And this one is the same color as the other one, just different lighting. :)
Pretty amazing, huh!?
Friday, June 28, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Product Reviews and Cleaning
Tonight I'm going to review a couple items that make my life easier, and right now, easier is essential.
First up, my two cleaning items that are used daily. My handy dandy Shark vacuum and my swiffer sweeper jet.
The Shark vacuum is the best thing ever for keeping my floors cleaned - especially with a little one crawling everywhere. It is very easy, super light, and picks up anything - especially big things like cheerios, dirt, grass, and even things like nuts and bolts. It does a pretty decent job on sand too. Its not a deep cleaning vacuum, but it does all the top stuff. Its so nice to clean the floors in a couple minutes. You can even dump it without having to touch anything dirty. It retails for around $60, but Stephen got it at a resale for under $20. Great purchase!
Second is my swiffer sweeper. I'm not a huge fan of a non-heavy duty mop, but if you clean often, this does the job. It doesn't get super stuck heavy stuff off the floor, but smudges, light spills, and dirty spots it does great. It has replace-able pads, so no rinsing out dirty mops, getting a sink of water for your mop. It has an electric sprayer that sprays out your cleaner, mop and you're done!
Next is my clorox cleaning wipes. I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover these things. Maybe when my son started potty training and cleaning the whole bathroom every time he went wasn't fun?! These are so easy to take one or a couple and wipe down the bathroom in two minutes. That way the bathroom stays clean for company and you don't have to haul out the dirty rags and cleaner. Voila!
Today had a lot of cleaning going on. We cleaned and washed both cars, including cleaning and washing the car seats. Yesterday Micah's new car seat arrived and it made me want to have the other two nice and clean!
The house was filthy but tis now clean, laundry done, the kids and I played water balloons for a long time, and Micah loved sitting on my lap outside with water gently spraying in his mouth. Funny!
I also started couch to 5 k again, and the first workout wasn't fun, but I feel better - looser somehow. I was so hot I felt like I was about to explode, but after playing in the water with the kids it was much better.
Yesterday we went to Hannah and Micah's and the kids had a great time playing in their pool together.
Daniel learned to put his head in the water and blow bubbles! He thought it was great.
Cute little Brookie
Sweet Bethy
Silly Jonathan - he freaked out at first when he got it! Never been in a pool that deep where he could actually touch the bottom. He didn't know what to do! Having not been the most steady on his feet, he finally was ok to be in the floatie.
Crazy Daniel
Saturday, June 15, 2013
What a day!
What a day! It gets so hot here in the house you almost don't know what to do! We have all the fans going, keeping window shades closed, if possible, and it still feels like 150 degrees. It makes it worse if you cook ANYTHING in the kitchen.
Speaking of kitchen, I made a really good ziti casserole, well haven't exactly eaten it yet, from Christine Ha's (masterchef 3 winner) new cookbook. It was an all day affair due to the fact that I had to make my own spaghetti sauce for the recipe and that took 2 hours to cook. I learned how to peel tomatoes - its easy. Cut a x on the bottom of the tomato, dunk them in boiling water for 25 seconds, put them into ice water, and then peel from the x on the bottom. It worked great. And then I bought the wrong sausage, so I had to take the casings off and then grind it up in the blender to get it into small chunks. That worked though. It will be eaten for Father's day tomorrow!
I finally, finally, finally, got out the paint for the boys. I haven't been brave enough to let them paint together, but it actually went really well. They made a mess everywhere, but the paint was super easy to clean off the table and them. I'll have to do it again. They need some paint brushes - I gave them my basting brushes. I managed to get some good finger prints of each of the boys on a page for a father's day card for Stephen.
So I guess I *DID* accomplish something today!
Speaking of kitchen, I made a really good ziti casserole, well haven't exactly eaten it yet, from Christine Ha's (masterchef 3 winner) new cookbook. It was an all day affair due to the fact that I had to make my own spaghetti sauce for the recipe and that took 2 hours to cook. I learned how to peel tomatoes - its easy. Cut a x on the bottom of the tomato, dunk them in boiling water for 25 seconds, put them into ice water, and then peel from the x on the bottom. It worked great. And then I bought the wrong sausage, so I had to take the casings off and then grind it up in the blender to get it into small chunks. That worked though. It will be eaten for Father's day tomorrow!
I finally, finally, finally, got out the paint for the boys. I haven't been brave enough to let them paint together, but it actually went really well. They made a mess everywhere, but the paint was super easy to clean off the table and them. I'll have to do it again. They need some paint brushes - I gave them my basting brushes. I managed to get some good finger prints of each of the boys on a page for a father's day card for Stephen.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Sooo, I'm not even going to look at what my last post was, or how long ago I posted it.
Its been a long time, I know.
BUT, in other news, here's what we've been doing! Recently we went to the zoo and got really hot! I let the boys play in the splash park, but there were so many people Daniel didn't know what to do. Oddly enough, he's not a fan of being around tons of people. He followed Jonathan around! The zoo had a lego display of animals that was really cool! Check them out!
We've been swimming a few times which is always really nice. Been learning the art of grilling/smoking food! Yum yum!
Micah is learning to speed crawl around the house and follow me around! Aaagh! He's only sat a couple times, but its because he never stays in one place long enough to actually sit. Unless he's found a cord to chew on... I'm now having to make sure everything is off the floor. I'm not ready for him to be this mobile. He's just a baby! Crawling at 5 months!
Daniel's favorite way of talking at the moment is like this: "Sooo, Momma....blah blah blah...." "Soooo, we need to...blah blah blah" Everything starts with "sooooo." I wonder where he gets that from?
Its been a long time, I know.
BUT, in other news, here's what we've been doing! Recently we went to the zoo and got really hot! I let the boys play in the splash park, but there were so many people Daniel didn't know what to do. Oddly enough, he's not a fan of being around tons of people. He followed Jonathan around! The zoo had a lego display of animals that was really cool! Check them out!
We've been swimming a few times which is always really nice. Been learning the art of grilling/smoking food! Yum yum!
Micah is learning to speed crawl around the house and follow me around! Aaagh! He's only sat a couple times, but its because he never stays in one place long enough to actually sit. Unless he's found a cord to chew on... I'm now having to make sure everything is off the floor. I'm not ready for him to be this mobile. He's just a baby! Crawling at 5 months!
Daniel's favorite way of talking at the moment is like this: "Sooo, Momma....blah blah blah...." "Soooo, we need to...blah blah blah" Everything starts with "sooooo." I wonder where he gets that from?
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Fun Day
I don't get the inspiration to write much, but when it hits, it makes me really want to write something. Like tonight. Finished a show, was falling asleep, got up and ate a banana and put the laundry in the dryer, got back in bed and all I wanted to do was get back on the computer and write. Weird, I know.
So today was a day that was full of fun. A couple days ago I got a notice in my email about a livejournal account that was going to be deleted because I hadn't logged in in over 3 years. So, I logged on and found another old account I had there and read a bunch of entries. When I read back its really fun to see and remember what life was like then. I find myself liking that girl, and thinking what a fun person she would be. I know that sounds weird, but its true. So, I get all melancholy, kind of wishing for those single days to be back. The days where I would work at the office, having conversations with dear ole' Jack, doing things with Edna, playing the organ, preparing music, stapling bulletins, and all that stuff. The days were I was much skinnier, had more money, had a cute car, and my time was my own.
Then, I'm jerked back to today. Kids crying and calling Mommy! to get out of bed. And then I bring up my most recent journal and see my last entry was the announcement of JONATHAN being born - almost 2 years ago! Would I seriously trade my life to be back where I used to be? Heavens no. Even if it means I'm fatter. lol Sometimes I wish I could be back to where I was, but what would life be like without my kids....and my husband of course.
Yes, I'm getting back to what I fun day today was, but I'm not there yet. Thursday Stephen and the kids and I went shopping (our day off activities) and on our way home stopped by a new park. I nursed Micah, watched the boys playing with Stephen and enjoyed the beautiful day. The park also had a splash pad and I had brought the boys swim things, so they had soo much fun running, splashing, from water to water.
And then today. Yesterday I decided I would have a garage sale! The last half of the day was preparing and pricing everything and going through stuff to decide what to get rid of. This morning I stumbled out of bed, set up everything outside, and brought my chair out to wait. First thing to sell was our biggest item - and that was nice! It was enjoyable to just sit outside and do nothing. No computer, no phone....just listening to the birds singing. Then the boys got up and they were really good about not playing with the toys I had out to sell. Its always so nice when they're good! :-p
During the day it briefly sprinkled, and I had to bring the things inside the garage 3 times. By later afternoon it started to actually rain, so I arranged the stuff inside the garage. I was quite happy that several people came by and bought stuff even though everything was semi put away.
We had plans to have Micah and Hannah over for supper and we decided to smoke/grill some chicken, make mashed potatoes, and veggies. We got the chicken smoking outside by the front door, and the rain began to come down heavier. Then it started blowing, and pouring! Within a few minutes the trees where being whipped around, the rain blowing this way and that, the swing in the tree being swung around, the lightening flashing, and thunder crashing. I'd never seen anything like this in Houston before! Before we knew it, the road in front of our house was flooding, the back yard was COVERED in water. Around 4:30 the electricity started flashing and went out - causing Stephen (who was working from home) to be done with work! :) YAY! Well, the chicken was cooking nicely, but I had just peeled and put all the potatoes on the stove to cook when the power went out. And it didn't come back on. lol
After a very long time, Micah and Hannah arrived to our dark electric-less house! It was still raining pretty hard so we sat in the dim light of the living room watching the kids bump into each other playing toys! Then we brought in the SCRUMPTIOUS chicken, set up the kids table by the back door for light, and ate our meal of just chicken and salad under our little camping light hung to our kitchen light. It felt like we were camping. The potatoes still sat cold on the stove.
It was so fun! Finally the electricity came back on around 8pm and everybody sat blinking their eyes because it seemed so bright!
So, thinking back, would I change what I have now, for what I had then? Life would be so boring without little kids to bring smiles to your faces, come to you for kisses when they get hurt, to have them express their fears and excitement to, and share in their life.
It is a good day when I can learn to more enjoy the process of life, day to day, instead of focusing on the tomorrows and what will be's. To enjoy every moment. <3
And now, because I'm tired, I'll go to bed,
So today was a day that was full of fun. A couple days ago I got a notice in my email about a livejournal account that was going to be deleted because I hadn't logged in in over 3 years. So, I logged on and found another old account I had there and read a bunch of entries. When I read back its really fun to see and remember what life was like then. I find myself liking that girl, and thinking what a fun person she would be. I know that sounds weird, but its true. So, I get all melancholy, kind of wishing for those single days to be back. The days where I would work at the office, having conversations with dear ole' Jack, doing things with Edna, playing the organ, preparing music, stapling bulletins, and all that stuff. The days were I was much skinnier, had more money, had a cute car, and my time was my own.
Then, I'm jerked back to today. Kids crying and calling Mommy! to get out of bed. And then I bring up my most recent journal and see my last entry was the announcement of JONATHAN being born - almost 2 years ago! Would I seriously trade my life to be back where I used to be? Heavens no. Even if it means I'm fatter. lol Sometimes I wish I could be back to where I was, but what would life be like without my kids....and my husband of course.
Yes, I'm getting back to what I fun day today was, but I'm not there yet. Thursday Stephen and the kids and I went shopping (our day off activities) and on our way home stopped by a new park. I nursed Micah, watched the boys playing with Stephen and enjoyed the beautiful day. The park also had a splash pad and I had brought the boys swim things, so they had soo much fun running, splashing, from water to water.
And then today. Yesterday I decided I would have a garage sale! The last half of the day was preparing and pricing everything and going through stuff to decide what to get rid of. This morning I stumbled out of bed, set up everything outside, and brought my chair out to wait. First thing to sell was our biggest item - and that was nice! It was enjoyable to just sit outside and do nothing. No computer, no phone....just listening to the birds singing. Then the boys got up and they were really good about not playing with the toys I had out to sell. Its always so nice when they're good! :-p
During the day it briefly sprinkled, and I had to bring the things inside the garage 3 times. By later afternoon it started to actually rain, so I arranged the stuff inside the garage. I was quite happy that several people came by and bought stuff even though everything was semi put away.
We had plans to have Micah and Hannah over for supper and we decided to smoke/grill some chicken, make mashed potatoes, and veggies. We got the chicken smoking outside by the front door, and the rain began to come down heavier. Then it started blowing, and pouring! Within a few minutes the trees where being whipped around, the rain blowing this way and that, the swing in the tree being swung around, the lightening flashing, and thunder crashing. I'd never seen anything like this in Houston before! Before we knew it, the road in front of our house was flooding, the back yard was COVERED in water. Around 4:30 the electricity started flashing and went out - causing Stephen (who was working from home) to be done with work! :) YAY! Well, the chicken was cooking nicely, but I had just peeled and put all the potatoes on the stove to cook when the power went out. And it didn't come back on. lol
After a very long time, Micah and Hannah arrived to our dark electric-less house! It was still raining pretty hard so we sat in the dim light of the living room watching the kids bump into each other playing toys! Then we brought in the SCRUMPTIOUS chicken, set up the kids table by the back door for light, and ate our meal of just chicken and salad under our little camping light hung to our kitchen light. It felt like we were camping. The potatoes still sat cold on the stove.
It was so fun! Finally the electricity came back on around 8pm and everybody sat blinking their eyes because it seemed so bright!
So, thinking back, would I change what I have now, for what I had then? Life would be so boring without little kids to bring smiles to your faces, come to you for kisses when they get hurt, to have them express their fears and excitement to, and share in their life.
It is a good day when I can learn to more enjoy the process of life, day to day, instead of focusing on the tomorrows and what will be's. To enjoy every moment. <3
And now, because I'm tired, I'll go to bed,
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Fried Chicken
Fried Chicken
1 cup coconut oil
2
large eggs
1 cup
almond flour/meal (coconut flour too)
1
tsp. paprika
1
tsp. garlic powder
1/2
tsp. sea salt
1/2
tsp. black pepper
1/2
tsp. dried thyme
1
tsp. Chipotle powder (optional)
1
pounds chicken: Thighs, drums, breasts
Instructions
1)
Heat oil in large drying pan to 350F
2)
Whisk eggs in medium sized bowl
3)
Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl and mix well
4)
Dip chicken in whisked eggs
5)
Coat/cover chicken with dry mixture and place in hot oil. Allow both sides to
brown (about 2 minutes on each side)
6)
Place drying rack on sheet pan and assemble chicken on the rack so there is
space between all pieces
7)
Place in 400F preheaed oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and get ready for some
good eating!
Friday, January 4, 2013
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