tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225549662012-01-29T10:34:33.177-05:00"She's crafty - she's gets around. She's crafty - she's always down. She's crafty - she's got a gripe. She's crafty - and she's just my type. She's crafty" - Beastie Boys -SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.comBlogger7101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-11223861365851896732012-01-24T14:03:00.001-05:002012-01-29T10:34:33.185-05:00

You know what?  I'm tired of fighting the same fight that should have been over a year ago.  I'm tired of being the one accused of being to lazy to sweep a floor but the one who has had to constantly clean up messes I didn't make.  I'm tired of trying to convince myself that people are essentially good.  And I'm tired of not being taken seriously.  I'm not the person I was a year ago.  I don't

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-16382881597197423692012-01-01T11:23:00.000-05:002012-01-01T11:23:50.657-05:00

2011 brought me a lot of change, some good, some good in disguise and some that will bring good eventually.  I parted ways with a few people this year and although it was tough going, I realize now that it opened up space in my life to let some really wonderful new friends in.  I've also embarked on some life changing endeavors.  I have begun karate and am now a gold belt.  I've lost 10 pounds

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-31904045513316120692011-12-28T09:38:00.000-05:002011-12-28T09:38:44.002-05:00

The Holidays are over.  YIppee!!!!  Still have some decorations to pack up and some toys to find places for but all in all it was all good. 

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-26430583762413178492011-12-18T12:17:00.000-05:002011-12-18T12:17:57.123-05:00

This week is going to be crazy!  As you can see for yourself- Sunday (today)- make a sleigh load of cookie dough, finish decorating the house, wrap a few presents, make a menu for the week and for a party and a family dinner Monday- wrap ALL the presents Tuesday- video Gryffin's Christmas play which is the last day of school for the year Wednesday- make some crafty goodness with Gryffin and start

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-61912998376194776442011-12-18T12:01:00.000-05:002011-12-18T12:01:40.256-05:00

I lost 10 lbs!  More importantly- I've kept it off thus far and with Thanksgiving in the mix I'm pretty proud of that.  This diet plan made me look at cooking (and eating) in a completely different way.  I couldn't use ANY fat or oils, not even non-stick spray, no fillers like rice, pasta or potatoes and no sugar.  I learned a lot: 1. Unless it is fried, it doesn't need oil.  Using a non-stick or

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-51489551957372923002011-11-07T11:49:00.000-05:002011-11-07T11:49:13.469-05:00

Friday I began a doctor supervised diet plan.  Now before you all freak out and start screaming about how I don't need to lose weight just listen.  I may be within the 'normal' limits for height to weight, but I'm above 'normal' in fat percentage.  I've always said that I'm a fat skinny girl and truth be told, well over 30% of my body weight is fat.  Since beginning karate classes, the fact that

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-58047838938420663482011-10-22T10:04:00.000-04:002011-10-22T10:04:34.390-04:00

There has been a lot of chaos around here lately, all based upon us finding our 'Dream Home'.  A dream home that after some inspections turned into a possible nightmare.  Hence, we are staying put in our little econo-lodge, but we are upgrading to at least 3 star digs.  I'll only give it three because I AM the maid, chef and room service. So many times people do all the little things they have

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-47267690095017613982011-10-10T22:18:00.000-04:002011-10-10T22:18:22.466-04:00

This week I am giving myself two goals.  First off, starting this moment I will not spend a dime until Friday (payday), not a penny on gas, groceries or anything else.  I'm going to further challenge myself for the rest of the month to only spend money one day a week.  Outside of regular bills, I'm only going to spend money on groceries and gas.  I will fill the gas tank on paydays only and the

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-1539873006374268112011-10-09T21:22:00.000-04:002011-10-09T21:22:42.631-04:00

I cannot in any way, shape or form complain about my life.  I have a nice home, a healthy, happy family and reliable cars, food in the pantry, a few bucks in the wallet and a closet full of clothes and shoes.  When any of us want something we usually have the funds to make it happen right away or within a couple of weeks by saving up for it. We live pretty frugally around here.  Our biggest

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-30946496866020932342011-07-26T13:25:00.000-04:002011-07-26T13:25:19.415-04:00

I'm sure that at some point in your life you have taken an old picture or love letter, hell- even hate mail, and burned it.  I have many times and it was always very cathartic. Over the past few days I have been cleaning and organizing up a storm around the house.  In doing this, I came across some old cards related to a past endeavor that taught me a lot about business, myself, what friendship

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-9491731524875494152011-06-20T11:02:00.000-04:002011-06-20T11:02:56.540-04:00

Recent life shake ups left me with the opportunity to reevaluate many aspects of my life.  At the beginning of this month I reworked our family budget.  Like communism, it looked great on paper.  In reality, it needs a lot of tweaking.  When adjusting a budget the most important thing is keeping ALL the receipts.  This will tell you where the money is really going.  When I went through our

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-85577298741143447012011-06-13T12:04:00.000-04:002011-06-13T12:04:44.926-04:00

This week officially starts the crazy daze of summer.  This week is Mike and mine's ten year wedding anniversary.  Then there is Father's Day, another karate belt graduation for the boys, Gryffin's slumber party of madness, then the 4th of July directly followed by Mike's birthday and possible shoulder surgery, our yard sale and then vacation.  I think I'm going to need a summer vacation when all

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-56552822240186146812011-05-24T12:34:00.000-04:002011-05-24T12:34:50.106-04:00

The American Dream used to be home ownership and a secure income, now its just acquiring stuff.  Home ownership has dropped significantly and a secure income is a myth thanks to the recession.  So how does a household get ahead?  Stop using credit cards. Credit cards are liars.  They give you the feeling that you can afford things that you really can't.  They dig your financial grave so deep that

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-42838147501777514102011-04-25T11:47:00.000-04:002011-04-25T11:47:43.000-04:00

My Facebook page was getting out of hand.  I had so many people on there that I no longer communicated with, mainly because they were friends of friends that I'm no longer in touch with.  I  paired down my friends list and I hope that doesn't offend anyone.  Then again, I had so little contact with these people I doubt they will even notice.  But in the off chance they do and check in here... I

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-9269860537312493432011-04-24T09:09:00.000-04:002011-04-24T09:09:13.506-04:00

Last night Gryffin asked me how the Easter Bunny got in our house to hide the eggs.  I told him the same way Santa did, so my ingenious six year old frantically started running around the house, grabbing this and grabbing that.  When he was done our front room was filled with a plethora of child-like wonder.  He had drawn the Easter Bunny a picture, set a small table in front of the fireplace

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-68096631776733533282011-04-20T10:43:00.000-04:002011-04-20T10:43:56.087-04:00

I've never not been an emotional person.  It used to be that I could flip a switch and turn them off temporarily, sadly not anymore.  I must be getting older, things are starting to break.  However, I am trying to get a better hold on them.  It takes a lot for me to completely lose my temper but when that happens...run, fast and far away.  I will curse like a sailor and say things that will cut

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-57646170913213067232011-04-11T11:12:00.000-04:002011-04-11T11:12:11.147-04:00

It is Spring.  Time to weed the garden and clean house.  Literally and figuratively. The past 10 to 11 months have been a roller coaster.  The very highest of highs and lowest of lows have brought me to me emotional knees.  I'm exhausted and broken and ready to take my place back behind the walls I protected myself with for decades.  After many a betrayal, drama, loss and heart break, I have

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-80114839509602273492011-03-13T10:59:00.001-04:002011-03-13T11:00:06.803-04:00

Last night I attended a women's self defense seminar at my families dojo (aka- karate school).  It was two hours of butt kicking, man flipping fun.  Mike was kind enough to volunteer to be a 'bad guy' to room full of women.  It was nice to see him get beat on by girls, especially since I got to beat on him for a bit too. As some of you know, I take private self defense lessons a couple times a

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-12315719360698810172011-03-10T20:00:00.000-05:002011-03-10T20:00:21.057-05:00

Ok, this one is really good and really easy.  We had it tonight for dinner and I could have eaten a lot more than I did. Bourbon Chicken  (don't ask me why because unfortunately there isn't any bourbon it) 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces  1 large carrot, sliced 1 large broccoli crown, cut into bite-size pieces, stems removed

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-86903161546229531312011-03-08T17:06:00.000-05:002011-03-08T17:06:41.267-05:00

With gas at $3.49 a gallon, my $10 didn't go very far.  Its a good thing I no longer work outside the home, in fact this is one of the reasons why.  Yes, I drive a big gas guzzling SUV and no, I won't get something more fuel efficient.  Wanna know why?  Because my Jeep is reliable, paid for and well over a decade old.  It is still in excellent shape and doesn't even have 80,000 miles on it, yet

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-21516234521824961242011-03-07T18:13:00.001-05:002011-03-08T17:55:44.998-05:00

My meatloaf and meat ball recipe is exactly the same.  Why?  Because I'm lazy.  Because I make them in very large batches using similar ingredients.  Here is my recipe for both: Meatloaf/Meatball Recipe 1 lb ground pork 3 lb lean ground beef 1 cup frozen tri-color pepper strips, chopped and thawed.  (Buying them this way is much cheaper than buying fresh peppers) 1 large onion, diced 1 cup quick

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-22458739352478540342011-03-07T11:13:00.000-05:002011-03-07T11:13:40.087-05:00

Overcast and cold= Monday where I need to make more coffee and try to get my arse out from under a dog and a blanket.  Oh, did I mention that there is no school today?  But all of this is quite fine with me since my weekend was so nice.  Friday I took the train into St Louis because Mike took the afternoon off.  We stopped in to see the lovely Mia at Peridot, then we headed to All-Star Tattoos

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-26924705379055007832011-02-21T10:43:00.000-05:002011-02-21T10:43:03.146-05:00

Not those in recent history, of course.  Thank you to the ones who died to give my family an extra day together.  As far as Mother Nature giving us pleasant weather to enjoy this day, well... she can take this rain and high mold count and put it where the sun don't shine even for her.  Yesterday was in the 70's, later this week the weather guesser's are saying there's a chance for snow.  Great.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-38293681925054758062011-02-20T22:10:00.001-05:002011-03-08T17:56:31.939-05:00

I was able to spend time today coming up with a menu for the week, doing the monthly Sam's run, making a loaf of bread, trying a new recipe and making an awesome dinner for my family.  These are the little things that I really enjoy but lately haven't had the time and energy at the same time to do it. Tonight's dinner was blackened Tilapia, roasted potatoes with chive and steamed carrots.  I cook

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-40176661323103427672010-12-07T12:17:00.001-05:002010-12-07T12:17:43.650-05:00

Since it's been so long here's what has happened since the last post: Gryffin is about ready to graduate to a gold belt in karate, Mike is about to graduate to a green belt.  Myself, along with my wonderful friend Mia have opened Peridot, a shop on Cherokee Street dedicated to selling locally made art and craft. Gryffin is half way through kindergarten and loving it.  Mike got a new job that

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-22922976647030240672010-07-21T12:39:00.001-04:002011-03-08T17:56:50.404-05:00

I had some local, organic peaches that had to be used soon but I'm not one to sit down and get covered in sticky peach juice.  I like the taste, I don't like the mess.  So I decided to make some cobbleresque pie.  My pies generally have a bottom crust and the top is a mix of oats, brown sugar and butter.  I don't really know where I came up with this except to say I'm not real crazy about pie

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-81310556488161031602010-06-30T17:42:00.000-04:002010-06-30T17:42:52.097-04:00

My little man is now a Kindergartener.  He did us proud and enjoyed running through school on a sugar binge after graduation.  The cake I made for the event didn't help that much.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-66070256422576456902010-05-05T20:00:00.003-04:002010-05-05T20:01:38.033-04:00

What does it take to turn 5?  Apparently two birthday cakes, three parties and some PB&J cupcakes (in a pear tree). I made both of these with my two little arthritis filled hands and enjoyed every moment of it.  They were a labor of love still fueled by the guilt of a store bought cake on his 2nd birthday.  They tasted as good as they looked and my little man loved them.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-17325096585442945102010-05-05T19:46:00.000-04:002010-05-05T19:46:38.960-04:00

Oh yes I did. I used a basic cake mix for this but added a few unique touches.  After allowing the cupcakes to completely cool I filled a long tip squeeze bottle with grape jelly, poked it into the top of each and squeezed a little jelly goodness into the center of each one.  Then I made the icing using peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and a touch of milk. I know a certain pre-k class

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78214177624007251732010-05-05T19:39:00.001-04:002011-03-08T17:57:30.727-05:00

There are things in the world that are impossible; levitation, keeping on top of laundry and winning the lottery without buying a ticket.  Making jam in an hour... possible!  Don't call me crazy like it's an insult, making home made jam in an hour is truly achievable. Freezer Jam 1 quart strawberries 4 cups sugar 1 pkg Sure Jell pectin 3/4 cups water Wash, hull and chop strawberries.  Using a

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-49331850726384020382010-02-21T15:48:00.000-05:002010-02-21T15:48:47.074-05:00

It's a teddy bear picnic!

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-80300877375252063892010-02-13T14:07:00.001-05:002010-02-13T14:10:38.921-05:00

Gryffin and I love popcorn.  Let's face it, it is the perfect snack.  It can be salty or sweet and its not that bad for you.  Plus, you can eat a ton since it has very few calories.  We've been out of those handy dandy little single serving microwave packs with uber amounts of butter for a while.  The other day while at Sam's I looked into getting more but that stuff is expensive.  That's when I

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-10453031778565068112010-01-30T10:36:00.000-05:002010-01-30T10:36:17.040-05:00

Being sick is no fun, but thankfully we are getting over it pretty quickly. While not feeling well enough to cook dinner one night I discovered that the Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup makes an awesome spaghetti sauce.  I just added garlic powder, basil and oregano, then tossed in some cooked pasta.  Now I may have to start making REALLY big batches and freezing it for this purpose as well.  I

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-68758791070027027852010-01-25T16:04:00.017-05:002011-03-08T17:57:52.166-05:00

 This is a super close up that shows the real color of the soup. 1 t olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jar roasted red peppers, chopped (I use the Trader Joe's brand, but you could always roast your own) 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or a 28 oz can) 1 1/2 t dried thyme 2 t paprika 1 lg can tomato paste 6 cups broth of choice 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1/4 c fat free

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-3503871687893856212010-01-24T16:43:00.001-05:002010-01-24T16:44:40.728-05:00

At one of my towns fantabulous thrift shops I found a couple baking pans for doughnuts.  Traditionally, doughnuts are fried but since the pans only cost me a quarter for both why not try baked ones.  I scoured my usual internet recipe sites and believe it or not, there aren't a whole lot of recipes for baked doughnuts.  I did find one that got pretty good reviews though. Gryffin and I found out

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-6720542922376391532010-01-24T11:05:00.000-05:002010-01-24T11:05:12.301-05:00

After a big breakfast of scrambled eggs and a mess of hard boiled ones, we still have 2 dozen in the fridge.  Fair Shares usually gives us a couple dozen, if not more, a month.  We really don't eat that much.  I used to not be able to eat eggs because they always upset my stomach.  Then we got the free range, organic ones from Fair Shares and that problem went away.  So why don't we eat them more

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-66670015133001054742010-01-21T17:07:00.003-05:002011-03-08T17:59:58.574-05:00

Yesterday I made one dozen cherry pies.  Sounds like a lot, huh?  Not really. Pie By The Dozen 3/4 jar of Dark Morello Cherries from Trader Joe's 1 refrigerator pie crust 1/2 cup quick cook oats 1/2 cup brown sugar pinch of salt 1/4 cup flour + 2 Tbsp 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 stick of butter, softened Non stick cooking spray and the ancient Chinese secret... a muffin pan! In a bowl, mix the brown

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-6046746287680894272010-01-19T16:09:00.001-05:002010-01-19T16:09:48.063-05:00

Chicken Marsala 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup dried mushroom slices 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup flour 2 T olive oil 2 T butter 1 T dried rosemary 3/4 c Marsala wine Salt & pepper Act I: The Prep Scene 1:  Split the chicken breasts into cutlets.  To do this, lay the breast flat on a cutting board, use the palm of your hand to flatten them.  While keeping flat use the knife to slice

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-90027685158643616452010-01-18T14:05:00.002-05:002010-01-18T14:07:56.383-05:00

So last night we indeed had pizza.  It was quick and none of us were really that hungry.  Even if I hadn't had a spare crust already in the fridge it would've still only taken less time than having it delivered. No Knead For Delivery Pizza Crust 3 cups flour (I use bread flour but AP works well too) 2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (or 1 envelope) 3/4 tsp salt 2 Tbsp olive oil 3/4-1 cup warm water

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-48752997588754058732010-01-17T16:04:00.000-05:002010-01-17T16:04:29.612-05:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't give me a hard time for not posting lately; after all, I only have1 follower.  Things have been wicked crazy.  Holidays, school breaks, health insurance changes, you name it we've dealt with it.  Things are slowly returning to as normal as normal can be with this family.  Mike's place of employment changed their pay schedule.  We went from twice a month to every other

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-26003642960232803682009-11-25T13:12:00.000-05:002009-11-25T13:12:27.708-05:00

Its just an idea.  The idea that with the exception of the gifts already purchased, I will buy nothing new for Christmas.  Left are friends and a few family members that are wonderful enough to realize that handmade is essentially heart-made.  At this stage of the game, 4 weeks left, that puts me a little behind.  Ok, a lot behind.  I'm good under pressure though.  I've perfected that skill due

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-49804639914925676912009-11-21T11:13:00.001-05:002009-12-28T17:14:46.702-05:00

I got quizzed on my previous post about how and what I used to do this so I will let y'all in my secrets: Ground Beef 1.  I use a 80/20 blend because too lean a ground beef tastes like cardboard.  Fat may not be your friend but damned if it don't have flavor. 2.  I cook it in one or two batches in the biggest pot I've got.  I can do about 4 lbs at once.  It takes a lot of stirring to get

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-62309409680586327472009-11-16T16:01:00.001-05:002009-12-28T17:15:15.600-05:00

Today I cooked up 6 lbs of ground beef.  What will I do with all of this loose meat, you ask?  Well: 1. Spaghetti sauce 2. Lasagna 3. Sloppy Joes 4 Shepherds Pie I also cooked up 7 lbs of chicken breast in the crock pot to shred.  This will be used for: 1. Chicken enchiladas 2. Chicken and dumplings 3. Chicken noodle soup 4. Tetrazini 5. Salads 6. Chicken chili I know, not very interesting. 

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-25653313809377348652009-11-03T16:08:00.001-05:002009-11-03T16:15:00.620-05:00

I do my damnedest to make sure Gryffin has healthy, delicious food to eat.  Not only at home but to take to school as well.  A nutritious wide range of good, whole food is what I teach Gryffin to consume.  This is being undermined by school.  The one place where all children should learn this! This morning one of the mom's was sweet and brought breakfast for the entire class, unfortunately this

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-31952290920888741712009-10-16T10:31:00.000-04:002009-10-16T10:31:54.729-04:00

My kid is so sweet.  Two little girls in his pre-K class have swine flu.  Gryffin felt really bad that they were sick so last night while we had the dining room covered in crafty goodness he decided (all on his own) to make a get well picture for one.  We asked him to make one for the second girl too since they are twins, which he did.  He was quite disappointed to learn that we couldn't go to

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-39606359929376562322009-10-05T08:31:00.000-04:002009-10-05T08:31:44.190-04:00

Mike was off most of last week and it was awesome.  He and I squeezed in a couple of lunch dates while Gryffin was in school.  It's really rare that he and I get to go out just the two of us so even if its just a quick lunch and errand running it is always a treat.  I am so lucky to have a husband who is also a best friend. So much went on while he was off, some everyday boring, some really fun

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-79884824069475170552009-09-25T10:39:00.001-04:002009-12-28T17:15:59.131-05:00

I jumped in head first and landed in flour.  I was at Satan's (aka Sam's Club) and saw they had 25 lb bag of bread flour for $7.  A loaf of bread at the grocery costs, when on sale, $2.50.  Stand back, I'm about to do math.  That's 2.5 divided, no multiplied, carry the zero, that's not right.  My brain hurts, let's just say that if I waste (shame) most of the flour I will still have saved a

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78982925366283702352009-09-21T11:35:00.002-04:002009-12-28T17:16:31.833-05:00

Yesterday was a day that screamed for something warm, hearty and comforting for lunch.  I had cooked, crumbled ground beef, hamburger buns and peppers.  Hm, Sloppy Joe's! A while back after reading the ingredients on a Manwich can I was surprised. INGREDIENTS: Tomato puree (water, tomato paste), high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, less than 2% of: salt, sugar, dehydrated

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78177149896914073492009-09-21T10:35:00.000-04:002009-09-21T10:35:54.553-04:00

Earlier this week we received a letter from a local car dealership telling us that they were interested in our Jeep and we could trade it in for another car for little to no money.  OK, gimmick alert.  But our Jeep is a 2001 in excellent condition so lets just see if they could give us a deal we couldn't refuse. We test drove a lot of cars and found one that we liked.  A Jeep Compass loaded with

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-44416960231806203262009-08-31T09:23:00.002-04:002009-08-31T09:45:10.188-04:00

In just 8 days Gryffin starts school. This morning we started transitioning into the school morning routine: Get up, dressed and make bed at 7:30, breakfast and both of us ready to leave at 8:15. School starts at 8:30 and is (maybe) 5 minutes away WITH traffic. Today Gryffin will be my little chef. Mike's department is having a Bake Sale Fundraiser Wednesday so I need to whip up some brownies

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-2236281246718187992009-08-27T10:39:00.005-04:002009-12-28T17:18:08.947-05:00

Yes folks, the date on the jar is correct. This bread was made in October of last year. I've never know anyone I've given my 'canned' bread to to wait more than a few days before cracking it open so I just had to make sure for myself that it would last this long. I hid the jar way in the back of my pantry so I would forget, which worked pretty well until this morning when I was craving

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-23766717500068985122009-08-24T18:11:00.004-04:002009-12-28T17:18:46.196-05:00

Last week Gryffin was begging for doughnuts for breakfast. I tried explaining to him that without dough you can't buy doughnuts. He didn't get it. My humor isn't even bad enough for a four year old to understand. I looked in the fridge and spotted a can of crescent rolls and a jar of blueberry/blackberry jam. Hmm, I could do something with that. The addition of some brown sugar and chopped

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-14618389348626436342009-08-18T10:05:00.002-04:002009-08-18T10:19:46.758-04:00

I have many Superhero powers, picking up toys, shoes and dirty laundry, cooking a fabulous meal from scratch, grocery shopping for 2-3 weeks in under 30 minutes and taking 2 hour bubble baths. My nemesis is laundry. The evil, ever growing monster of stink has been tormenting me for years. I HATE doing laundry. I'm down right terrible at it. If I remember to put it in the dryer it will sit

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-25957621915963393952009-08-16T13:44:00.003-04:002009-08-16T13:47:01.661-04:00

A sunny little windowsill will turn these red in no time!Not bad for a day's work!

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-80747940807786007872009-06-29T10:15:00.003-04:002009-06-29T11:25:22.549-04:00

Yesterday's weather was so good that we forgot about the laundry monster taking over our basement and headed to the zoo. It was a lot of fun. Afterward we stopped by our favorite Mexican restaurant, Arcelia's. Oh holy chips and salsa, it was good!PS: I've made some changes to the sun dress, no more trim under the bodice, the skirt finally goes all the way around, darts around the waist for a

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78848514556277392352009-06-26T20:14:00.004-04:002009-06-26T20:23:45.162-04:00

This is sundress that I'm currently cursing (I mean, making). It's no where near finished. The skirt and waist trim aren't sewn on. The neck strap is hard to see but it's a halter style. Mostly because the patterns measurement of 40" is much different that my measurement of 40". There is a 6" gap in the back of the skirt. Good thing I have plenty of fabric left!This is my rainy day skirt,

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78162434726162368382009-06-23T09:12:00.002-04:002009-06-23T09:18:20.679-04:00

Another triple digit day. Have I mentioned that the Jeep is out of freon? No AC means sweat for me. Luckily, other than dropping off a prescription and taking Gryffin to Day Out, I have no other driving to do.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-38139056360820739212009-06-22T12:05:00.002-04:002009-06-22T12:11:19.043-04:00

That is me today. Gryffin is 'helping' me make chocolate ice cream and peanut butter cookie sandwiches. Later I have to take all the meat I bought at Satan's (aka Sam's Wholesale) and vacuum seal it into smaller portions to freeze.Garden Update:TONS of Mexican Midgets (grape tomatoes) turning red, two huge Hungarian Hearts (Roma's) growing and more sprouting, bunches of cucumbers getting bigger

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-72628390001288493752009-06-15T10:06:00.002-04:002009-06-15T10:15:12.331-04:00

Metropolis, Il.Just waiting around to save the day.Gryffin meets 'the real' Superman.Even the Caped Crusader showed up.We had an awesome time at the Superman Fest. Gryffin got to meet a lot of Superhero's and ate a corndog the size of his leg. Before we left we filled up on Dippin' Dots and everyone but Gryffin regretted it.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-39350390265059569042009-06-05T12:18:00.003-04:002009-06-05T12:28:41.746-04:00

Last night I was going to fix some sweet potato fries to go with our pork burgers but didn't feel like: A. heating up the house or B. waiting for them to cook. Mike mentioned getting some potato salad from the market so off I went on my merry little adventure down the alley. Hmmm, lets see, the Market's potato salad for $3 for a quarter pound of $1.30 for 1 lb of their baby baked potatoes from

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-36625299296956646352009-06-04T08:43:00.004-04:002009-12-28T17:20:25.612-05:00

I don't know if this rain is good or bad. It's nice to get a break from the heat but yesterday it was so cold my nails turned blue and the tips of my fingers numb. Not to mention the fact that my tomato plants are now 5 foot tall. I have to get out to the back 4.0 and do a little farming. Cut back the 'maters so more nutrients will actually go to producing 'maters, weave the cucumber plants

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-72737866840717513102009-06-01T09:53:00.002-04:002009-06-01T10:08:49.783-04:00

Yesterday we took Gryffin to see the new Pixar flick, Up. It was Gryffin's first movie at a theater so we opted for the 3D version. We purchased our tickets and took Gryffin inside. His first words were, "Whoa, cool!" He and I went to look at the 'money wasters', aka video games, while Mike got the popcorn and drinks. Then it was time to pick out our seats. It was a good thing we got there

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-83948267054279065302009-05-28T10:57:00.002-04:002009-05-28T11:13:10.787-04:00

It seems we may have to start building an ark. What Mother Nature doesn't understand is that my garden needs sunlight as well as rain. The tomato plants are going crazy, the lettuce has been enjoyed many times and is into the second & third harvest on some plants, the squirrels have enjoyed my strawberries (damn squirrels). I've got flowers on my cucumbers, a broccoli ready for harvest and

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-88246296596612112192009-04-17T08:44:00.002-04:002009-04-17T09:30:41.154-04:00

Gryffin has made a full recovery. Just one of those mysterious kid fevers I guess. Thank goodness, because we were afraid we might have had to cancel his birthday party tomorrow. That would suck.Today I have to bake his cake and decorate it. He's requested a Ben 10 cake with all the aliens on it, our dog Scraps on it and sprinkles. I'm pretty sure I can do all but the dog. I also have

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-61274996811447797312009-04-16T19:46:00.002-04:002009-04-16T19:51:24.928-04:00

I haven't been killed by an avalanche of dirty clothes; although, they have formed a union. Here's a quick update in bullets:trying to get ready for Gryffin's birthday party next weekadopted a puppyupped the antidepressant/anxiety medsmade Easter dinner for my chosen familyThere was a lot more but my memory sucks, sorry.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-28652484485199225602009-04-02T20:13:00.002-04:002009-04-02T20:47:48.207-04:00

We returned home late Sunday night. The trip and visit was wonderful. Gryffin got to catch bugs, explore a cave, tour the Mothman Museum and pee in a cup. I think he was most excited about the last. We got stuck in deadlock traffic somewhere in Indiana and he just couldn't hold it anymore so we made Grandma hold the cup. Hee hee hee. Gryffin was really good at keeping himself occupied while

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-83109629997337220112009-03-26T10:03:00.002-04:002009-03-26T10:10:25.385-04:00

We are driving to Ohio tonight to visit Mike's Uncle, Aunt and Nanny. Dianne is coming too, she's kind enough to have offered the use of her living room on wheels, aka- van. This thing has a TV with DVD player and is game system compatible. She's also been kind enough to volunteer to ride in the back with Gryffin because I get car sick so easily. Man, I got the best mother-in-law ever!It's

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-5825912218930111822009-03-16T15:36:00.002-04:002009-03-16T15:36:40.360-04:00

I would really love to share pictures of our new and improved back yard, but it seems I have lost my phone and need to tear the house apart.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-43519649862144863062009-03-10T09:28:00.002-04:002009-03-10T09:33:29.515-04:00

If you live around or near me, take your kid to the same Day Out program, hang out at the same coffee joint or know me in any way, shape or form- be warned. I am out of makeup. Completely. I don't wear much, but what I do wear makes a huge difference. It covers the purple bags under my eyes and my teenage-like acne. So, if you see a purple eyed, pimpled, disheveled and panicked woman driving

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-40006584688690691392009-03-09T09:52:00.002-04:002009-03-09T09:58:21.000-04:00

Well that was a nice weekend. The weather was nice enough to open the house up and air it out, for the boys to play outside and clean up the yard and for me to crank up the music and clean. Yesterday the time change hit us like bricks, but we still got a couple things done.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-79676094653615880682009-03-04T10:18:00.005-05:002009-12-28T17:23:01.641-05:00

Finally, a food experiment that turned out edible. More than edible, I'm even having this for breakfast today. I went to college in the south where grits are served breakfast, lunch, dinner and sometimes desert. I learned that their flavor changes depending on what they are paired with, everything from savory to sweet. Currently living in the Midwest, I missed them. Most people here have never

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-61891469104376029482009-03-02T09:27:00.003-05:002009-03-02T09:38:07.794-05:00

Last night Mike installed a covert tactic to dealing with a sneaky child... a motion activated light switch. He put it in the hallway outside Gryffin's room and it works like a charm. I know when Gryffin gets up in the morning, even without having my hearing aides in. My husband is so smart.There were two of these handy dandy little gadgets in the package. The second will go in our closet,

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-854210400274889372009-03-01T21:03:00.001-05:002009-03-01T21:08:45.281-05:00

I cannot make crab cakes to save my life. Tonight I had a wonderful dinner planned of crab cakes, sweet potato fries and cole slaw. The cole slaw and fries were good. The crab cakes were more like crab slag. Luckily, the corner market was still open and I picked up a couple of pork steaks from their hot deli. This of course, was after Nick the Butcher gave me a hard time. He knows whenever

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-43303665030888964102009-02-27T10:37:00.006-05:002009-03-01T15:16:55.805-05:00

Seafood Chowdah'(this recipe has been adapted by me from Ina Gartner's Lobster Corn Chowder)(and can be Lent suitable with the omission of the bacon)(complete ingredient list at the end of this post)(just couldn't stop with the addendum's)1. Brown off the bacon bits, remove with a slotted spoon to drain.Heat the seafood stock along with the sherry, milk, herbs and spices.2. Add in the corn, onion

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-58647309416293672952009-02-27T09:44:00.002-05:002009-02-27T09:59:29.243-05:00

Yesterday I received a much anticipated package in the mail. Seeds! I'm planting my (first ever) vegetable garden. Not now, of course. It is still too early despite averaging one or two 70 degree days a week. I do plan on starting the seeds inside in paper egg cartons. Why? Because I refuse to spend money on stupid little plastic trays that only end up in the landfill. Woo Hoo, I feel my

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-87491657424360588422009-02-23T20:32:00.003-05:002009-02-23T20:35:37.752-05:00

Hmmm, the government is looking to take a larger stake in the banks. It's not that I distrust our current administration, consider the alternative, but I'm thinking a shoe box or mattress might be best for my money.It would still earn the same interest rate.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-71895036114902186382009-02-23T09:50:00.002-05:002009-02-23T09:56:41.361-05:00

I'm sick, AGAIN! My head feels like it's going to explode. Mike thinks he may have found the problem to my prolonged illness last night. There was mold in our humidifier. I am really allergic to mold. It's amazing I survived living in my egg-donors house. He put a little bleach in the water to kill it off so hopefully, I can recover quickly and finally. I can't let a little thing like lack

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-33512687491385661962009-02-20T16:01:00.002-05:002009-02-20T16:03:39.234-05:00

I haven't fallen off the planet. Our beloved 14 year old Husky, Mojo, passed away this week. I hope to be back to regular posting soon, but not today.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-21886732031124720592009-02-16T11:17:00.003-05:002009-02-16T11:25:15.811-05:00

The other day I was in the sewing room making a Pink Panther scarf for a little girl's birthday present when I noticed a spot on the ceiling. Crap, there's a leak in the roof. This morning we promptly called our roofer who true to his form said he would be here in a few hours and arrived not an hour later. Hail damage, grrrr. He gave is two options: the cheap quick fix or the $200 not going

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-5467635211215051092009-02-10T08:42:00.002-05:002009-02-10T08:51:06.134-05:00

My last post now seems like wishful thinking. I'm still battling what Gryffin calls "the little green things" in my chest and head. Last night as Mike went to the drug store for cough medicine, Gryffin covered me with blankets and brought me one of his favorite toys to snuggle with so I would feel better. I don't know how my kid got to be so sweet but I'm damn thankful for it.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-85137519052459682862009-02-05T08:58:00.002-05:002009-02-05T09:04:56.123-05:00

I've been sick, again. But thankfully, I'm pretty much over it now, which is good because for some reason the house looks like I've been sick for a while. Toys, clutter, laundry, dishes and an empty pantry are the sure signs of my neglect. At least they are all easily remedied.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-57006412435869303982009-01-29T08:56:00.003-05:002009-01-29T09:11:28.490-05:00

With no Day Out Tuesday and no karate class yesterday, Gryffin was getting a little restless. (Understatement of the year) I give my kid credit, when he's hit with boredom he's also hit with creativity. He came up with the idea of throwing Mike a surprise party, with cake and streamers and sign. Damn, my kid is brilliant. I knew Mike could really use a good cheering up after having a few

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-78441599074561332562009-01-28T10:25:00.004-05:002009-01-28T10:42:41.188-05:00

We have enough snow on the ground that I can no longer see the neighbors grass sticking up. That's a lot of snow, folks. Oh, and have I mentioned they just NOW got rid of their Halloween pumpkin and put up a bunch of bird feeders? I hate birds.Last night as soon as Mike got home I sent him right back out in it with Gryffin. They played in the snow for about a half hour before it got too cold

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-39145112847456520872009-01-27T07:50:00.003-05:002009-01-27T07:59:25.898-05:00

I doubt there is even two inches of snow on the ground and everyone is panicked. The weatherman, aka Guessman, has predicted anywhere between 0-967 more, way to CYA dude. Needless to say, all the schools have closed.Time for an agenda redo.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-42466396087408517332009-01-23T11:21:00.002-05:002009-01-23T11:28:54.183-05:00

Mike passed his test! He not only passed, but passed with a 90%. The national average is 73%. I am so proud of him.Yesterday he came home with a big bouquet of flowers. I got gussied up while the boys waited for Grandma to show up. We shipped Gryffin off with her and Mike took me out for sushi. Mmmm, sushi. Saki on the other hand, I'll leave that up to Mike. We got some new movies,

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-33109718996016500592009-01-21T10:23:00.004-05:002009-01-21T10:50:04.778-05:00

I slept so hard I think my brain fell out. That's pretty rare for me, I'm usually a light sleeper. On the rare nights when I do sleep like last night, I have the hardest time waking up. Couple cups of coffee, a shower and Gryffin waking up in a good mood helps.Yesterday I watched the Inauguration. What a moment in history! One step closer to equality for all and hopefully better times ahead

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-9879515200267889912009-01-20T08:51:00.002-05:002009-01-20T09:03:00.717-05:00

There's a dusting of snow on the ground, it's cold and I'm out of coffee. At least one of those (the most important) can be remedied. I just hope they haven't closed Day Out because of the snow. I know Mojo is happy to have it. Nothing makes and old Husky smile like snow and maybe a good belly rub and some table scraps. Mike takes his Series 7, investment broker's test, on Thursday. He's

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-5326737200207477892009-01-19T18:25:00.001-05:002009-01-19T18:33:19.227-05:00

The seafood chowda' turned out lovely. I won't post the recipe just yet, as it's not perfected. Next time I will use all seafood stock instead of half seafood, half veggie. I will add more crab and salad shrimp, lots of paprika and maybe even some other kind of whitefish. I am really proud of my first attempt though. I just need to learn how to cook for us and not the whole neighborhood

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-91907268793090623942009-01-19T17:32:00.001-05:002009-01-19T17:34:36.176-05:00

I'm currently trying to make a seafood chowder, with corn and potatoes, crab and shrimp. I'm not real confident about it, but we'll see. Stay tuned for the sordid details.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-86008805242020138482009-01-17T11:28:00.003-05:002009-01-17T11:34:26.373-05:00

You're wearing killer boots,Got Loretta Lynn, Social Distortion and Elvis Costello on shuffleAnd with an empty houseAre cleaning.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-24181317468699506412009-01-14T09:12:00.006-05:002009-01-14T09:48:37.107-05:00

I've been trying to get Chicken & Dumplings right for months now. And I've finally done it.I started off making my own chicken stock. I had roasted a chicken for Monday's dinner and saved the carcass. I put that and an onion, bay leaves, fresh parsley and rosemary, some Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute and water into the crock pot yesterday morning on high. I let that simmer away until about

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-42518781244185400222009-01-11T10:28:00.002-05:002009-01-11T10:46:37.827-05:00

The visit with Mike's Aunt & Uncle was short but good. And I got a clean house out of it. Yesterday I hit the grocery store for some Can't Pass Up deals. With the uncertainty of the economy we have decided to stock up on frozen and dry goods. I got 5 boxes of cereal and two huge bottles of laundry detergent for $30. Doesn't sound like a deal until you realize that these purchases got me a

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-38191328781973872282009-01-09T09:04:00.003-05:002009-01-09T09:11:40.228-05:00

I'm no longer in a maiming mood. My jaw is well enough to eat some cereal and drink coffee. That's really all I require.We are getting some out of town guests this evening and Dianne has been kind enough to agree to watch Gryffin while I scour the house. Something about out-of-towners makes me want to make the house perfect. That and the fact that I really haven't had opportunity to get much

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-48807689318811082012009-01-08T19:37:00.002-05:002009-01-08T19:40:22.313-05:00

Dental hygienists should be shot in all four appendages, hung from a tree upside down and used as a pinata until their teeth fall out. But this is just my opinion and only a temporary one at that. I'm sure once I'm able to move my jaw again the anger will subside. A little.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-80905404090564004892009-01-06T09:09:00.001-05:002009-01-06T09:37:43.363-05:00

Ice hit last night and the schools are closed. Damned ice. This was to be Gryffin's first day back to Day Out since before Christmas and I had a bazillion things to do. Oh well, I guess they will just have to wait. At least there is still hot coffee.

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-64421747709757081532009-01-05T12:29:00.002-05:002009-01-05T12:52:11.070-05:00

Here are more of my strategies to saving (or avoiding spending) money.1. Use cash, when it's gone it's really gone.2. Break bills, never give change away. When you buy something use bills and let the change collect. Once a week I clean out my wallet and put the change in a big jar on the dresser. When that gets full, I turn it in for anywhere from $40 to $100 at a time.3. Save first, set up

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-73508861635033847532009-01-05T11:32:00.006-05:002009-01-05T19:51:13.791-05:00

My attempts at crock pot cooking have either been hit or miss. Not just miss by "it needs something", I mean hit by " eek, gross, throw it out- NOW". My last attempt was of the latter category. Chicken and Dumplings that turned out to be Chunky and Dump It. Today I'm trying beef stew. I really, really, really hope this works out. This is what I did:1 lb of stew meat1 lb of baby carrots1 lb

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-89630494267641483822009-01-05T08:35:00.002-05:002009-01-05T08:51:58.321-05:00

MMmmmm, coffee.That's exactly how I feel this morning. A rough night of no sleep past 2 am and an early morning of Gryffin being up at 6:30, that ought to make for a lovely, groggy day. Oh well, I've made it through worse situations.The New Year brought about new changes to my daily routine and a review of the budget. I didn't keep up on what I was spending on Christmas and went a little

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-41447907906795272542009-01-04T12:18:00.003-05:002009-01-04T12:32:18.986-05:00

Do those words make you cringe? Do they make you think of jarred, gelatinous goo that tastes a lot like poo? Think again, my friend.My husband is a gravy lover. I've always liked the taste of it, just couldn't stomach the fact that it was so fatty. Last night for dinner I made mini meatloaves, broccoli & cauliflower and mashed potatoes and FAT FREE GRAVY. It was solely done as an experiment

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22554966.post-12577425272411443642009-01-02T09:11:00.004-05:002009-01-02T09:54:31.236-05:00

AfterAfter. That's Betsy in the corner, she was a Christmas present from Mike. Yay!AfterBeforeBeforeNew Year's Eve was just as I had predicted... Gryffin and I asleep with Mike playing video games. I think he kissed me at midnight. Our New Year's Day was just as kicked back. Gryffin helped Mike take down the outdoor Christmas decorations and I cleaned out the avalanche room, aka- sewing room

SAHM I amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09839468215184698191noreply@blogger.com3