitely not a bargain), it was well worth it. I think he had a nice soft and peaceful place to sleep for that last week, even if it was my hot and stuffy garage. And he was just the dearest cat. He always looked forward to seeing me and having me rub his little fluffy head.
So thanks for all the support, can you tell I am a softy?

My week in review

2009-06-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

Man, what a week. I told Nate I think I should start my own HGTV show. I would probably call it Nicki's mess ups and how she fixes them! In all honesty I spent the majority of the week painting, running to the store to get supplies, ripping up carpet and moving stuff around.
I feel like I ran a million and one errands. I lost my wallet (thank goodness the person who picked it up in the parking lot at Big Lots was honest, however she didn't turn it into the store. She was going to give it to me later...which could have been tricky because she looked at the address on my license and I have one of those yellow change cards. It's sort of a long story, but I got it back and hugged the woman like three times. Maybe another day I can tell that story.)
I am taking the cat, Simon, to the vet this morning. Not really in the bargain category because it's going to cost a pretty penny, but he is sick and I hope they can fix it. The SPCA said they would take him, but I don't have the heart to just leave him there. So, he is still looking for a home. He stopped eating this week, so I knew it was time to take action. Poor thing.
Well, after this crazy weekend, I will post house pictures. I made some great progress on the downstairs bathroom and upstairs office! Exciting stuff.

My latest summer project

2009-06-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am calling him Simon. He is so sweet. He is currently living in my garage.

I was leaving my mom's house on Sunday when he came strutting down the driveway. He came right over when I called him. He is all skin and bones and a little dirty, but I am working on cleaning him up, getting him nuetered and ready for a home. The rescue shelter won't take him and he is a dear little thing. When I go out to visit him, he follows me around. I wish could keep him, but I already have two cats and a dog in the works. He sleeps a lot and is trying to stay hydrated. He doesn't eat much yet, but I hope he gets fatter soon. In between my massive cleaning spree today, I go visit him and check him out. Oh, and he can't meow. He tries. When he gets tired of my brushing him out, he growls a little or bats at the brush, but he is so friendly. Spread the word, Simon (or whatever you want to call him) needs a home!

What I have been up to

2009-06-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am running a million errands. My day Tuesday consisted of running all over York County gathering the materials that I needed to start on the bathroom. I visited three Wal-marts before I finally got the paint. I also picked up some hand towels, a soap dispenser and a few other items for the newly decorated bathroom. But, I was getting a little bit ahead of myself. It
took me all morning to get what I needed
BEFORE MIRROR

and when I finally got home, it was after 2 p.m. I started the bathroom. The drab white needed some color and I decided on a Bermuda-themed bathroom. Well, just something beachy, really. Not seashells and sand, but you know whites and blues. I chose tan for the wall, a neutral that would represent sand, but maybe later could be transformed into something else. I painted well past 8 p.m. This tiny bathroom needed a few coats. The craftsmanship wasn't perfection and there were a lot of little cracks to paint in. I also had to paint the door. I started with a layer of primer and I added a second on today. I also took down my old mirror and spray painted it white. I hope to have finished pictures up in a few days.
I thought having off would give me more time to get stuff done, but I feel like I added way too much to my to do list. I'll take it one step at a time.

BEFORE DOOR
BATHROOM BEFORE

So much to do

2009-06-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

So here it finally is, summer. I sort of knew I would find myself with millions of ideas of projects to do and little motivation. I've been spending some time at Cracker Barrel serving, so I haven't been completely off.
I have totally enjoyed being able to go for a morning bike ride (I did 50 miles in two days) or run without the pressure to get home and ready for work or something else.
My first project is the downstairs bathroom. Nate and his brother installed a door. What a relief. That was something that I hoped to have done before our housewarming party. Now, I am charged with decorating it. I have this idea to do a Bermudian-inspired room with light, cool colors since the fixtures in the bathroom are white and I am not in the mood to do any demolition.
I looked around a little on the Internet. I am building the design around a watercolor we bought in Bermuda while on vacation. I found a white shelf, white stool and some colored bottles and a few other items in boxes and around the house that will go great. I was hoping to use leftover paint from other rooms in the house, but I am not sure that I have enough. We will see!
I am also looking for ideas to make the door fit in a little better. It looks a little cheap (probably because we got it at Restor York for $6), but it totally works. It's kind of like the fake wood. I am thinking about painting it. Thoughts?
Today, I also tried to clean up and patch the holes in the wall from removing the large cabinet in the bathroom that prevented the installation of a door.
I made some chili for dinner and Cannellini bean salad for a cool summer snack.
What a random day! Now I am off to Cracker Barrel for a fourth day in a row.

Here is the recipe for the bean salad from Better Crocker

2 (19 ounce) cans of Cannellini beans
1 medium tomato seeded and diced
1 red onion diced
1 medium red pepper diced
2 tablespoons fresh basil (*my first use from the garden this year)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together. Serve with lettuce.

**Hopefully a post to come on my adventures in gardening.

Outta here

2009-05-30T10:47:00.001-07:00

Well, just as the school year is rounding out and I am supposed to be around more to blog, I am being whisked away to Bermuda on a cruise ship. I know, it's horrible. I am running around for last minute errands and trying to find some shorts that fit my curvy self and don't have a 6 inch gap in the back! Horrible, huh? I am packing and cleaning and ahh...how nice it will be to relax on a beach. I'll let you know how it goes! Hopefully I will have lots of time to brainstorm ideas for future blogs. Goodness knows I am coming home to the tasks of purchasing a car and a refrigerator and doing all my little home projects, not to mention training for the triathlon. Lots to write about.

Don't forget AAA for summer discounts

2009-05-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just peeked at the list of summer discounts for AAA. Amy and I are taking advantage of the $33 price for Hersheypark tickets through the end of June valid on week days.

You can also go to Six Flags Great Adventure for $30 (that is a steal) or Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown for $30. With tickets more than $50 a pop, families can spend hundreds of dollars on admission. Not to mention souvenirs, food and other incidentals. And did you know you can get tickets to Regal Cinemas for $6.75 all the time? That sure beats the nearly $10 it costs at the door.

Ode to black beans

2009-05-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am in love with black beans. I don't know when it started, but I can't stop eating them. I stock up on cans and cans of them at the grocery store. I eat them with rice, chicken, shredded pork and other dishes. If I can add beans to a pile of leftovers, I will. I LOVE black bean soup at Panera. I love black beans with my Mexican entrees. I just love, love, love them.
I should try to soak them, and make them that way. But it's always easier just to pop open a can.

Maybe I can find a good recipe for my own black bean soup.

To work or not to work, that is the question

2009-05-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

I know it's a terrible dilemma. My paycheck continues to come through the summer, but I don't have to work. I will be writing for the newspaper, but there is always Cracker Barrel, too. But lately, I have been so fed up with working there. My schedule is complicated, since Nate works some weekends and has off others. He doesn't want me to commit to weekends, but I don't want to work weekdays. I have dreams of running errands and doing things on my own when no one else is around.
I want to work on home projects and go to Roots in Lancaster. I want to got to Eastern Market on Fridays and go for long runs and bikes in the middle of the week. These are all activities that aren't possible when you work full time.
I don't want to commit to anything this summer, because once fall rolls around, I am enrolled in two masters' classes and am starting a very demanding job as a full time learning support teacher. It's exciting, but I think I need a break before all the chaos and excitment starts.
Who knows, maybe I will just sit down and talk to Cracker Barrel, then I can make a decision from there.

When it's OK to waste

2009-05-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

The last several batches of cookies I have made have failed to get plump. I know some people like flat, crunchy cookies, but I am not one of them. My mom makes the most killer chocolate chip cookies in the world. They are plump and lumpy and full of gooey goodness.
I consulted my mom on this problem. We decided it was probably the old baking soda I have been using, but I refused to throw it out. Not sure why. I am slightly obsessive compulsive about wasting. After making some white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies for a bake sale at school that were flat and crunchy, I have decided that enough is enough. I think it's OK to throw away the 33 cent box of baking soda (which I am sure is what I paid for it because it has the price sticker on it) and invest in a new box that will reincarnate my plump and lovely cookies. I know, it's scary to throw away food and baking ingredients when you are a frugal saver like me. But when it's just not doing the trick anymore, it's time! Phew, I feel better now.

$1 coupon doubler at Giant

2009-05-19T05:47:00.000-07:00

Did you happen to see the Sunday circular?
Maybe I am super psyched because I haven't gotten the Sunday paper in some time and I miss my circulars and coupons (typical York County resident).
There are 4 coupon doublers for $1 and plenty of $1 coupons in the circular to use them with. I always use them on shampoos and soaps since those items are not likely to expire before I can use them. Saving $2 on four items ends up saving you $8. And, if you need to stock up on sodas for summer picnics, now is the time to do it. It's $10 for four 12 packs of Pepsi products at Giant. That's $2.50 a 12-pack. And I don't know if you've seen regular prices lately, but they are $5 or more for a 12-pack. CRAZY!
Cutting and matching coupons and sales is a great activity to do while watching TV.

Lovely weekend

2009-05-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of Nate! When he booked our room at the Yorktowne, he asked if they offered AAA discounts! I am rubbing off on him. It saved us at least $10.
There are so many little ways you can save a few bucks that can add up to a lot.
Although our weekend wasn't cheap overall, we did save a little bit by taking advantage of coupons and deals.
Our weekend started at Cobblestones, where we used a 15 percent off coupon that was on our baseball game tickets for the next day. That saved us several dollars. We had a lovely dinner complete with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat beer (YUM!). Then we headed back to the room to take a nap. The Louis C.K. show at the Strand was pretty good. He is very crude at times, but has a great message to give. We ended the night at the bar in the Yorktowne and ordered a pizza. The kind bartender hooked us up with the phone number for some pizza place I never heard of, but it was probably one of the only ones that delivered past 10:30 p.m.
Sunday we enjoyed brunch at Mezzogiorno in Central Market (which yes, is open and very busy on Sunday mornings.) I ordered the French toast special with berries and marscapone sauce. It came with a side of meat, which I didn't want, so Nate saved $2 by ordering his eggs and toast without meat and ate mine! That's team work.
We ended up at the Revs stadium to watch them play poorly and lose 6 to 1.
All totaled, I figure we saved at least $25 bucks with a few smart decisions. Hey, it's not much, but it's a tank of gas, right?

Staying close to home

2009-05-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

I sort of celebrated my one year anniversary two weeks ago. We just had a light lunch and spent time with family. What I didn't know was that Nate planned a little mini vacation in York. I know, it's not far away or fancy, but the fact that he took the time to make plans really made my day. It's happening this weekend. After dinner at an undecided location, we are seeing a comedian at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center on Saturday night. Then, we are camping out at the Yorktowne Hotel and finishing off the day Sunday with a York Revolution game. Having moved out of York city a year ago (I can't even believe time flew so fast), I am excited to go back downtown and explore and take in the great sites and activities.

My piggy bank is emptying

2009-05-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

No matter how hard I try lately, saving money seems to be impossible. If it's not one thing, it's another. Our cars have been giving us little problems here and there. Nothing major, just oil changes, a/c charging and air compressor. The refrigerator needed to be repaired and then the lawn mower broke and we needed another one. There went another $300-plus. We started a garden and as happy and excited as I am to see it bloom, the treatment, wheel barrow and other instruments Nate said we needed added up to more than $100. Somehow I spent $179 at BJs a few weeks ago on only a few items. That is why those memberships are BAD. I don't want to complain, because we are so much better off than so many people. We are leaving on a cruise to Bermuda here in a few weeks and when we return, we will be getting a puppy. I have the summer off, which can't be beat. Sometimes I just wish saving were a little easier.

You eat what?

2009-05-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

The conversation started with a container of baby carrot sticks leftover from lunch.
I met some high school friends at Long's Park in Lancaster for a day of prayer event. Knowing that one of them hadn't eaten, I brought all I had -- the carrot sticks.
"Here ya go," I said. "I know it's not much, but all I had to dip it in was mustard, and I don't think too many people are keen on that?"
"Mustard?" the two ladies questioned.
"Yeah," I said, "it's really good. Gross sounding, but really good. And very low in calories."
"I like peanut butter on mine," one said.
"Peanut butter?" I asked with the same astonished expression on my face she just gave me.

That's how our food habits form. Those of us adventurous enough try our friends suggestions sometimes are able to pick up new and exciting food ideas. Mustard on carrots came from Nate, my husband. I didn't want to believe it was good, but now I love it. In college, my roommates ate ketchup on raw broccoli. That is one habit I did not pick up.

But isn't it cool how food ideas spread? I mean, America is the place were hundreds and thousands of food ideas converge. Some we adopt, some we do not.

I never had roasted vegetables until a former coworker invited me over for dinner. Now, that is my favorite way to eat vegetables.

I never had sushi until Amy took me to Blue Pacific for a spider roll. Now, I eat it all the time, raw and all.

Isn't it fun to remember where you first tried certain foods?

Saving on movies

2009-05-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's like $10 to go to the movies. And that is just the price for an admission ticket.
I know some people can't wait to see the movies, but I can. If there is a preview of a movie I want to see, I usually forget. So, I type it in Netflix and save it for later. Netflix is $18 a month. Nate and I get a good mixture of movies and can never say there is nothing on TV.
I also love to use DVR. I look through to find more recent movies and record them for later watching. I did this with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Bridge to Terebithia" and "The Notebook." Weekends on ABC Family are great for movies. Especially the cheesy girl movies staring Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff...my favorite lazy day movie.

Dinner on the quick

2009-05-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

There is no challenge that I love more than opening the refrigerator and looking at what I have to pull together a meal. It's much easier when Nate is on night work. I will eat just about anything, so it's a tad easier. Last night, I pulled the last of the pork from my wedding (yes, I know that was more than a year ago, but it's still tastes fine and I haven't died yet) out of freezer. As it was defrosting in the micro, I cracked open a can of black beans. As soon as the pork was done, I warmed it in a pan with the beans and cooked some leftover rice in the micro. In about five minutes, I had a lovely little mixture of pork, beans and rice. I added some bruschetta for that cool, crisp, vegetable taste. YUM. It was a great fusion of flavors that was quick, cheap and used some leftovers.
I threw something similar in my lunch!

Refrigerator repair

2009-05-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ah, the joys of being a homeowner. If there is one thing I don't know how to be frugal about, it's appliance repair. A few days ago, we noticed that our refrigerator and freezer were not keeping temperature the way it was supposed to, even when cranked the whole way to the nine setting. Then it was discovered that it was really just the tops of both sides that weren't working, and that the bottoms were doing OK.
Finally on Thursday I made a phone call to Miles Maytag Repair man. He was booked (apparently refrigerator repairs are a big business.) He wasn't able to come out until today. $163 later, our refrigerator is fixed. And do you know how much the part was? $20 or something...the rest labor. And he was at the house for about an hour, Nate said. You do the math.
Nice, huh?
I don't want to complain because at least we didn't have to buy a new fridge, but dang! That is a lot of money for an hour of work. At least we supported a local business in this tough economy.

Summer is motivation

2009-04-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

When I walked outside yesterday, there were so many signs of summer. There was the hum of lawn mowers and weed whackers. As well as the muffled laughs of far off gatherings of friends and neighbors. There was the faint chirping of birds.
And I am not ready. Even though I have picked up my exercise routine to 4 to 6 days a week, I am still carrying more winter weight than I ever have. Is this a sign of what is to come? As I age, it's going to be harder and harder to keep off that unsightly cellulite. And it doesn't help that I totally love food.
I am debating joining Weight Watchers again. It's the only thing that really worked for me other than stress and breakups (which I don't really suffer from much anymore). In fact, I think I am so happy that I just eat more and more.
What worries me is that even though I lost 16 pounds last time I did Weight Watchers (which I have gained all and more back), I became kind of obsessed, carrying a lunchbox with me everywhere I went filled with "my food." I hope this time around, I can be more realistic and not expect a ridiculous drop..rather a healthy balance. Who knows? I think I will always suffer this terrible body image problem.
I've tried that whole "I exercise, so I am healthy thing," but it doesn't work when your pants don't fit.
We'll see...my biggest goal is just to be happy.

Woa...warm weather

2009-04-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the temperatures. I am sitting here at my computer at 10:14 p.m. and I am sweating. Can this be? Nate asked, "What happened to Spring?" The weather has been a little wacky.
But I took advantage Saturday of the warm weather to grill. We are not big beef eaters, but have attempted steak before. Whatever crappy cut I chose last time was tough and disgusting. However, this time I splurged on 2 top cut sirloins (Buy one get one free at Giant). I wrapped some raw onions in foil and cooked them in the oven at 425 for 40 minutes. I also tossed some red potatoes in a garlic and herb seasoning and baked those in the oven. With about 20 minutes left on the side dishes, I fired up the grill. Over high heat, I cooked the sirloin for about 5-10 minutes, then cut the heat and let the steak sit in the grill until the sides were done.
It was amazing. I have always been afraid of ruining steaks, but this one turned out great. I think it helped that I put some aluminum foil on the grate before laying down the steak. I also added a little salt and pepper (per my dad's suggestion) to tenderize it!
Thank goodness I am no longer afraid of steak!

Grrr to technology

2009-04-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

Technology companies know just how to get us. I happened to sneak into the electronics aisle at Wal-mart a few weeks ago to look for an adapter to play my 2GB iPod Nano (second generation, maybe first, I can't remember) in the car's tape player and I saw that they had an 8gb iPod Nano for $145.
WHAT?
I bought my original iPod in 2005. I want to say it cost me close to $200 or $300. It hold 500 songs. It was a splurge. I used my tax refund for it and loved having it. Recently though, I wanted be able to use my iPod for more than just running. So, I wanted to be able to do more organizing and categorizing to make it more useful. I didn't plan on buying an new iPod, but when I saw that the new one held 4 times more songs for half the price that I paid for the first one, I couldn't resist. I gave the old iPod to Nate. That way, he can plug his music into the Subaru instead of mine when he drives to work. He can also listen to what he wants in the kitchen.
I probably didn't need the new iPod, but it seemed like a good deal considering what I paid and got for the first one.
I over think a lot of purchases.
Now that I know I have a contracted position next year (yes, it's official), we are off to buy a new car. That, is going to be interesting!

My sister is married!

2009-04-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting since, can you believe it, April 6! Time flies so fast. I haven't had much time for crafting and what little I did was in a rush (such as mending the bridesmaid dress.) When I do cook, I only have energy to eat, not take photos and post.
Amy was so well organized with the wedding, that wasn't really what was taking up my time. It's school...and training for the triathlon again. I have picked up the running, biking and swimming bug again. I am signed up for 2 5ks, so that will get my rear in gear. Thanks to my cousin Wendy for this beautiful photo of Amy and I. She has always been so talented capturing Amy and I at our best. I can't wait to frame this photo. I tried to check them all out on Snapfish, but it was SO slow to upload and I don't have the patience. Tomorrrow is another day full of teaching "Animal Farm" and Reading classes to kids who are more ready for summer than I am! I won't be working much this summer...maybe a few nights here and there at Cracker Barrel, so I am hoping to have the blog flourish more this summer. Again, my apologies and I will try to keep it crankin'!

At-home Chinese cuisine

2009-04-06T14:02:00.001-07:00

I had some time over the weekend to cook. I am pretty proud of the General Tso's with fried rice that I made on Saturday. Nate was pleased, too. Of course, no photo, because we ate it too fast and the leftovers don't do it justice.

Here is the recipe/process I used:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup corn starch
3 eggs, beaten
Canola, olive or some other healthy variety of oil
General Tso's glaze and sauce (available in the ethnic food aisle at Giant for the low price of $5)

Pour 1-2 inches of oil in a wok or skillet. Mix the corn starch and eggs. Coat the cubed chicken with the batter mixture and fry at a high temperature just until the chicken is cooked through. Drain it on a paper towel. Lower the heat of the pan and toss the chicken and sauce together in a pan until heated through.

For the rice, I purchased a fried rice seasoning packet (also probably available in the ethnic aisle at Giant.) Cook 3 cups of rice (brown or white) and cool. In a skillet, heat about 1-2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice and chopped onion or scallions. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the seasoning packet. Stir fry for 1 minute. Push the rice aside and add 2 beaten eggs. Let them scramble and mix it into the rice. Add cooked peas or carrots and meat if desired.

It really didn't take that long and it was really tasty. Although I can say it wasn't a healthy choice, I bet it had much less calories in it than the store-bought kind. If you want to lower the calories, use egg beaters instead of eggs. No one (by that I mean Nate) will know the difference.

Crock pot quickies

2009-04-01T17:54:00.001-07:00

As you can see by the rate at which I have been posting on this Web site (as often as sloths move), I have been very busy. Well, my evenings are free, I just spend them sprawled out on the couch recovering from a bike ride or a long day with hormonal teenage boys.
Anyway, Nate is on day work, which means I try to make dinner. My showing this week hasn't been too bad. Well, Mondays he fends for himself because I have class, so I guess I didn't make anything. Tuesday I poured some salsa in the bottom of the slow cooker put in two chicken breasts and covered it with salsa and voila, we had just about the most moist and tender chicken I have ever tasted. It was perfect. I served it over rice.
Tonight, I made Italian subs. Not hard, I guess.
I took a barbecue pork loin and two chicken breasts out of the freezer. I am going to attempt to make General Tso's chicken and fried rice tomorrow. Hopefully the pork loin thaws by Friday. It's more than two pounds. (We'll have lots of leftovers.)
Nate and I both feel like we are always eating the same thing. In cycles, of course. I go in spells.
I get adventurous sometimes. Last week, I made beef tips in the Crock pot with a mushroom onion sauce. I had leftover cream of mushroom soup that I used to make tuna noodle casserole that is still in the fridge waiting to be cooked. Maybe I will make that tomorrow if the chicken doesn't work out. But inevitably, we always fall back on the old standbys. Beef and vegetables in the Crock pot with onion soup mix, etc.
One tip I do have to send off is that adding wine to cooking (in place of water, broth, etc.) makes meat taste awesome. Same with lemon juice. I know! Who would have thought?

Muffin mania

2009-03-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

I really don't have an excuse as to why I haven't posted since March 16. Well, I did start the new job and all. It's been keeping me really busy during the day

and exhausted at night. Jen gave me a friendly reminder that my blog was quiet. When I made these muffins, I immediately got the camera. I needed something to take to a church social on Sunday. I have been wanting to try out my new Pampered Chef Muffin Stone (not pictured here), so I signed up for muffins. I have also been wanting to get rid of these orange-flavored craisins that I don't like to eat plain. Well, a quick look on the back of the bag and there I found this recipe for Citrus Burst Muffins:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt, optional

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1 cup Orange-Flavored Craisins (pictured)

1/2 teaspoon orange zest (which I didn't have)

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or a line a 12-cup muffin tin. Combine flour, both sugars, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, orange juice, oil and egg. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients stirring just until dry ingredients are moist. Stir in orange flavored craisins and orange zest. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter. Sprinkle tops with pecans and sugar. (If you look closely, I mixed up this step and mixed the pecans right into the matter. No harm, no foul.) Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool five minutes in muffin tin. Remove muffins to a wire rack and cool. Recipe says it makes 12 muffins, but I got closer to 20. Enjoy!

Side by side before and after

2009-03-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

The before

2009-03-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

As I was uploading the photos back from a USB memory stick to my newly restored, higher RAM computer, I came across these photos of the dining room before. Like, really before. Click here or here to see it during and after the rennovations. Amazing. I will have to post photos of the living room, too. It only had lawn chairs in it :-)

Our home rennovations can hopefully continue now that my salary is back to normal and I won't have to work at Cracker Barrel so much, so I will have more time. There are so many choices. I would love to have the basement waterproofed and refinished. We've talked about new windows. We need a new garage roof. The bathroom downstairs still needs a door. We would love to tackle the kitchen or maybe a garden and some landscaping. I would have hate to see the "to do" list on a fixer-upper!

Bake me a cake

2009-03-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

It was a busy week last week. So when I realized that I promised one of my students a cake for his birthday Wednesday, I paniced. It was Tuesday after work and I was tired. I didn't have energy to run to the store for a boxed mix. Little did I know that I would find that the recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook (of all places) for yellow cake was easier than driving to the store to buy the cake.

I mixed the cake (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, milk, eggs, butter...items any self-respecting baker has) in a bowl and plopped it into a pan. While it cooked, I ate dinner and showered. I went to bible study while it cooled and when I returned, I mixed powdered sugar, butter and milk for the icing. Easy as....cake? Of course. And you should have seen the look on people's faces when I told them it was completely homemade....not even from a box. Priceless.

Actually...cheaper. I can't imagine those ingredients took any more time or money than a box of Betty Crocker and a tub of icing.

Cute little bugs

2009-03-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

What a cute idea for a house-warming gift. These little bugs are creative, unique and adorable. I made these two as a trial, but am starting to get more creative to make more. All it takes is a little wire, a few beads and pliers and cutters. You can use all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes to make bees, dragonflies or butterflies. I got the idea from a library book.