My New Years Eve has been spent doing domestic chores & loving every minute of it :) While this is not usually so, after being gone for 7 days, it was oh-so-nice to get back to reality & do some cooking & cleaning :0)
Although I did not think I had any "cookable" items in my house, it turned out that I had alot more than I thought! I was able to turn out some amazing slow cooker beef ribs with potatoes & carrots, tuna pasta salad & apple oat crumble...all in all, it was a yummo day!
After 2 loads of laundry & a dishwasher load of dishes, I'm feeling quite accomplished...especially since this is the last day of 2010, I feel like I'm ending on a good note!
I've opted to spend NYE alone, which is more than fine with me: hanging out in my pj's, enjoying the sleeping kitties & sparkling apple cider at midnight! Happy New Years Eve to all!!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
On a Whim
A dear friend of mine recently had the worst week of her life - she lost her grandmother & had a miscarriage within 2 days - I could not even imagine the emotional rollercoaster she had to endure.
Last night, I had the idea of making her a shawl in hopes that it would bring her comfort when life trys to get her down. As usual, I began scouring the internet for the perfect pattern & finally found it. This shawl knits up quite quickly, in fact, it only took 6 hours to make! I so hope it will provide comfort & love to my sweet friend :) I am so thankful to be able to create handmade items for the people I love the most!
Last night, I had the idea of making her a shawl in hopes that it would bring her comfort when life trys to get her down. As usual, I began scouring the internet for the perfect pattern & finally found it. This shawl knits up quite quickly, in fact, it only took 6 hours to make! I so hope it will provide comfort & love to my sweet friend :) I am so thankful to be able to create handmade items for the people I love the most!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
While I'm Waiting
As a follow-up to my last post, I've had a couple of days to ponder & here's what I've come up with...I will wait as long as it takes for God to bring the perfect person into my life :)
Although I've seen the movie Fireproof numerous times, I caught the last half of it last night and it couldn't have been at a more perfect moment. This song from the movie has given me much courage & for that, I am thankful!
Although I've seen the movie Fireproof numerous times, I caught the last half of it last night and it couldn't have been at a more perfect moment. This song from the movie has given me much courage & for that, I am thankful!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Engaging Ideals
At this very moment, my brain is desperately trying to process the information it just received. For years, I've had friends that were still single; however, during the last 8 months, the last 4 single women I knew have all gotten engaged...in fact, 3 of them were engaged within the last week & 2 were engaged within the last 2 days!
This knowledge is simply shocking to me; while I know that this is the natural circle of life, the fact that I am the very last single girl I know is quite surreal. This reality compells me to rexamine my life. Although I am quite happy that my friends have found that someone to be their best friend & grow old with...I am also torn by feelings of sadness and jealousy (if I'm being quite honest).
I was recently reminded of I Corinthians 7 - this chapter speaks about the differences in being married & unmarried in regards to the things of God. Paul makes some major plus points for staying unmarried as he was; he even says "But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this." On this point, I definitely agree; every couple I know has unresolved troubles that they deal with on a daily basis.
In addition, Paul also says this:
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.
33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife
34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.
35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
To me, this is the major part of the chapter that stands out. I have always been free to do whatever I feel the Lord is asking me to do whenever He asks me to do it. Whether that direction is to go visit a friend, pray at any time of the day, make a gift for someone, bless someone with money or a purchasd gift - all of these things I can do freely without having to give an explanation to anyone. If I were to meet someone & get married, would this change? God & His leadings would no longer be my only concern...not quite sure how I feel about that.
For most of my life, I have longed to be married...probably due to the loss of my father - who, in my opinion, was a spectacular husband to my mother. The thought of never having what I have looked forward to for over 20 years is a sobering thought; and one that I think I will leave for another day.
As I read back over the words I've written, I almost feel bad about being ungrateful for the wonderful life that I have now. God has been so good to me & blessed me with so many wonderful things and friendships. Moreover, He has allowed me to be a blessing to those around me...I would not change that for the world. For as long as I can remember, my goal in life was simply to help others in whatever capacity was needed; I just want to help. I always thought that the ultimate fulfillment of that longing to help would be to get married - since the woman was given as a help-mate to man, but perhaps that is not my calling.
As hard as it is to admit, I would rather give up that ideal than give up my usefulness to God. While I know this may not be an either-or issue, these are the things I think about. I resolve to continue walking in His footsteps wherever they may lead.
This knowledge is simply shocking to me; while I know that this is the natural circle of life, the fact that I am the very last single girl I know is quite surreal. This reality compells me to rexamine my life. Although I am quite happy that my friends have found that someone to be their best friend & grow old with...I am also torn by feelings of sadness and jealousy (if I'm being quite honest).
I was recently reminded of I Corinthians 7 - this chapter speaks about the differences in being married & unmarried in regards to the things of God. Paul makes some major plus points for staying unmarried as he was; he even says "But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this." On this point, I definitely agree; every couple I know has unresolved troubles that they deal with on a daily basis.
In addition, Paul also says this:
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.
33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife
34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.
35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
To me, this is the major part of the chapter that stands out. I have always been free to do whatever I feel the Lord is asking me to do whenever He asks me to do it. Whether that direction is to go visit a friend, pray at any time of the day, make a gift for someone, bless someone with money or a purchasd gift - all of these things I can do freely without having to give an explanation to anyone. If I were to meet someone & get married, would this change? God & His leadings would no longer be my only concern...not quite sure how I feel about that.
For most of my life, I have longed to be married...probably due to the loss of my father - who, in my opinion, was a spectacular husband to my mother. The thought of never having what I have looked forward to for over 20 years is a sobering thought; and one that I think I will leave for another day.
As I read back over the words I've written, I almost feel bad about being ungrateful for the wonderful life that I have now. God has been so good to me & blessed me with so many wonderful things and friendships. Moreover, He has allowed me to be a blessing to those around me...I would not change that for the world. For as long as I can remember, my goal in life was simply to help others in whatever capacity was needed; I just want to help. I always thought that the ultimate fulfillment of that longing to help would be to get married - since the woman was given as a help-mate to man, but perhaps that is not my calling.
As hard as it is to admit, I would rather give up that ideal than give up my usefulness to God. While I know this may not be an either-or issue, these are the things I think about. I resolve to continue walking in His footsteps wherever they may lead.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Let the Holiday Season begin!
This year, I decided to start the holiday season a little earlier than usual. This is mostly due to the amount of travelling I'll be doing from Thanksgiving through New Years and the fact that our office is moving right before Christmas, which will equal alot of weekend work getting ready for the move.
So today, I decided to put up my lovely little Christmas tree to allow myself more time to enjoy it :)
So today, I decided to put up my lovely little Christmas tree to allow myself more time to enjoy it :)
Monday Motivation
Hooray!!! I'm not sure if it it's the time change, the fact that Fall is finally here or if it's due to my lack of doing anything productive yesterday...but, today has already been majorly motivated! Who knows...maybe it was the coffee I had this morning...even though it was decaf :)
Thankfully, I get to work from home on Mondays, but in addition to working I've cleaned the kitchen, done some laundry, vacuumed the floor and gotten out the Christmas tree & decorations!
I still have alot of other things I want to accomplish today, but I always find that if I can get a thing to two under my belt, the other tasks just seem to finish themselves...hooray for Monday Motivation!!!
Thankfully, I get to work from home on Mondays, but in addition to working I've cleaned the kitchen, done some laundry, vacuumed the floor and gotten out the Christmas tree & decorations!
I still have alot of other things I want to accomplish today, but I always find that if I can get a thing to two under my belt, the other tasks just seem to finish themselves...hooray for Monday Motivation!!!
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Knit. Cook. Smile.
This pretty much sums up my weekend so far...and I'm quite happy about it :)
Knit.
I decided to attempt to make a prayer shawl for a friend, and had been shown this very easy way of adding beads to your knitwork. So, Friday after work, I went on the hunt looking for the perfect beads and the perfect yarn. I found a gorgeous lace weight (very thin) yarn made of a blend of aplaca & silk at my favorite yarn shop - Strings & Strands...both the yarn & the shop are quite lovely :) I found some very pretty silver lined crystal beads at Hobby Lobby, which is one of my most favorite places...the only left to do was get to work! It took me a couple of trys before I was satisfied with the outcome, but here's what I've gotten so far. I'm really excited to see the finished product since this is a project of firsts: first shawl, first time working with lace weight yarn, first time doing bead work.
Cook.
Since I spent all of the day Friday either thinking about, shopping for or practicing knitting, Saturday was my cooking day! I had not been grocery shopping in about 5 weeks so, needless to say, I was out of almost everything. After a trip to my favorite Aldi store and a subsequent visit to Wal-mart, I'm set to make all kinds of freezer goodies for the coming weeks ahead. Check out my spoils!
For quite some time now, I've wanted a Food Saver. I've looked at the different models of the last several years, but being that I have very limited counter space in my apartment, I could never find one that actually be useful to me. Well, yesterday was my lucky (or very blessed) day! While at Wal-mart, I noticed that they had stocked several new Food Saver items...which, of course, made my day! There is a new hand-held Food Saver which is best used for refrigerator items or items that will only be stored in the freezer for a short time - which was exactly what I was looking or. I got all of the items I needed to help me prep my fridge & freezer with quick no cook meals for the holiday season for only $52...hooray!
So, after all of the groceries were put away, I began my cooking extravaganza (sorry, no pics) :( However, here are some of the things I made yesterday:
1 - Fall-Apart Tender Slow-Roast Pork in the slow cooker
2 - Creamy Chicken & Corn soup - basically, cream of chicken soup doctored up with some seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne & corn...yummy stuff!
3 - Best Meatloaf Evah - I have never been a meatloaf fan, but this turned out great; especially since I made them in individually portioned mini-loaves
4 - Cheesy Potatoes - once again, I portioned these out in my mini loaf pan and I substituted cream of chicken for cream of mushroom (I've never liked that stuff!)
5 - Easy Freezy Quesadillas - I made my usual taco/chili concoction for this; they looked sooo yummy!
Smile.
This is the easiest one for me; I'm so blessed that I have a job that I enjoy, hobbies which are fulfilling and a group of family & friends who, even if they're a few hours away, mean the world to me. With all of these blessings in life, how could you not smile?!?!
So, until next time...life is about action verbs...what are yours?
Knit.
I decided to attempt to make a prayer shawl for a friend, and had been shown this very easy way of adding beads to your knitwork. So, Friday after work, I went on the hunt looking for the perfect beads and the perfect yarn. I found a gorgeous lace weight (very thin) yarn made of a blend of aplaca & silk at my favorite yarn shop - Strings & Strands...both the yarn & the shop are quite lovely :) I found some very pretty silver lined crystal beads at Hobby Lobby, which is one of my most favorite places...the only left to do was get to work! It took me a couple of trys before I was satisfied with the outcome, but here's what I've gotten so far. I'm really excited to see the finished product since this is a project of firsts: first shawl, first time working with lace weight yarn, first time doing bead work.
Cook.
Since I spent all of the day Friday either thinking about, shopping for or practicing knitting, Saturday was my cooking day! I had not been grocery shopping in about 5 weeks so, needless to say, I was out of almost everything. After a trip to my favorite Aldi store and a subsequent visit to Wal-mart, I'm set to make all kinds of freezer goodies for the coming weeks ahead. Check out my spoils!
For quite some time now, I've wanted a Food Saver. I've looked at the different models of the last several years, but being that I have very limited counter space in my apartment, I could never find one that actually be useful to me. Well, yesterday was my lucky (or very blessed) day! While at Wal-mart, I noticed that they had stocked several new Food Saver items...which, of course, made my day! There is a new hand-held Food Saver which is best used for refrigerator items or items that will only be stored in the freezer for a short time - which was exactly what I was looking or. I got all of the items I needed to help me prep my fridge & freezer with quick no cook meals for the holiday season for only $52...hooray!
So, after all of the groceries were put away, I began my cooking extravaganza (sorry, no pics) :( However, here are some of the things I made yesterday:
1 - Fall-Apart Tender Slow-Roast Pork in the slow cooker
2 - Creamy Chicken & Corn soup - basically, cream of chicken soup doctored up with some seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne & corn...yummy stuff!
3 - Best Meatloaf Evah - I have never been a meatloaf fan, but this turned out great; especially since I made them in individually portioned mini-loaves
4 - Cheesy Potatoes - once again, I portioned these out in my mini loaf pan and I substituted cream of chicken for cream of mushroom (I've never liked that stuff!)
5 - Easy Freezy Quesadillas - I made my usual taco/chili concoction for this; they looked sooo yummy!
Smile.
This is the easiest one for me; I'm so blessed that I have a job that I enjoy, hobbies which are fulfilling and a group of family & friends who, even if they're a few hours away, mean the world to me. With all of these blessings in life, how could you not smile?!?!
So, until next time...life is about action verbs...what are yours?
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
A Big Steaming Bowl of Comfort
While I am quite aware that "comfort food" has almost as many meanings as there are people who enjoy it, this is my ultimate comfort meal: herbed tomato soup w/a grilled cheese sandwich :)
While this may sound like a simple meal (and in fact, it is), it's taken me a while to perfect both elements, so when eaten together, they are pure comfort bliss.
Element #1 = 1 can Campbell's Tomato soup; 1 can milk; salt, pepper, tons of Italian herb, dash of cayenne pepper
Element #2 = the perfect grilled cheese sandwich: 2 pieces of bread, shredded cheese, butter
The result is a most intoxicating blend of comfort & extreme yumminess!
Wishing you a yummy comfort food moment of your own :)
While this may sound like a simple meal (and in fact, it is), it's taken me a while to perfect both elements, so when eaten together, they are pure comfort bliss.
Element #1 = 1 can Campbell's Tomato soup; 1 can milk; salt, pepper, tons of Italian herb, dash of cayenne pepper
Element #2 = the perfect grilled cheese sandwich: 2 pieces of bread, shredded cheese, butter
The result is a most intoxicating blend of comfort & extreme yumminess!
Wishing you a yummy comfort food moment of your own :)
Monday, November 01, 2010
Banana-rama-ding-dong!
A good friend tipped me off to a wonderful recipe for Applesauce Bread, so today I decided to make my own spin on said recipe.
My recipe is for Banana Nut Muffins!
1.5 cups whole all purpose flour
1/2 cup honey
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt
1.5 t. pumpkin pie spice
2 smashed bananas
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1.2 cup chopped pecans
Mix dry ingredients; add all wet ingredients & stir well. Pour into lined muffin pan (yield 12). Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let me just tell you...super yummy stuff here! I think this is now my go-to banana bread recipe :)
My recipe is for Banana Nut Muffins!
1.5 cups whole all purpose flour
1/2 cup honey
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt
1.5 t. pumpkin pie spice
2 smashed bananas
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1.2 cup chopped pecans
Mix dry ingredients; add all wet ingredients & stir well. Pour into lined muffin pan (yield 12). Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let me just tell you...super yummy stuff here! I think this is now my go-to banana bread recipe :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
No Need to Knead!
Yesterday, I came across a recipe for No-Knead Bread...although this concept has been around for several years, I had never heard of such a thing. While I am not certainly not afraid of kneading bread dough - and have made homemade bread since I was in my teens, the thought of a no-knead version was quite appealing :)
So, I set out on my journey into the land of the No-Knead Unknown! The blog that I wandered across gave explicitly detailed instructions & tons of pictures...hooray!
Last night, I made my dough 7:30pm & put it to bed until about 10:30am today...
Then, per the directions, you dump the heap of dough onto some flour & fold all ends in making sure that it's nice & floured...
I guess there's not too much to say after that except...Bon Appetit!
So, I set out on my journey into the land of the No-Knead Unknown! The blog that I wandered across gave explicitly detailed instructions & tons of pictures...hooray!
Last night, I made my dough 7:30pm & put it to bed until about 10:30am today...
Then, per the directions, you dump the heap of dough onto some flour & fold all ends in making sure that it's nice & floured...
Next, you nestle your newly floured blob of dough in a flour-lined cotton kitchen towel - inside of a tall bowl (this allows the dough to rise tall as opposed to wide) - the dough will rest here for another 2 hours...
Once you reach 1.5 hours, preheat your oven to 450 & put in your lid-covered pot; the blog above goes into great detail talking about the pot you are to use...such as a dutch oven, cast iron or fancy shancy glazed iron pot. I only have a large stainless steel pot with a lid, so that's exactly what I used & it worked fine. Just to be safe, I did cut out a round of parchment paper to put on the bottom of the pot just before the dough entered the picture. Both the oven & the lidded pot need to preheat for 30min; when the time is up, remove the pot from the oven, remove the lid, place in the parchment round (very carefully...remember you're dealing with 450 degree metal here); place dough onto parchment round & then shake pot a bit to distribute the dough, replace lid & place into the oven. Bake covered for approx. 30min; then uncover & bake for another 15min or until the top is golden brown & delicious!
Let me tell you, this bread is quite the yumminess! Even though the directions say to let it cool first - who are we kidding here? Hot bread right out of the oven & you want me to wait? Ok fine, I waited 10 minutes...but that was all!
Now, here are the money shots...can't you just smell the aroma???
I guess there's not too much to say after that except...Bon Appetit!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Mountain of projects
I've been knitting almost constantly for over a month now...so much so that I've completely neglected my cross-stitching projects :(
Here are a couple of the items I've finished.
My first baby afgan project
Here are a couple of the items I've finished.
My first baby afgan project
Cutesy baby hat :)
Cutesy baby hat & matching Uggs!
Another cutesy baby hat for my co-workers newborn :)
In addition to all of these finished projects, I've decided to try my hand at making baby clothes & have started 2 projects.
We'll see how they go...so far, so good!
I love, love, love knitting!!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Ghoulish fun
Today was a day of firsts for me! One of my good friends is in town for the weekend so I wanted to explore a part of Atlanta I've never been to before - Little 5 Points. Now, a local friend described this area of the city as "a bohemian hang out with food & shopping"...sounds pretty cool, right? Well, let me tell you...it was a hoot!
Unbeknownst to me, today was the 10th Annual Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade...yup, you heard me! Not only was this my first time visiting this part of town, but it was also my first Halloween parade (since it is my least favorite holiday of the year). Even with all that in mind, I truly had one of the best days ever!!!
Here are a few of our most memorable moments of the day...and here are the rest!
While Halloween is still not a holiday I enjoy, today was quite a blast...largely in part because it was spent with a great friend who enjoyed it even more that I did!
Unbeknownst to me, today was the 10th Annual Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade...yup, you heard me! Not only was this my first time visiting this part of town, but it was also my first Halloween parade (since it is my least favorite holiday of the year). Even with all that in mind, I truly had one of the best days ever!!!
Here are a few of our most memorable moments of the day...and here are the rest!
While Halloween is still not a holiday I enjoy, today was quite a blast...largely in part because it was spent with a great friend who enjoyed it even more that I did!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sad but necessary :(
So, tonight I am home attempting to finish cleaning & preparing for my friend's visit tomorrow...when I would rather be at the You Complete Me tour going on right now. I've been looking forward to this show for a month, but the thought of not getting in bed until after midnight & having to finish everything tomorrow...well, let's just say that 'the responsible thing to do' won out over 'the fun thing to do'.
Not only that, but this week has been extremely exhausting at work...not to mention all of the travelling I've been doing lately...I'm almost ready to fall out :)
This is a video of what I'm missing...but at least I'm getting a little taste :)
I am totally thrilled to have my friend visit for the weekend & I'm sure it will be quite a memorable time! Hard work always pays off :)
Not only that, but this week has been extremely exhausting at work...not to mention all of the travelling I've been doing lately...I'm almost ready to fall out :)
This is a video of what I'm missing...but at least I'm getting a little taste :)
I am totally thrilled to have my friend visit for the weekend & I'm sure it will be quite a memorable time! Hard work always pays off :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
One Heaping Dose of Exhaustion, Please
Do you ever have those days where it seems almost impossible to wake up? Well, today is my day for just such a thing :( While I can't say that it's completely unwarranted, it still sucks.
The last 2 weekends have been quite the whirlwind for me...and my little car! Of course, last weekend was my jumbo trip to Pittsburgh & back...but couldn't I just stay home & rest for a while...absolutely not!
On Thursday, I was told by a friend that she would be crashing on my couch in about a week...while attempting to stay calm, panic tried to set in due to the current state of my apartment! So, on Friday morning I made a last minute decision to kidnap my sister from NC, bring her to GA to help me get my place squeaky clean & ready for company...then drive her back on Sunday. Well folks, that's exactly what I did!
This weekend has been quite a whirlwind!
Friday
12:30 - leave work & head to NC
4:00 - arrive in NC, pick up the sis & do some shopping
5:30 - have dinner with the Mom & sis
6:30 - get back on the road headed for GA
10:30 - arrive back home with sis in tow
Saturday
11:30 - head out to lunch at a friend's house
11:45 - get stuck in crazy wreck traffic
12:45 - finally arrive at destination
5:00 - head back home after an amazing time & great grilled food!
5:30 - start to clean (very slowly)
6:30 - realize that a Wal-mart run is inevitable since we need strong chemicals!
8:30 - finally return from Wal-mart & Costco
9:00 - light dinner while watching Swamp People marathon (love that show!!!)
12:30 - wake up on the couch, head to bed...we've got loads to do tomorrow!
Sunday
9:30 - up & at 'em...with a yummy pancake breakfast
10:30 - let the cleaning frenzy begin
2:30 - finally sit down to eat lunch
6:00 - almost done with the cleaning...we are worn out!
6:30 - pack up the car & head back to NC to drop off the sis
10:30 - arrive in NC, drop off the sis, try to convince her to get back in the car,
she respectfully declines, I leave all my lonesome to head back to GA
1:45 - I arrive back home after 7 hours of being in the car & cannot get in the bed fast enough
Thank God I get to telework on Mondays...I would most definitely be "head down, lights out" on my desk if I had to go in today. Let's just say that I do not recommend 14 hours of driving in a 3 day span, but at least my house is clean & ready for company! Normally, I would not have gone to such lengths, but this particular pending guest is allergic to cats...and as we know, I have 3. Therefore, I had to go to extreme measures to erradicate as much of the cat hair a humanly possible.
On that note, I bid you adieu...is it time for bed yet???
The last 2 weekends have been quite the whirlwind for me...and my little car! Of course, last weekend was my jumbo trip to Pittsburgh & back...but couldn't I just stay home & rest for a while...absolutely not!
On Thursday, I was told by a friend that she would be crashing on my couch in about a week...while attempting to stay calm, panic tried to set in due to the current state of my apartment! So, on Friday morning I made a last minute decision to kidnap my sister from NC, bring her to GA to help me get my place squeaky clean & ready for company...then drive her back on Sunday. Well folks, that's exactly what I did!
This weekend has been quite a whirlwind!
Friday
12:30 - leave work & head to NC
4:00 - arrive in NC, pick up the sis & do some shopping
5:30 - have dinner with the Mom & sis
6:30 - get back on the road headed for GA
10:30 - arrive back home with sis in tow
Saturday
11:30 - head out to lunch at a friend's house
11:45 - get stuck in crazy wreck traffic
12:45 - finally arrive at destination
5:00 - head back home after an amazing time & great grilled food!
5:30 - start to clean (very slowly)
6:30 - realize that a Wal-mart run is inevitable since we need strong chemicals!
8:30 - finally return from Wal-mart & Costco
9:00 - light dinner while watching Swamp People marathon (love that show!!!)
12:30 - wake up on the couch, head to bed...we've got loads to do tomorrow!
Sunday
9:30 - up & at 'em...with a yummy pancake breakfast
10:30 - let the cleaning frenzy begin
2:30 - finally sit down to eat lunch
6:00 - almost done with the cleaning...we are worn out!
6:30 - pack up the car & head back to NC to drop off the sis
10:30 - arrive in NC, drop off the sis, try to convince her to get back in the car,
she respectfully declines, I leave all my lonesome to head back to GA
1:45 - I arrive back home after 7 hours of being in the car & cannot get in the bed fast enough
Thank God I get to telework on Mondays...I would most definitely be "head down, lights out" on my desk if I had to go in today. Let's just say that I do not recommend 14 hours of driving in a 3 day span, but at least my house is clean & ready for company! Normally, I would not have gone to such lengths, but this particular pending guest is allergic to cats...and as we know, I have 3. Therefore, I had to go to extreme measures to erradicate as much of the cat hair a humanly possible.
On that note, I bid you adieu...is it time for bed yet???
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
2010 = birthday success
My birthday trip to Pittsburgh was a resounding success!!! And let me tell you...I love that city! My only regret is that I couldn't spend more time there :) At some point, I definitely plan on returning to see everything I missed!
On Friday night, my friends took me to Mt. Washington - which is an amazing outlook over the city & the water...absolutely gorgeous!
On Saturday, we went to the Strip District - which is pretty much like a bazaar that happens 7 days a week! You can pretty much find anything & everything there...especially, the best fudge I've ever tasted...Fudgie Wudgie! The 3 most yummy words ever (when put together) - Pumpkin Cheesecake Fudge!!!!
Apparently, Wholey's - which is actually pronounced "Woo-ley's" - is a Pittsburgh seafood institution...all I can say is, they sure have alatta fish!
As if I had not indulged in enough seafood, my Mom took me to Red Lobster for crab legs & coconut shrimp...Mmm, mmmm, mmm...life doesn't get much better than that!!!
On Friday night, my friends took me to Mt. Washington - which is an amazing outlook over the city & the water...absolutely gorgeous!
On Saturday, we went to the Strip District - which is pretty much like a bazaar that happens 7 days a week! You can pretty much find anything & everything there...especially, the best fudge I've ever tasted...Fudgie Wudgie! The 3 most yummy words ever (when put together) - Pumpkin Cheesecake Fudge!!!!
Apparently, Wholey's - which is actually pronounced "Woo-ley's" - is a Pittsburgh seafood institution...all I can say is, they sure have alatta fish!
As if I had not indulged in enough seafood, my Mom took me to Red Lobster for crab legs & coconut shrimp...Mmm, mmmm, mmm...life doesn't get much better than that!!!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Money cometh!!!
No really, it's true!!! This has been the week for unexpected money, it's amazing!
On Monday, I received a thoughtful birthday card from my sweet Mommy with an AMEX gift card in it.
On Tuesday, I decided to see what reward I could get with some of my Wells Fargo Reward points and was able to score a $50 Visa gift card...woohoo!
Then today (Wednesday), I received yet another AMEX gift card as a thank you from a co-worker I hosted a baby shower for a couple of weeks ago! I had no clue that it was "proper etiquette" to give a gift to the host of a baby shower...but it sure worked out for me :)
I almost have enough "gift" money to pay for all the gas needed to make my birthday trip to Pittsburgh! I am so excited to not only be taking what's sure to be a fantastic trip for my birthday, and it's almost no expense to me...God is just awesome!!!
He truly gives the best birthday gifts ever!!!
On Monday, I received a thoughtful birthday card from my sweet Mommy with an AMEX gift card in it.
On Tuesday, I decided to see what reward I could get with some of my Wells Fargo Reward points and was able to score a $50 Visa gift card...woohoo!
Then today (Wednesday), I received yet another AMEX gift card as a thank you from a co-worker I hosted a baby shower for a couple of weeks ago! I had no clue that it was "proper etiquette" to give a gift to the host of a baby shower...but it sure worked out for me :)
I almost have enough "gift" money to pay for all the gas needed to make my birthday trip to Pittsburgh! I am so excited to not only be taking what's sure to be a fantastic trip for my birthday, and it's almost no expense to me...God is just awesome!!!
He truly gives the best birthday gifts ever!!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Outside is not for me
Have you ever noticed that if you're an "insider" (such as myself), when you spend a long time outside, that you are completely exhausted at the end of the day? I've never really paid much attention to this fact until today...when I spent 7 hours outside.
Our company had it's quarterly sales meeting today at Stone Mountain park - although I did not participate in any sporting events (except cheering!), the temps were 95+ degrees...and for this little (inside) office dweller, that is just waaay too hot!
I can only remember feeling this tired after helping my Mom move into her new home back in April. I can't believe it...I suppose that kind of heat puts just as much strain on the body as working in slightly cooler temps all day. Even though I drank a ton of water, I still feel completely drained.
After some nutrition from my kitchen & a new episode of Bones, sleep is sure to follow :)
Our company had it's quarterly sales meeting today at Stone Mountain park - although I did not participate in any sporting events (except cheering!), the temps were 95+ degrees...and for this little (inside) office dweller, that is just waaay too hot!
I can only remember feeling this tired after helping my Mom move into her new home back in April. I can't believe it...I suppose that kind of heat puts just as much strain on the body as working in slightly cooler temps all day. Even though I drank a ton of water, I still feel completely drained.
After some nutrition from my kitchen & a new episode of Bones, sleep is sure to follow :)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Cross(eyed)-stitching
Now that I've finally gotten a good ceiling light in my living room, I'm finally able to work on my cross-stitching projects - yay rah!
I started an adorable baby sampler back in the spring, but have not been able to work on it much due to my low lighting issues :) However, I've definitely remedied that this weekend...just yesterday, I think I worked on this project for about 8 hours!
This is what the sampler should look like once it's complete.
Right now, I'm about 2/3rd's of the way finished & while I'd love to continue working on this today, I may just have to rest my tired little eyes :)
I started an adorable baby sampler back in the spring, but have not been able to work on it much due to my low lighting issues :) However, I've definitely remedied that this weekend...just yesterday, I think I worked on this project for about 8 hours!
This is what the sampler should look like once it's complete.
Right now, I'm about 2/3rd's of the way finished & while I'd love to continue working on this today, I may just have to rest my tired little eyes :)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Oh to meet an Irish lad...
Let's just say that I've wanted to go to Ireland for as long as I can remember, but a few months ago, I decided to make my want to a reality. I fould a great tour company that takes a yearly pilgrimage to said country & next year, I will be with them!
To say that I'm excited is quite an understatement!!! As of today, they have finally posted the itinerary...check it out! Visiting Kilkenny, Youghal, Cork, Blarney, Macroom, The Ring of Kerry, Limerick, Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty, Galway Bay & Galway
1 - DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING: After we arrive in Dublin, we begin an afternoon panoramic tour of this fair city. We’ll visit Trinity College, founded in 1591 by Queen Elizabeth I. This beautiful institution was the alma mater of illustrious statesmen, authors and poets. Here we’ll be able to admire the ancient Book of Kells. We’ll also see the legendary St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Protestant Church of Ireland. Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, is entombed within these walls. We will also visit Phoenix Park and the Wellington Memorial.
2 - KILDARE / KILKENNY / WATERFORD: Today we’ll travel to the historic town of Kildare, home of the Irish Sweeps Derby, where we’ll visit the National Stud Farm and Horse Museum. In this area more than 50% of Irish-bred horses are raised and sold. We will also visit the Japanese Garden. Continuing south, our journey brings us to medieval Kilkenny-- the marble city of Ireland--where the ancient castle may be viewed. We’ll continue on to Waterford for a visit to the world renowned Waterford Crystal Factory. We overnight in Waterford with dinner included this evening.
3 - YOUGHAL / CORK / BLARNEY CASTLE / KILLARNEY: This morning we follow the “sunshine coast” from Dungarvan to Youghal. This coastal town features many handsome homes and castles and was the filming location of the motion picture version of Melville’s Moby Dick. We continue south and east to the 800-year-old city of Cork. This city, Ireland’s second largest, grew out of a flourishing butter trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. Nearby is Blarney Castle where you’ll have an opportunity to receive the “gift of the gab” by kissing the Blarney Stone! Leaving Blarney, we travel the scenic Lee River Valley to Macroom, where we see the remains of its castle, before traveling to Killarney for a two night stay.
4 - RING OF KERRY EXCURSION / MOLL’S GAP / KILLARNEY: We drive through scenery of plunging cliffs and spectacular lakes, between granite mountains and endless beaches on our tour of the “Ring of Kerry.” We travel through Moll's Gap and down over the Black Valley to Ladies View. Next is Killorglin to Cahirciveen with the memorial to St. Brendan the Navigator and views of Dingle Bay and the South Kerry mountains. We see Charlie Chaplin's hideaway, Waterville and Derrynane, home of Ireland's liberator Daniel O'Connell. Later we return to our hotel in Killarney.
5 - CLIFFS OF MOHER / LIMERICK: First we cross the Shannon by ferry to County Clare to see the magical Cliffs of Moher where we visit the new visitors centre. Then we travel on to the curious Burren, with unusual rocks and flora. Later we visit Bunratty Castle, a living museum that takes us back to the days of old Ireland, before arriving at our hotel in Limerick.
6 - LIMERICK / DUBLIN: We travel via Ennis and across County Clare to Galway Bay for panoramic views and a picture stop at Galway Cathedral before driving to Dublin. We enjoy a farewell dinner tonight with our tour director and new found friends.
I'm already thinking of maybe going to Australia in 2012...I know, I know...one country at a time :) My dream will finally become a reality...woohoo!!!
To say that I'm excited is quite an understatement!!! As of today, they have finally posted the itinerary...check it out! Visiting Kilkenny, Youghal, Cork, Blarney, Macroom, The Ring of Kerry, Limerick, Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty, Galway Bay & Galway
1 - DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING: After we arrive in Dublin, we begin an afternoon panoramic tour of this fair city. We’ll visit Trinity College, founded in 1591 by Queen Elizabeth I. This beautiful institution was the alma mater of illustrious statesmen, authors and poets. Here we’ll be able to admire the ancient Book of Kells. We’ll also see the legendary St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Protestant Church of Ireland. Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, is entombed within these walls. We will also visit Phoenix Park and the Wellington Memorial.
2 - KILDARE / KILKENNY / WATERFORD: Today we’ll travel to the historic town of Kildare, home of the Irish Sweeps Derby, where we’ll visit the National Stud Farm and Horse Museum. In this area more than 50% of Irish-bred horses are raised and sold. We will also visit the Japanese Garden. Continuing south, our journey brings us to medieval Kilkenny-- the marble city of Ireland--where the ancient castle may be viewed. We’ll continue on to Waterford for a visit to the world renowned Waterford Crystal Factory. We overnight in Waterford with dinner included this evening.
3 - YOUGHAL / CORK / BLARNEY CASTLE / KILLARNEY: This morning we follow the “sunshine coast” from Dungarvan to Youghal. This coastal town features many handsome homes and castles and was the filming location of the motion picture version of Melville’s Moby Dick. We continue south and east to the 800-year-old city of Cork. This city, Ireland’s second largest, grew out of a flourishing butter trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. Nearby is Blarney Castle where you’ll have an opportunity to receive the “gift of the gab” by kissing the Blarney Stone! Leaving Blarney, we travel the scenic Lee River Valley to Macroom, where we see the remains of its castle, before traveling to Killarney for a two night stay.
4 - RING OF KERRY EXCURSION / MOLL’S GAP / KILLARNEY: We drive through scenery of plunging cliffs and spectacular lakes, between granite mountains and endless beaches on our tour of the “Ring of Kerry.” We travel through Moll's Gap and down over the Black Valley to Ladies View. Next is Killorglin to Cahirciveen with the memorial to St. Brendan the Navigator and views of Dingle Bay and the South Kerry mountains. We see Charlie Chaplin's hideaway, Waterville and Derrynane, home of Ireland's liberator Daniel O'Connell. Later we return to our hotel in Killarney.
5 - CLIFFS OF MOHER / LIMERICK: First we cross the Shannon by ferry to County Clare to see the magical Cliffs of Moher where we visit the new visitors centre. Then we travel on to the curious Burren, with unusual rocks and flora. Later we visit Bunratty Castle, a living museum that takes us back to the days of old Ireland, before arriving at our hotel in Limerick.
6 - LIMERICK / DUBLIN: We travel via Ennis and across County Clare to Galway Bay for panoramic views and a picture stop at Galway Cathedral before driving to Dublin. We enjoy a farewell dinner tonight with our tour director and new found friends.
I'm already thinking of maybe going to Australia in 2012...I know, I know...one country at a time :) My dream will finally become a reality...woohoo!!!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Behold the power of...FRUIT!
While fruit & I have had a love affair ever since I was a child, I have recently fallen in love with it all over again :)
Currently in my fridge right now are: peaches, apples, pears, cantalope & bananas. I simply cannot get enough fruit! I'm sure I'll get tired of it one day, but thankfully that day has yet to come :) Plus, tonight, I made some absolutely fantastic homemade banana ice cream...yummo!
Most of us know that fruit is good for us, but for most, the knowledge stops there. Fruit is not only full of vitamins and fiber...but one of the most important things it contains is water....and we all need more water!
World's Heathiest Foods is a great website that supplies a ton of information on fruits, veggies, grains & dairy!
Check it out, won't you!?!
Currently in my fridge right now are: peaches, apples, pears, cantalope & bananas. I simply cannot get enough fruit! I'm sure I'll get tired of it one day, but thankfully that day has yet to come :) Plus, tonight, I made some absolutely fantastic homemade banana ice cream...yummo!
Most of us know that fruit is good for us, but for most, the knowledge stops there. Fruit is not only full of vitamins and fiber...but one of the most important things it contains is water....and we all need more water!
World's Heathiest Foods is a great website that supplies a ton of information on fruits, veggies, grains & dairy!
Check it out, won't you!?!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Fabulous new fan!
Hooray! The new fan (w/remote) has been installed!!! While this may seem like a small thing, it will definitely help me with all of my yarn work...fun stuff! :)
Hello, Light & Convenience!!! Dear Cross Stitching project, I'll be spending some quality time with you very soon :)
Hello, Light & Convenience!!! Dear Cross Stitching project, I'll be spending some quality time with you very soon :)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Weekend Productivity
As I look back over this weekend, I think I've been quite productive...but oddly enough, I never made one list...not even a grocery list!
My weekend of productivity:
* tons of knitting & crocheting
* vacuumed (again)
* cleaned kitchen (twice)
* went to my knitting group
* went grocery shopping
* cleaned out refrigerator
* cooked some great beef ribs :)
* did come light cleaning
* watched a good movie or two
* laundry (folded & put away too, oh yeah!)
* ate tons of fruit (yay!)
* discovered that I've lost 5lbss & 2in. in the last 4 weeks (HOORAY!!!)
I'm quite excited about tomorrow...really, excited about a Monday? Absolutely! Tomorrow, I am getting a new fan installed in my living room...one that actually has a light kit & is not just a fan. Plus, I purchased a fabulous remote for said light/fan, which will also be installed tomorrow...I'm sooo thrilled!
I've got 2 cross-stitching projects as well as knitting & crocheting that really require me to have alot more light than I currently have in my living room so tomorrow's installation will allow me to work on these projects...yippee skippee!
Not only do I get new lighting, but I work from home on Mondays so it's always (ok then, usually) works out well in my favor :)
So, here's to the small things in life that help us accomplish our goals; mine's a light, what's yours? :)
My weekend of productivity:
* tons of knitting & crocheting
* vacuumed (again)
* cleaned kitchen (twice)
* went to my knitting group
* went grocery shopping
* cleaned out refrigerator
* cooked some great beef ribs :)
* did come light cleaning
* watched a good movie or two
* laundry (folded & put away too, oh yeah!)
* ate tons of fruit (yay!)
* discovered that I've lost 5lbss & 2in. in the last 4 weeks (HOORAY!!!)
I'm quite excited about tomorrow...really, excited about a Monday? Absolutely! Tomorrow, I am getting a new fan installed in my living room...one that actually has a light kit & is not just a fan. Plus, I purchased a fabulous remote for said light/fan, which will also be installed tomorrow...I'm sooo thrilled!
I've got 2 cross-stitching projects as well as knitting & crocheting that really require me to have alot more light than I currently have in my living room so tomorrow's installation will allow me to work on these projects...yippee skippee!
Not only do I get new lighting, but I work from home on Mondays so it's always (ok then, usually) works out well in my favor :)
So, here's to the small things in life that help us accomplish our goals; mine's a light, what's yours? :)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Baby Uggs!!!
After my knitting group today, I finally decided to try to knit some baby booties...however, I wanted to find something really easy...and then I found BABY UGGS! Here are the pics from the actual pattern...so cute!!!
Now, here is mine...not quite as cute as the pattern picture, but not too bad for my first baby bootie, right?!
So, here's to trying something new & it working out! :)
Now, here is mine...not quite as cute as the pattern picture, but not too bad for my first baby bootie, right?!
So, here's to trying something new & it working out! :)
Monday, September 06, 2010
Yarny Labor Day
Needless to say (after my post yesterday), I've spent a large part of this holiday weekend knitting & crocheting. I'm so happy that I've been able to get back into the rhythm of yarny goodness :)
Not only did I play with yarn this weekend, I also was visited by the motivational cleaning fairy! While I didn't do an entirely deep clean, I did manage to get some things organized & put away, did a couple loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen and finally my arch nemesis - vacuuming! Although there is more to be done, I feel better *starting* (can Tuesday be considered "starting") the new week with at least a few items accomplished.
Now back to the yarn! I have a few great ideas for the baby afghan I'm working on; since it's all white, I plan on adding some embroidery...maybe flowers, or ABC's, or the baby's name...the list goes on & on :) I also picked up a crocheting project I started a few months ago...I found some interesting variegated yarn in light blue, white, tan & brown and just could not figure out what to do with it. Today, I decided to use said yarn to crochet a (boy) baby afghan for my friend who just had a baby boy!
Of the 2 projects I brought home from my knitting group, I've finished one (triumphant cheers!) and started the 2nd one. I'm hoping to be able to finish the project & actually go to my knitting group on Saturday...so fun!
All in all, I'm very pleased with this holiday weekend! I not only did a bit of cleaning and cooking, but reignited my yarny passion and caught up on tons of great TV :)
Not only did I play with yarn this weekend, I also was visited by the motivational cleaning fairy! While I didn't do an entirely deep clean, I did manage to get some things organized & put away, did a couple loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen and finally my arch nemesis - vacuuming! Although there is more to be done, I feel better *starting* (can Tuesday be considered "starting") the new week with at least a few items accomplished.
Now back to the yarn! I have a few great ideas for the baby afghan I'm working on; since it's all white, I plan on adding some embroidery...maybe flowers, or ABC's, or the baby's name...the list goes on & on :) I also picked up a crocheting project I started a few months ago...I found some interesting variegated yarn in light blue, white, tan & brown and just could not figure out what to do with it. Today, I decided to use said yarn to crochet a (boy) baby afghan for my friend who just had a baby boy!
Of the 2 projects I brought home from my knitting group, I've finished one (triumphant cheers!) and started the 2nd one. I'm hoping to be able to finish the project & actually go to my knitting group on Saturday...so fun!
All in all, I'm very pleased with this holiday weekend! I not only did a bit of cleaning and cooking, but reignited my yarny passion and caught up on tons of great TV :)
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Knitting, knitting & more knitting
As you can imagine, I've spent my entire Sunday...yep that's right, knitting! After talking with one of my mom's cousins, I decided it was high time I attempted to knit something larger than a hat or scarf...so today, I started my first knitted afghan ever :) While I have made many afghans, they have all been crocheted, so this is a bit new for me.
Last year for my birthday, a friend gave me a knitting kit with all kinds of nifty & helpful knitting tools, but until today I'd never used most of them. Today, I have officially become a fan of row counters & stitch markers!
I think one of the biggest reasons why I never attempted any large knitted items was that I was afraid of losing my place in such an involved pattern. But, with the help of my new spiffy tools, losing my place is no longer an issue :)
Although I'm only about 1/6 of the way finished, but I'm thrilled with the outcome! I plan on outlining all of the squares of the afghan in baby pink and/or yellow :)
So, if there's something you've been relunctant to try, sometimes all it takes is the right tools to make a big project seem totally possible!
Last year for my birthday, a friend gave me a knitting kit with all kinds of nifty & helpful knitting tools, but until today I'd never used most of them. Today, I have officially become a fan of row counters & stitch markers!
I think one of the biggest reasons why I never attempted any large knitted items was that I was afraid of losing my place in such an involved pattern. But, with the help of my new spiffy tools, losing my place is no longer an issue :)
Although I'm only about 1/6 of the way finished, but I'm thrilled with the outcome! I plan on outlining all of the squares of the afghan in baby pink and/or yellow :)
So, if there's something you've been relunctant to try, sometimes all it takes is the right tools to make a big project seem totally possible!
Floating Passion
I am passionate about many things but they seem to come & go in waves. I seem to get involved in one thing or another & it just takes over my life for a bit...then it floats away & I begin another one.
Over the last few weeks, I've been baking up a storm, but I've since grown tired of it & have begun something new...knitting! I learned to knit over July 4th weekend last year & proceeded to knit obsessively for almost 6 months; I've hardly knit a thing in 2010...until now.
I'm actually part of a local knitting group called Nimble Fingers & we knit hats, scarves, gloves, etc. for North Fulton County Charities. I think the last time I went was back in April, and while I knitted a little while I was there, I've done nothing else sense. Usually when I go, I bring home at least 2 projects to work on; I'm happy to say that I've finally finished 1 scarf & have started on my 2nd one...woohoo!
I have a very cool scarf that I started last year in a pattern called entrelac - I hope to finish it up soon so I can wear it this fall/winter. Since I live in the South & we usually don't have to deal with extremely frigid winters, I love to knit scarves out of cotton yarn; they very soft & cozy without being heavy.
Last year, I actually sold one of my scarves...which was very cool! Since it was my favorite one, I had to make myself another one :)
I'm hoping this passion sticks around for a while so I can make some Christmas gifts...but we'll see how that goes :)
Over the last few weeks, I've been baking up a storm, but I've since grown tired of it & have begun something new...knitting! I learned to knit over July 4th weekend last year & proceeded to knit obsessively for almost 6 months; I've hardly knit a thing in 2010...until now.
I'm actually part of a local knitting group called Nimble Fingers & we knit hats, scarves, gloves, etc. for North Fulton County Charities. I think the last time I went was back in April, and while I knitted a little while I was there, I've done nothing else sense. Usually when I go, I bring home at least 2 projects to work on; I'm happy to say that I've finally finished 1 scarf & have started on my 2nd one...woohoo!
I have a very cool scarf that I started last year in a pattern called entrelac - I hope to finish it up soon so I can wear it this fall/winter. Since I live in the South & we usually don't have to deal with extremely frigid winters, I love to knit scarves out of cotton yarn; they very soft & cozy without being heavy.
Last year, I actually sold one of my scarves...which was very cool! Since it was my favorite one, I had to make myself another one :)
I'm hoping this passion sticks around for a while so I can make some Christmas gifts...but we'll see how that goes :)
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Where, oh where is the motivation fairy?
I've decided to stay home this holiday weekend & I'm praying that the motivation fairy descends upon both me & my house. My house is terrible...that's right, I said it...terrible!
First I need a plan; I should make a list...hen at least I can have some sense of accomplishment when I cross off even the smallest of tasks :)
Secondly, I should not turn on the TV, or at least if I do, it should be a music channel. Nothing hurts my motivation worse than TV :(
And finally...I need to just do it! Cleaning to me is like ripping off a band-aid, it's never as bad as my mind conjures it up to be...but never-the-less, I dread it all the same.
So, here's hoping that my little motivation fairy doesn't get lost or party too hard this holiday weekend & instead makes a desperately needed visit to my abode!
First I need a plan; I should make a list...hen at least I can have some sense of accomplishment when I cross off even the smallest of tasks :)
Secondly, I should not turn on the TV, or at least if I do, it should be a music channel. Nothing hurts my motivation worse than TV :(
And finally...I need to just do it! Cleaning to me is like ripping off a band-aid, it's never as bad as my mind conjures it up to be...but never-the-less, I dread it all the same.
So, here's hoping that my little motivation fairy doesn't get lost or party too hard this holiday weekend & instead makes a desperately needed visit to my abode!
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Zimbra!
I found the coolest new tool for keeping track of all of my email accounts without having to constantly log in & out of them...it's called Zimbra! I currently have 3 different email accounts not including work & this has helped me keep track of them automatically & simultaneously...which makes me ubber-happy!
A Better Inbox
Unlimited email storage is great but searching through thousands of emails is a hassle. Our Conversation Views and Message Tags automatically highlight important emails in all your email accounts so you can find anything in a hurry. Advanced Search makes finding important pictures, documents or messages from people you care about a snap.
All Your Email Accounts in One Place
Zimbra Mail. Yahoo! Mail. Gmail. AOL. They all work automatically in Zimbra Desktop; even Outlook or any other work or personal email account using POP or IMAP is easy to set up. The best part—you can read them offline without an internet connection when you are in "airplane" mode.
Zimbra Desktop is free
Zimbra software is open source, meaning we make both the software code and the application itself available to anyone at no charge. Also, Zimbra Desktop is a full version; there are no missing features or catches. Enjoy!
And that's your techy tip for today; that's all folks!
A Better Inbox
Unlimited email storage is great but searching through thousands of emails is a hassle. Our Conversation Views and Message Tags automatically highlight important emails in all your email accounts so you can find anything in a hurry. Advanced Search makes finding important pictures, documents or messages from people you care about a snap.
All Your Email Accounts in One Place
Zimbra Mail. Yahoo! Mail. Gmail. AOL. They all work automatically in Zimbra Desktop; even Outlook or any other work or personal email account using POP or IMAP is easy to set up. The best part—you can read them offline without an internet connection when you are in "airplane" mode.
Zimbra Desktop is free
Zimbra software is open source, meaning we make both the software code and the application itself available to anyone at no charge. Also, Zimbra Desktop is a full version; there are no missing features or catches. Enjoy!
And that's your techy tip for today; that's all folks!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Yard Sale Junkie
Ok, ok...not really :) But, I've spent the last 3 days trying to find as many last minute things as possible to sell. Like all yard-sellers, I plan to make as much money as humanly possible & not bring anything home with me except for cold hard cash!
In addition to the yard sale, I'll also be having a bake sale since I know just how hungry shopping can make you.
My goal is to make at least enough money to pay for my birthday trip to Pittsburgh; any extra money will go toward my trip to Ireland next April...I'm sooo excited!
Getting rid of excess stuff in my house plus making money to travel...is there anything any better than that...well, other than winning the lottery, of course!
So, if you've got stuff you're tired of trying to find a place for or are just tired of looking at, have a yard sale! I found a great website from the Yard Sale Queen that has a ton of fantastic do's as well as valuable don'ts.
So go ahead, make your junk someone else's treasure!!!
In addition to the yard sale, I'll also be having a bake sale since I know just how hungry shopping can make you.
My goal is to make at least enough money to pay for my birthday trip to Pittsburgh; any extra money will go toward my trip to Ireland next April...I'm sooo excited!
Getting rid of excess stuff in my house plus making money to travel...is there anything any better than that...well, other than winning the lottery, of course!
So, if you've got stuff you're tired of trying to find a place for or are just tired of looking at, have a yard sale! I found a great website from the Yard Sale Queen that has a ton of fantastic do's as well as valuable don'ts.
So go ahead, make your junk someone else's treasure!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I heart Big Lots
What's not to love? I found a great deal today on nothing less than english muffins...that's right! Usually, I go to Costco to purchase my beloved Thomas' english muffins, an 18-pack for $3.59; but today, I found a bargain...an 18-pack for $2.50 = SCORE!
I also found another great pair of sunglasses for...wait for it...$3.00! All of my favorite sunglasses have come from Big Lots for a great price & this makes me happy :)
You wouldn't think it would be so easy to forget about a place with such good deals, but I do (I know, it's terrible). Then, when I visit again, I remember why I love that store!
So, plan a visit today...c'mon, you know you want to :)
I also found another great pair of sunglasses for...wait for it...$3.00! All of my favorite sunglasses have come from Big Lots for a great price & this makes me happy :)
You wouldn't think it would be so easy to forget about a place with such good deals, but I do (I know, it's terrible). Then, when I visit again, I remember why I love that store!
So, plan a visit today...c'mon, you know you want to :)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Preppy, Preppy, Preppy!
Back about 6-8 months ago, I was using quite a few of my weekends to prep for the weekly meals to come, but in the last few months I've not been quite as diligent about it. Well, today I went back to my old ways of weekend prepping! It really helps the rest of the week go quite a bit easier. So far, this is what's done:
* rotisserie chicken (in the slow cooker)
* whipped cream cheese
* baked pasta dish
* browned ground beef (frozen in individual portions)
* made serving sized bags of granola
* made serving sized bags of chips
* shredded cheese
Of the 3 chicken breasts, I shredded 1 of them to make chicken enchiladas this week; the other 2 may end up as a chicken sandwich or chicken salad.
The baked pasta dish is my version of lasagna based upon what I had in my kitchen. Instead of lasagna noodles, I used linguini. I found 1 bag of frozen (cooked) ground beef from my last batch & heated it up with some jarred tomato sauce, salt, pepper & tons of Italian herbs. Instead of ricotta, I used some of my homemade whipped cream cheese mixed with cottage cheese. Instead of mozzarella, I used cheddar. Everything was layered together, baked at 350 for about 20min or so; then eaten quite voraciously!
About 6 months ago, I read a great time-saving tip about freezing cooked ground beef; and let me tell you...it's fabulous! I buy 2 lb. packages, brown it, drain it, spread it out on a cookie sheet in an even layer & then stick it in the freezer. Once it's thoroughly frozen, I take it out of the freezer, crumble it with my fingers & divide it equally in 3 qt. sized freezer bags. It's a perfect portion for a recipe of shepherd's pie or baked pasta...and super quick!
I think tomorrow's freezing agenda will include breakfast sandwiches & maybe pancakes!
* rotisserie chicken (in the slow cooker)
* whipped cream cheese
* baked pasta dish
* browned ground beef (frozen in individual portions)
* made serving sized bags of granola
* made serving sized bags of chips
* shredded cheese
Of the 3 chicken breasts, I shredded 1 of them to make chicken enchiladas this week; the other 2 may end up as a chicken sandwich or chicken salad.
The baked pasta dish is my version of lasagna based upon what I had in my kitchen. Instead of lasagna noodles, I used linguini. I found 1 bag of frozen (cooked) ground beef from my last batch & heated it up with some jarred tomato sauce, salt, pepper & tons of Italian herbs. Instead of ricotta, I used some of my homemade whipped cream cheese mixed with cottage cheese. Instead of mozzarella, I used cheddar. Everything was layered together, baked at 350 for about 20min or so; then eaten quite voraciously!
About 6 months ago, I read a great time-saving tip about freezing cooked ground beef; and let me tell you...it's fabulous! I buy 2 lb. packages, brown it, drain it, spread it out on a cookie sheet in an even layer & then stick it in the freezer. Once it's thoroughly frozen, I take it out of the freezer, crumble it with my fingers & divide it equally in 3 qt. sized freezer bags. It's a perfect portion for a recipe of shepherd's pie or baked pasta...and super quick!
I think tomorrow's freezing agenda will include breakfast sandwiches & maybe pancakes!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Stand...and then stand some more...
The birthday plans are underway!!! I am living proof of the Bible verse that says "When you've done all to stand, stand." It seems that everytime I'm at the end of my rope, finally get fed up & let it all out, wait just a little longer...then BAM! God has an amazing way of making it all better!
While I know that God loves me, it's way too easy to get my eyes off of Him & onto what is not going right in my life. I need to remind myself about all of the amazing things that have happened in my life over the past 2 years.
I've been thinking of going to visit a friend in Pittsburgh for quite sometime now, but it never seems to work out. However, my wish for somewhere new to visit for my birthday is coming true...that's right, Pittsburgh, here I come!
Although I am definitely not the poster child for standing in faith, God always comes through time after time. I do need to get a little (or alot) better at trusting him...even when situations look impossible. I'm so glad He loves me enough to overlook my (at times) sad little person :0)
While I know that God loves me, it's way too easy to get my eyes off of Him & onto what is not going right in my life. I need to remind myself about all of the amazing things that have happened in my life over the past 2 years.
I've been thinking of going to visit a friend in Pittsburgh for quite sometime now, but it never seems to work out. However, my wish for somewhere new to visit for my birthday is coming true...that's right, Pittsburgh, here I come!
Although I am definitely not the poster child for standing in faith, God always comes through time after time. I do need to get a little (or alot) better at trusting him...even when situations look impossible. I'm so glad He loves me enough to overlook my (at times) sad little person :0)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
My Thirty-One Adventure
For quite a while I've been looking for something new & this is it!!!
Our products are exclusive to Thirty-One and provide style and convenience at an amazingly affordable price. From our key product line, to our “direction” line for teens, or our uniquely crafted “31kid” line for children and moms, you will find so many options to fit every personality type and every situation. We continue to develop new products built on the idea that our products must be stylish, functional, affordable and easy to give as gifts to encourage someone special.
Click here to view the New Fall Catalog
Here's to finding what you can be passionate about & workin' it!!!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Redeeming Moment
After my not-so-cheery evening, I was desperately hoping that today would be a much better day...fail. While the day itself was a bomb, there was one wonderfully redeeming moment that made my terrible day somewhat bearable. One of my co-workers brought me a lovely little gift! However, the gift was not the best part of it; the best part was knowing that someone was thinking of me.
Sometimes, just knowing that someone somewhere is thinking of you makes life a little happpier :)
Sometimes, just knowing that someone somewhere is thinking of you makes life a little happpier :)
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Miserable bluesy moments
Do you ever have those days when everything seems to be rolling along smoothly & then *whop*...out of nowhere, the miserable blues descend upon your sad little soul? (too dramatic?) Dramatic, yes; but true, most definitely! For me, today was one of those 'everything's good' days...until *whop* the thought of my upcoming birthday entered my mind...bad move, brain. Even though my birthday is not until October, my brain decided that I should begin making plans immediately; thus begins our cautionary tale.
For the last 20 years (give or take a few), my family has always celebrated my birthday in the same way...we usually make our annual pilgrimmage to the Dixie Classic Fair. Even last year, I could not wait for the fair; I was so excited! This year, however, is shaping up to be quite altogether different. While at work, I had the thought of maybe going to the beach, since I absolutely love the beach in the fall...plus, I haven't actually been to the beach in several years. After running this "brilliant" idea past my Mom, who did not seem to share my same enthusiasm, the blues began to descend.
After finishing our conversation, I decided to do what I do best, reseach; and that is where the misery quickly entered the picture. After researching tons of options, I've come to the conclusion (a month & a half in advance, mind you) that I am simply too broke to go anywhere or do anything for my birthday.
Dear Lord in Heaven...what is my problem???
Now that I've made note of my miserable moment, I'll be going to bed...never to think of this miserable moment again. I resolve that my birthday will be spectacular, memorable and tons of fun! I simply must remember to remind myself to think happy thoughts :)
So, if you've succombed to a miserable bluesy moment, follow after me:
1) write it down & get it all out
2) ask God for help
3) go to bed
4) resolve that tomorrow will be better
I'm not saying it's a perfect plan, but tomorrow will tell if it actually worked.
Nite all.
For the last 20 years (give or take a few), my family has always celebrated my birthday in the same way...we usually make our annual pilgrimmage to the Dixie Classic Fair. Even last year, I could not wait for the fair; I was so excited! This year, however, is shaping up to be quite altogether different. While at work, I had the thought of maybe going to the beach, since I absolutely love the beach in the fall...plus, I haven't actually been to the beach in several years. After running this "brilliant" idea past my Mom, who did not seem to share my same enthusiasm, the blues began to descend.
After finishing our conversation, I decided to do what I do best, reseach; and that is where the misery quickly entered the picture. After researching tons of options, I've come to the conclusion (a month & a half in advance, mind you) that I am simply too broke to go anywhere or do anything for my birthday.
Dear Lord in Heaven...what is my problem???
Now that I've made note of my miserable moment, I'll be going to bed...never to think of this miserable moment again. I resolve that my birthday will be spectacular, memorable and tons of fun! I simply must remember to remind myself to think happy thoughts :)
So, if you've succombed to a miserable bluesy moment, follow after me:
1) write it down & get it all out
2) ask God for help
3) go to bed
4) resolve that tomorrow will be better
I'm not saying it's a perfect plan, but tomorrow will tell if it actually worked.
Nite all.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Amazingly Powerful B's
Been feeling tired lately? A little off your rhythm? Well I have for several months now, but I can finally say that I'm beginning to feel better...hallelujah! I attribute most of this feeling better to the fact that I've recently begun to take my vitamins again...and extra doses of B-complex.
Growing up, and even today, my Mother was a huge apostle of vitamins; in fact, if you mention not feeling well, her first reaction is "How much vitamin C have you been taking?" Even with all of that knowledge, like most of us who know what to do & don't, I just kept getting worse & worse without ever popping the first pill :)
Today, after only 4 days, I have a new-found love for B-complex! If you have issues with fatigue, depression, mood swings, etc., B-complex might just be your new best friend. Here's a little cheat sheet of the powerful B's that make up B-complex:
Scientists know that B vitamins are part of many important bodily functions:
•Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves, and heart.
•Vitamin B3 (niacin) has a role in energy production in cells and helps keep the skin, nervous system, and digestive system healthy.
•Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development.
•Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and helps maintain the health of red blood cells, the nervous system, and parts of the immune system.
•Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones.
•Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps the cells in the body make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells.
•Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body's growth and development. It also has a part in producing blood cells, nervous system function, and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates.
Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects.
So, remember your B's & they'll be work hard for you :)
Growing up, and even today, my Mother was a huge apostle of vitamins; in fact, if you mention not feeling well, her first reaction is "How much vitamin C have you been taking?" Even with all of that knowledge, like most of us who know what to do & don't, I just kept getting worse & worse without ever popping the first pill :)
Today, after only 4 days, I have a new-found love for B-complex! If you have issues with fatigue, depression, mood swings, etc., B-complex might just be your new best friend. Here's a little cheat sheet of the powerful B's that make up B-complex:
Scientists know that B vitamins are part of many important bodily functions:
•Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves, and heart.
•Vitamin B3 (niacin) has a role in energy production in cells and helps keep the skin, nervous system, and digestive system healthy.
•Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development.
•Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and helps maintain the health of red blood cells, the nervous system, and parts of the immune system.
•Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones.
•Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps the cells in the body make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells.
•Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body's growth and development. It also has a part in producing blood cells, nervous system function, and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates.
Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects.
So, remember your B's & they'll be work hard for you :)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Practice makes perfect, right?
Today, I finally decided to attempt cake decorating; while I'm not thrilled with the results, everyone has to start somewhere...right? With any luck, the whole practice makes perfect thing will actually work out :)
Unfortunately, I ran a little short on frosting, but still pressed on :)
So, whatever fun little task you haven't perfected quite yet, just keep practicing...I sure will!!!
Unfortunately, I ran a little short on frosting, but still pressed on :)
So, whatever fun little task you haven't perfected quite yet, just keep practicing...I sure will!!!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Frost Yourselves!
My most favorite bakery, Ketchie Creek Bakery in Mocksville, NC, has some of the best buttercream frosting I've ever tasted. I'm been on a mission to find a comparable frosting I could make in my own kitchen & I think I've finally located a most perfectly fluffy frosting!
Things You'll Need:
A good stand mixer
1 to 2 pounds powder sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon imitation butter (I didn't have any & substituted almond instead)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 3 tablespoons of Half & Half (I didn't have any & substituted heavy cream)
Step 1
First of all, put the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and be prepared to let this mix on high for a a few minutes. I put the two ingredients into my KitchenAid, turn it on and go do other things in the kitchen for a while. A lady I met in a rummage sale said the secret is to really lighten the butter and shortening with air. And she was right!
Step 2
Reduce to stir, then add the salt and granulated sugar. Drizzle in the vanilla and butter flavorings. Up the setting to high slowly and let mix another 30 seconds or so.
Step 3
Reduce to stir again and add about 1 cup of the powder sugar. Let it work into the butter/shortening mixture. Add another cup of powder sugar and let work in. Add a third cup of powder sugar and let mix together nicely.
Step 4
I usually end up using 3/4 of a bag of powder sugar to make sure I have a really generous amount of frosting. Once you have added enough powder sugar, it may be on the clumpy side. Add the Half and Half one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting will peak when stirring with a spatula. The test is to lift the spatula up and the frosting should hold it's peak after the spatula is out of the bowl. The consistency is easily adjusted by either adding more powder sugar to thicken the frosting or more Half & Half to lighten the frosting. Humidity and heat do effect the consistency so don't worry about exact measurements.
Step 5
Now comes the special step. Slowly up the speed and let the mixer do it's job. Let it mix on high for at least 3 minutes. Five minutes would be even better! It will become light and fluffy - just a bit heavier than whipped cream if done right!!! This is truly butter cream frosting!
Let me tell you, the finished product is almost exactly the same fluffy (slightly gritty) textured frosting as my favorite bakery! I'll definitely be playing around with different flavors & colors...I'm such a happy camper now!!! Tomorrow, I'll be trying this fabulous on my mini layer cake. If all goes well, pictures will follow!
May your frosting always be sweet! =)
Things You'll Need:
A good stand mixer
1 to 2 pounds powder sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon imitation butter (I didn't have any & substituted almond instead)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 3 tablespoons of Half & Half (I didn't have any & substituted heavy cream)
Step 1
First of all, put the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and be prepared to let this mix on high for a a few minutes. I put the two ingredients into my KitchenAid, turn it on and go do other things in the kitchen for a while. A lady I met in a rummage sale said the secret is to really lighten the butter and shortening with air. And she was right!
Step 2
Reduce to stir, then add the salt and granulated sugar. Drizzle in the vanilla and butter flavorings. Up the setting to high slowly and let mix another 30 seconds or so.
Step 3
Reduce to stir again and add about 1 cup of the powder sugar. Let it work into the butter/shortening mixture. Add another cup of powder sugar and let work in. Add a third cup of powder sugar and let mix together nicely.
Step 4
I usually end up using 3/4 of a bag of powder sugar to make sure I have a really generous amount of frosting. Once you have added enough powder sugar, it may be on the clumpy side. Add the Half and Half one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting will peak when stirring with a spatula. The test is to lift the spatula up and the frosting should hold it's peak after the spatula is out of the bowl. The consistency is easily adjusted by either adding more powder sugar to thicken the frosting or more Half & Half to lighten the frosting. Humidity and heat do effect the consistency so don't worry about exact measurements.
Step 5
Now comes the special step. Slowly up the speed and let the mixer do it's job. Let it mix on high for at least 3 minutes. Five minutes would be even better! It will become light and fluffy - just a bit heavier than whipped cream if done right!!! This is truly butter cream frosting!
Let me tell you, the finished product is almost exactly the same fluffy (slightly gritty) textured frosting as my favorite bakery! I'll definitely be playing around with different flavors & colors...I'm such a happy camper now!!! Tomorrow, I'll be trying this fabulous on my mini layer cake. If all goes well, pictures will follow!
May your frosting always be sweet! =)
Friday, August 13, 2010
I wanna be a Korean Toe Tapper :)
After an exhausting day yesterday, I just knew that I was going to have one fantastic night of sleep...little did I know, FAIL! Once I was in bed, first I couldn't get comfortable, then my pillows felt too flat, then the thoughts started.
*You were wrong to complain to the coordinator about the work event today; you should apologize.
*You should really go take a cake decorating class.
*You get paid tomorrow, what bills do you have to pay?
*You should finish cleaning out your closet to find items for the yard sale in 2 weeks.
*You should start off making & decorating mini cakes to practice & then move onto full-size cakes.
*You should get up & make a list of items you're gonna bake for the yard sale.
And on, and on, and on...needless to say, I got maybe 30 minutes of sleep the entire night. So, after biting the head off one of our accounting controllers (and then apologizing), I told her how little sleep I had gotten & then (graciously) she offered some great advice. She said "The next time you can't sleep, do what I do - it's called the Korean Toe Tap." She gave me a brief description & I decided to do a little research to see what else I could find. Amazingly, it's an actual thing...who'da thunk? She suggested singing something rhythmic while tapping like the ABC's; hopefully, I won't have to employ this interesting sleep induction method tonight...we shall see. Here's a little detail about the Korean Toe Tap:
Tap Those Toes
There is another Brain Wave Vibration exercise that can help many physical problems, including headaches, insomnia, and circulation problems. Toe-Tap Vibration helps return the body’s energy balance to a healthy state by bringing energy down to the lower body. It is also a very good mind-body coordination exercise. Because the feet are so far away from the brain, you may find at first that they do not want to cooperate with you! But keep working at it and keep trying to increase your speed and the evenness of rhythm.
The feet contain a wide variety of acupressure points that are stimulated through this exercise. Because all the energy lines in the body end in the feet, you can energize your whole body when you stimulate your feet.
Toe-Tap Vibration
1. Lie down on the floor comfortably. Place your arms and legs on the floor and close your eyes. Breathe in and out several times to release excess tension.
2. As you are lying there, gently shake your head from side to side, allowing your shoulders, arms, legs and your whole body to relax. Imagine that all your stress is melting into the ground.
3. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.
4. Repeat this 3 times.
5. Touch your heels together, tap your toes together; then part the toes again, trying to touch the sides of the feet on the ground. Repeat several times in quick succession. Adjust the speed on this motion depending on your comfort level, but repeat at least 50 times without stopping.
6. When you begin to feel fatigued, slowly stop tapping and rest. Feel the subtle vibration going through the end of the toes to the knees, thighs, hips and waist and to the top of your head. Challenge yourself to do a greater number of repetitions each time you practice.
While I'm no dancer, I think this toe tapping is one I can definitely handle!
Hap Tappy!!!
*You were wrong to complain to the coordinator about the work event today; you should apologize.
*You should really go take a cake decorating class.
*You get paid tomorrow, what bills do you have to pay?
*You should finish cleaning out your closet to find items for the yard sale in 2 weeks.
*You should start off making & decorating mini cakes to practice & then move onto full-size cakes.
*You should get up & make a list of items you're gonna bake for the yard sale.
And on, and on, and on...needless to say, I got maybe 30 minutes of sleep the entire night. So, after biting the head off one of our accounting controllers (and then apologizing), I told her how little sleep I had gotten & then (graciously) she offered some great advice. She said "The next time you can't sleep, do what I do - it's called the Korean Toe Tap." She gave me a brief description & I decided to do a little research to see what else I could find. Amazingly, it's an actual thing...who'da thunk? She suggested singing something rhythmic while tapping like the ABC's; hopefully, I won't have to employ this interesting sleep induction method tonight...we shall see. Here's a little detail about the Korean Toe Tap:
Tap Those Toes
There is another Brain Wave Vibration exercise that can help many physical problems, including headaches, insomnia, and circulation problems. Toe-Tap Vibration helps return the body’s energy balance to a healthy state by bringing energy down to the lower body. It is also a very good mind-body coordination exercise. Because the feet are so far away from the brain, you may find at first that they do not want to cooperate with you! But keep working at it and keep trying to increase your speed and the evenness of rhythm.
The feet contain a wide variety of acupressure points that are stimulated through this exercise. Because all the energy lines in the body end in the feet, you can energize your whole body when you stimulate your feet.
Toe-Tap Vibration
1. Lie down on the floor comfortably. Place your arms and legs on the floor and close your eyes. Breathe in and out several times to release excess tension.
2. As you are lying there, gently shake your head from side to side, allowing your shoulders, arms, legs and your whole body to relax. Imagine that all your stress is melting into the ground.
3. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.
4. Repeat this 3 times.
5. Touch your heels together, tap your toes together; then part the toes again, trying to touch the sides of the feet on the ground. Repeat several times in quick succession. Adjust the speed on this motion depending on your comfort level, but repeat at least 50 times without stopping.
6. When you begin to feel fatigued, slowly stop tapping and rest. Feel the subtle vibration going through the end of the toes to the knees, thighs, hips and waist and to the top of your head. Challenge yourself to do a greater number of repetitions each time you practice.
While I'm no dancer, I think this toe tapping is one I can definitely handle!
Hap Tappy!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
YouTube-ilicious!
If there's one website that is the most underutilized by anyone who has a desire to learn how to do anything...it's YouTube! I didn't really think too much about this until my sister brought it up in conversation today.
I have always been one of those people who would much rather do tons of research & then try something new all by myself instead of asking for help (or taking a class). Therefore, if I want to know how to do something, I usually turn to the one place that almost always comes through each & every time...YouTube!
I was talking to my sister about not feeling confident in doing cake decorating and she pulled a fast one on me by saying "Why don't you just watch it on YouTube...just last weekend, you watched a video on how to cut your own hair & then just did it! I'm sure decorating a cake isn't anything compared to cutting your own hair!" And while this is true...I did watch videos on how to cut my own hair...and then I did, in fact, cut my own hair...somehow, the task of decorating a cake seems a bit more daunting due to the fact that I would be decorating it for someone other than myself.
I am quite aware that if I ever want to have a business in sweets, I must conquer my fear & just go for it...even if I fall flat on my face (into a tub of delicious buttercream frosting), I can just smooth it over & try again.
Now, without further ado, I present to you a few of the things I have learned on YouTube!
1) how to knit
2) how to make the perfect swiss meringue buttercream
3) how to cut my own hair
4) how to make homemade butter
So, there you have it...if there's something you want to learn, just YouTube it!!!
I have always been one of those people who would much rather do tons of research & then try something new all by myself instead of asking for help (or taking a class). Therefore, if I want to know how to do something, I usually turn to the one place that almost always comes through each & every time...YouTube!
I was talking to my sister about not feeling confident in doing cake decorating and she pulled a fast one on me by saying "Why don't you just watch it on YouTube...just last weekend, you watched a video on how to cut your own hair & then just did it! I'm sure decorating a cake isn't anything compared to cutting your own hair!" And while this is true...I did watch videos on how to cut my own hair...and then I did, in fact, cut my own hair...somehow, the task of decorating a cake seems a bit more daunting due to the fact that I would be decorating it for someone other than myself.
I am quite aware that if I ever want to have a business in sweets, I must conquer my fear & just go for it...even if I fall flat on my face (into a tub of delicious buttercream frosting), I can just smooth it over & try again.
Now, without further ado, I present to you a few of the things I have learned on YouTube!
1) how to knit
2) how to make the perfect swiss meringue buttercream
3) how to cut my own hair
4) how to make homemade butter
So, there you have it...if there's something you want to learn, just YouTube it!!!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Smooth like a baby's butt...ercream!
I began my trip down Buttercream Lane this past Friday...and was not very impressed. I had found several recipes, but decided to first try a "baby batch" that was suggested by a chick who had made her own wedding cake...this, my friends, was largo mistako numero uno! It was terrible...basically, it tasted like a hunk of extremely sweet butter...definitely not good eats :(
Fast forward 5 days: I'm in the grocery store & decide to be brave & try this whole Buttercream thing again...so, a container of egg whites went gleefully home with me. Last week, my Mom sent me a link to a video & written instructions on the most perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream, so this is the one I was going to try next. After all, nothing could be worse than the first one I made.
Just to be sure, I watched the video again (ok, ok...for the 5th time) just to make sure I had all of the instructions firmly cemented in my brain. First, cook the egg whites & sugar over a water bath until the sugar has completely melted - check. Second, whip egg white mixture at high speed until they form stiff peaks - check. Third, thrown in diced chunks of butter & let 'er rip for about 7-11min - check. May I just say, this buttercream is probably the most silky deliciousness that has ever entered my pallete!
It was so great, in fact, that I made a second batch! On the second one, I decided to play with the recipe a bit (see, only one successful recipe in & I'm already too big for my britches!) I thought I'd try to make it a little lighter & add extra egg whites...well, all went well until I added the butter & then the mixture in my mixer turned into a yucky, soupy mess! So, I quickly realized that there was not enough butter to blend with the extra liquid (egg whites) I had added...argggg. I added more butter & let it blend...and blend...and blend...and you guessed it, blend some more. Finally, after about 17 minutes I was amazed to find another perfect batch of buttercream!
Now that you've been tempted beyond imagination & are ready to strangle the recipe from my very fingers...a bit too dramatic? Hmmm. Here it is, what you've all been waiting for...drumroll, please!
1:2:3 Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1:2:3 Swiss Meringue Buttercream
A delicious Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing Recipe.
4 oz (1/2 cup) egg whites
8 oz ( 1 cup) granulated sugar
12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Pinch of salt
1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.
2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (~140 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!
3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.
5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!
6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.
7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste.
Recipe by Dyann www.dyannbakes.com
So, please make this frosting...you'll be sooo glad you did! I recently saw a video of a baking teacher who said: If you made it in your home, then it's homemade - even if it's from a box, it's still homemade! (and) Even if you make the cake from a box, make the frosting from scratch - it fools them everytime!
Happy frosting!!!
Fast forward 5 days: I'm in the grocery store & decide to be brave & try this whole Buttercream thing again...so, a container of egg whites went gleefully home with me. Last week, my Mom sent me a link to a video & written instructions on the most perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream, so this is the one I was going to try next. After all, nothing could be worse than the first one I made.
Just to be sure, I watched the video again (ok, ok...for the 5th time) just to make sure I had all of the instructions firmly cemented in my brain. First, cook the egg whites & sugar over a water bath until the sugar has completely melted - check. Second, whip egg white mixture at high speed until they form stiff peaks - check. Third, thrown in diced chunks of butter & let 'er rip for about 7-11min - check. May I just say, this buttercream is probably the most silky deliciousness that has ever entered my pallete!
It was so great, in fact, that I made a second batch! On the second one, I decided to play with the recipe a bit (see, only one successful recipe in & I'm already too big for my britches!) I thought I'd try to make it a little lighter & add extra egg whites...well, all went well until I added the butter & then the mixture in my mixer turned into a yucky, soupy mess! So, I quickly realized that there was not enough butter to blend with the extra liquid (egg whites) I had added...argggg. I added more butter & let it blend...and blend...and blend...and you guessed it, blend some more. Finally, after about 17 minutes I was amazed to find another perfect batch of buttercream!
Now that you've been tempted beyond imagination & are ready to strangle the recipe from my very fingers...a bit too dramatic? Hmmm. Here it is, what you've all been waiting for...drumroll, please!
1:2:3 Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1:2:3 Swiss Meringue Buttercream
A delicious Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing Recipe.
4 oz (1/2 cup) egg whites
8 oz ( 1 cup) granulated sugar
12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Pinch of salt
1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.
2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (~140 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!
3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.
5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!
6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.
7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste.
Recipe by Dyann www.dyannbakes.com
So, please make this frosting...you'll be sooo glad you did! I recently saw a video of a baking teacher who said: If you made it in your home, then it's homemade - even if it's from a box, it's still homemade! (and) Even if you make the cake from a box, make the frosting from scratch - it fools them everytime!
Happy frosting!!!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
***No Criminal Record***
After searching all day for some type of blog inspiration...I've finally located it, in my Inbox of all places! Like a dork, I am signed up on several internet dating sites...why, I have no idea - I do not have any paid subscriptions nor do I ever respond to any of the email alerts...yes, I'm insane.
Anyway, my brilliant moment of blog inspiration came from the opening line of a Chemistry.com subscriber named Mike:
34 Years Old and in Huntsville, Alabama
***No Criminal Record***
Me? For the most part I am laid back. I enjoy staying active by working out, playing sports, and jogging. I am always up for Read more »
Ok, so I must know...what kind of people must you deal with on a daily basis that could cause you to use that as an opening line with complete cyber strangers??? Also, if I see any form of the words "I'm a laid back guy" again, I might just have to scream...like Gabrielle Union's character in Daddy's Little Girls when she saw "one more guy over 40 in a throwback jersey"!!!
So, there you have it, my funny moment of the day...big shout out to Mike from Huntsville, AL...stay criminal free, my friend!
Peace Out!!!
Anyway, my brilliant moment of blog inspiration came from the opening line of a Chemistry.com subscriber named Mike:
34 Years Old and in Huntsville, Alabama
***No Criminal Record***
Me? For the most part I am laid back. I enjoy staying active by working out, playing sports, and jogging. I am always up for Read more »
Ok, so I must know...what kind of people must you deal with on a daily basis that could cause you to use that as an opening line with complete cyber strangers??? Also, if I see any form of the words "I'm a laid back guy" again, I might just have to scream...like Gabrielle Union's character in Daddy's Little Girls when she saw "one more guy over 40 in a throwback jersey"!!!
So, there you have it, my funny moment of the day...big shout out to Mike from Huntsville, AL...stay criminal free, my friend!
Peace Out!!!
Monday, August 09, 2010
Sex and the what???
For as long as I can remember, I have never watched Sex and the City...or even wanted to watch it. But, by some strange twist of Netflix fate, here I am...on a Monday evening...watching said movie. And quite to my chagrin, it's pretty good!
Which makes me that much more convinced that I must visit New York...although I am definitely not even an "extra" character in said movie at all...I'd still love to experience the nonstop energy of New York at least once.
PS ~ as sad as it is...I so can't wait to see the 2nd move :)
Which makes me that much more convinced that I must visit New York...although I am definitely not even an "extra" character in said movie at all...I'd still love to experience the nonstop energy of New York at least once.
PS ~ as sad as it is...I so can't wait to see the 2nd move :)
More to life...
For as long as I can remember, I've felt (or rather known) that there was much more to life than I was currently experiencing. This notion continues to become more & more real to me...but mostly, I feel unable to do anything about it.
I keep thinking "one of these days, my world will change & become what I've always longed for it to be"...but the longer it takes to happen, the more I lose hope.
I feel as if my entire life has been a life of waiting; and while everyone knows that good things come to those who wait, it seems there might be a statute of limitations on the whole waiting thing.
I keep thinking "one of these days, my world will change & become what I've always longed for it to be"...but the longer it takes to happen, the more I lose hope.
I feel as if my entire life has been a life of waiting; and while everyone knows that good things come to those who wait, it seems there might be a statute of limitations on the whole waiting thing.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Moving???
For quite a while now, I've been trying to decide if it would be best for me to move back to NC or to stay here in GA. The biggest issue with being here is that my apt is too small to have my dogs with me. So today, I randomly looked to see if there were any houses for rent close to my job...and what do you know......I think I might have found one that will work!
Since the whole goal is to be able to bring my dogs to live with me, a fenced in back yard is really a must. Plus, right now I only have 1bdrm, which means that any guest that visits has to sleep on my couch. I found a 3bdrm/2ba townhouse w/fenced in backyard & extra utility room...yippee!
I'm hoping that this works out...it would be so great to have my whole, furry family back together again!
Nite all!
Since the whole goal is to be able to bring my dogs to live with me, a fenced in back yard is really a must. Plus, right now I only have 1bdrm, which means that any guest that visits has to sleep on my couch. I found a 3bdrm/2ba townhouse w/fenced in backyard & extra utility room...yippee!
I'm hoping that this works out...it would be so great to have my whole, furry family back together again!
Nite all!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Hooray for Sundays!
Today, I made the most wonderful beef ribs ever! Apparently, it's John McCain's recipe - and let me tell you, after tasting these - he definitely knows his way around a rib!
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/john-mccains-rib-recipe-in-crockpot.html
Of course, I had to make & freeze more breakfast goodies, but this time I added pancakes to the mix so we'll see how those are when they're reheated.
I made my first attempt at making meringue cookies - grapefruit meringues to be exact - I'm still waiting on them to dry completely, but I think they're gonna be lovely!
I'm thinking I just might have to try out a mocha milkshake using thoose amazing chocolate custard cups I froze yesterday...yummo!
May your inspiration be as tasty as mine has been lately!
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/john-mccains-rib-recipe-in-crockpot.html
Of course, I had to make & freeze more breakfast goodies, but this time I added pancakes to the mix so we'll see how those are when they're reheated.
I made my first attempt at making meringue cookies - grapefruit meringues to be exact - I'm still waiting on them to dry completely, but I think they're gonna be lovely!
I'm thinking I just might have to try out a mocha milkshake using thoose amazing chocolate custard cups I froze yesterday...yummo!
May your inspiration be as tasty as mine has been lately!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Prepping!
Another weekend of culinary prepping has descended upon me! So far today, I've made slow cooker fried rice, chili, herbed tomato soup, homemade mayo & old fashioned carrot salad (with the homemade mayo!). I've discovered that the more I prep on the weekends, the easier my weekly meals go. So, tomorrow I'll be making slow cooker beef ribs, grapefruit meringue cookies and definitely more breakfast sandwiches.
It's been so wonderful to throw one of my bacon & egg breakfast muffins in my bag & then head off to work...I'm definitely a huge fan of this weekend food prepping thing!
I also made a recipe of Paula Dean's Workaholic's Hot Chocolate...and I must admit, I'm not a fan. It's made like a custard and with all milk...and I've come to the conclusion that I am just a powdered hot chocolate gal! However, I discovered that mixing it with coffee made a lovely mocha...so I put the rest of the batch in the fridge to just purpose. I'm also thinking of freezing some in ice cube trays to see how it works as a milkshake.
The Going Out to Eat Monster has not completely been kicked to the curb, but at least it's only 1-2 times a week instead of 4-5...I'm getting there!
May you have a perfectly prepping weekend too!
It's been so wonderful to throw one of my bacon & egg breakfast muffins in my bag & then head off to work...I'm definitely a huge fan of this weekend food prepping thing!
I also made a recipe of Paula Dean's Workaholic's Hot Chocolate...and I must admit, I'm not a fan. It's made like a custard and with all milk...and I've come to the conclusion that I am just a powdered hot chocolate gal! However, I discovered that mixing it with coffee made a lovely mocha...so I put the rest of the batch in the fridge to just purpose. I'm also thinking of freezing some in ice cube trays to see how it works as a milkshake.
The Going Out to Eat Monster has not completely been kicked to the curb, but at least it's only 1-2 times a week instead of 4-5...I'm getting there!
May you have a perfectly prepping weekend too!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
McMake 'em yourself!
It was another lovely culinary day in my kitchen! I started with a fantastic smoothie using some of the fruit juice cubes I made yesterday...so good! For dinner, I made the most wonderful turkey stoganoff...and I mean absolutely fantastic...hooray for repurposing leftovers!!!
I chopped a small shallot & cooked it in a little butter & olive oil, then added 4 sliced mushrooms & cooked until brown & lovely; added a couple teaspoons of flour & cooked for a couple of minutes; then added some of my homemade turkey stock to make a gravy & added some chopped leftover turkey breast. Finally, a couple spoonfuls of sour cream & some egg noodles = heaven in a bowl!!!
I've been researching freezing my own breakfast items so I can take breakfast to work with me...since I can never seem to get up early enough to make it fresh. I discovered that you can most definitely can make & freeze breakfast sandwiches, muffins, pancakes, waffles, etc. As you can well imagine, this made me very happy so I quickly got to work!
I like bacon but (like everyone else) I hate cooking it (although you can cook it in the oven, I don't have a broiler pan)...so I decided to pull out my dusty George Foreman grill & see if I could use it to make my bacon-cooking experience a little better. Well, I am quite pleased to say that it worked like a charm! I sliced all of the pieces in half so they would fit on the grill - which is the perfect size for a breakfast sammie too.
Toasted english muffins - check; flat fried eggs - check; bacon cooked - check; assembly - done; wrapped in freezer - finished; breakfast in a flash - priceless!
Of course, I had quite a bit of bacon left over since I decided to make all of the open pack in my fridge - so I put the rest of the cooked pieces in the freezer too - my own precooked bacon...great for a quick sandwich! I also made some banana muffins & froze them as well to give a little variety :)
I am bound & determined to keep the Eating-Out Monster at bay and am trying everything I can to set myself up for success!
Keep those creative ideas marinating!!!
I chopped a small shallot & cooked it in a little butter & olive oil, then added 4 sliced mushrooms & cooked until brown & lovely; added a couple teaspoons of flour & cooked for a couple of minutes; then added some of my homemade turkey stock to make a gravy & added some chopped leftover turkey breast. Finally, a couple spoonfuls of sour cream & some egg noodles = heaven in a bowl!!!
I've been researching freezing my own breakfast items so I can take breakfast to work with me...since I can never seem to get up early enough to make it fresh. I discovered that you can most definitely can make & freeze breakfast sandwiches, muffins, pancakes, waffles, etc. As you can well imagine, this made me very happy so I quickly got to work!
I like bacon but (like everyone else) I hate cooking it (although you can cook it in the oven, I don't have a broiler pan)...so I decided to pull out my dusty George Foreman grill & see if I could use it to make my bacon-cooking experience a little better. Well, I am quite pleased to say that it worked like a charm! I sliced all of the pieces in half so they would fit on the grill - which is the perfect size for a breakfast sammie too.
Toasted english muffins - check; flat fried eggs - check; bacon cooked - check; assembly - done; wrapped in freezer - finished; breakfast in a flash - priceless!
Of course, I had quite a bit of bacon left over since I decided to make all of the open pack in my fridge - so I put the rest of the cooked pieces in the freezer too - my own precooked bacon...great for a quick sandwich! I also made some banana muffins & froze them as well to give a little variety :)
I am bound & determined to keep the Eating-Out Monster at bay and am trying everything I can to set myself up for success!
Keep those creative ideas marinating!!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Culinary adventures
Ok, well maybe it's not really adventurous...but it sure sounds fun, right??? Today, I decided to get back to slow cooking & see what I could come up with. I took 2 teriyaki marinated turkey breasts & put them on a bed of onion & celery & slow cooked them for about 6 hours. Of course, the veggies were cooked to complete mushiness, but the broth left over sure was yummy! I think I'll save it for some soup later on!
To go with the turkey, I decided to make zucchini pancakes - which I saw on Barefoot Contessa earlier today - topped with a little sour cream...Mmmm, scrumptious!
While the turkey was in its slow cooking sauna, I make some homemade tortilla chips to snack on...way better than any store bought chips!!!
While browsing around Ikea one day, I found the cutest ice cube trays in all kinds of shapes: hearts, fish, starfish & flowers. I've been looking for something equally as cute to do with them, so I froze 4 different kinds of fruit juice...I can't wait to make smoothies with these little jewels!
I'm thinking I may have to round out this culinary day with a little chocolate or caramel fondue!
So long from Yummiville!!!
To go with the turkey, I decided to make zucchini pancakes - which I saw on Barefoot Contessa earlier today - topped with a little sour cream...Mmmm, scrumptious!
While the turkey was in its slow cooking sauna, I make some homemade tortilla chips to snack on...way better than any store bought chips!!!
While browsing around Ikea one day, I found the cutest ice cube trays in all kinds of shapes: hearts, fish, starfish & flowers. I've been looking for something equally as cute to do with them, so I froze 4 different kinds of fruit juice...I can't wait to make smoothies with these little jewels!
I'm thinking I may have to round out this culinary day with a little chocolate or caramel fondue!
So long from Yummiville!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Cooking, Cooking, Cooking
So, it's official...the Apricot Chicken turned out great! Thank goodness!
Tonight, I decided to be creative & use my leftover tuna salad mixture to make a tuna casserole - once again...not too shabby! I mixed my tuna salad with 1 egg, some cottage cheese, shredded cheddar and salt & pepper, topped it with yet more cheddar & baked it...yummo!
I'm hoping I can keep the momentum going & beat the eating out monster into submission.
BTW - my new favorite snack thing combines a few items from Aldi...and it's spectacular!
1 box granola cereal
1 bag golden raisins
1 bag dried cherries
I simply cannot get enough of this little bit of snack heaven!!!
Till next time, make it yummy!
Tonight, I decided to be creative & use my leftover tuna salad mixture to make a tuna casserole - once again...not too shabby! I mixed my tuna salad with 1 egg, some cottage cheese, shredded cheddar and salt & pepper, topped it with yet more cheddar & baked it...yummo!
I'm hoping I can keep the momentum going & beat the eating out monster into submission.
BTW - my new favorite snack thing combines a few items from Aldi...and it's spectacular!
1 box granola cereal
1 bag golden raisins
1 bag dried cherries
I simply cannot get enough of this little bit of snack heaven!!!
Till next time, make it yummy!
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