The 31 Lady

Taking the "Pro" (me) Out of Procrastination

2012-01-18T11:17:00.000-05:00

Remember my resolution to stop procrastinating? And my admission that, for non-feminist, procrastination-related reasons, I hadn't changed my last name even though I've been married for over five years?

Yeah. Totally changed my name. 2012 is off to a great start!

Mr. 31 doesn't really think I should be congratulated, since I should have done this years ago and all. Blah, blah.

Good thing Panera Bread felt differently. They had my favorite soup when I stopped there for lunch, which they haven't had the last few times I've been in there. Guess they felt like congratulating me for tackling my resolutions!

Meet our Horse, I mean, Dog

2012-01-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

I never meant to buy a dog. My life was too busy, we already had cats, blah, blah, blah. A dog was not even in picture. Wasn't even a dot in the picture. Wasn't even a consideration, like, maybe what would make this picture better is a dog.

Then we took the Padawan to the mall's pet store JUST TO LOOK and maybe, MAYBE, if the Padawan was good, we would get a dog out and play with it. So, you can probably guess where this story is going.

We chose a dog to play with. And he was a nightmare. We put him back fairly quickly and the Padawan was disappointed. So we decided to play with another dog and, this time, I chose the dog.

I only have myself to blame.

We chose this one:

He is a Landseer Newfoundland and, at the time, he was going on three months old. And he was the sweetest dog I'd ever come across. A little too fond of chewing, but very nice. We played with him and put him back...very reluctantly.

A few weeks later, we went back. And he was still there, a little larger, a little more cramped in his tiny crate. We played with him again, inquired about his price, and laughed in their faces when we heard what it was. They asked what we would be willing to pay, we told them, and they laughed in our faces. Then they told us his birthday, which is a date that is very significant to my husband and I...which made it seem like fate. But fate would have to wait for that price.

Fast forward another week. Still there, little bigger, little more cramped. Budged more on the price, but nowhere near ours.

Fast forward another couple of weeks. I was out of town for work for the evening. Little did I know that my husband was paying another visit to our friend, who we had already named Bailey. When he arrived, the pet store people knew what he wanted and offered the dog at our price. And threw in a collar and leash and food. I got home and there he was, thirty lbs. of almost five month old puppy.

So, fast forward again, and we have all (barely) survived to Bailey's first birthday. It has been quite the journey. We've survived house training, crate training, obedience training, everyday vacuuming, his love of water and mud, his incessant need to eat everything, and, probably as a result of the last thing, a bout with a major case of upset stomach.

And quite the growth spurt. Here is our tiny puppy with Mr. 31 at 7 months. Keep in mind that Mr. 31 is 6'4, so he is not a tiny guy.

And yes, his food dish is on a bulk package of toilet paper. It made for neater eating until we invested in an actual raised tray for him.

And here is our little puppy about a month ago, again with Mr. 31 for size reference:

It's not a great pic of the dog, but you can get his size. And he's grown since then. Yes, we mistakenly bought a small horse when we thought we were getting a dog. And he grows until he is over two years old.

But we love our newest addition and, even after less than a year, can't imagine life without him. Although it would be probably be cleaner....and involve far less dog chow.

And for kicks, here's a photo of me and the dog:

And one of him giving me the "hey lady, stop taking my picture and play tug with me" stink eye:

There's a Reason I'm Not a Food Blogger

2012-01-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

I am terrible at taking pictures of my food. (And I'm still learning to cook, but that's just a small detail.)

Look back at my food posts. Most of them do not have pictures of food because I forget to take them. My thoughts just don't run that way when I'm cooking dinner. They run more like, "Oh my goodness, how is it 7:30 already? What is the dog doing? Ooh, that needs to be stirred. Ahhh! The rice is going to burn! Get it off the heat! Why won't the dog stay out of the trash? Okay, plates. Why won't the dog stop chasing the cat? Where is Mr. 31? Didn't I tell him to come eat dinner? Why is the dog in the trash again?? Oh my word. Ok, food on the plates. Here, just take your food because I have to get that dish rag out of the dog's mouth."

After we've eaten dinner is when the thought pops in, "Hey, I really should have taken a picture of that." And I end up not posting recipes that are good because I totally blanked on taking a picture. So, my apologies, but I never promised you a food blog.

So, here's a recipe, sans picture, of a meatloaf recipe I tried the other day. It was super easy and really good.

Easy Meatloaf

Adapted from Easy Meal Ideas For Moms-On-The-Go

1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 pouch dry onion soup mix

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl mix 1/2 of the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup, ground beef, bread crumbs, and egg.

In an 11x8 pan, form meat mixture into a 7x4 loaf. Bake at 350 for 75 minutes.

Spoon off 2 T. of drippings and mix with remaining soup and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Thin the sauce with additional water if desired. Serve over the meatloaf.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-03T15:07:00.001-05:00

I have to admit - I really don't like New Year's Eve. I'm not one to go out and be with a ton of people with noise makers and glasses formed from the numbers of the new year. You'd be more likely to find me on my couch with my husband, watching Dick Clark, and eating finger foods that we don't normally eat.

BUT. I love making New Year's resolutions. The idea of a new start, of saying, "Okay, no more messing about. Today's the day I become the person I've always wanted to be" is, to me, the mental equivalent of taking a big deep breath and letting it out. I'm raring to go. Ready to attack the new year.

And then reality sets in. Or, rather, I let that mental energy, that "rah, rah, sis-boom-bah" attitude, slip away into oblivion. It all seems too much.

And I think I've figured out why. I make too many darn resolutions. I have a list a mile long. It's like I feel the great need to be the perfect person RIGHT NOW. I want to be healthier, a better wife and carer of my home, be better with finances, be better at work, be a better Christian... All of which are worthy goals, but I bog myself down with not being able to do it all right now, that I let it all drop, which isn't the right attitude either.

So. I'm going to make three resolutions this year. They are specific, yet general enough to be applied to any number of situations. Which will hopefully make me a better - not perfect - person. And they are - drum roll please:

1. Stop procrastinating. I am was a terrible procrastinator. Like really bad. Like I got married five years ago and haven't legally changed my name. And not for any feminist reason. So, yeah. I should really stop doing that. And I should really change my name.

2. Be more diligent. Many of the scriptures I've had on my heart recently have dealt with this (2 Peter 1:3-8, Hebrews 11:6). So, I will be more mindful of my actions (or inaction, if that is the case!) and be diligent about seeking God and about things in my life.

3. Stop worrying. I've talked about this before. It has seemed to rear it's ugly head more and more lately, so I am addressing that. I say I trust God, but sometimes my mental state does not reflect that! Although, I must say Resolution 1 will also help with some of that. I can stop worrying about things because I'll actually have done them!

What are your resolutions? Do you have a list a mile long or a just a few?

Menu Plan Monday...on Tuesday

2011-10-11T09:23:00.000-04:00

Again.

I spent my Columbus Day Monday doing absolutely nothing. And it was glorious.

Although I did manage to throw dinner in the crockpot, so that counts as something.

Here's the plan for the week, including yesterday.

Monday: French Onion chicken in the slow cooker, butter noodles

Tuesday: Leftovers from impromptu Mexican feast on Sunday

Wednesday: Chicago Style Pizza Pot Pie, chicken wings, salad

Thursday: The man is on his own. I'm working

Friday: Chicken in slow cooker, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans

I'll be linking up with Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Garlic Lime Shrimp

2011-10-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

Note: these are not my shrimp. These shrimp are someone else's from a free photo site. My shrimp didn't get photographed due to a mental block in remembering to take photographs.

On last week's meal plan, I was supposed to make shrimp sauteed with garlic on Wednesday. Then Pinterest struck, and I found a recipe for Garlic Lime Shrimp. So I made that instead. Close enough.

I made some changes to the recipe according to what I already had in the house, but it turned out great and was super simple! Will definitely be making this again!

Garlic Lime Shrimp

Adapted from the Recipe Girl

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 1/2 teaspoons white wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of chili powder

1 lb. medium shrimp

1 tablespoon dried parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Mix in next 4 ingredients. Saute for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and saute until opaque in the center, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.

I'll be linking up to:

Tasty Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Hookin Up with HOH - House of Hepworths

Menu Plan Monday...on Tuesday

2011-10-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

Because that's how I'm rolling this week.

So, last week went really well with menu planning. The only hitch (which wasn't really a hitch) was the unexpected invitation to meet an astronaut. So, that bumped some meals back, which means some will happen this week instead.

So here we go:

Tuesday: Ox Roast Sandwiches, sweet potato fries, salad

Wednesday: Leftover pasta bake, salad

Thursday: Sort-of-roast slow cooker meal from last week, mashed potatoes, rolls

Friday: slow cooker chicken w. broccoli and cheese rice bake

Saturday: homemade pizza, salad (really into salad this week)

I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday.

So I Met an Astronaut...

2011-09-30T09:47:00.000-04:00

Picture from nasa.gov

Earlier this week, my husband emailed me to say that he had been asked to go to a dinner for work involving an astronaut or something.... I didn't really pay attention to the details. Then he said that I had also been invited to attend. So I figured:

1. I got to spend the evening with my husband.

2. Free dinner (even if it would be bad chicken cordon bleu, a dry twice baked potato, and cold green beans).

3. Maybe I'd get to say that I shook an astronaut's hand. You know, for all those times when you get asked the frequently asked, all-important "Have you ever shaken an astronaut's hand?" question.

So, last night we went to the meet & greet/dinner and met Col. Mike Fincke.

First, let me say that he is one of the nicest, most down-to-earth (no bad pun intended) people that I've ever met. He and my husband bonded over their love of some 80s movie called Space Camp and he autographed a picture for The Padawan with a really nice message. So I was really happy and impressed with him as a person.

But he was truly inspiring during his speech at the dinner. Col. Fincke was on the Endeavour for the last space shuttle flight. He also has spent more time in space than any other American (over 380 days, I think. Should have read the fact card more carefully before giving it to The Padawan). But what was more impressive than that was his attitude and passion for his job.

Between the way he spoke about his job and the pictures and video he showed us, you could tell this man really, really loves what he does. He is passionate about it. There is no question that, when he goes to work, he is totally sold out for what he is doing.

I also loved the way that he and his colleagues on the Endeavour took such joy from their mission. Watching video of them "flying" through the International Space Station, having what looked like a race to eat floating M&Ms, and playing with water droplets in the no-gravity environment, it was obvious that they are just fascinated by what they do and truly enjoy it.

Now, don't get me wrong. These are some brilliant men who did very intricate, highly technical work while they were on their mission. But in the midst of doing the serious stuff, they could still take immense joy in their work.

How many of us can say that we take such enjoyment in our work? Maybe most days you find fulfillment, but have you taken the time to kindle the joy and the passion that should infuse our daily lives? Col. Fincke may get to do his work in space, and we may be in cubicles, or fast food restaurants, or some other seemingly less glorious work environment, but we should be able to find fulfillment and enjoyment just as he has.

It is my prayer that everyone can find the work in life, their purpose, that gives them that joy and inspires such passion, if you have not already found it. If you have found your purpose, I pray that you continue to experience that passion and that joy that the men on the Endeavour displayed so clearly.

My New Addiction

2011-09-27T10:51:00.000-04:00

I got a fever and the only prescription is more Pinterest.

(10 points for anyone who can tell me what that's referencing!)

For anyone not familiar with Pinterest, (in their words): "Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

In my words: it is ridiculous awesomeness in its purest form.

I don't know about you, but I'm constantly inspired by things I see in blogs or other websites, whether that be recipes or home ideas or books I want to read, even how-to instructions for projects I want to try. Before Pinterest, I had a mishmash of email folders and documents trying to organize it all. No more, my friends! Now I have Pinterest.

I also love it because I can see what others are pinning on their boards. Sometimes I don't even have to go on outside websites to get inspired because there are such great things getting pinned every minute by other people.

Picture from tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com. But found on Pinterest, of course.

So, yeah, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest. But I will say that I have done some projects that were inspired by things I saw on Pinterest or with ideas that I pinned myself that were easily organized on Pinterest.

To join, you have to ask to be invited or get an existing member to invite you. I asked to be invited and it took less than a week to get accepted and up and running.

If you are already a member, you can follow me if you'd like. I would love to see what all of you are pinning!!

Menu Planning (Try #1)

2011-09-26T09:38:00.000-04:00

Okay, so a while back I posted about meal planning - whether I should give it a shot or not. Consensus being that I should, I ~~promptly started~~ waited a year before giving it a go.

Well, that's not entirely true. I occasionally menu plan in my head. Which is sort of the same thing, right?

So, here we go. My menu plan for the week:

Monday: Meatloaf muffins, with potatoes, carrots, and green beans (vegetables left over from Sunday dinner...see menu planning working already)

Tuesday: Mr. 31 is on his own. I'll be out of town for work.

Wednesday: Shrimp sauteed with garlic, Lone Star Rice, and broccoli

Thursday: Penne pasta bake with Italian sausage and Caesar salad

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Making up a crock pot recipe involving beef and vegetables. Sort of like a roast, but not. I'll let you know how that goes.

I'll be linking up with Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

The Saga of Dead Power Cords

2011-09-22T10:09:00.000-04:00

I have oodles of projects and recipes and an introduction to the newest member of our family coming. But the power cord on my husband's laptop died - and that's where we keep all of our photos. Sad face.

I tried to plug the camera in to another computer to pull off my photos, but my husband had decided to be ultra efficient and loving and supportive of my blogging and had already emptied the camera card for me. Onto his computer.

Since the laptop is still under warranty, the manufacturer promptly sent us a new cord that promptly got lost in transit. Then they not-so-promptly sent us a second replacement which we just received.

So, posts coming!

I Went to the Dark Side

2011-09-15T10:27:00.000-04:00

Remember this post? You know, the one where I espoused my love of books and vowed that I was anti-Kindle/eBooks of any kind.

Yeah, about that.

I got one of these from Mr. 31 for our anniversary:

photo from Amazon.com

And I big-fat-puffy-heart love it.

Here's how the leap to the Dark Side went down: Mr. 31 is super into electronics and has wanted to get me one for quite some time. He suggested it at Christmas and, in his words, I "almost murdered him" at the thought of him getting me one of those as a gift.

Then I discovered that I'll be taking a couple of lengthy trips next summer. And the thought of schlepping a lot of books through airports and hotels made me tired. And so the evil thoughts began that maybe a Kindle would make that problem go away.

Mr. 31 took that little crack in my armor and ran with it. So, on our anniversary, my extremely nervous husband handed me a Kindle and then ~~ran for cover~~ waited for my reaction. At first, I wasn't sure...then I discovered free books.

And look out! Now my Kindle is ever present by my side.

And my husband ~~rubs it in my face~~ is really glad I like my gift.

Now, I will say that I still prefer the feel and comfort of holding an actual book! I also really like when I pay for something to have it in my hand rather than have it just appear as a line on an electronic device (but I know that's just a psychological thing I have to get over - it doesn't bother me with music, but I've yet to make that leap with books).

But I do love my Kindle.

(Disclaimer: I have not been paid or given anything for this post. Amazon.com, despite the thousands of dollars I've probably spent on their site, does not know who I am.)

Slow Cooker One Dish Chicken

2011-09-13T09:33:00.000-04:00

I threw the contents of this recipe in the slow cooker before church on Sunday. It was ready for us after church; I just whipped up some mashed potatoes (Idaho instant...the football game was coming on!), green beans, and salad to go with it, which took less than 20 minutes. Not bad for a Sunday dinner!

Now, let me say it was yummy, but decidedly NOT photogenic. Hence no photo. So you'll have to take my word that it was very good!

Slow Cooker One Dish Chicken
Adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (Fix-It and Forget-It Series)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

1/3 cup milk

1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing

1 2/3 cup water

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1 T. butter, cut into small chunks.

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.

2. Combine soup and milk. Pour over chicken.

3. Combine stuffing mix, seasoning packet (if separate...mine wasn't), raisins/cranberries and water. Let sit for a minute for stuffing to absorb water. Spoon over chicken.

4. Dot butter over the stuffing.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

I'll be linking up to the following linky parties:
Crock Pot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie

Happy Birthday to The Padawan!

2011-09-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today is my brother-in-law, The Padawan's, birthday. He is twelve years old.

In honor of his twelfth birthday, here are twelve reasons why I love The Padawan:

12. Because he very patiently explains things like Ninjago and the Marvel Universe to his clueless sister-in-law (that would be me).

11. Because he loves sports and is fun to watch football games with because he knows all the players and their stats.

10. Because he can take a foul during a basketball game like no other. Then he gets up with a big smile on his face and helps up the guy who just creamed him.

9. Because he adds "Cha Cha Cha - Charmin ULTRA!" after every time he sings Happy Birthday to someone. I have no idea where it came from, but you have to respect his dedication.

8. Because he is kind to our puppy, Bailey, who weighs more than him and plays with him tirelessly. The Padawan even watched over the dog the day Bailey was sick and Mr. 31 and I had to go to work.

7. Because he really gets into singing along with the radio.

6. Because he is respectful and well behaved.

5. Because, even at 12, he's not embarrassed to give us big hugs and tell us when he misses us.

4. Because he has the ability to make a friend out of anyone. It has happened more than once that he is talking and laughing and playing with another child at a store or the park and later, when we ask him where he knew the kid from, he says, "I didn't know them."

3. Because he is compassionate and caring to humans and animals alike.

2. Because he is sweet and kind to the point that he doesn't even want to beat anyone at a board game.

1. Because he loves the Lord and desires to walk in His ways. And he does a SUPER job at it!

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY!!! Cha Cha Cha - Charmin ULTRA!!

I Know What Room I'm In

2011-09-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

...which means I don't need my wallpaper border to remind me.

...which leads to my current project: redecorating our full bath.

As I've mentioned before, we rent our home and weren't planning on living here for very long, so I was willing to live with certain things. Like bathtub wallpaper border. And purple walls.

And purple rose wallpaper.

And generic gold light fixture.

And sharing it with my cats.

But I've hit my limits. This was brought on by a couple of things. The first was that our ceiling began to peel.

This has happened with a number of our ceilings. I'm not sure what the previous owners used, but it sure doesn't like to stick.

The other was that our toilet began to leak from the tank. And then the cat toilet decided to not work anymore. (Yes, our cats had a toilet. I just had to hit a button for deodorized water to clean everything out and then flush it all down my toilet. It made our lives much easier, except for the fact that it broke every few months. But I digress.)

So, I decided in for a penny, in for a pound. I'm kicking the cats out (of the bathroom anyways), tearing the place apart, and rebuilding it into a better version of itself. Certain things, like the tile, bathtub, tub surround, vanity, and mirror have to stay, so no major changes will go down. But I can certainly paint and decorate it up a little bit.

I'll be updating as I go. I'm hoping to have the entire project done by the end of September. And I've already got a jump on it - the purple rose wallpaper is gone! Woohoo!

I'm baaaaack!

2011-09-06T04:00:00.000-04:00

In case anyone noticed I've been MIA on my own blog for almost a year - I'm back!

I was going to write a post about all the reasons why I haven't posted, but I decided I wasn't going to do that.

1. It would be a really long, uninteresting post.

2. It would just be a long list of excuses and would sound suspiciously like whining, neither of which I tolerate very well from other people, so I won't subject you to mine.

So I'll just say I'm back. I have some projects in the hopper and some new obsessions (can anyone say Pinterest???), so I'll see you here real soon!

A to Z Bread Variation 2

2010-09-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a recipe called A to Z Bread, which is a basic quick bread base that you then add your own variations to. I shared my first attempt at it with bananas as the main ingredient.

I decided to go with carrots, pineapple, and coconut this time. I also decided to try making a couple of substitutes to see if I could make it any healthier without sacrificing taste (note I say "healthier" not "healthy"!).

A to Z Bread Variation 2

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

3 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup chopped carrot

3/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Heat oven to 325.

Sift dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar and oil; cream well.

Add bananas, applesauce, and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Add nuts.

I poured half of the batter into a well greased loaf pan and the other half into 4 well greased mini loaf pans.

Bake the mini loafs for 35 minutes and the larger loaf for 50 minutes.

Overall, I thought this variation was really good. It ended up a little dryer than the banana bread, so I may not substitute as much oil for applesauce next time. It's also not as sweet as the banana bread was, but that's okay!

Please check out my links page for all the great parties I'll be linking to!

Paint Sample Wall Hanging

2010-08-25T23:00:00.010-04:00

One of my (many) house projects is to decorate our guest room. This may sound somewhat simple, but I have a slight complication. You see, the guest that's here most often is Mr. 31's 10 year old brother, but the room also has to be suitable for grown ups. So, I've decided to decorate the room in shades of blue, using metal washers as accents. That way, it can look polished enough for adults, but in a fun, funky way suitable for a 10 year old Star Wars fan.

One of the first projects was a wall hanging. Inspired by the Iron Crafters challenge from Fireflies and Jellybeans, I decided to make it out of paint samples and washers.

I started by gathering paint samples in the shades I wanted: Ink Drop, Blue Corn Chips, Lazy Day, City Gray, and White (in Kilz brand).

Then I purchased 1 inch wide washers, navy blue satin ribbon, and fishing line.

I started the process by punching circles out of the paint samples using a 1 inch punch. I got 4 circles out of each sample. Then I punched 2 holes in each circle using a safety pin, unless the circles were going to be on the top or bottom line, in which case it got 3 holes.

Next I laid out the pattern I wanted (the hanging measures roughly 24 inches by 18 inches).

I then strung the top and bottom lines of the design using the fishing line and secured the line using hot glue.

I assembled the rest of the hanging upside down. I found out it much easier to assemble that way so I could glue without having to flip each piece over.

Once all the paint sample circles and washers were strung together (and my back was sufficiently sore from bending over it!), I decided to glue some smaller circles from the paint samples onto some of the circles to make it a little more interesting. Then I strung the navy ribbon through the 4 washers on the top line. The hanging will hang from those ribbons when I actually hang it.

I'm happy with the results. It's fun and different, and will add a nice touch to the guest room. Also nice: the cost. The total was roughly $8.00, though that's the total cost with the fishing line and ribbon, both of which I have lots left over.

I'll be linking with Fireflies and Jellybeans' Iron Crafters contest and also the usual suspects on my link party page.

A to Z Bread Variation 1

2010-08-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

So, I was cruising the Tasty Kitchen the other day, when I stumbled across a recipe called A to Z bread. It's a basic quick bread recipe that you can then add 2 cups of whatever to (there's a nice suggestion list with the original recipe).

On Sunday, I was faced with 3 bananas that were not going to make it to Monday. Rather than overdose on potassium by eating them all, I decided to make the A to Z bread with bananas being the base of my 2 cups of whatever. And, what's so great about this recipe is, I didn't have 2 cups of bananas, so I just dumped in some applesauce to make up the difference. No trip to the store! Which made Mr. 31 happy.

This recipe is so good, I will be making it again. So, for now, we will call this version A to Z bread Variation 1. The only change I made from the original recipe was that I took away some cinnamon and added nutmeg (gotta have nutmeg!) and I halved the amount of nuts (only because that's all I had in the house, not making a stance or anything).

A to Z Bread Variation 1

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 whole eggs
1 cup oil (I used canola)
1 ¾ cup sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
½ cup pecans
1 ½ cups mashed banana
½ cup applesauce

Heat oven to 325.

Sift dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar and oil; cream well.

Add bananas, applesauce, and vanilla and mix well. Add nuts.

I poured half of the batter into a well greased loaf pan and the other half into 4 well greased mini loaf pans.

Bake the mini loafs for 35 minutes and the larger loaf for 50 minutes.

Please check out my links page for all the great parties I'll be linking to!

Decorating a Filing Cabinet

2010-08-18T12:07:00.005-04:00

A while back, I mentioned that we moved my husband's office downstairs. It has been working out great (he's even keeping it clean! Miracles do happen!). But there a few things that have been bugging me.

One is the side of the filing cabinet, which is in full view from the living and dining rooms. Here's what it has looked like:

Functional, but oh so unattractive.

I had some picture frames in the attic which I wasn't using that I thought would go great with the filing cabinet. And I'd be much happier looking at pictures than business notes. But how to hang them on the filing cabinet?

Then I came across some thick red ribbon at Walmart clearanced at $1.00 a spool. Perfect! I purchased some magnet clips from Staples to hang the ribbons from. What with adding ribbon, I figured I'd "man" the arrangement up a little bit with the metal clips. It is a guy's office, after all.

So, I sat down the photo frames and the ribbon and my hot glue gun and went to town. The result was this:

It was okay, but a tid bit boring. So I went to work again with some green ribbon I already had from decorating the living and dining rooms and ended up with this:

Much better! And much more pleasing to me than looking at random bits of paper.

I have had to promise to make Mr. 31 some kind of bulletin board, but one that can be posted in a more inconspicuous spot. Win-win!

Please check my link party page for the parties I'll be joining!

Is it Soup Time Yet?

2010-08-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know it's still August, and it's hot and humid but....I miss soup. I love soup. So warm and comforting. So many different varieties.

In honor of my love of soup and the fact that soup season can't come soon enough, I thought I'd share a slow cooker soup that even my husband (who refuses to consider soup a main course) loved. I also love that the longer cook time means that it can cook while I'm at work plus a little bit afterwards so I don't have to worry about dealing with it first thing when I get home.

Brown Jug Soup
Adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (Fix-It and Forget-It Series)

1 (10 1/2 oz.) can chicken broth
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 qt. water
2 cups diced onions
4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups diced carrots
1 (10 oz.) package frozen whole kernel corn
1 (10 oz.) package frozen green beans
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

1. Combine all ingredients except cheese in 4-5 qt. slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours or until vegetables are tender.

3. Just before serving, add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Please check out my Link Page to see all the wonderful blogs I'll be linking with.

Bathroom Makeover

2010-08-11T19:45:00.006-04:00

This week I am getting ready to hold a yard sale. I adore the feeling of getting rid of stuff you don't want or need!

But that also means I haven't worked on much around the house except sorting through our belongings. So, I decided to do another blast from the past.

This time I'm going to highlight a bathroom we did in the same flat that we did the fireplace redo in. The fireplace I showed you is from the second floor. This bathroom is on the first.

Here are some before pictures of the bathroom. And, yes, we did know what it looked like when we bought it.

This just makes you want to jump right in and take a bath, doesn't it? It just screams clean and refreshing.

J'adore the burgundy toilet seat and the random missing piece off of the side of the vanity. How do you even take that piece out??

It's always convenient to have your mirror six feet above the sink.

And this window placed in the middle of that lovely blue surround makes the local Peeping Tom's job so much easier! Because, bear in mind, this bathroom window that goes to waist level is literally less than 15 feet away from the next door neighbor's window. So convenient!

But, ladies and gentleman, I saved the best for last. This was the ceiling...if it still qualifies as that:

Why, yes, that would be a gaping hole going up to the second floor bathroom that is surrounded by mold.

Mr. 31 and I gutted everything except the tub and started from scratch. We felt it would be best.

Now, keep in mind we renovated this house to be used as a rental, so it's not heavily decorated and stuff was put in to stand up to the wear and tear of tenants. But I think it still makes for a pretty good after.

Goodbye creepy stalker window!! Hello shiny new white tub surround!!

Also, hello to a new mirror, lighting, ceramic tile floor, toilet, and pedestal sink!

You'll also notice a drop ceiling. I wouldn't have done that if it was my home, but I'm glad we did it in the rental unit. Tenants that have lived on the second floor haven't always paid attention when they're filling the tub. Much easier to replace individual ceiling tiles than a drywall ceiling...multiple times....

Mr. 31 and I ended up moving into this very apartment when we got married (we bought the house before we got married while we were still living with our respective parents. When we got married it made sense to move into the flat for awhile). The toughest part of moving in for both of us: taking that first shower in that bathroom. It didn't matter that it had been gutted and scrubbed to within an inch of its life - all we could think of was the "before." But we got over it. Not taking a shower for a year and a half would have been bad.

Check out my link page for all the wonderful blog partays I'll be linking up with.

Bruschetta Bread

2010-08-09T21:35:00.005-04:00

One day last week, I was faced with the following conundrum: what could I fix that would use up the last 1/3 of a loaf of Italian bread, a handful of grape tomatoes that were on the verge of becoming wrinkly, and a basil plant that is threatening to take over our back yard?

Bruschetta! Or my version of it anyway! What's great about it (and also makes it hard to write down) is that these measurements don't have to be exact - just use what you have on hand.

Bruschetta Bread

Pesto:

4 cups fresh basil, loosely packed

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

5-6 cloves garlic

3/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Italian bread or something equivalent

2 cups diced tomatoes (I used a combination of the grape tomatoes plus a couple of Better Boys from our garden)

1 cup or so of mozzarella, depending on how cheesy you want it

3 tbs. butter, melted

Put the ingredients for the pesto, except parmesan cheese, into a food processor. Blend well, but the goal is not to liquify it. Put into bowl and stir in parmesan cheese. Set aside (I actually like to set this aside for 1/2 hour or so to allow flavors to blend, but that is not necessary)

Brush the slices of Italian bread with the butter. Then spread pesto on each slice (the amount depends on personal preference). Top with diced tomatoes and then mozzarella.

Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted (sometimes I put in the broiler to speed things up).

Please check out my link party page to see the wonderful blogs I'll be linking up with.

Green Tomatoes "Recipe"

2010-08-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

After my post last week on my love of green tomatoes, a few of you asked for my recipe. Well, I don't have a recipe per se, but I do have a method, so I'll share that now.

First, I cut up some lovely green tomatoes into slices about 1/4 inch or so thick (I'm not big on or talented at exact cutting). Then I lay them all out and sprinkle them with either seasoning salt or Creole seasoning to taste. I flip them over and sprinkle the other side.

Then I put some flour on a plate (how much flour depends on how many tomatoes you're doing). I dredge each slice in flour and set them aside.

Then, I heat up about 1/4 inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.

After the oil is hot, I dredge each tomato slice in the flour AGAIN right before I put it in the oil (sometimes I sprinkle some of whatever seasoning I'm using into the flour for this second dredging...sometimes I don't. Whatever floats your boat). Then I lay the tomatoes in a single layer in the oil and flip them once the first side gets a nice brown crust on it. Take the tomatoes out of the oil when both sides are nicely browned and put on a paper towel lined plate. Depending on how many tomatoes you're doing and the size of your skillet, you may have to do several batches.

Then, because you're impatient like me, eat your first fried green tomato when it's waaaaay too hot and chew it with your mouth open to get some cool air in there because you couldn't possibly swallow something that hot.

And that's my method. I'm sure someone else has a better one, but this works for me!

Craigslist Made Me Happy

2010-08-06T00:44:00.005-04:00

I have long heard mythical stories about fabulous Craigslist finds. You know the kind: "I found an antique ebony dresser and matching vanity for $3.00! Woohoo!" Now, I totally believe people when they tell me these stories. But, during my Craigslist searches I was seeing items that were more like "you can have my 1980s era, gigantic, laminate entertainment center for $125.00!" Until Monday, that is, my friends.

I was just glancing through the latest listings when I saw one that said "free pianos". I've been wanting to get a piano for Mr. 31 for ages; he loves to play but doesn't have much opportunity to do so. So, I opened the listing, thinking it was going to be (a) a scam, or (b) a serial killer trying to lure me to his house, or (c) a piano missing all the strings and hammers or something.

But it was for real! A local church was giving away old pianos they no longer used. So I told Mr. 31 to call the church first thing Tuesday morning. He did one better: he went to the church first thing Tuesday, and it's a good thing he did. The church's phone was ringing off the hooks with people interested in the pianos, but Mr. 31 was the first person to physically show up to look at the pianos, so he got first dibs!

So, long story short (too late!), we are now the proud owners of an upright grand piano that we know was built by a company that was located in our hometown and it was built somewhere between 1900 and 1920. And it's really pretty (oh yeah, it sounds good too!)!

Below are some pictures, including some closeups of the decorative accents. Also, I love how the center panel tilts out to hold music!

Thank you Craigslist!!

Anniversary Top Ten List

2010-08-05T01:54:00.004-04:00

Today is Mr. 31's and my 4th anniversary. Yay! So, in honor of that, here are the top 10 reasons I love my husband:

10. He indulges me by pulling into Dairy Queen when I've had a bad day....or a good day.

9. He cares enough and is honest enough to stop buying me Dairy Queen for my own good.

8. He has great taste in women. He married me, didn't he?

7. He thinks outside the box. Which means I'm never bored.

6. He's got a good sense of humor, which helps when you live with ME :)

5. He's funny. Like REALLY, genuinely funny...which a lot of people don't know because he's fairly reserved in public.

4. He is beyond patient and compassionate to everyone around him.

3. He always aims to be a godly husband and always has my best interests at heart...though sometimes I act like I don't know that when he makes some decisions...like when he says we can't go to Dairy Queen.

2. He loves me.

1. He loves the Lord.

Happy anniversary Mr. 31!

Recipe Flip-Stand

2010-08-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

Recipe printouts have been a long standing problem in my house. I find recipes I want to try, so I print them out and add them to my recipe folder. Then I find some favorites and they slowly disintegrate into a food stained, folded edged, hard to read piece of paper. Another big problem: when Mr. 31 goes to get one of his tried and true recipes, it is lost in the stack of my new recipe finds. And, believe me, I hear about it: "Why is this recipe you've never made on the top of the stack, and my waffle recipe is in the middle? You aren't even going to make that recipe right now - we don't have any pumpkin (or heavy cream or pudding mix or some other ingredient we don't normally stock in the house)."

Then I saw the fabulousness that is the cookbook stand at Finding My Aloha. And I knew it was the answer to my prayers - or Mr. 31's prayers, whatever.

I had the perfect frame on hand already. I had gotten it during the summer between high school and college, and it was still full of homecoming and prom pictures from senior year.

Here it is with Sammy, who shouldn't be on that table. Photographic evidence of misbehavior! Yeah, like that'll keep him off of it.

So, I emptied the pictures from the flip frame and added them to my stack to be added to a photo album/scrapbook at some point. You know, when I have spare time to make a scrapbook.

My frame is two sided, as evidenced below:

So, I made one side Mr's 31's favorite recipes and the other side my favorite recipes. I retyped our favorite recipes onto 4x6 pieces of paper and slipped them into the photo sheets.

I love this solution! It keeps our favorite recipes close at hand and in protective sheets. Perfection!

Check out my link party page for all the blog parties I'll be joining!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-08-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

I adapted this recipe from the FABULOUS Pioneer Woman. I do not make my own sauce, though. Not that brave yet and, honestly, sometimes that extra time makes a big difference between eating at a decent hour and falling asleep in my plate. I doctor up jarred or *gasp* canned spaghetti sauce with extra seasonings or our own crushed tomatoes we canned last year.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1 ½ lbs. ground beef
5 cloves garlic, minced (separated)
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs
½ cup shredded mozzarella, chopped into smaller pieces
¼ cup fresh parsley or basil, minced
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
splash of milk
½ cup olive oil
½ large onion, diced
1 16 oz. package spaghetti or favorite pasta
1 jar/can of spaghetti sauce
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

Combine meat, 3 cloves of garlic, breadcrumbs, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley or basil, and splash of milk in a bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet or plate. Place meatballs in freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8-10 at a time, turning until browned on each side. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

In the same pot, add onions and remaining garlic and cook for a few minutes, until translucent. Add spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Add meatballs and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring gently every so often.

Serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Check out my link party page for all the wonderful blogs I'll be linking up with.

I Love Fried Green Tomatoes

2010-08-02T08:00:00.003-04:00

All I want to say today is that I love fried green tomatoes. They make me happy.

I also want to say thank you to Mr. 31's little brother for knocking down a bunch of green tomatoes with a basketball. Mr. 31 is more into letting the tomatoes go red than eating them green.

Fireplace Redo

2010-07-28T23:00:00.002-04:00

Well, I've been kind of busy lately and haven't really tackled any noteworthy changes to the house. Just keeping it clean enough to not be condemned is kind of a victory right now.

Soooooo....I decided to do a blast from the past. Part of what Mr. 31 does is remodel rundown homes. Our first house that we bought together was a flat (one apartment upstairs, one down). It was a mess. It looked and smelled BAD. We bought it at an auction and, when we went back inside to sign the papers after the bidding, we were like "What did we do?!?"

But, after four months of hard work (we were doing it after working 8 hour days at our other jobs), it looked pretty good if I must say so myself.

The project from the flat that I'm going to highlight today is the fireplace from the upstairs apartment. It was U-G-L-Y. The bottom part had been plastered with a texture and the upper part was turquoise painted plaster (and not a good turquoise) and the plaster was crumbling terribly.

You can also note the lovely gas fireplace insert, the nasty carpet, and the 80s-riffic ceiling fan.

So, after scraping and pulling out the worst of the plaster (and some serious disinfecting), I got my behind up on a step ladder with some joint compound and a large putty knife. I used the putty knife to layer a texture onto the top of the fireplace, trying to copy the texture on the bottom as closely as possible.

Then I painted the mantel with the white we were using for the trim, except for a small inset that ran the length of the front of the mantel, which I painted the same color as the walls (the color is called Sabrina, but I don't remember what brand of paint, so that information probably isn't helpful).

It was really simple and it made a big difference! Here's the fireplace afterwards:

Also gone is the retro (in a bad way) ceiling fan, nasty carpet, and ugly insert. You also might notice the woodwork between rooms was stripped and stained. My mother-in-law did that. It became a personal battle between her and that woodwork and the rest of us stayed out of the way. It turned out gorgeous though!

So, that's my blast from the past. I'll probably share more of these from time to time. We've had to tackle some pretty crazy projects along the way!

Check out the link parties that I'm joining up with!

Cuban Mojo Sauce

2010-07-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

Mr. 31 and I were introduced to mojo on our honeymoon in Key West. There was a great Cuban restaurant on Mallory Square. We went there a few times in the span of less than a week. This sauce is great on all kinds of grilled meat and seafood.

In the interest of being honest, on one particularly busy and hot day, I ordered plain chicken wings from the local pizza joint and tossed them in the mojo when they were delivered. You know, whatever works.

Mojo Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly toasted, but not brown (about 30 seconds).

Add lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper (be careful - the sauce might pop a little bit!). Bring the sauce to a boil. Correct the seasonings if need be.

Cool before serving (though I have tossed meat in it when it was fairly hot!).

Mojo sauce will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a few days, but it's best fresh.

Please check out my link page for all the great blog parties I'll be linking to!

Rearranging My House

2010-07-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

I had a very busy but productive weekend.

Saturday, I decided to go yard saling (that can be a verb, right?). I have a wish list a mile long and a decorating/furnishing budget an inch short, so I decided that yard sales, thrift stores, and Walmart will have to be my shopping destinations for the time being. I didn't find too much on Saturday, though, so it was kind of disappointing. Maybe it was the neighborhood that the block sale was in, or maybe I'm out of the loop with yard sale pricing, but I don't remember ever paying $3 for a paperback book at a yard sale. Sorry. Not gonna do it. However, I did find 3 really good quality frames for $2 total and a stack of really good cloth napkins and a couple of tablecloths for $1, so I guess that made the trip worth it!

Then, on Sunday, my husband decided that we were going to move his office downstairs. His office has been upstairs in a spare bedroom since we moved into our home. But the temperatures got unbearable in that room this summer, so we moved him downstairs temporarily (so I thought). However, once we got the computer down there, he liked the temperature and was actually more productive downstairs than upstairs (he works from home, so productivity is important!). And I figured out that I liked him downstairs too; when he's working in the evenings I can see him from the living room and kitchen, so it feels like we're spending time together more so than when he's sequestered upstairs.

What made the decision easier was the fact that my sitting room had no furniture in it, which sounds strange, but let me explain. A couple of months ago, I came home to discover my sitting room carpet in my driveway. That particular carpet had been a source of nasty smells since we moved in (having to do with the previous owner's incontinent dog and then our cats' assumptions that, since the dog went there, so could they. Argh!!). We laid down a laminate floor during our pre-fourth of July home-fixing-up extravaganza. But, for some reason, the furniture never made it back to the sitting room. I'm not sure why, it just didn't.

So, I spent my Sunday carting furniture and electronic equipment and office supplies from my second floor to my first floor. It actually doesn't look too bad, though like the rest of my house, I hope in the future to replace our during and post-college laminate/particle board furniture with what I am calling "grown up" furniture. Once we get everything set up, I'll post some pics.

After all that hard work, we ended our weekend with some Olive Garden (L-O-V-E me some Zuppa Tuscana!). And what could be better than that?

There's Serious Funniness Involved Here

2010-07-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week Thrifty Decor Chick posted about a blog called Catalog Living. The blogger describes the life of fictitious couple Gary and Elaine using pictures from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, etc. Seriously funny!! Go get your Friday Funnies on at Catalog Living!

And the Harvest is Here!

2010-07-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

For the past couple of summers Mr. 31 has planted a small vegetable and herb garden in our backyard. I say Mr. 31 because, as you may recall, I = plant death.

This week, we have our first harvest of vegetables - a ton of yellow squash! And I mean a ton - we gave some away, we ate some, we're saving a couple for seeds...and as of yesterday afternoon I still had a stack of it on my counter.

Soooo...I'm now freezing yellow squash.

See that stack to the left? That's after giving away four, eating two, chopping three, and I still have 3 left on another counter to eat later this week.

I'm also making a contribution to our compost bin - the ends of the squash are all in the white bowl awaiting transfer to the great outdoors.

I ended up with seven bags of yellow squash - which I'm sure we'll be happy for this fall and winter.

I had to move it all to our freezer downstairs, so I had made a handy dandy (not fancy, mind you) list to hang on my refrigerator upstairs so I don't forget what I have down there.

(And, no I'm not advertising for National City Bank - National City doesn't exist anymore, so my dad's wife who worked there gave me some of these handy clip magnets. Hi Pam!!).

From the looks of things, it's good my husband bought the Sam's Club pack of freezer bags. We could be eating yellow squash for a long time!

Husband Organizing

2010-07-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

Maybe I'm the only one who has this problem.

But I think not.

The problem I speak of occurs when Mr. 31 gets ready to leave the house: "Where are my keys?"

Two minutes later: "Have you seen my glasses?"

30 seconds later: Mr. 31 still wandering around the house opening drawers and sticking his hand between couch cushions. Me: "What are you looking for?" Mr. 31: "My wallet."

For example, earlier in the week I walked around the house and looked for the things he would need to leave the house, snapping pictures with my iPhone as I went (so sorry for the quality of the pictures):

That would be (clockwise from top left): his glasses, wedding ring, and earbuds for his phone in the office; his watch in the living room; his wallet in the dining room; and his keys in the kitchen. At least they're all on the first floor.

We've tried various tactics to keep his things in one place. Obviously unsuccessfully.

So, I've decided to tackle the problem head on AGAIN. This time I'm attacking the problem with the tactic of "if the place where the things are to go is RIGHT BY the door, then it will be really easy for Mr. 31 to just dump the stuff right there." Seems logical.

There are two drawers in the kitchen right by the main door that we go in and out of that I decided to appropriate. They were holding tablecloths, cloth napkins, and a box holding fancy serveware. So all of those things needed a place to go.

For that, I decided to empty a drawer in a hutch in my dining room, which was the last spot that I tried getting my husband to corral all his stuff. It has since become a true junk drawer, holding all sorts of goodies and, to be honest, trash. It was really kind of frightening.

After emptying and cleaning the drawers, I decided to line them. I didn't have contact paper or equivalent, so I decided to go with leftover wallpaper from my dining room. It works, right?

I attempted to pull the old lining out of the kitchen drawers, but evidently the liner is integral to the structural integrity of the drawers. Not wanting to rebuild drawers, I left it underneath the wallpaper.

Then I loaded the dining room drawer up with all my tablecloths, runners, and napkins.

In the kitchen, I kept the serveware and an apron in one drawer and used the other for Mr. 31's stuff.

Look how neat it is!

I also want to show you the proximity of the drawer to the door, so you can see that he literally has to take one step into the door, open the drawer, and dump his stuff in.

Here's hoping we've got the solution!!

I'll be linking up to the usual suspects!

Praline Stuffed Yam

2010-07-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

As promised yesterday, here is the recipe that I made to use up a lingering yam. As I only had 1 (large) yam, I adapted the recipe to fit. Hence the odd measurements.

Praline Stuffed Yams
Adapted from The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook (Trim and Terrific)

1 large yam, unpeeled
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1/8 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1 1/2 tbs. butter, melted
1/6 cup flour
1/8 cup light brown sugar
1/8 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke yam with a fork a few times. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour.

2. Cut yam in half (You'll probably have to hold it with a towel or pot holder while you do it. It will be HOT). Spoon out contents into a bowl. Mash together with sugar, milk, half the cinnamon, and half the vanilla. Spoon mixture back into the yam skin halves.

3. Mix together butter, flour, brown sugar, pecans, and remaining cinnamon and vanilla. Crumble on top of the yam halves.

4. Turn oven down to 350. Bake yams for 15 minutes or until topping is browned.

It was yummy and I didn't have to add the yam to the compost bin!

Please check my link party page for all the wonderful blogs I'll be linking up to!

The Problem with Produce

2010-07-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

Making the switch to eating healthier is posing some interesting problems.

Take fresh produce for instance. I've always known I should eat more fruits and vegetables (in a form other than the Hostess fried cherry pies from convenience stores). The lesson was hammered home in Michael Pollan's book Food Rules: An Eater's Manual (a great book - I really recommend it!). His basic rules: Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.

Probably good ideas.

However, with only two of us eating at our house for the most part, produce is sometimes difficult to stay ahead of. We buy it and eat it....except for that last banana that ends up going bad...or that last handful of lettuce that neither of us manage to eat before it wilts...or those last few blueberries that went moldy.

You know, you don't have this problem with Hamburger Helper. Which also explains why I shouldn't eat it.

I've been working on figuring out ways to save those last bits of produce so they don't go bad, like making apple muffins out of the lingering apples, cutting up and freezing berries, etc. In the interest of being honest, we've also been making some contributions to our compost bin.

Tomorrow I will share a recipe I came across that helped me use up a yam that was on the verge of being not so fresh.

Scripture Saturday - Philippians 4:8

2010-07-17T08:00:00.003-04:00

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. - Philippians 4:8

I've decided to take a break from Proverbs 31 to look at this verse from Philippians.

There are occasionally times in life when, for whatever reason, it seems like we are surrounded by negative circumstances. There's bad news all around and difficult situations to tackle. It's extremely easy to get down in the dumps or pessimistic when faced with such times.

That's why I love this scripture. What a great solution that the Lord has given us! Instead of continuously dwelling on the terrible things, think on the things that are lovely, pure, of good report. Doing so will not necessarily make the difficult circumstances disappear, but you will have the peace of the Lord as you go through them.

So the next time things start bringing you down, change the things you are focusing on. Focus on the good things, the pure things, the lovely things, the just things. There are always plenty of those around us - we just need to make the choice to dwell on them.

Smothered Meatloaf

2010-07-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

When I first saw this recipe I was like, "Meatloaf in a crock pot?? Whaaaat??" Then I made it. Because I love my crock pot and am always looking for new recipes. And because it's the one kitchen appliance that I can outcook my husband in. And Oh. My. Gosh. It was so good!!

The recipe came from Sandra Lee at the Food Network. Her's originally calls for a lot of mushrooms. Seeing as my husband's not a huge fan I omitted them.

Smothered Meatloaf

Adapted from Sandra Lee

4 cups Potatoes O'Brien

2 lbs. ground beef

1 box Garlic Herb Shake and Bake

1 envelope Beefy Onion soup mix

1 egg

1 (12 oz) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup, divided

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 onion, sliced thin

1. Place potatoes (mine were still frozen) in the bottom of the slow cooker.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Shake and Bake, dry soup mix, and egg.

3. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup Cheddar soup with the evaporated milk. Add to the meat mixture (I ended up using my hands. Seemed to work better than a spoon). Form it into a loaf and place on top of the potatoes (I ended up redoing a lot of the forming once I got it into the slow cooker). Make sure the meat is not touching the sides of the cooker.

4. Stir together the remaining Cheddar soup and the cream of mushroom soup. Pour on the meatloaf and top with the sliced onions.

5. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Turn temperature down to Low and cook for another 5-6 hours.

I've cooked mine a bit longer and it was fine. I also thank the good Lord for the timer and the Keep Warm setting on my slow cooker. Works wonders when you work an 8 hour day and you have a 6 hour cook time.

I usually throw this recipe together first thing in the morning. Then I cook it on High for the hour while I'm getting ready for work. By the time I'm ready, it's usually ready to go down to Low.

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:16

2010-07-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. - Proverbs 31:16

Ah, the Proverbs 31 businesswoman. Who said Christian women can't be entrepreneurs?

Here's a biblical example of a female landowner and entrepreneur - smack in the middle of the description of the ideal way a Christian woman should be. This woman is not being shunned for getting involved in arenas that she shouldn't be - she is being put forth as the woman that men should strive to marry.

Not only is she a businesswoman, but she is a wise businesswoman. She considers her moves before she makes them. She also is wise with her finances - she has the means to purchase a field.

She is also a profitable businesswoman. Not only can she purchase a field, but she has enough earnings to plant a vineyard.

I know lots of women with the entreprenurial spirit - whether they work outside of the home in their own or someone else's business or are stay at home wives and mothers with businesses on the side. We're just doing what we've been called to do by God!

Enjoying Life

2010-07-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

First, I want to thank Michelle at Someday Crafts for featuring my house number planter.

Thank you!!

These past two weeks have been really hectic both at work and at home. There is a lot going on at work in general and then we decided to do a heavy duty spring cleaning of the building. It now looks great and is soooo organized, but it was very tiring!

Then, my husband's family had a surprise birthday party for his grandpa's 75th birthday. We had a lot of family visiting from out of town, which was great. But we decided that some things had to be fixed around our house before they got there. So, in the evenings we were tackling projects like painting the foundation of our house, painting our decks, laying a laminate floor in a room where we had to take the carpet up...

Then, the weekend of the party, we cooked breakfast for 40 people at our house, we traveled from house to house visiting people who were in town...and, oh yeah, we had the actual party. We stayed up until 1:00-2:00 every day over the 4th of July weekend. We had a GREAT time with everyone and his grandpa was really touched and happy about the surprise. But, dang, was it tiring!!

I don't think I've been this tired in a long time. It's been really easy to get overwhelmed and exhausted at points. Then, I came across an entry in Joyce Meyer's devotional Starting Your Day Right: Devotions for Each Morning of the Year. She was looking at Deuteronomy 12:7: "And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you."

She went on to say, "It is amazing what happens when you decide to enjoy God every day. It is easy to get so caught up in all your responsibilities that you forget to enjoy what you are doing. You can get so busy raising your children that you forget to enjoy them. You can get so caught up in cleaning your house, trying to pay for it, and remodeling it, that you forget to enjoy it. But you can learn to enjoy God so much that no matter what you do today, you can truly say, 'I enjoyed it.'"

What a great reminder. No matter how busy we are or how many projects we are trying to juggle, we must remember to enjoy our lives! I bet that, in 20 years, I won't remember my organizational system at work, or what color I painted my decks; but I will remember the look on Mr. 31's grandpa's face when he walked into the surprise party because I took the time to soak in and enjoy the moment. I stopped working and bustling around long enough to enjoy.

So, as we're working, and fixing our homes, and feeding our families, and caring for ourselves, let's remember to take the time to enjoy God and all the blessings he has bestowed upon us.

House Number Planter

2010-07-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

There are lots of improvements I've been wanting to make on the house we live in, some of which you've seen.

One of the changes I've been yearning to tackle is the appearance of our house numbers. The existing set up was fairly ugly:

(There were brass numbers on there, but I got excited and jumped the gun on taking them off before I took the picture. I really need to work on that).

I really like how the wooden plaque broke at the bottom and they just repainted it. Classic.

So, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do....total mental block...until I saw Amanda at Hand Me Down House's brilliant address planter idea. SO CUTE!!

I did have to modify the idea - our numbers have to be hung on the house plus our house is really close to the street, so having two sets of numbers within 5 feet of each other seemed like overkill.

I took the existing plaque down - and there was much rejoicing!!! By me, anyway.

Then I attached the numbers that were on the plaque to a decorative holder that some flowers had been delivered in. My husband purchased some impatiens (he's the green thumb in the family. Vanessa = plant death) and repotted them into a container that would fit in the holder.

Then, because I don't do well with power tools - yet- and he didn't want holes and nicks all over the brick, Mr. 31 hung the planter using two heavy duty L-brackets and some bolts.

Now my house numbers are not an embarrassment!!

Big shout out to Amanda!! Without your creativity I would still be looking at the broken plaque!

Burrito Bake

2010-07-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

I've made this recipe a few times and it's really good. The technique they use to cook the hamburger is also good with other Southwestern dishes like tacos and enchiladas.

Photo from Kraft Foods

Burrito Bake

Adapted from Kraft Foods

1 lb. ground beef

1 pck. or 4 tbs. taco seasoning

3/4 cup water

4 10" tortillas

1 can refried beans -or- 1 can black beans, mashed

1 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Stir in seasoning and water. Bring to boil. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Grease a 9" round cake pan with olive oil. Place two tortillas on the bottom (the tortillas will go up the sides a little bit, which is helpful in keeping it all together when you're serving). Cover with half the beans, meat, and cheese. Place 1 tortilla on top and put the remaining beans, meat, and cheese on it. Top with last tortilla.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges to serve.

* Note: I have also used homemade tortillas for this recipe. Because they are smaller, I used double the amount to get the coverage I needed. It tasted fine, but serving it was messier than with the larger tortillas.

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:15

2010-07-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. -Proverbs 31:15

I love sleep. Love it. Adore it.

Due to this, I am not necessarily what you could call a morning person. I'm more of a hit-the-snooze-button-as-many-times-as-I-can-get-away-with-it person.

However, there are many scriptures which reference awaking bright and early and getting a productive jump on the day, including Proverbs 31:15. In this verse, the woman awakes and makes sure her family and their help are taken care of before the rest of her day begins.

I can't say that's been my strength. I rarely wake up in time for me to eat before I go to work, let alone fix breakfast for my husband. I don't have "maidens", but I wouldn't be awake to fix them breakfast even if I did.

If I could get disciplined about getting my behind out of bed, there is so much I could get done before I even got to work. I could exercise. I could fix my husband breakfast and maybe even iron his clothes for the day. I could pray and read my bible and spend time with the Lord. There are a world of possibilities - if I would just get up!

I guess that's something to work on!

While I'm working on that, I hope everyone has an enjoyable 4th of July!

Please Pardon My Absence

2010-07-02T18:11:00.002-04:00

Hello all!

You may have noticed I haven't posted in a couple of days (or maybe you haven't, which is perfectly fine!).

We've been getting ready for a big family get together this weekend and tackling various projects around the house, a couple of which I'll share with you next week.

So, pardon my lack of posting, but I've been barely keeping my eyes open the last few days!

Flag Holder Redo

2010-06-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

For the two years I've lived in my current home, I've had to look at this flag holder that hangs on one of the porch columns. First, it's weather beaten and old looking. Secondly, the whole country wooden heart thing really isn't my style. No offense, it looks lovely in other people's homes, but it's just not me.

BUT, you know what's also not me? Having gaping holes in my brick from the giant bolts they hung the heart with should I take the thing down. So, what to do, what to do?

Then along came some free paint samples - in red, white, and blue (and olive green, but that doesn't really go with this post). Lightbulb!!

So, I painted the heart to look like an American flag. Less country looking, more American-rustic (if that's a style).

Painting it was really simple. I measured out the lines using a bookmark (I discovered during the course of this project that we don't own a ruler in my house. How is that even possible?). I painted it relying on the steadiness of my own hand to follow the lines, so I didn't use tape (which I'm terrible at anyways). Then I used a pencil eraser to dot the "stars" on the blue part.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It looks much better (and much less weather beaten and dirty!).

I'm linking up with Centsational Girl's Stars and Stripes Party.

I'll also be linking up with some of the other link parties listed on my link party page so check those out too!

Zucchini Bread

2010-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is the best zucchini bread EVER!! This is a great recipe for all that zucchini from your garden or that you can get really cheap at your local farmer's market. Sorry, there's no picture - it goes that fast!! (Okay, well maybe I just didn't take one, but you get what I'm saying.)

Zucchini Bread
From Paula Deen

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:14

2010-06-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. - Proverbs 31:14

I think one of the better, more practical explanations I've heard for this verse came from Elizabeth George's book Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman.

She said of the Proverbs 31 woman in this verse: "She spares no cost in terms of money, time, or effort when it comes to contributing to the well-being of those she loves."

That resonated with me more than trying to wrap my mind around being compared to a ship. I think her description is what most women strive to do for their loved ones. Whether that means spending money on her children rather than on something she wants, or searching diligently for the best sales and the best coupons for the family's groceries, or working two jobs to help make ends meet, the modern Proverbs 31 woman works hard to care for her family.

And, while it's important to strive to better, I think it's also important that we give ourselves credit for the efforts we already put forth.

I Got Instruments of Torture in the Mail Today

2010-06-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

Yes. Exercise equipment. Which means I have to exercise now. No excuses.

Which stinks because I'm really good at excuses.

I'm also really good at avoiding exercise. Like if there were Olympic gold medals for avoiding exercise I would be the Michael Phelps of that event.

But that also explains why I'm overweight. Especially when you combine that with the fact that I LOVE food. Not like vegetables (unless mashed potatoes count). More like ice cream.

All that together means I haven't been a very good steward over my body and my health. Haven't exactly been treating it like the temple of the Lord it is.

So, I am setting out to change all that. Exercise is step 1 of my plan to get healthy and lose some weight. I have a Danskin DA-2637R 10 lb. Weighted Toning Ball, Valeo HW2 2-Pound Neoprene Hand Weights, a Valeo Deluxe Speed Jump Rope, and Kim Kardashian's exercise plan (which was in last month's Shape magazine). I'm ready!!

Who's with me?

The Beginnings of a Bedroom Redo

2010-06-23T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have decided that my next project to tackle is a redo of our master bedroom.

This move was inspired by the fact that we had to replace our bed. Our old headboard was made by Mr. 31 five years ago. It was (and will be again!) great, but in the last six months or so the fake suede-y material covering the headboard began to seriously flake on the one side. Mr. 31 was waking up every morning with pieces of fabric dotting his face and hair and we decided that was not going to work long term.

So, we made the decision to buy our first store made bed and move the homemade headboard into the guest room (and eventually re-cover it). We started bed shopping and hit the jackpot - a brand new, wooden canopy bed for less than half the normal price! We put it on layaway and paid it off last month.

Now, I've always wanted a canopy bed (my inner princess coming out!), so I was ecstatic. And I couldn't wait to do something girly to it. Alas, my budget was willing to wait.

But my attic was on my side! A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were cleaning out our attic (and I almost got us trapped in there, but that's a different post), when I came across a garbage bag full of decorations from our wedding. Yards of tulle, strands of ivy and roses, and strings of Christmas lights emerged. The lightbulb came on and I couldn't wait to ditch the hot attic to get started on my new project.

I strung the lights and the ivy and roses around the metal braces that form an X between the posts. Then I strung the tulle over the bed with tiny silver ribbon that you can't even see. Then my brilliant husband was like, "It would look nice with flower petals" and I remembered I had some fake rose petals from a previous project. So we threw some of those on the tulle.

Unfortunately, I was too hyped to start the project and did not take before pictures of the bed. Oops. But I think you can get the picture of what it looked like before.

Here it is without the Christmas lights on:

And with the Christmas lights on:

And what it looks like when you're laying on it:

Oh, wait. That's what it looks like when you're laying on it taking pictures and your cat gets all on the lens.

Here's what it looks like after you (gently) shove her down:

I really like the way it turned out. Plus, it was free (!!) and it reminds me of our beautiful wedding day every time I look at it.

Now, you'll notice I didn't take a picture of the whole bed (because the blankets and sheets aren't coordinated yet and, let's be honest, I didn't bother to make the bed before I took these pictures) and that I have blue curtains up that don't seem to match what's going on now. I will be re-doing the rest of the room as my budget allows and will updating you all soon!

Please check my "Link Party" page to see the fabulous blogs I'll be linking up to!

Hamburger Potato Casserole

2010-06-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

I tried this recipe this past week. I really liked it. Mr. 31 ate it. He was very polite. But, to be fair, he's not really into casseroles. Maybe I shouldn't make so many...

Hamburger Potato Casserole
Adapted from a recipe on About.com

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium potatoes, sliced
2 cups green beans (I use frozen)
1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of mushrooms soup
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbs. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef and onion, seasoned with the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Drain fat. Transfer ground beef mixture to a 9x13 pan or a 3 qt. casserole dish (whichever you'd like or have on hand).

3. Layer potatoes on top of the ground beef. Place green beans on top of potatoes (I used frozen and didn't even thaw them before I added them to the casserole).

4. Spread soup on the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To Menu Plan or Not to Menu Plan? That is the Question.

2010-06-21T08:15:00.001-04:00

In honor of Menu Plan Monday, I have a question for everyone: to menu plan or not to menu plan?

Lots of people swear by it and you'd think, with my overly organized self, I'd be all about menu planning. However, I have not managed to pull it off more than a couple days in advance. I'm in awe of those people who think to have roast chicken on Monday and then, two days later, use the leftover chicken to make chicken tacos or something. If I manage to do that, it's completely on accident and more like, "oh gosh, I have to use that chicken up before it rots" than a plan.

You see, I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, I-have-to-quickly-defrost-meat-for-dinner-in-a-bowl-of-water kind of girl. Hmm...maybe that's why the guys at the local pizza place know our order by heart....

So, do you menu plan or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:13

2010-06-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. - Proverbs 31:13

Willingly. The NIV version of the bible says "eagerly".

Unfortunately for me, it does not say she "procrastinateth" or she "sitteth on her behind after working for eight hours" or she "worketh begrudgingly, muttering about all the tasks there are to doeth".

Darn.

She works willingly or eagerly with her hands. This is an important distinction to keep in mind. It's probably much more pleasant for my husband and my family when I'm in a good mood while I'm cleaning and working in my home. It's probably not so pleasant when I'm ticked off or resentful about having to clean and work in my home.

And, you know what - it's much more pleasant for me when I'm in a good mood too. When I'm grumpy about what I'm doing, when I'm finished I don't feel the same sense of accomplishment and contentment that I do when I go about my day cheerfully and willingly. I could do laundry one day grumpy and then do the same amount of laundry another day cheerfully, and it makes a difference in how I feel before, during, and at the end of the day.

I'll have to keep that in mind next time I'm tempted to take care of my home in a not-so-eager way.

I'm Going Green! And Frugal! Two Points For Me!

2010-06-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, maybe I should calm down. Really, all I'm talking about (today at least) is the fact that I have successfully switched my household over to cloth napkins.

I decided to make the switch after reading about others' success in the blog world. Before, I always thought it would be such a pain to have to wash them. Plus using cloth napkins seemed too fancy for everyday.

However, after reading all those blogs, I finally got sick of throwing away paper napkins. Mr. 31 insisted that he needed two napkins for every meal, plus there was everyone else's. That's a lot of paper napkins going in the trash. That's a lot of waste that we're producing and that's a lot of money being tossed into the garbage.

So, I decided to dive into the stack of cloth napkins I keep for "special occasions" and give this whole green/frugal thing a spin. And, I've gotta say, I love it. I have a large supply of white cloth napkins, which seems weird because you'd think they'd get stained quicker, but they're great because I can bleach them.

My next mission is to switch my husband from kleenex to handkerchiefs. He's open to that - I just have to find good quality, soft, white ones (his request). I would also like to break my house of our terrible paper towel habit, so I'll be working on that in the near future.

The one thing I probably won't switch to in the paperless world: reusable rags instead of toilet paper. I just don't think I can go there. Sorry hardcore environmentalists and frugalists. Just can't do it.

My $30 (Okay, $36) Living Room Makeover

2010-06-17T08:00:00.021-04:00

A few months ago, I decided that I was sick of the way my living room looked. It wasn't like it was terrible looking, but it was a hodgepodge of things that had been in various rooms at our old house. Now, mind you, we've been in our current house for over a year, so it's not like I just moved. But, evidently, I had reached my limit as to the number of times I could look at the living room as it was.

So, I talked my husband into giving me $30 to re-do the living room. I wasn't sure what I was going to be able to accomplish with that, but I thought I'd give it a go and see what happened.

So, first things first, I decided to spray paint everything in sight. Okay, maybe not everything, but a lot. You already saw one of the projects in an earlier post. I also painted a lot of photo frames. I love having pictures of friends and family everywhere, but my frames were a sad mixture of styles, materials, and colors. Some examples:

(Excuse the white powder in the bottom picture - it's not anthrax or something illegal - I didn't realize that Mr. 31 had sprinkled carpet powder all over before I took the pictures).

But after a few coats of Rustoleum White, they started to look a little better as a group. Although, I do have to admit that I managed to melt one of my frames. Oops. Note to self: try the spray paint made for plastics when painting a plastic frame.

I purchased some green ribbon to hang a couple of the frames from (I also want to mention that you won't see much hanging on my walls because we are currently renting our house and aren't supposed to put holes in the walls. I lucked out and discovered the three nails above the mantel that were already there).
I also had a few pictures I wanted to use that weren't quite the right size for the frame. So, I used the same green ribbon as a fake matting.

Altogether, the frames and candlesticks from the earlier post cost me $17.00.

I also had the ugly brown pillows to contend with which I talked about in an earlier post. They cost me $12.00.

And, because I like to pay attention to the small things, another small project I tackled was our coasters. We had the coasters you can put pictures in (we only had pictures in half of them - I have no idea why). I removed the pictures and cut squares out of scraps of the wallpaper border from our dining room (which is open to our living room and decorated in the same colors).

This project was free!! My favorite kind!!

With some other small additions (like a couple of candles), my grand total came to $36. I went over budget - but just a little... Don't tell my husband.

Here are some before pics of my living room:

And some afters:

Still some things I would like to change and fix up, but all in all, not too shabby for $36!

One of My Goals

2010-06-16T08:00:00.004-04:00

By nature, I am a worrier. If I let myself, I would worry about everything - my family, money, what we're going to have for dinner, etc.

But, as I began to read the bible years ago, I kept stumbling on passages telling me not to worry, to not be anxious. So, I resolved, as part of my quest to be more like God has called me to be, to not worry. Most the time I do a fairly good job at keeping my worrying nature at bay. But occasionally I feel that worrying nature creep back in.

So, one of my goals is to kick worry to the curb for good. And I thought I would share one of the scriptures that is helping me do that (you know, just in case I'm not the only one with this problem). I really like Matthew 6:27: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" I love this scripture because it reminds me that worrying is not helpful. I don't gain anything by it except an annoying teeth grinding habit when I'm sleeping.

Whenever I find myself worrying, I try to bring this scripture to mind. I'm not adding to my life by worrying; I'm not gaining anything positive by stressing over things. Let go, and let God.

Better than Robert Redford Dessert

2010-06-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

I really would like a different name for this dessert, but it's not my recipe, so not my choice I guess! When I take it to picnics, everyone's like, "What did you bring?" and I'm like, "Better than Robert Redford..." Cue crickets as everyone gives me confused looks.

However, it tastes so awesome that everyone forgets their momentary confusion over the name. It's the perfect cool summer dessert.

Better than Robert Redford Dessert
Adapted from Family Circle

1 (rounded) cup of flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
4 cups milk
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding
2 (3.9 oz) boxes instant chocolate pudding
1 regular Hershey bar
chopped nuts (for top)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 13x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, pecans, walnuts, and butter. Pat mixture into the prepared pan so it covers the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes and cool completely. (Note: cooling COMPLETELY is very important - tried to finish it once without cooling it completely. Big mistake. The crust came off the bottom in chunks and mixed in with the next layer. Oops. If you're impatient like me place the pan on a cooling rack to make the process go faster.)

3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled crust. (As this mixture is fairly sticky, I've found that dropping spoonfuls of the mixture all over crust and then spreading those together works best.)

4. Prepare vanilla pudding using 2 cups of milk. Spread over the cream cheese layer (again, dropping spoonfuls all over and then spreading works best to keep the layers seperate). Prepare chocolate pudding with remaining 2 cups of milk. Spread the chocolate pudding over the vanilla (again with my patented "spoonfuls" method).

5. Spread remaining Cool Whip over chocolate pudding with - you guessed it - the spoonfuls method. (You may have a little extra Cool Whip left over, depending on how much you want on the dessert. Feel free to eat the extra with a spoon. If it's left over from a recipe, then it doesn't count as calories. Right? We'll go with that).

6. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Using a vegetable peeler, cut chocolate curls from the Hershey bar and sprinkle on top.

7. Place the dessert in the refrigerator anywhere from 2 hours to overnight before serving. Cut into squares to serve.

(I'm not affiliated with Cool Whip or Hershey - just my preferred brands to use with this recipe.)

Slacking for a Good Reason

2010-06-14T12:15:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

I totally missed posting on Scripture Saturday. I didn't forget, I just didn't manage to cram it into my day.

My sister's baby shower was in the morning. I thought I'd post before that, but in the morning I realized I hadn't gotten my clothes ready, I hadn't wrapped her present.... Anyhoo, I got out the door on time - just with no post.

A good time was had by all at the shower. I saw a lot of family that I hadn't seen in a long time, so that was awesome. My sister (who is totally opposite in appearance to me - tall, skinny, and blonde) is possibly the tiniest pregnant person I have ever seen. She is due in 3 weeks and her waist size is still probably what mine was in 5th grade. Whatever. Still, can't wait to meet little Daisy!

Then, two hours after the shower ended, my husband and I were to attend my aunt's wedding. I thought I'd post between those events. Wrong again. I hadn't counted on the day being so hot and humid. Sooooo, I had to change my outfit between events, which I hadn't been planning on. Throwing all the clothes out of my closet (otherwise known as picking another dressy outfit), all while trying to have a fan pointed directly at me, took some time.

Then I had to iron my husband's clothes, after telling him to "watch the time" as he was still working in the garden 45 minutes before we had to leave. After him saying "For what?" and me almost killing him, he began to get ready.

Then, I had to do my hair. In the hot, humid house. In the hot, steamy, post-my-husband-taking-a-shower bathroom. Right. My hair was frizzing and sticking to everything except the style I wanted it in. I finally got it in just the right high ponytail I wanted and went to put the hair band in when the hair band snapped in half and went flying, leaving me with hair rapidly falling out of the perfect position I had it in and sticking itself to my neck...and my face...and my arm. To which my loving husband said, "Umm, your hair thingy is in the bathtub."

Good thing looks don't actually kill because I would be a widow.

Long story, short - I did my hair in the air conditioned car on the way to the wedding.

The (air conditioned) wedding was lovely. I'm very happy for my aunt who got married. And I saw even more family, which was great.

So, while I sort of felt bad for missing Scripture Saturday, it was all in the name of spending time with family and celebrating some of the most wonderful moments in life there are.

Except for those minutes I spent almost killing my husband. But we won't talk about that.

I Suffer From CTDL Disorder

2010-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

That's right. I suffer from Compulsive-To-Do-Listing Disorder. I make a to do list for EVERYTHING. In fact, I'm so into to do lists, some of my to do lists have sub-to-do lists. Love them!! They can be so gratifying. Being able to check things off, cross them out, whatever your pleasure is - so wonderful! I love it so much that sometimes I put stuff I've already done on the to do list, just so I can cross it off. Instant gratification!!

I have to do lists on paper and Post-its. I have to do lists on my iPhone. I have to do lists that I've e-mailed to myself. I have digital to do lists in Microsoft Outlook. Is there a To-Do-Listers Anonymous? If so, my name is Vanessa and I'm a To-Do-Lister.

But to do lists aren't just about the gratification. They also keep my organized - which is their more important function. I'm the queen of to do lists at work - because if I didn't have them I would be highly disorganized and tons of stuff would fall through the cracks. Part of my job is keeping others organized - to do so I have to have my own stuff together! Microsoft Outlook is my best friend at work! If you have the program and you haven't explored the Task function yet, I would highly recommend it. It's effective for work, but would also be great for keeping organized at home.

If you don't use to do lists and often find yourself losing track of tasks, I would recommend giving them a try. Find a way that would be best for you - some find to do lists scrawled on envelope backs totally effective; others love some electronic format on their computer or phone. My guess is, once you find a way that works for you, you won't turn back from to-do-listing.

I'll see you at the TDL Anonymous meeting.

(By the way, I am in no way affiliated with or paid by Microsoft. I'm guessing they don't know that I even exist.)

Shedding Our Deepest Fear

2010-06-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Marianne Williamson

Maybe you've seen this quote before. I saw it for the first time today. It struck a chord with me.

False humility is often a problem with Christians. We tend to mistake confidence (especially in ourselves) for bragging or showing off. Why should we be ashamed of our God-given gifts and talents? God gave us those gifts and talents for a reason - and it wasn't so we could keep them to ourselves or be embarrassed of them. We should be using our gifts - whatever they may be - to glorify God and to serve others.

We often encourage those around us to go after their dreams; it's usually far easier to recognize others' gifts and to help encourage their use. But what kind of example are we setting if we continually keep our own gifts and talents under wraps? Talk about a "Do as I say, not as I do" scenario.

Don't be afraid or ashamed of the gifts and talents that God has given you. By using them and letting them shine, we are actually helping those around us more than our words alone could ever do.

Joining the Wondrous World of Spray Painting

2010-06-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, call me lame, but until this year I had not heard of the magical world of spray painting to refresh your home decor. Now, I have used spray paint before - I don't totally live under a rock. But I had not thought to use it for things in my home.

As I delved deeper into the blogosphere, I was introduced to the wonder that is spray paint. So, extremely excited about the possibilities, I decided to embark on my maiden voyage into this wondrous new world.

I decided to start with some objects that I purchased from Salvation Army. That way, if I totally messed up, I wasn't doing it on beloved objects. So, I bought two candlesticks at Salvation Army. It took me a minute to find a couple that I liked - at first it was really hard for me to look past the colors they already were! But I finally got in the swing of just looking at their shape and form and found what I was looking for.

I bought this gold beauty for 79 cents:

(Please excuse the terrible condition of my deck - that's an upcoming summer project!)

I also bought this candlestick, the color of which I can't fully explain. It was $2.99.

So, I attacked the candlesticks with plain ol' Rustoleum in Semi-gloss White. I sprayed light layers, letting each dry in between coats. I will admit, the speckled black candlestick was giving me some irritation - the first couple of layers looked like they weren't adhering.

But spray paint conquered! And for the grand total of about $12.00 (including candles), I had a brand new look for my mantel.

My foray into spray painting went so well, I decided to remake some other objects in my living room. I'll share those projects later.

I LOVE spray paint!

Lone Star Rice

2010-06-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

Here's a recipe that is a stand-by at my house. It is versatile and works all year long with a variety of meals. We'll use it a lot this summer with all the grilling we do!

My Version of Lone Star Rice
Adapted from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

2 cups water
2 bouillon cubes (chicken or beef, depending on your menu)
1 cup uncooked parboiled rice (really important - other types of rices did not work!)
1 tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup diced white onion
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Bring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil over high heat in a medium sized saucepan.

2. Add the rice to the liquid and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. When there is 10 minutes left in the rice's cooking time, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

4. When the oil is hot, add the onion to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are a golden brown.

5. When the rice is done, add it to the skillet with the onion. Add the chili powder and salt. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.

A Typical Moment in My House

2010-06-07T12:51:00.004-04:00

I had a crazy day yesterday so I didn't get a post ready and am now on my lunch break doing this post. Because of that, I thought I'd share a typical moment at my house starring my cats Samuel (the orange one) and Dixie (the black and white one). Samuel always wants the exact place where Dixie is sitting or laying or sleeping. Just because. That's how he rolls.

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:11-12

2010-06-05T09:09:00.003-04:00

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. - Proverbs 31:11-12 (NIV)

She brings him good, not harm, ALL the days of her life. Every single one. Even the ones when she's tired and cranky from a long day at work. Even the ones when the house is a mess and it doesn't seem like he did much to help make it otherwise.

This is one I struggle with (and my husband knows it!). ALL the days. I can be nice all day long at work, even on difficult phone calls or in dealing with difficult people. But when I come home? It's like I know my husband loves me, so I can feel free to let loose on him. Because doesn't he know that I had a rough day? Doesn't he know that I've had to be nice and pleasant all day long when sometimes I didn't want to be? Wasn't I just really nice to him yesterday?

I want to get to the point where my husband has full confidence that I will bring him good ALL the days of my life. Why should I be nice and pleasant and bring good to people I deal with at work and not be nice and pleasant and bring good to my husband, who I love and made a lifelong commitment to?

Lord, help me to remember your word that I may bring my husband good and not harm all the days of my life.

Start Where You Are

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

I love that message! I originally heard it from Pastor Rus Jeffrey, who has a ministry in New York.

So many times we (or maybe it’s just me…) hold ourselves and our purpose in life hostage to our own excuses and/or our inability to comprehend how to accomplish our goals.

As soon as I get $25,000, I’ll start that business.

I want to be a writer, but I don’t have an agent, so I’ll just wait until an opportunity presents itself.

I feel called to minister, but I don’t have a pulpit to do it from.

I would lose weight, but I don’t have any exercise equipment. As soon as I can get a home gym together, I’ll get started.

Instead of holding yourself up, start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

My sister-in-law is a good example of this. She is a talented cake baker/decorator and wants to one day have her own bakery. She could have very easily said, “I don’t have the money or the professional kitchen or the expertise to start. This will have to wait.” Instead, she has started where she is, which is in her own kitchen, baking and decorating cakes for friends and acquaintances. She is building her expertise, building a client base, and preparing herself for the day when she is ready to open a full-fledged business.

I encourage you to take a look at your dreams and what you feel called to do with your life. You may not be in a position to achieve your final goal, but you can start where you are. You can use what you have. You can do what you can.

Do you feel called to be a writer? Well, start writing – in a notebook, on your computer, on a blog. There are plenty of ways to get those creative juices flowing. Feel called to minister to people? Well, you may not be on anyone’s guest speaker roster yet, but you have friends, right? Start there. Next time a friend is down, rather than joining in the gripe fest, take the opportunity to bless her or him.

My husband and I bring this message to each other’s remembrance often. It’s a good way to get yourself going in the right direction and to start making a difference both in your life and in the lives of others.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

No-Sew Throw Pillow Makeover

2010-06-03T08:00:00.010-04:00

I love to learn about and create inexpensive and creative ways to decorate my home. I'm a total homebody and love for my home to be a place of comfort and peace and a part of that is liking how my home looks. From time to time, I will post about what I'm up to in decorating my home.

I love throw pillows. They can add so much to a room, plus they’re lovely to lay on, lean against, throw at someone without actually hurting them…

What I don’t love is how much throw pillows cost. For the couch and loveseat in my living room, I wanted six pillows. There was a pillow at Target that I really liked, but it cost $19.99. That would be roughly $120.00 worth of pillows for my living room. Yeah, I’ll get right on buying those.

So, I needed another solution. My couch & loveseat originally came with dark brown pillows made out of some rough cloth that was NOT comfortable to lay on:

Dark brown pillows on a lighter brown couch. I’m in awe of the daring of the designer.

While walking around at Walmart, I saw packs of standard sized pillow cases that were sold in packs of two in a variety of colors for around $4.00. And I saw the two colors that I wanted for my pillows. So, $12.00 later, I was walking out of Walmart with six pillow cases hoping they would fit on my existing couch pillows.

Because, you see, I can’t sew. And it’s not like other people in my family can’t sew. My grandmother and numerous aunts sew and probably could have taught me. But then I think about my dislike for measuring things precisely and realize anything I sew would probably look like this:

(Remember this episode? I love The Cosby Show!)

Rather than admit I wouldn’t be good at it, I’m going to blame it on genetics and say the ability to sew skips every third generation. Yep, I’m sure that’s what it is.

Back to the pillow cases. I got home and guess what? They fit perfectly! All I had to do was tuck the ends in at the bottom so you can only see the tuck on one side. I just keep that side to the back and no one is the wiser. Well, now you are, but I trust you won’t come to my house and start flipping my couch pillows over.

And the best part is – besides the fact that I have pillows in the colors I wanted without having to sew or spend an arm and a leg – is that these covers can be removed and washed really easily. Which is perfect for when my cats decide to shed their entire coats over the span of a month.

Yay throw pillows! (And Dixie likes them too!)

My Favorite Pastime

2010-06-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

The picture to the left is a typical stack that I carry out of the public library.

You may be a book addict if everyone you pass when you're leaving the library has to comment on the number of books you're carrying out with you...

I love to read. I love books. I love that you can find a book on just about any subject.

I'm like a kid in a candy store when you take me to the library or to a Barnes & Noble. I can't figure out what section to start in. History? Or maybe fiction? Ooh, except you have to pass the cookbooks to get to fiction, so maybe I should stop there first? The only time that's different: if I'm actually buying, I must start in clearance because then I can buy more books for the money I have!

And I must also admit that I am a horrible purist when it comes to reading and books. I MUST have actual books!! None of this replacing my library with my iPhone or a Kindle. Now, eBooks are helpful on a plane (they certainly weigh a lot less than a stack of books!). However, for me, technology can never replace or replicate the feeling of holding a book in your hands. There's something so comforting about curling up on your couch with a blanket and a book (and maybe some toast and hot chocolate....). There's something not so comforting about curling up with my iPhone (though I do love it for other things).

If I had my way, my house would be overrun with books. They would be stacked on every surface, every bare spot on the floor. The only thing keeping me from doing that? I think it might be grounds for a divorce....or, at the very least, a visit from the show Hoarders...and who needs someone coming in and throwing away all their books?

Cherry Filled Oreo Truffles

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

In light of my post yesterday, I thought I would share a kitchen success story.

This is my variation on the ever-popular Oreo truffles. Because if something sweet is good, adding something else sweet to it can only make it better, right?

Cherry Filled Oreo Truffles

Adapted from Kraft Foods

Ingredients
1 package of Oreos
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz) bag of semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar of maraschino cherries

Directions
1. Crush Oreos to fine crumbs using whatever method you’d like (food processor, putting them in a Ziploc bag and banging the heck out of them, whatever). Reserve about 1/8 cup of the crumbs to sprinkle on the finished truffles later.
2. Mix the remaining Oreo crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended (I use my stand mixer for this. I detest mixing cream cheese in any other way).
3. Drain the maraschino cherries and de-stem (is that a word?) them if need be. I actually found a store brand that comes de-stemmed.
4. Take about ¾ tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and cover 1 cherry with it so the cherry is completely covered and the whole thing is rolled into a ball. Place it on a baking sheet or plate that will fit in your freezer. Repeat until out of cream cheese mixture or cherries (the number of truffles you get will depend on how large you make them. You usually want to shoot for about 1 inch in diameter, but I won’t cast judgment if you make them another size).
5. Place the baking sheet/plate into the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will help the truffles keep their shape when you dip them in the melted chocolate.
6. While the truffle innards are in the freezer, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or whatever way you rig up a fake double boiler (I have a small pot with handles that can balance over a larger pot. I boil water in the larger pot and the chocolate chips go in the smaller pot).
7. Dip the cream cheese balls into the melted chocolate. I’ve found that rolling them in the chocolate and gently lifting them out with two forks usually works. Once dipped in chocolate, place the truffles on a wax paper covered baking sheet (I’ve used foil instead of wax paper in a pinch. That seemed to work well too).
8. Sprinkle the tops of the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs.
9. Refrigerate the truffles until firm, which will take about 1 hour.
10. Store the truffles in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Put some of these in a lovely container and they make a great hostess gift. I say this because you will want to get as many of these out of your house as possible. Otherwise, you will be found slumped into your open refrigerator in a cherry-filled-Oreo-truffle-induced coma. Or your husband will gain five pounds while declaring that he is too manly to eat something called a “truffle” and secretly sneaking truffles out of the fridge at all hours of the day.

My Quest to be a Better Cook

2010-05-31T08:00:00.001-04:00

In the interest of being open and transparent, I have a confession to make: I can’t cook.

Okay, well maybe that’s a tad dramatic. I’m fairly good at making sweet stuff. And I can technically cook other stuff, but it does not come naturally to me. Up until a couple of years ago, I didn’t have much practice at it. I would “cook” things like instant mashed potatoes, Hamburger Helper, canned soup, Kraft macaroni and cheese. But, as I got older, I realized (1) that’s not really cooking and (2) it’s not really healthy.

I skated through my cooking duties the first couple of years of marriage because Mr. 31 can cook and he enjoys doing it. However, there are times when he’s not home or home late or tired and we can’t eat out every time that happens. Also, in the interests of being a better wife, I thought that cooking might be a helpful skill to acquire. So, a couple of years ago, I began to try to teach myself to cook.

When I first started, I wanted to work exclusively off of recipes because, basically, I didn’t know what I was doing enough to improvise. But the problem with that is most recipes called for stuff I don’t typically keep in my house. So that would entail a trip to the grocery store. A few dozen trips to the grocery store later, Mr. 31 declared that, for the sake of our budget and his sanity, I was going to have to learn to cook with what was already in the house.

So, a little freaked out, I began to get a little more creative in the kitchen. I have been not-so-successful a number of times, though my husband has been kind and eaten everything with no (okay, very few) complaints. However, I have found success more times than not and have grown in confidence and skill. I’m still not the best, but I’m growing and learning.

In future posts, I will share stuff that has worked as well as some things that were spectacular fails (because I’m sure there will be more of those along the way!).

Scripture Saturday - Proverbs 31:10

2010-05-29T16:51:00.008-04:00

I wanted to set aside one day a week to take a short look at a scripture. You may be asking why Scripture Saturday, not Scripture Sunday (since it seems I'm into alliteration)? I like to set Sunday apart as a sabbath day, when I spend time with the Lord and my family. Note I say "like to", not "always manage to". But, I'm trying, so Scripture Saturday it is!

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. -Proverbs 31:10*

I wanted to take a particular look at one word in this verse: "virtuous". I think we all understand (and agree!) that it's good to have a worth higher than rubies. But who is it that qualifies to be this virtuous woman worth more than rubies? What does it mean to be virtuous?

To be virtuous means to be pure and to have moral excellence. Our motives and decisions, as well as the actions that follow, should be pure and blameless. What good is it to decorate our homes if our motive is simply to get compliments and attention from others? What good is it to keep our homes clean and neat or to work outside our home if our motivation is to be able to act like a martyr because we're doing so? Doing a multitude of "good" acts does not make someone virtuous.

Our motivation for doing all in our lives should come from a place of holiness and purity that comes when we are focusing on the Lord. I know that is something that I need to keep a check on - how about you?

* Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures come from the King James Version of the Bible.

My First Post!

2010-05-28T22:50:00.004-04:00

Well, first things first. I guess I should tell you a little bit about me and the point of doing this blog.

I'm a 28 year old Christian woman. I have been married to my husband (let's call him Mr. 31 to protect the innocent!) for almost four years. We have been together since we were 16. He's the love of my life and a fabulous person. He is also a very patient person, seeing as he's been with me for so long!

I work as an office administrator in a denominational office. I love my job. It keeps me busy and is challenging in a good way.

My husband and I live with 2 and 1/2 cats. I'm mentioning them, not because I'm a crazy cat lady, but because they are a part of our household and I may want to mention them down the line. The oldest is Dixie; she is 12 years old and the Queen Bee. She's tiny and declawed and beats the tar out of the two larger male cats. The second oldest is Samuel; he's a four year old cat that we rescued from the street after he got beat up by another cat. He's very lovable and playful, but also very dumb. The 1/2 cat is a homeless cat the neighborhood kids named Ernie; he lives with us part time and we keep him fed and warm, especially in the winter months.

My point in doing this blog is two fold. I want to be an encouragement to those women who, like me, are striving to be the woman God has called them to be. I like to use Proverbs 31 as a guideline for my journey and thought that would be a good frame of reference for this blog.

But, alas, I am not perfect, not even close, which leads me to my second reason for doing this blog. I think this blog will be a good accountability tool. Putting my successes and failures out there for everyone to see will help keep me focused and in line with what I am trying to achieve.

Wow - I did not mean for this first post to be this long, but I think it's important to set the stage!

I look forward to walking the journey together!