Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Today's challenge
So, I'm not sure if today's challenge is more about getting this drawer cleaned out and organized, or getting off my duff and actually getting something accomplished. I fell off the wagon yesterday and Monday. Monday I just couldn't get motivated to find and do a project after I cleaned up the house from the weekend. Yesterday, Jon stayed home from work, and I just never get anything done when Jon stays home from work. Why is that? So, anyway, wish me luck.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Ashley
My Ashley. Such a sweet girl. Some days I wonder about her fashion sense. But, more often than not, I think she looks pretty cute.
Last night, we watched some old videos of her as a toddler. I had forgotten just how utterly adorable she was. (still is of course). She was a very cheeky, precocious little girl. Sometimes, I feel bad for her as the oldest of four kids. I feel like she's lost some of that "je ne se quoi" that she posessed as a tot. I think it's my fault too. Ever since baby #2 came along, she's kind of been bumped back a bit. (does that make sense?) I just seem to expect more from her because she's the oldest. I forget sometimes that she's only 9, and she doesn't just naturally know how to do everything. She sure gives it her best shot though. She's a terrific kid. Getting straight A's at school. She wants to be a pop star some day. She's very smart. She tells me at least one thing each day that I don't think I knew, and if I did, I had forgotten about. She told me the other day that if we had a million dollars, we could put it in the bank and just live off the interest. I'm thinking to myself, "where did you learn about interest?" I don't think I had a clue at the age of 9 what interest was all about.
She is so looking forward to becoming a teenager. I keep telling her to stop growing up, but she just won't listen. :o(
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Well, thought I'd just post a little of what's happening in the household lately. Both of my little guys now have two bottom teeth and are working on the top front ones now. They don't seem too cranky though, thank goodness.
Yesterday, after I got off work, we went to my brother in law's house for my niece's sweet sixteen birthday party. Laura, his wife, is the most awesome cook. She made beef and chicken tacos, lots and lots of them. they were so good. She makes terrific spanish rice, which Haley loves to eat. She won't eat my rice, but she loves Aunt Laura's. I can't blame her. Everything Laura makes is fantastic. She made chili verde this past Christmas. It was to die for!
Jason has started trying to take a few steps! Yay! He doesn't really try them on his own, but with some encouragement. It's so cute.
I was ironing some little shirts for my little guys to wear to church this morning. I started thinking about how in about 11 years I'll be ironing their white shirts so they can pass the sacrament. I love the thought of having them hold the priesthood. I think that was one of my first thoughts when I found out I was having boys--how cool to have the priesthood in our home. Jon does hold the Aaronic priesthood, but he's not active (more like, not really converted I should say), so I guess I don't think it's the same, (sigh) maybe some day.
I have to decide what to try to organize tomorrow. There's so much, I don't know where to start. If I look around the house right now, I get very discouraged, because the whole place is ransacked!!!
Sister Rasmussen called me this week. She wanted to know if she could take pictures of the boys with some new props she got. Of course, I said yes. Her photography is awesome. So, we scheduled an appointment for the 17th. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Hopefully Jason and Justin will cooperate.
I suppose I should be hitting the hay. The boys wake up every morning at 4:45 like clockwork. Last night, they even stayed up until 9:30, and still this morning--4:45!! Any suggestions on getting them to sleep in later? Or is this just one of those situations where I pick my battles?--Just be grateful to get them to sleep through the night, and go to bed a little earlier myself. I'm afraid that's probably the only solution. So, I'd best be off to bed.
Yesterday, after I got off work, we went to my brother in law's house for my niece's sweet sixteen birthday party. Laura, his wife, is the most awesome cook. She made beef and chicken tacos, lots and lots of them. they were so good. She makes terrific spanish rice, which Haley loves to eat. She won't eat my rice, but she loves Aunt Laura's. I can't blame her. Everything Laura makes is fantastic. She made chili verde this past Christmas. It was to die for!
Jason has started trying to take a few steps! Yay! He doesn't really try them on his own, but with some encouragement. It's so cute.
I was ironing some little shirts for my little guys to wear to church this morning. I started thinking about how in about 11 years I'll be ironing their white shirts so they can pass the sacrament. I love the thought of having them hold the priesthood. I think that was one of my first thoughts when I found out I was having boys--how cool to have the priesthood in our home. Jon does hold the Aaronic priesthood, but he's not active (more like, not really converted I should say), so I guess I don't think it's the same, (sigh) maybe some day.
I have to decide what to try to organize tomorrow. There's so much, I don't know where to start. If I look around the house right now, I get very discouraged, because the whole place is ransacked!!!
Sister Rasmussen called me this week. She wanted to know if she could take pictures of the boys with some new props she got. Of course, I said yes. Her photography is awesome. So, we scheduled an appointment for the 17th. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Hopefully Jason and Justin will cooperate.
I suppose I should be hitting the hay. The boys wake up every morning at 4:45 like clockwork. Last night, they even stayed up until 9:30, and still this morning--4:45!! Any suggestions on getting them to sleep in later? Or is this just one of those situations where I pick my battles?--Just be grateful to get them to sleep through the night, and go to bed a little earlier myself. I'm afraid that's probably the only solution. So, I'd best be off to bed.
Friday, June 6, 2008
After
Well, a little bit better.
At least, now I can see what I have.
Not too sure about the helfulness factor.
Organization Challenge
One Pantry
Six shelves
And two little helpers....So, I am taking Jamies challenge ( http://fambee.blogspot.com/2008/06/after_05.html ), and organizing one thing each day for the rest of the month. Well, Monday through Friday anyway.
So obviously today it's the pantry.
On a side note, itsn't it amazing how you don't notice how bad something is getting to be until you see a picture of it? I.e.... my weight, i.e....the floor of the pantry. What is that gunk on the floor? Uuugh!! How disgusting. I never even noticed it until I saw the picture. It's been a while, obviously since I cleaned out the pantry. How embarrassing!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Really Helpful Hints
OK. this is really long. Sorry.
Another email I got, with some really helpful hints.
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to
pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints
in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste
of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply
chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them
in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350
for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low
and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on
the cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer
for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes
with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in
a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food
moist and help it reheat faster.
Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel
roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in nar-
row openings.
Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt
or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose.
Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone.
Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such
as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside,
just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals
easily.
Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and
leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you
bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," can't
digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works
and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Another email I got, with some really helpful hints.
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to
pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints
in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste
of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply
chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them
in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350
for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low
and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on
the cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer
for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes
with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in
a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food
moist and help it reheat faster.
Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel
roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in nar-
row openings.
Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt
or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose.
Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone.
Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such
as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside,
just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals
easily.
Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and
leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you
bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," can't
digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works
and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
you've got mail!
This is the text from an email that Haley sent to me.
I love you mommy because you cook forr me.
Sweet, huh'?
I love you mommy because you cook forr me.
Sweet, huh'?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Mary or Martha?
Here is a really terrific blog post.
I really needed to read this.
Some really important points that I need to
keep in mind all of the time.
I am most definitely a Martha. :o(
http://www.themushblog.com/2008/05/martha-martha.html
Lets go balling!!
OK I know, its bowling. Haley used to call it balling. So, anyway, we went bowling today after Jon got home from work and Ashley got out of school.
The boys were watching intently...
The boys were watching intently...
Of course, the food is the best part of any sporting event.
ahh, makes us miss our old league nights.
Say CHEESE!!
It's National Cheese Day...
Gotta' be Haley's favorite day of the year.
She loves cheese.
In honor of National cheese day, she had a quesadilla and cottage cheese for lunch.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
check, check, check
So, I got the dishes done,
and the sink cleaned.
The island cleared off, yet again.
I even got the kitchen table cleaned off and polished.
And Haley volunteered to clean the bathroom!
Great job Haley!!!Oh yeah, also got 2 1/2 loads of laundry done. (which basically means there's still clothes in the dryer.)
Now, I'll just start all over agian tomorrow.
Some of todays projects
I'm taking a little inspiration from Jamie, and posting the messy stuff I need to take care of today. I hope it will embarrass me into getting it cleaned up.
Here's that darn kitchen counter again. See, it was just a matter of days before it piled up again.
The dishes.
The laundry
what really chaps my hide, is that probably 1/4 of the clothes on the floor in the girls' room haven't even been worn.
This picture and the one before is actually not today's project. This will be the girls' project during track break in a few weeks. (if I haven't gone through with a trash bag for everything yet)
Here's that darn kitchen counter again. See, it was just a matter of days before it piled up again.
The dishes.
The laundry
what really chaps my hide, is that probably 1/4 of the clothes on the floor in the girls' room haven't even been worn.
This picture and the one before is actually not today's project. This will be the girls' project during track break in a few weeks. (if I haven't gone through with a trash bag for everything yet)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)