Am I Too Old for This?

Any of my regular or real life readers know that I have a 2-yr old. I don't have a teenager at home swooning over Twilight and let me say...that's a good thing! Why? Because our house couldn't handle two of us! Yes, that's right, I resisted but finally after some non-stop encouragement from a family member who I call a friend, I gave in and read the first book...let me re-phrase, I read the first book in 24 hours. I called her and she came to my rescue and delivered the next three books and within 10 days I read the entire series.

I was captivated like never before, in a book series, and have already started to re-read them. You won't find me in the book isle swooning over the movie guides (my same family friend already loaned me those so I could look in private) and you won't find me decked out in Twilight gear (but my sweatshirt is on order). I've already watched Twilight numerous times and I have my 12:10 am movie ticket for New Moon hanging on the fridge.

So what is it about these books/movies/series? I have no idea but I'm going to take a shot at it. When I first heard about them I heard the word vampires and immediately said, NO WAY. I didn't even consider it again till she was telling me about the story, the love, the fact that it is an easy read but even when I got it home it sat on the table for two days.

I agree with all of the things she told me but it's so much more than that, I can honestly understand the craze and obsession, especially with the teenage audience. Reading these books are like reading someone's journal. You feel, hear, see, sense and experience things through their eyes and heart and when Stephanie Meyer wrote these books she didn't set out to write a bestseller book. She was recording a dream. She gave these people life and, forgive me if you're heard her interviews, but these were like children to her. There are so genuine that it's breathtaking.

Toddler Mommyhood

Hello to any and all loyal readers/checkers I have out there. I'm BACK!

I'd like to say I've taken a vacation, been up to something very exciting but the truth is..I've been raising a toddler. Rather a two year old, two foot tall teenager! Anyone who says that toddler hood is the first adolescence is right.

Currently I have a stove thermometer, a watermelon cosmetic bag and some plastic bugs under my kitchen table (her new hide out). The bathtub has become a place to practice spitting...with water. How else do you teach that to a toddler who is learning to brush their teeth? My bed is the place to watch Caillou or Curious George and she can open, close, undo, reach, unfasten, hide or figure out nearly ANYTHING. There is a reason you baby proof your house and not toddler proof it...there is no such thing as toddler proofing.

I have to admit that she's a lot of fun, understands humor and loves to laugh, she talks up a storm and is already getting the hang of counting and colors and knows how she wants to do (or not do) many things. Raising a child is an amazing, exhausting and unbelievable experience. It's certainly NOT for the weak!

Thanks for checking in and come back soon...I have to go clean up the backseat of my car. A two year old and my organized, neat, coupon box were playing in the backseat...yes, it's as bad as you can imagine!

Pantry Panic!

I never thought that food bugs would be such interesting topic but given how many readers have been following this story (and probably feeling really creeped out about it) be sure to include your questions for Emily here and she will do a follow-up post in a few days to answer any remaining questions you have. Whether you're curious about containers, moving past the creepy feeling or just want to know if her pantry panic is over, leave a comment or a question and she'll respond in a follow-up post.

Pantry Panic- Day 3

This is the last post from my guest writer Emily and her pantry panic in dealing with food bugs. If you have questions for her, leave a comment and she can do a follow-up post with any additional concerns or questions that you have.

Read below as she offers help and suggestions on cleaning out, deciding what to keep or toss and how to know if the bugs are really gone or not!

Day 3:

Now you know it can happen to you, and you know what to do to help prevent the problem. But what if you realize you have bugs, too? If you find bugs, here is what you have to do:

- Throw away anything with a bug in or on it. Moan and complain at yourself for not keeping things better contained as you pitch $100 in food.
- Okay, technically, you can apparently still eat it. You can freeze the product, or put it in the oven at a low temperature for a while, and kill the bugs. (Look up the details on how to actually do this if you’re interested). Note that you are not magically removing them, they are just going to quit moving, and then you will eat them. I was not willing to go this route, but you may be. You will not know until you look into a can of flour, see a wriggling mass of tiny bugs amid the food, and gauge how you feel about it.
- To inspect items like boxes of pasta or bags of flour, open them up, pour them into a glass bowl or zip top bag, and look closely. Look into the empty box or bag as well. If you find nothing, keep it. Throw away the packaging. Put it in good canisters, or put it in zip top bags that you seal and put in other containers until you find good quality air tight containers.
- Anything that you are keeping that you know is safe like canned goods or bottles of oil must be washed in hot soapy water, since it could have eggs on it. Yes, this is disgusting to even think about. Dry thoroughly.
- If you want to keep something that you can’t wash, but feel is safe (such as some packets of muffin mix I had), place the entire package in a large zip top bag and look closely at the bag a few times over the next few days. This will contain anything that happened to be in there, and allow you to see it better if something does come out. Use it as soon as possible, and inspect the food itself carefully before you prepare and eat it.
- Think about items like potatoes and onions, both of which were in my pantry. I could see no bugs on them, but I didn’t want to put them back in the pantry and risk re-contaminating the space, in case they had something on them I couldn’t see. Since I was going to wash or peel and then cook them before use, I decided to put them in the fridge in a plastic bag until I could use them, therefore killing and containing anything potentially on them, and focus on using them quickly since you aren’t supposed to store either at such a cool temperature.
- Remove any canisters or plastic bins in your pantry and wash them thoroughly. Even if nothing got IN your canister, wash the outside.
- Vacuum out the cabinets (take the vacuum bag or canister outside immediately!). Wash out the cabinets with hot soapy water to physically remove any bugs or food crumbs.
- Decide whether you are going to spray the inside of the cabinets with insecticide. There are some products that say they can be used inside cabinets and cupboards, and that specifically target pantry bugs, as long as you let dry before putting your food back. I did go this route, let it dry overnight, and then put my food back in. I wouldn’t do this as a preventative measure, but it’s amazing how your tolerance to toxic chemicals go up when you see thousands of bugs in your food. Some people may still not want to do this, and that’s understandable.
- Some people say a dried bay leaf in your containers will offer further protection against bugs. I’m not sure if this is true, but it seems to be a safe easy method to try and I’ll probably throw a few in as added protection.
- Put some sticky boards in your pantry to help you monitor the situation. There are some triangle/pyramid shaped ones available, to keep you from gluing your can of tomatoes to a bug trap, as well as some specifically designed to attract pantry bugs. Check them every few days to see how many bugs they have attracted. The life cycle of some of these bugs is about 8 weeks, so you need to know if new ones are hatching or more start appearing. And once they have been clear for a few weeks, you can stop being afraid to open food containers and glaring suspiciously at any crumb on your counter.

It’s been an experience. I’m fortunate that I caught it before it got everything – luckily my extensive spice cabinet was spared. I’m relieved no one has eaten at my house recently, because I’d wonder if I fed them bugs! I’ve learned that bad bugs happen to good people, even if you keep a pretty clean kitchen. And I think it could be worse - this is better than mice, or roaches, or a number of other horrific infestation options. Hopefully this will help you not make some of the mistakes I did, and be prepared if you ever have a similar problem.

Pantry Panic- Day 2

Yesterday was Day 1 of Pantry Panic from my guest writer Emily. Today she continues her story with things she's learned and how she plans to do things different in her kitchen, going forward. Being someone that shops sales, clips coupons and stocks up on good deals her story has really gotten my attention and made me think that one problem like this could be costly of time, money and energy. Come back tomorrow for Day 3 of her pantry panic!

Day 2:

Yesterday I admitted that I had a pantry infestation, but I’ve learned some lessons, and found some good tips on keeping this from happening again:

- Anything you bring home could have tiny bugs in it, and you may never see them until it is WAY too late. Some things, especially things that come in paper bags like sugar, flour, or corn meal, should be put into air tight containers and the original packaging thrown away. That way if you inadvertently bring something home, at least it will be contained. Clear or opaque containers are best because then you can see inside better. You can also store these items in the fridge or freezer if you have room, which will kill and contain anything in them, and keep them fresher longer. I’ve read that some people bring home items like this and put them in the freezer for about a week, then move them to air tight containers.
- Don’t stock up on items that you cannot or will not repackage or store in the freezer. It isn’t a deal if you lose it all and half your other food due to bugs.
- Rethink whether “your air tight” containers are actually air tight. Some of my canisters were older, and I found bugs inside them. Good, durable containers may be expensive at first, but they should last for years and if they save you from throwing away dozens of food products they are worth it. I’ve already ordered a handful of larger, nicer storage canisters, and I won’t be buying replacement food until they arrive. I’ve always used canisters because they are more convenient to try to measure ingredients out of, but I’m realizing that their ability to keep out moisture and bugs is far more important.
- Take a good, close look at any food product that is getting old before you use it, or anything that has made it into your pantry and not been properly sealed.
- On a regular basis, clean out your pantry! Take everything out, wipe off the shelves, look inside for any traces of bugs, move older items to the front to be used, and take a moment to stare closely into your canisters. If you can see through your container, look closely at the sides or bottom. Evaluate whether you actually need 6 varieties of pasta and 5 boxes of corn muffin mix.
- Keep pet food as far away from the kitchen as possible. According to some websites, the items most likely to carry food bugs into your house are flour, corn meal, and pet food. Ours is in the garage in an air tight (hopefully!) container, so I don’t think it contributed to our problem, and we’ve never had a problem with bugs in the pet food. But, it’s a good reminder to be careful with pet food.

Coming up: what to do if you find bugs yourself.

Pantry Panic- Day 1

Good morning!

Today is the first of three days from Emily, a guest writer. For the next three days she will tell her story of how one loaf of bread that she had rising on the stove turned into the most expensive and time consuming pantry clean-out that she's ever had. I assure you that reading her story will have you racing home to clean out your own pantry and become very aware of the groceries you have accumulating. Thanks to Emily for sharing her story, visit again the next couple days for days 2 & 3 of her experience!

Day 1:

This week my pantry came to life, and I don’t mean that in a good way. I reached into my pantry to pull out a box of barley, and was horrified to discover that it was covered in tiny bugs, crawling in and out. As I started to pull things out, I found the bugs in my flour, rice, pasta, sugar, salt, macaroni, muffin mixes, and crackers…you get the picture.

I always thought bugs in your pantry was something that happened to “other” people – those who don’t clean their kitchen, who keep moldy food around, who buy questionable food products from clearance bins at the discount grocer. But my kitchen is clean, these were mostly products I use on a regular basis, and these were brand name products from major grocery stores. I did, however, make some mistakes. One, there were two or three items that I had been storing for far too long, and some had been opened but were still in the original container. Two, I use food storage containers for pantry staples like sugar and flour, but they aren’t big enough to hold an entire 5 pound bag, so I would fill up the container, then roll the bag over and set it on top of the canister until there was enough room.

Before you start thinking that you don’t have a problem, think about this: I made bread with some heavily infested flour and it was rising on the stove before I realized what was going on. I’m not entirely sure what I had, my bugs were very small, and looked like grains of sand that were moving (note to self: do NOT do an Internet search for “pantry bugs picture” unless you actually want to look at the pictures). They were very difficult to see, unless there were a few and you were very close, holding very still, and specifically looking. So don’t be too sure that you would notice it immediately!

Stay tuned for tips on prevention, as well as what to do if you find some unwelcome guests in your pantry.

Pantry Panic!

Does the thought of the food in your pantry make you feel safe, prepared, ready for any meal that gets suggested? If you think your pantry is a safe place then check back for the next three days for special postings from a guest writer who will share her tale of pantry panic and what she's had to do to recover, restock and restore the order in her pantry!

Anniversary

My husband and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary today! It's hard to believe that 9 years have passed and that we are just one year from being married for a decade! WOW!

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I thought we wouldn't make it, both of our parents have remained married throughout all things good and bad so we have learned from the best. I do know there are some things I have learned through the years..

• Marriage is a journey, not a destination. I hear so many couples who are engaged focus so much time and energy on their wedding and while that is important, the most important thing is that you are still going to be married at the end of that day, for better or worse!
• Marriage is a contract between two people. Think about the vows you shared and what those words really mean, regardless of the number of years that have passed that contract is still legal and binding!
• You are not the judge of your spouse. I make mistakes, my husband makes mistakes and chances are, we both know when we do it, I don't need him to remind me and I don't need to bring it to his attention. Our Heavenly Father is the only one qualified to judge me or my husband.
• I have two "memory rooms" in my head. One of those rooms has all of the great things my husband does in it, the other one, the negative things. Both rooms have true things in them but I CHOOSE to spend time in the good room filled with happiness, thoughtfulness and memorable moments. That other room? That's to pray for my husband and the door stays closed.
• Marriage is not easy but it's so worth it! The friendship, love, companionship, tenderness, helpfulness, sensitivity and so many other things are reasons why marriage works and is worth it. I understand it doesn't work for a lot of people but it does for me and I cherish my husband for the man that he is, the dreams that he has and the husband, father and man he commits himself to being.

Elmo Cake for a First Birthday!

Since I posted yesterday about my daughter's second birthday and her Clifford cake I thought I would post her Elmo cake from last year too. Obviously Elmo and Sesame Street are much easier to find than Clifford and between Walmart, Factory Card Outlet and several online stores I was able to find lots of Elmo items for her party.

For her cake I used the Wilton mini stand bear pan to make this 3D cake for her. I also made a sheet cake for the guests but this one was all for her and she really enjoyed tearing into it! I used reduced sugar cake and frosting (good for these shaped cakes since they have pudding in the mix) and the eyes and nose were made from fondant so I removed those before handing her the cake to destroy. Yes, she did get red but it didn't stain and came right off in the bath and made for great pictures!

I love planning parties and her birthday parties are fun without feeling overdone, if you plan parties for your kids or family leave a comment, I love hearing new items for parties!

Clifford Cake and Party!

One of the things that had me really busy in the past few weeks was my daughter's second birthday party. She LOVES Clifford the Big Red Dog and anyone who has a child that loves Clifford knows that finding Clifford party items isn't the easiest thing, even online. Stores that do carry it are often sold out.

I resorted to ebay and found some cute toys that I could use for decoration and she could play with later. Plus, we used lots of red items (bowls, plates, cups, etc.) to go along with the theme.

For her cake I made a doghouse cake using the Wilton Stand Up House mold (which I doubled to make it sturdier and serve more). The base of the cake is a brownie made in a cookie sheet pan, for the non-cake people! I also found some cute dog bowls at the Dollar Store which I put graham cracker "scooby snacks" in that looked like dog bones! She had a great time and loved seeing all the Clifford items.

I've got to say the most I spent was on food but it was a great party and since this was only my second cake like this (we did Elmo last year) I was really happy with the way it all turned out! Happy Birthday to my 2 yr old!

Disconnected!

It's been awhile since I've written so stay tuned for lots of new posts!

On top of my busy life I had the unfortunate experience of a broken cell phone about two weeks ago. Since life was filled with to-do lists I took the time to change my greeting with an alternate number where I could be reached and told callers I would check my voicemail periodically. The first several days were wonderful! I didn't have to worry about digging in my purse for a ringing phone, reaching around in the car in a panic or running through the house to get to it in time. For a moment I thought..wow...life before cell phones, how wonderful.

Then...I needed a phone number that was in my phone and the following day I was going to call from the car to check a stores hours and I realized, yeah, this is also life before cell phones, the convenience of having some information at your fingertips is also wonderful!

Yes, I had my phone fixed and I am back and connected but for the week I had to live without it, it was wonderful, relaxing and I understood why so many resist the urge to be so available all the time. If you haven't taken the time lately, disconnect yourself and just relax...and take a minute to write down numbers that you only store in your cell phone, you may be glad you did!

Finally Friday!

However you choose to spend your weekend, I hope you have time to RELAX!

Hello Out There!

Hello, how are you?

(This is where you say, good/fine/OK, how are you?)

I'm good but having some trouble.

(You say, really, what's going on?)

Well, I've been blogging for awhile now but not getting many comments.

(You say, hmm, do you have readers?)

That's a good question, I wasn't sure till I set up google analytics, a great resource for bloggers, but I do have people visiting and reading. Or getting a call and just staying on my site for 2-3 minutes at a time.

(You say, Why do you think they aren't commenting?)

I don't know....

So, here's an all call for all you ghost readers out there, click on comments, write a comment or just say hi and post it! You can even be anonymous if you'd like.

Knowledge is Power

I've been blogging long enough that other people are starting to ask me how to start a blog and what to write about. Starting a blog is easy, as easy as an email account and I highly recommend Blogger from Google. The steps are quick and easy and you'll be writing in no time at all.

The next question, what to write about. For me, that's never a problem. Sometimes finding the time can be a problem but not topics, I have lists of them.

I have no doubt that you are an expert on something. Are you rolling your eyes? Hear me out. There is something that you love, or you're good at and you can write about and those topics can lead to other topics. Maybe it's baking, cooking, grilling, gardening, writing, meeting new people, telling jokes, teaching others, writing resumes, parenting, kids and their behavior, sports, travel, entertaining, party planning, housework, household hints, or even making lemonade from lemons. Whatever it is, you can write about it and have fun with it.

What if you started blogging about planning trips then a travel agency read your blog and wanted to place an ad, now you're hobby is making money and you are enjoying what you're doing.

Think BIG, the knowledge you have is powerful and the blog world is a big one. Be yourself, unique and have fun. Just try it, you may like it!

Wordless Wednesday

Family Cookbook

Around Christmas of last year my sister and I decided that we were going to take on the task of making a family cookbook. We talked to everyone about it, the idea was a hit so we created a template page that people could print and write in or type into and sent it out to everyone. We also set a deadline for the fall of this year in hopes that people would write down recipes throughout the year since we all know that what you cook changes throughout the year. We've already been getting good feedback and questions (such as asking friends or co-workers to add a certain recipe but note on the page how they are connected to us) and we're excited about getting the actual recipes.

Have you ever done a family recipe collection? Any tips to share or lessons learned?

My fingers are crossed that everyone doesn't wait until the end and a couple reminders have already went out in hope that people do, at least, make notes of what they want to include even if they aren't writing them out yet!

Dad

Anyone knows that several weeks ago was Father's Day but what you don't know is that my dad's birthday was one week ago, as well as his favorite holiday, the 4th of July. You also may not know that in December of 2007 my dad passed away, he was 55. Anyone that knows me and is reading this knows that I don't talk about him a lot but that doesn't mean he's not constantly on my mind, especially as my daughter does things that I know would make him laugh. Although he was my dad, he meant a lot to so many people.

He was a man who loved a great story, a good joke and the chance to teach anybody something that he knew about. He could captivate an audience, charm anyone and yet seemed a little shy in the oddest of circumstances. He loved a good coat, a good hat and pants that weren’t too long. His daily dress consisted of a button down shirt or a white T-shirt, jeans and a nautical belt. If it was sunny, a hat, since he’d been told to protect his head. He smelled of shaving cream and outside but never cologne. He loved fleece shirts but was picky about them and had a closet full with tags on them to prove it. He could run fast, couldn’t swim well and strolled more than walked.

He was also always ready to teach with a real life lesson. From offering to match anything we’d put into savings to show us the value of planning to setting up pretend fires in the backyard so that we could use a fire extinguisher and understand how it works, he understood the value of teaching someone versus doing it for them. Even though we were girls we knew how to use the tractor, pull start an engine and shoot a gun. Guns were for protection, not play, and having them in the house was never an issue.

He was also never without a tool or a snack. You could ask for any tool out there and not only did he have it, he probably had 3, one still in the package, and would loan it to you. You could ride in his car or truck and there would be snacks in the glove compartment, just in case of an emergency.

He was a man with a schedule and enjoyed his routine. He liked coffee in the morning that wasn’t too hot to drink, lunch at noon and dinner at 5. Whether he was hungry or not, when the clock struck 5 it was dinnertime. Picky he wasn’t and whether it was chicken nuggets or filet mignon, it was just dinner and having it at 5 seemed more important what he was having. In the evenings he enjoyed a good martini, with lots of olives and on those hot summer days there was nothing like a beer, an MGD until he took to Ultra and he never was a Bud man.

At the lake he was in his element. He knew the water and the lake by looking at the shore, knew the weather by the clouds and wind and knew the people he enjoyed spending his time with the most. He was an expert at tying rope and teaching others how to, making trays of drinks for a crowd and putting any boat into the slip, a feat that often seemed like putting a watermelon in a hole that was intended for a lemon. He also enjoyed running the lake at night, a delight to him but I’m sure it scared the life out of many of his guests. He loved a good adventure and the chance to rescue anyone in need.

Weather seemed to always be important to him. From monitoring it for the lake, watching for a full moon so he could spend hours in the hot tub on a cold winter night or run the lake at night in the summer, he always wanted to know what was getting ready to happen, it was all about being prepared and that’s probably why he wasn’t ever crazy about traveling beyond the lake.

He loved children and thought most were sweet but was always willing to sweeten them a little more. For the children on the dock he had long Tootsie Roll logs, for his nephews one Christmas they each received a tool box full of snack and sweets. Easter had it’s own memories and for as long as I can remember we’d awake on Easter morning to baskets full of goodies and the ever present bunny with the teeth marks on the left ear.

He liked the comfort of his home and welcomed others there. For a man who could do so much, ordering food out was never easy, his order was never right. He’s the only person I know that could go to McDonald's for breakfast and they were out of McMuffins, order the special and it’s wrong and finally figured out that it didn’t matter what flavor of turnover he ordered from Arby’s, they would never get it right. He’d take it in stride and grew to expect it.

He was more than just a great man. He was a leader, a teacher, a believer in others, a great storyteller and knew that he would never live to be an old man. For nearly 7 years he packed his days full of life and knew that his days were numbered, while he didn’t talk about it much we knew it was on his mind more than he let anyone know. During those clear nights on the lake when the moon was full and air was cool, or on a snow covered mountain in Montana a certain look would pass over his face and you knew that he was measuring his life against all his dreams and expectations, you knew that this was a man who looked death in the face without fear.

Good Morning from God

Good Morning, this is God and today I will be handling all of your problems.

Please remember that I do not need your help.

If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it.

Kindly put it in the SFJTD (Something For Jesus To Do) box.

It will be addressed in MY time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or attempt to remove it.

Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem.

If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution.

Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep.

Rest, my child.

If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.

I didn't write this but I think it's really beautiful and worth sharing...

Oven Self Clean- Safety Concern

I am a pretty cautious cooker so when I'm using the oven I rarely have things overflow or splatter but after owning my oven for a couple years I decided it was time for a really good cleaning.I debated on buying a spray on oven cleaner but decided that my oven had a self clean mode so why not use that and save myself some time and a little money. I was aware that it would smell for awhile as it burned off the gunk but what I wasn't aware of was how hot the OUTSIDE of my oven would get. I admit that I didn't get out the book and read so it may be mentioned there but as the parent of a toddler I was quickly pulling chairs over and blocking the front too prevent her small hands from touching the oven.

Sure, the oven was clean and it took a couple hours for the oven to cool back down completely but if you are considering hitting those self-clean buttons, be aware that the inside of your oven might not be the only place that gets really HOT!

My good idea made $50!

What could you do with $50? I know I could make it go a lot further than I used to and I'm sure anyone who is watching budgets or bottom lines would agree. So how can you get an extra $50? Several years ago I had an idea to help keep track of library books when I checked them out (most print out "reciepts" now). After selecting all of my books, I'd stop at the copier, put all the books spine down and make a copy. I'd write the due date on the paper and stick it on the fridge, paying 10 cents for a copy was much less than late fees when I realized a month later that I forgot to return one of the books! I realized this was a good idea so I sent it to a magazine and about a month later I got a letter, a proof of the page that I had to confirm and upon returning that I got a $50 check in the mail!

If you're a thrifty mom who's a pro at saving dough, or have lots of good rainy day activities, or have households tips that you share with friends, why not share it with Family Circle and see what happens! Here's the link with more information and an email address.

Learning to Let Go

My husband had a great idea and we went to a local park at lunchtime today. My daughter, who is nearly two, loves going down the slides, climbing the "rock walls" (with help) and just running around. However, she's already had a taste of the "big girl" swings and now the baby swings just won't do. When we put her in, she swung for a moment then begged OUT and wanted to sit in the regular ones.

When we first took her out, I captured this moment of her turning her back on the baby swings. I look at this now and it hits me that she's already letting go of things from her infancy and refusing to look back. She's a stubborn one with a mind of her own and I hope that as she continues to grow, learn and challenge herself to take on new things, I can be just as eager, willing and supportive. Isn't that what we should do as parents, know when to let go, when to hold on and when to stand close in case those little hands reach out for us?

Yard Sale - Having your own?

If you read my blog much at all then you know that I enjoy going to yard sales and post tips for those who go but over the weekend I had a thought. If my posts have encouraged you to have your own yard sale, there are few things you should consider too.


First, you have to have the stuff. I do believe that one persons trash is another persons treasure but I am a very specific shopper myself. I look for children's clothing, toys, books and always keep my eyes open for unique items. If you are having a yard sale, you are more than welcome to put out anything you want be be prepared at the end of the day, are you going to put your non-selling items back in the house, stuff them in the garage or get rid of them? If you want to get rid of them you take them to Goodwill, local shelters (donations to both places mean a tax deduction), you can go to craigslist and see if there are people in your area that buy yard sale leftover, or just toss it all. Either way, I've only ever had one yard sale where EVERYTHING sold.

Second, you have to get people there. If you put up signs make them easy to read from a passing car, use bright colored paper or signs (check the weather if you plan to put them up the night before), and use arrows. Place a sign in your yard that match's your street signs so people know they have arrived! Plus, keep your signs simple, I can't read your list of items when driving 45 mph. If you want to list your items or draw even more traffic, use craigslist or your local newspaper. Some papers have free listings on weekends but craigslist is free all the time, you can be as wordy as you want and post pictures too.


Next, the day arrives! If you plan to start at 8 am, be ready at 7:30 to make sure EVERYTHING is priced (people may not ask if things aren't priced and you seem busy) and stickers haven't fallen off, have your change ready and a safe place to keep money, a calculator at hand, some beverages for yourself (or to sell if it's hot outside) and your phone. The less trips you make inside the better. Think about a lunch plan early on too, you don't want to be starving and unable to get a break to eat. Otherwise, be available, friendly, willing to negotiate, and optimistic that it all sells.


After your yard sale, go and get your signs. Some cities have ordinances where they can send you a fine if it's left too long but either way, it's just the courteous thing to do. Plus, when you're ready to be finished when you remove signs your traffic will slow down considerably.


Once the leftovers are packed and the signs are down it's time to count your change, make a trip to the bank to turn all those quarters into cash and realize that yard sales are a lot of work!

Yard Sale! From tips to treasures...

Have you been to a yard sale yet this season? I've been to a couple and found some great bargains already and I'm really excited about the upcoming street/community/subdivision yard sales. Although I watch for signs in my area on Thursday's and Friday's, I also visit craigslist since they have a section just for yard sales.

Some of the great deals I've already found were some Fisher Price Little People sets (barn, animals, etc.) for $2, Little People doll house plus all the pieces for $2, Sketchers shoes for my daughter, also $2, a large alphabet floor puzzle for .75 and lots of great books, always less than $1 and most just a quarter.

If you haven't been in years, have never been, or are considering taking your children along, here are a few things I've learned along the way.

• Toss some sanitizing wipes in the car. I don't let a dirty plastic toy deter me from buying but I know there's a chance my daughter will want to play with it in the car so with the wipes I can give it a quick cleaning before handing it over to her. No wipes? Stash the toys in your trunk, out of sight, out of mind. Either way I give all toys a good cleaning at home.
• Carry small bills and change. If you want to negotiate in hopes of getting that $10 item for $7, then you better be prepared to pull out $7 since asking for change from your $10 bill is just embarrassing. Plus, those who are having the yard sale are not bank tellers, they don't want to break your $20 for that $2 item you want to buy.
• If you do negotiate be considerate, people are more willing to bargain if it's Saturday afternoon, not Friday morning and making an offer means you're interested. If they want to sell, they'll try to be reasonable too, trust me that they are trying to get over the fact that they paid $35 for that item which is marked for $10 and you're begging for less.
• If kids are selling their own toys don't negotiate, it's their most prized possessions, just pay the price.
• Watch where you park. You don't want to block traffic but be careful about driving/parking/pulling out in people's yards too. They are trying to make some extra money, not spend it on grass seed.
• Speak up, ask questions and be nice. You aren't at Target and these are real people who probably spent hours getting things ready to sell. They don't want to haul it back in the house but they don't want to hear you say it's all junk either. Since they're selling they may know that but they still bought it.
• Stick a small cooler in your car with snacks and drinks. You are out there trying to find bargains, not stop at every fast food place along the way.
• If kids are selling lemonade, buy a cup. If you don't want to drink it, take it to the car, drive away and pour it out but at least they're trying to make their own money.

Jon and Kate - Did you watch the annoucement?

I really debated blogging on this since I've not been a follower of this show and I know there are lots of opinions swirling out there but IN MY OPINION instead of ending their marriage they should have ended the show or taken a break at least. I know the show is what makes up their living but these are 8 small, loving children that are being impacted by this situation.

I was blessed to have parents that always made their marriage work. I'm sure it was lots of work and there were tough times but they did it and stuck by each other until my dads passing less than 2 years ago. There were family vacations, regular trips out of town, fun projects, friends around and lots of good times. But anyone that is married or has been married knows that times get tough, that's a part of it. People change, goals change and I think there is a reason marriage vows cover better/worse, richer/poorer, sickness/health, (polar opposites). You have to be prepared for it all and even when you're not, you have to lean on each other, be there for each other. It's not a 50/50 situation. Sometimes it's 60/40, sometimes it's 30/70, a marriage is a partnership and it takes two to make it work all the time.

I heard both Jon and Kate talk about their kids being their whole life and I'm not sure I agree with that, even though it's easy to fall into that belief. I want my kids to be a part of my life, not the other way around, make sense? I'd never say that kids aren't a top priority, they are, but not THE TOP. I have my faith and my love for my husband. Those things create a foundation for the way I want to raise my child and the life and love I want them to see, feel and be a part of. One day, a long time from now, my child will grow up and move on and if I'm living my life for my child and my child moves away, where is my life?

I think any parent can find similarities in their life and the situation between Jon and Kate but "reality" TV or not, it was painful to watch and I can't imagine what that family is going through. My prayers really are with them and what their future holds.

Freebies on your Birthday

What do you get for free on your birthday? What about your kids birthday? There is an amazing site called free birthday treats where you can enter the state where you live and whether it's for an adult, child or pet and you can see all of the free birthday deals in your area!

Most of the items are for free food (appetizer, main course, dessert, % off your total) but there's also free bowling, free golf, free pictures for kids, % off at stores, etc.

Take a look, for a lot of the offers you need to sign up online but the list is long and you could be missing out on some free birthday specials at your favorite stores or restaurants!

There is also a section for ideas on birthday parties as well as a blog section with money saving tips and cool party themes.

Find a Freebie!

When is the last time you got something for free? I'm on a quest to find things for free. They may take a LITTLE time, a stamp or a quick phone call but I'm on a hunt, what do you get for free? Check out my posts that start with the word, or keyword FREEBIE!

Last Day of My Month

Today is the last "official" day of my 30 days devoted to my journey on the South Beach diet but you can expect plenty of future posts when I find new things or ideas. I can say, without a doubt, that it works and it's not as hard as I would've imagined. I've lost nearly 15 lbs amidst a holiday, family vacation and not being nearly as "strict" as I could have been. I feel better, I make better choices at almost every meal I have and I look forward to what the future weeks, months and even years bring. I've found new items in the grocery store and new ways to prepare meals and snacks. Thanks to everyone who commented and read along with me!

Familiar with Flax?

Do you eat flax seeds? I hadn't until recently and after doing a little googling I'm learning that the health benefits are amazing!

For example...

They contain almost no glycemic carbohydrates so I can add it to meals to moderate spikes in blood sugar. I can add it to muffins, sprinkle some on yogurt (instead of granola), add it to cereal or salads. They have a mild nutty flavor and a great taste!

Plus, one tablespoon of milled flax seed contains approximately 1.5 grams of ALA, an essential Omega-3 fatty acid. (Recommended daily intake of ALA is 1.3 grams.) It's also a great source of fiber, protein and lots of other things!

If you cook with flax seeds, what recipes do you have?

Sick at the Beach

What started as a tickle in my throat last Thursday morning turned into a fever, sore throat, coughing, aches and pains and after 4 tired days and 5 sleepless nights I am starting to feel better. Trust me that when standing in front of my pantry or fridge deciding on what to eat, thinking about carb levels were not the priority. Not that I went crazy, I chose tomato soup and chicken broth over the noodle soups and I had whole wheat crackers on hand too. Those sugar free Popsicles, jello and hard candies came in handy too. After a couple days I began to realize that after all this time I am starting to make better choices, without even thinking about it and it is getting easier. Grocery shopping is going a little faster, the options in my fridge and pantry are getting healthier and although the scale is still moving down slowly I realized that even when I felt my worst, I made good choices. I'm not just trying to do this, I am doing this and I feel better for it. Being sick at the beach isn't fun but I learned a lot about myself and felt a little better, despite the cold.

Spaghetti, Pizza, Italian oh my!

I love spaghetti...and pizza...and lasagna...and garlic bread on the side. I love Italian food. This has to be one of my biggest challenges when watching carb levels so last week when family members ordered in a pizza I was worried. But I had one slice along with a salad and I felt content.

Then over the weekend I opened the pantry to start dinner and from the back of the cabinet I heard it, calling my name, the SPAGHETTI! I didn't fight it and made a separate pot of whole wheat noodles to go with my sauce (I like the Hunts meat sauce in a can, I add a pound of browned lean ground beef). To fight the garlic bread temptation I brushed a whole wheat English muffin with a little butter and sprinkled some Italian seasoning and garlic salt on the top and put it in the oven to get crunchy. At the end of the meal, I felt satisfied, comfortable and proud of myself for modifying a meal that I love with healthier options.

I can do this and I tell myself that everyday. I have moments of weakness but before I had days. Disastrous days when I felt yucky and knew I needed to make changes. I am making those changes and always reading, searching and figuring out more changes to make. One step at a time...speaking of steps, the next big change will be exercise!

Memorial Day Celebrations...on the Beach!

Are you going to a cook-out or party today? Anyone that has ever tried to improve their eating habits knows that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not the time to make that change. You've got parties, baked goods, family gatherings and the temptations are endless. But, regardless of when you try to make a change you're going to have to deal with some event or function that will potentially cause your diet to crash. But instead of thinking about falling off the wagon, don't even think about being on a wagon at all. What do I mean by that?

I am trying to improve my lifestyle. I am not on a diet or a temporary change in my eating habits, I am changing the overall way that I eat and approach food in general. To me, that means that I am not obsessed with "falling off of my diet". Going to a cookout means that I get a little more salad, cut up my grilled chicken to add to my salad and skip the bread, have a little potato salad and if I really want some dessert, I have a little. Were my eating habits perfect? Of course not, but I will feel like I can stick to something if I make changes like that. Instead of filling up on potato salad, a hamburger, some corn, baked beans, and a helping of dessert I make better choices that still leaving me content with what I ate.

Be realistic with yourself, your lifestyle and the food you really like to eat. Skipping a small serving of dessert at a party doesn't help if you go home with dessert on your mind and have a handful of cookies with a big glass of chocolate milk to wash them down.

Enjoy your memorial day!

Pass the Salad Please

If you think salads are boring, maybe it's not the salad but what you choose to do with that lettuce in your bowl.

I've had a salad for lunch almost everyday for three weeks (plus a couple for dinner) and I'm still not tired of them. I change up the lettuce (spring mix, romaine, etc.) I switch out the proteins (hard boiled eggs, turkey bacon, grilled chicken leftover from dinner, deli turkey or ham, shredded cheese, feta cheese) I change up my toppings (tomatoes, cheese, sunflower seeds, almonds, etc.) and until three weeks ago I was all about ranch dressing but Kraft now makes some great tasting light vinaigrette's, my favorite is the light Raspberry Vinaigrette.

With the summer weather upon us are you craving a BLT? Make it a BLT salad, you've already got the lettuce just cut up some tomatoes, crumble some turkey bacon, toss in some shredded cheese and there's a summer favorite, without the bread! Be creative with your salads and save those carbs for when you really need them!

Water, Water Everywhere

I'm always looking for new things to drink. Unfortunately I don't mean a strawberry margarita vs a regular one but that would be yummy too! What I'm referring to is different, low cal, drinks instead of just water. Don't get me wrong, I do drink water, a lot of water and when I'm really thirsty there is nothing like cool water, without ice, to really quench your thirst but while I'm trying to reduce daily calories, I try to always have a beverage in arms reach.

I don't have a hard time with caffeine so I keep un-sweet tea in the fridge (Lipton regular and the flavored teas box are good) and I get a box of the little drink packets for water bottles every time I'm at the grocery. Not that I go through a box every week but I dump the box into a Ziploc and always have a variety of options such as sugar free lemonade, Crystal Lights, store brands, Lipton green and white teas, I get a different one each time to always have a variety. I also keep V8 on hand and I give my daughter V8 Fusion light, mixed with water as an juice option.

I've also stumbled upon the sparkling water at both Target and Wal-mart. The one I'm drinking at the moment is from Target and it's a Raspberry Blackberry sparkling water beverage. It's calorie, caffeine and sodium free! Wal-mart has a line of them too and I've enjoyed the lemon, tropical and several other flavors, also without calories, caffeine or sodium. They are carbonated but I'd rather have one of these than a soft drink even though I LOVE Diet Sunkist.

What beverages do you enjoy that are low in calories?

Rise and Shine it's Time for Breakfast

Good morning! If you've ever read about health and nutrition then you know that eating breakfast is important. It keep you happy, healthy, helps kids perform better in school and when eating breakfast you actually consume LESS calories throughout the day. I've always been a breakfast person so eating breakfast has not been a challenge, what I eat for breakfast has been the challenge.

I would love to have a bagel with cream cheese, or a big stack of fluffy pancakes but my problem with choosing things like that means that I'm "starving" just a couple hours later. As part of the South Beach diet I have changed what I eat for breakfast to scrambled eggs (sometimes with a little ham and cheese, like an omelet), or a hard boiled egg or fried egg with some turkey bacon. Notice the difference? PROTEIN! Eating breakfast like that means that I can make it till lunch, often without a snack, but if I do need a snack I'm content with a piece of cheese or something else small. I feel better all morning and don't feel a carb crash like I did before.

But what about those mornings when I have 4 minutes before I need to get out the door? You're right, standing there and cooking eggs is not an option (which is another reason I boil 4-6 eggs at a time, peel them and have them ready). A great recipe I found on recipezaar was for some muffins that used ground flax seeds, eggs, peanut butter, ricotta cheese, Splenda and a handful of other ingredients. I made mini-muffins since they are really dense but doing a batch of these over the weekend means that on a rushed morning I can grab a hard boiled egg, 1 or 2 of these mini muffins and I've had a healthy, protein filled breakfast on the go! Before I would have grabbed a couple breakfast bars or filled a cup with cereal for the car, again, starting my day with carbs.

Like I mentioned yesterday, if you've not visited recipezaar you should try it out, I've never posted a recipe there and don't get money from them but I love their variety, user comments and ease of printing. I've been searching for South Beach recipes but their search options are endless, give it a try and let me know what recipes you try and like.

In the meantime, enjoy breakfast and think outside the box....the cereal box that is!

Bring on the Sweet Treats

What's your weakness when watching what you eat? Sweet? Salty? Alcohol? Fried Food? Mine is definitely sweets. Sure going without crackers and pretzels wasn't easy at first but it was just a matter of choosing new snacks. But when I get a craving for sweets, a handful of peanuts or a small cup of cottage cheese isn't going to help.

With a little time and effort I've found a couple low calorie options that are much better than what I would have reached for awhile ago.

A quick fix is a Sugar Free Fudgesicle or Creamsicle. They have 30-45 calories depending on what brand you get and will often satisfy a sweet tooth. If you can wait about an hour, stick that Fudgesicle in the microwave for about 10 second to soften it, scrape it off the stick and into a small bowl, add 2 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter (or smooth if you prefer) a small scoop of light whipped topping like Cool Whip and mix it all up. Put it back in the freezer for about an hour (if you can wait that long) and than you have a lower cal, "blizzard type" treat!

If cookies are more your taste than you can take 1 cup of peanut better (smooth or crunchy), 1 cup of Splenda, and 1 egg. Mix it all together and drop onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 deg. I get 12-15 cookies when I make them. They will satisfy a craving and you aren't going to sit and eat all of them at once, one or two and you're craving is probably gone without crashing your day.

If you've never used ricotta cheese as part of sweet treat, try that too. A little part skim ricotta with a packet of Splenda and a couple teaspoons of vanilla, mix it up, stick that in the freezer to chill for about 30 min and you have something that's really close to vanilla ice cream!

If you like these ideas then you may want to take a look at recipezaar for more ideas, I just looked up South Beach diet and found these and a lot more, most of which are phase specific to make it even easier.

Motivate Me!

I can't say what my motivation was behind starting the South Beach Diet. I guess there was a lot of reasons but something inside me felt different this time, I felt like I could do it. I wasn't doing this for an occasion or for someone else, I was doing it for me. I decided to make a change before I was put into a situation where I had to for medical, health, or any other reason. What was my motivation? I guess it was me!

It's my life, my body, my health, so why shouldn't I be the one to motivate myself. I have stumbled across something else that's been a good motivator when I have a moment or temptation where I'm struggling. The current issue of Good Housekeeping has an article called Food Critic. Bottom line, there are lots of food critics in your life. People who want to weigh in, comment and judge what you eat or do and how you do it. They may say cruel, hurtful things and claim to do it in love but there are better ways to support people. The author of the article is Geneen Roth. She has a good site that I've been reading through and several books that I haven't read but if you need some motivation for a change, check it out!

South Beach Success

I'm writing about a topic that is really DANGEROUS...dieting.

Not just any diet since I'm not an expert, a doctor, a nutritionist, you get the idea. I am a person who needed to make some big improvements in my lifestyle and eating habits so for two weeks now I've been on the South Beach Diet.

It all started about three weeks ago when I went to the Trash to Treasure party that I posted about and an aunt mentioned to me that she was trying it and she's been doing great! The week that followed I read the book, went to the grocery (reading labels takes awhile!) and made a commitment to myself. Two weeks later I am through Phase 1 and down 10+ lbs! More than the scale I feel better and no longer have those CRAZY carb cravings. I used to have a bagel or instant oatmeal for breakfast, crackers for a snack, a sandwich for lunch, feel like I needed something sweet in the afternoon then a well rounded dinner...that had more carbs. I won't lie that the first two days of NO CARBS was not easy but I did it and knew that if I could make it through the first week I could do it and I have. It doesn't even feel like a diet, more like a lifestyle change.

If you are doing, or have done, South Beach I'd love to hear from you. For at least the next month I'll be posting daily comments, tips, helpful hints and things I've discovered so far. I'm not trying to fit into a bikini, run a marathon or fit into "skinny jeans", I just want to feel better about myself and be a living example to the kind of eating habits I want my daughter to have.

Tip - Sometimes you've got to cheat!
If I am craving a piece of that Easter candy that's been hanging around, I drink a glass of water, wait at least 30 minutes and if I'm still craving it, I eat it! Chances are one piece will cure the craving, I'll get over it and instead of eating hundreds of calories trying to suppress it and still eating the candy, doing it and moving on will make me feel like I splurged and satisfy craving!

Playin' in the Rain

Here in Kentucky we have had more than our fair share of rain lately and my daughter is getting good use out of the cute ladybug raincoat she got for Easter.

Earlier this week the rain let up enough to put her in her jacket, her Croc-like shoes and let her enjoy the wet weather. She loved jumping in the puddles, smacking her hands on the water that had pooled on the tables outside and sticking her feet under the downspouts and letting the water fill up her shoes.

I realized that I am so blessed to be a mom with a working situation where I can see her everyday and watch her experience firsts like that one. It's one of those moments that I'll remember forever.

Favorite Side Dish- Mine takes less than 10 minutes!

Seems like every few months I reach a "rut" in my meal prep where I feel like I make the same things over and over again. I can mix up the the meat options a little, especially now that the weather is good for grilling but I need some new, quick sides. Do you have a favorite?

I'd have to say that my favorite QUICK side dish is to take a can of Campbell's condensed cream soup (Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, etc.) add that to a pot, refill the can with water and add that, stir it up and bring it to a boil. Fill the can with rice and once the liquid boils, add the rice, put the lid on the pot and give it 5-6 minutes. It will still be a little "soupy" so it needs to sit for a couple minutes then add a little salt and pepper and it's done! A quick side in less than 10 minutes and I almost always have rice and some variety of that soup on hand.

Hopefully this comes in handy for you, do you have any side dish ideas you can share?

Trash to Treasure Party a Success!

Hopefully you caught my first Trash to Treasure post back on April 2nd, if not click here.

We had our party on Saturday and not only was it a lot of fun, there were some great finds too! For example, a friend of mine brought a single size electric skillet that she had never used but was given to her as a housewarming party gift several years ago. When my grandmother saw it she decided that was the perfect size for her!

I got a couple of Disney movies on VHS from someone that had upgraded to DVDs, while most of what we have is DVD at home, we have a TV downstairs with a VHS player and those will be perfect when my daughter needs to be distracted downstairs for a few minutes.

There were also lots of people that picked up hair products and other beauty products there were either used a couple times or not at all- a great way to try new products! Same with bags, purses, and shoes, we all know that you get tired of those things long before they wear out, so many people got new items for their spring wardrobe.

As you can see we had lots of fun and got some great items too! We kept our food simple with some fruit, a couple dips, shrimp cocktail and some delicious desserts. Each person brought a beverage to share (wine or soft drinks) and we spent several hours on Saturday relaxing and having fun.

Whether it's yard sales, consignment shops or parties like this one I hope you think of creative ways to turn your trash into treasure!