Kingston Girl

Meet me Monday!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:02:00 +0000

Welcome to Meet me Monday :) On Wednesday night. :)

1. Would you rather be on ABC's Extreme Home MakeOver or TLC's What not to Wear?
Well, when Extreme Home Makeover first came on the TV, they came to our little town, it was a huge thing in our town, locals and people that just lived around the area were here to lend a helping hand. A time where a close knit community became even closer. I felt bad for the family that was part of it because I think even now years later people drive up the road they live on and down the dirt driveway just to look at the house. When they were in town for the first year or so after the show was on air, people would stare and point and whisper at them, so to be honest I have to say that I loved that show but now I think I need new things to wear and look my best so i would say What not to wear!

2. Do you have any tattoos?
Yes I do, I have my first one in the one place every girl my age..... in the good old US of A and another one is on my wrist its a awareness ribbon, but I want to have a few more, in the next year I want to get one that celebrates the birth of my boys and want to celebrate my 10th anniversary with my husband.

3. Do you tell your kids about things you did growing up?
Yes, my parents were very truthful with me so I will do the same thing with my boys. I feel like I was a good kid that didn't get in too much trouble and when I did I came home and told my Mom. I can only hope that my boys love me as I love my parents.

4. If the traffic signal turns yellow, do you stop or speed up?
Speed up baby! Better watch out I will hit you! :) I don't second guess myself if I am going for it I will just keep going.

5. What's your preference: chocolate or chips?
How about Chocolate chips! I would say Chips I love milk Chocolate but I have to say that my salt licks of chips especially at my favorite place to eat Masa :)

Feature Friday..... My good friend..... from Mac Kids..

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

I love this girl so much.!!! She is amazing and as a fellow blogger I have to say that she is great at what she does for out community. Diane is the kind of person that you instantly feel close with, I know that this is a friendship that I knew at our first time meeting we were going to be close friends for the rest of our lives. This lady is just wonderful and what she does in our community and the connection she has made in our community and encourages other to make within our community is just a little glimpse on how special she is and her love for our little piece of the world is just why I love her and I know after learning a bit more you will too!

Macaroni Kid answers the age old question, “Mom, what are we going to do today?”

We've become the go-to source for everything Kid and Family in Kitsap County. Parents from Bainbridge to Belfair, Port Orchard to Port Gamble are thanking us. Macaroni Kid is their new secret weapon for streamlining their hectic lives. We help them find out about the coolest events happening in the area for their kids. We scour the internet, the cities, social media, and newspapers, getting up early to bring parents, grandparents, teachers and others the most current and comprehensive event listings. We're helping them save time and money. But most importantly we're helping them to have fun with their family and friends.

What was there before Macaroni Kid? Well, I can speak from experience. Since my youngest macaroni kid was a baby, I've been trying to find fun (and yes, mostly frugal) activities that were largely local (and only occasionally in Tacoma or Seattle). Back then, I was looking for baby signing classes for her and mommy groups for me. Over time it evolved into more activities with more frequency as I found location after location that had something cool and exciting that would be something great for a child to experience.

So, I found myself searching countless different websites, reading newspaper calendar sections, grabbing directories at the doctor's office, reading every flyer on every bulletin board I passed, and talking to friends about places they went and fun ideas to do at home.

Around this time last year, I saw Macaroni Kid national in a publication (it's been featured in “O Magazine,” “Redbook”, and “Scholastic Parent & Child”) and pulled up the website. From the national page, you can choose a state from a pulldown menu and see if there is a newsletter edition for your area. The closest one to Kitsap at that time was South Sound, so I signed up! I also saw the 'Become a Publisher Mom' button and clicked on it. The rest is history.

After several emails (because I had so many questions) to national headquarters and LOTS of thought, I knew deep down that being a MacKid Kitsap Editor & Publisher was an ideal fit. Heck, I was already doing all the work for my own family, so why not share it with others!? Plus, it would put my journalism degree to good use.
I've turned my passion for research and writing into a business. While I still maintain my 'day job' as a non-profit grant writer and (print) newsletter editor and designer, perhaps one day MacKid will be my only commitment beyond home and family. For now, I balance it all because I believe so fully in the vision set forth by the MacKid founders.

Since the introduction of Macaroni Kid in the Hamptons in 2008, MacKid has branched into hundreds of other communities across the nation. Other mom (and a few dad!) editors and publishers have found the value and extraordinary power of Macaroni Kid.
MacKid remedies a problem. It saves parents time. It's the perfect avenue for organizations seeking to get the word out about their events and programs, and for businesses to make their products or services known to the parenting population in Kitsap County.
Remembering how important MacKid is to so many thousands of Kitsap residents keeps me motivated. I appreciate the feedback I've gotten online and at events from parents, grandparents, and teachers such as:

"I love macaronikid because I have three young and busy boys and it's awesome to have a place to find activities inside out of the rain!"
-Hannah H., mom of 3 boys

"My favorite thing of Macaroni Kids is that I am a Grandparent and it gives me the opportunity to see what activities are happening best way from me to keep up to speed."
-Gloria C.

Military families, too! Macaroni Kid is the ideal resource for families that are transplanted somewhere new.

"Macaroni Kid has been such a gift to my family! We moved here just 4 months ago. When we get to a new area, we love to explore and see all the sights, but getting here (our first duty station on the West Coast) it was a little overwhelming findings things to do. A friend suggested Macaroni Kid, and now when I see the email, I get excited and begin planning our next outings!"
-Jodi U.

What was the world like before Macaroni Kid? It's like explaining to your kids the difference between a cassette tape and iPod. Either way, you get your music. One is just way more convenient, accessible, user-friendly, and holds more variety.
With one click of a mouse you can answer that dreaded age-old question – What ARE we going to do today?
Macaroni Kid is FREE and you get just 1 weekly email on Friday letting subscribers know the skinny on what's going on in Kitsap. Sign up for Macaroni Kid Kitsap now!
(when you do tell them Kingstongirl sent you!)
www.kitsap.macaronikid.com

Thrifty Thursday..... Laundry for a year for $20.00????

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:43:00 +0000

Another week of Thrifty Thursday!
Can not believe all the fun things that I find on pinterest!
This is completely changed my life.
I found this recipe at my new favorite blog
being creative to keep my sanity

Also follow her on her Laurie's Pinterest!

With just having Twins and trying to get out of debt
( like most we have a bit of it and it just seems to never go away
Especially with two babies in the NICU for 75 days!!!)
So I am doing everything and anything to make it so we can live
richer, saving money as we go along. Money that is for the important things in life.
Making my two baby boys in to two great men with riches of experience and fun.
I found on Pinterest

I am so Sick of buying laundry soap!! This stuff I found through Pinterest is amazing not only because it is so much stronger then the store bought soap, but You only have to use 1 Tablespoon per load. This recipe makes a huge cookie jar full of soap ( I got my cookie jar at Wallmart)
1 year of laundry soap for less than 20 dollars?
Seems like a steal to me.!

Seems like the monthly amount I was spending on soap can now go in the cookie jar for savings!

I love the idea of not having to buy laundry soap all the time anymore. **This laundry soap also works just fine in HE washers**
Here is the directions to make this great soap!
Used it today on this nice shut in snow day and it turned out great!!
Love, love, love it!

1 ~ 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

1 medium container of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(this is optional, I added it into mine because I like the idea of the extra stain fighter and did I mention I have twin baby boys? :)

Enjoy!

Next week make sure to check in to see what else thrifty I have going on.....

Wordless Wednesday......

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:03:00 +0000

Today is the weekly post of Wordless Wednesday!
Because it is snowing outside here,
thought you would enjoy these amazing photos!
makes me love that fact that it only snows here a few times a year!

Smokey Veggie soup. Tempt my Tummy Tuesday..

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:40:00 +0000

It is snowing out and they say it will be snowing a lot and we hear it is going to snow between 4 and 8 inches in the next 24 hours. I would like to snow like that if its going to snow. The roads where we live are so hilly that when it snows and freezes, you are on lock down..... So here is a yummy favorite that I make because it will warm nicely on the wood stove if there is a power outage.

Smokey Veggie soup.....

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (11.5 ounce) can tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (Like V-8)
1 cup water
1 large potato, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels ( I use the frozen kind and it works fine too)
salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning to taste
1 Tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp smoked paprika
Directions

In a large stock pot, combine broth, tomato juice, water, potatoes, carrots, celery, undrained chopped tomatoes, green beans, and corn. Season with salt, pepper, liquid smoke, smoked paprikia and Creole seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 110 | Total Fat: 0.6g | Cholesterol: 3mg
* Photo credit from google. I forgot to check to make sure my memory card wasn't full and well it was and the pictures didn't save when a person like me hits delete all............. Crap! :) *

Meet me Monday...

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:32:00 +0000

Meet me Monday....again. Time is flying by so fast! I wouldn't want it any other way. Would you?

1. Do you sing out loud in the car when you're driving?

Well, Yes, Yes I do. I am the next big thing in my car...maybe in my mind :)
I will sing. I will rock it out and sing my heart out. But, only until I pass a car or a car passes me or I come to a red light. Then, I'm all cool as can be and acting so very nonchalant. What I would do should someone see me same thing comes to play when I am in my car eating alone. Oh the things I will pass on to these boys! :)

2. What would you never be caught doing?

Singing in my car? ;) He!He!

3. Will you go #2 in a public restroom?

Heck to the no!!

Well...unless it is an EMERGENCY!!!

I have to have some major urgency going on before I allow myself to poo in public. And, then, I make as much noise as possible (flush toilet, grab tp, cough), or wait for someone else to flush before I go. It's a major thing, I can not wait to get out of there, Looking at my shoes the whole time thinking that the person next to me is going to notice what shoes I am wearing and then look me up and down in the middle of Barnes and Noble. Oh hell this is sad I am even answering this question on my blog. .

4. Have you ever broken a bone?

this past summer for the first time but nothing but an air cast.

But, judging by my crooked fingers and wonky hangy down rib, I think yes a few times... Unless the crooked fingers were caused from my ultimate sweet basketball playing skills that I hurt trying out for the girls basketball team my 9th grade year....never tried that again. . DId I tell you that I failed PE? For a few reasons but one of those reasons is because I didn't want to look stupid in front of people in school, I might not have acted like it but I was very insecure. I have to say at many times I am still to this day.

5. Do you prefer cooking or baking?

both but neither at the same time, I have to be in the mood for both. I am into healthy cooking and being that I am type one diabetic I can't have all the sugar so I try to learn new things all the time that have less sugar in it, I truly think that if I do this now it will help my kids not know the difference.
I know I said in pervious posts that I love my diet coke, and I truly do I love it because I can drink it with out it raising my blood sugar, I also love my Chrystal light and lemon and lime water. So to answer the question I love to and hate to do both my moods have to be right.....

Meet me Monday..

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:28:00 +0000

W

1. What is the weather like where you are and do you like it?.

This year the weather has been so crazy mild. I am LOVING this weather. Today I went out without a coat. the temp reached 50 with the sun out and shinning and the sunset tonight was amazing as if we were in the middle of sumer.

2. When you're sick what do you seek comfort from?

A few things, My bed, my hubs and 7 up! .

Plain and simple, if I'm really feeling down and out, I just want to sleep. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it here before, but my method of dealing with stress is to sleep. It's like my body just wants to shut down.

3. What do you need to do before the end of the month?
I need to get the house in order and figure out when I can re-do the Craft shed :) I want to do this so when both boys are home after our very long 3 months in the NICU in Tacoma, so I am doing what I can to get ready for when that time comes.

4. Have you ever served on a jury?
.
No. I haven't. I have been selected for a summons for jury duty. I forgot about the date and missed it so I have a bit of guilt about that but didn't get in trouble. A small Part of me thinks it would be fun and the other, the bigger, the much MUCH bigger part of me thinks it would be a mess.

I've already thought up several "mistruths" that I could use to get me "deselected". Depends on the case, of course. ;) SHHHH!!!!! Don't tell on me.

5. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
I would want to be my parents dog. Spoiled and loved to pieces. They are amazing to their pups.

Weekend blog hops that I did this weekend.

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:25:00 +0000

I use to do these often and know that meeting new blog friends is so very important.

SO today I am doing a blog hop and can't wait to meet some new friends. Join in on the fun if you feel like it.

Join in with this as well if you feel like it.

Also make sure that you check out these other bloggers.

Thrifty Thursday.....

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:57:00 +0000

The world around me is overwhelming on where to pinch pennies and where to keep it real. I have been learning from the best my sister Erin she is a coupon queen. Now we are not the stock pile coupon ladies that don't have a cat that buys 100 cans of cat food. With that being said I do get the things that I need to have and know that I will be using.

I have always been thrifty so I am going to try some things each week and on Thursdays I will give you the updates and what I thought of it.

How are you keeping warm this January? If you are in the Good old PNW it has been freaking crazy with warmth and not nearly the rain like we should have. Not even any snow. We have to go to the Mountains for that.

Our heat is from a wood stove and with two new babies in our house to keep warm we need to keep the cost down of the power, save on the wood for the cooler nights and keep them nice and toasty.

So this Thrifty Thursday I have had to adapt to the cold with some cleaver ideas......

Tights are being worn under my PJ bottoms and babies are wearing the fleece Pj's.

to keep the blood flowing with out new games we were given at Christmas.... The new Disney game, Some sports games and the new Dance game. :)

Home made warm and soft blankets are being used to their full benefit. A few extra on the bed and three on the sofa. Adding lots of lovely layers are being piled on. Its so cozy in the evening to snuggle and read by the fire or watch a movie on Hulu.....

Here are a few tips for keeping you and your house warm on the cheap.

* Place tin foil on the wall behind your radiators. Seriously it works. ( an old trick that most of our grandma's knows.)

* Find the draughts and stop them! Got the wind rolling in under the door and through the window cracks? Make a draught excluder(Google it) If you need a very quick fix grab an old pair of tights or a stocking and stuff full of newspaper. It's not pretty but when it's cold it will keep you warm!

* Put a spare duvet or blanket underneath the bottom sheet on your bed. It should warm you up on the VERY cold nights!!! It is a great idea to help keep in the warmth. I use a feather bed and that makes us nice and toasty as well. You can get them at Target for a King size for a little over a hundred dollars.

* Let the sunlight in. As tempting as it can be to tuck the curtains in to keep the warmth in, open them up to let sunlight do it's job. When the sun goes down make sure to shut them back up. You can add the sheets of clear plastic to your windows as well this keeps in the heat as well. Especially if you are in a home that was built in anything before the mid to late 70's.

* Get cooking and baking! Then leave the oven door open after you shut it off. This will give you a little extra warmth.

*Sleep naked under all those covers and cuddle with your spouse! :) I wonder if this is why we have a high amount of Fall babies.

Wordless Wednesday......

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Today is Wordless Wednesday and because of that lets stick to the same theme.
I will keep the words down but check out this link Historic Tacoma and see all the great pictures and read the rich city history.

Tempt my tummy tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:53:00 +0000

So many yummy things to eat.... going with the Tacoma post so here is some Southern fried Chicken.

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roll in flour.
Add 1/2 to 3/4 inch oil to a large, heavy skillet. Heat to approximately 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place chicken pieces in hot oil. Cover, and fry until golden, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

If you want to make fried chicken, you can get good results using a fryer, broiler, capon, young chicken, and roaster or game hen.
Soaking the chicken overnight in brine or buttermilk makes the meat more tender and juicy.
Slice whole chicken breasts in half for more even cooking. They also cook faster like this.
Adding celery sticks to the frying oil enhances the color and flavor of the fried chicken.
Dry any wet utensils before they touch the hot cooking oil to avoid the hot fat spattering.
Use tongs instead of a fork to turn the chicken. A fork might pierce the skin and the chicken will lose juices.
If you like your chicken fried, try peanut oil. It gives the chicken a great flavor.
Drain fried chicken on a brown paper bag or metal rack. Draining it on paper towels might make it lose crispiness. In addition, covering it will make it lose all crispiness.

The above tips should help to ensure your fried chicken recipes are delicious. If you are using a whole chicken and you have some left over, you can put them in a pot with carrots, parsley, and water to cover. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, strain and refrigerate. When the mixture is cold, skim off the fat and use it in soups and sauces. You can also freeze it.

A few things I love.... to eat in Tacoma.

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:47:00 +0000

I have to say that I am pretty happy that the holiday season is very close to be under wraps and put away for a year. This season just blew past me with out warning, I do miss that I didn't really get to be home and that I was stuck in the hospital and the hospital housing.

While I have been down here something I never thought could happen has......... I have fallen in love with the City of Tacoma. It was always a city that I never really spent to much time in. A town that I would simply drive past. Now that I know all the back ways to get to and from places without taking the freeway. Ever sense my parents accident in September. In doing that we have fallen in love with some amazing places to eat and shop. 6th Ave runs from the first exit once you leave the Tacoma Narrows bridge you can drive it all the way down to down town Tacoma.

We have fallen in love with Masa a Tex Mex Restaurant that has a to die for Chips and Salsa and the best happy hour that is all day SUnday thru Wednesday.

There is a place to eat some wonderful. southern food called Southern Kitchen it has the most wonderful fried chicken I have ever eaten in my entire life.

My Dad took us to Red hot. Where I stepped out on the wild side and got a hot dog that had bacon and Peanut butter, it is a bar so you have to be 21 or over to go there but they go once a week to the Seatac airport and pick up hot dogs flown in from Chicago!

After long days at the hospital walking to the local areas to have a different bite besides the lunch room food at the hospital we found a few other places all within walking distance to the hospital. that we found we liked as well... A place called the Hub that has a brewery right below them, & the best Yogurt shop Called Gibsons, just to name a few of the places we have been making our regular stops in at.

Over the time that I have been here in the darkest emotional days of being here with my boys so sick I have become a person in love with the community of Tacoma, the business people, the people on the sidewalk and walking in the park, it is amazing to me that in this big city second to Seattle in our state that you can still feel like it is a small town. A love that I was very embraced and loved in. The town that has held us and continues to hold us and our boys while we make it a home away from home will always have a very important and special place in my heart. Do yourself a favor and make some time to go down to Tacoma and plan a trip on a tank. I will post the next few weeks about what to do and where to do it in Tacoma. Just try it
& you will Fall in love like I did!!

They are here!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 04:12:00 +0000

This is my ﬁrst post in a while because our twins came at 28 weeks. I have been here for the past 37 days! This is the place to be if you have a baby that is a preemie or micro preemies like we had. The boys had a rough start. Especially baby B he has had the roughest time.

One thing that I know for sure is the fact that this was not in my plans for the holidays. We had so much we were going to do. This is my favorite time of the year, with all the parties and family gatherings and shopping and baking, decorating the house all the while listening to Christmas music. This year when we got the call that the boys were making their appearance on November 2nd 2011... I had no idea that I would not be able to get myself to leave them. I have completely changed over the past 37 days and the

person I have become is so much better then whom I use to be. I'm a mother!

As I'm writing this I have one son stirring in his little crib a big milestone at times we didn't think we would make it too this fast. I have learned so much this past month about myself and about my boys. In my arms is my other son as sweet and beautiful as can be I want them both to grow stronger but I want to stay in this moment forever. Daddy aka "hub's" has gone back to work and as lonely as I get at times I love these amazing stolen moments that I'm able to sneak all to myself. These moments I hope will get me through the harder times of sleepless nights and the terrible two's.

I won't post about the babies or my everyday lives on here so you are always more then welcome to go to the top of the page and click on the waiting for baby G which is my personal blog but thought that I would love to tell you all about what is going on in my life and this crazy new adventure of motherhood. There is so very much to tell. Thank you all for being here to be able to show me so much love and support. As Kingstongirl I am trying to do what I can so that I can stay in the swing of things and keep you informed on where you need to go, what you need to do and about all the great people that are part of my little world, that because of all of you have become so big. I promise to post more and do more, it has been a little bit of a struggle on finding my balance between my fun things I do and being a new mommy.

Meet Me Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:01:00 +0000

1. Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets?

I love different kinds of sheets at different times of the year. In the summer it has to be high end Cotton with a light blanket on top of us, so we stay cool on those there hot nights in the summer. In the fall and winter I have to have flannel with our electric blanket, makes it so warm and cozy and I pile on the blankets keeping us nice and toasty. Hub's doesn't like that too much but he can swing a leg out! :)

2. What time zone are you in?

Pacific!!! We live in a town close to Seattle and its a great place to live. One day I will live in Central time.... I miss my sister so much and she lives in Colorado, with her hub's who is my husband's bff and our nephew Q.

3. What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

What do I not like! Well for starters today is Halloween and my husbands birthday, my Dads is the 23rd so always around Thanksgiving. I love that I can pick out or make gifts for the people that have touched my life in the past year. It changes almost every year who we give to but I love the surprise especially with Hub's I always make sure to blow his socks away. He never reads my blog so I am going to tell you what he is getting this year. I am going to get him into a hobby that he can share with the boys. I also very much love the music and the decorations and lights! We do a thing every year, called Christmas drive where my mom and hubs and I get in the car and go look at lights with a stop at a local coffee shop get a coffee tea or coco and enjoy the Lights and music when we see light that we like we yell out "Chrisme lights!" I can not wait to share that with the babies.

4. What is your favorite "wintry" drink? (It doesn't have to be an "alcoholic" drink!) In fall I love cider, I just wish that they had sugar free, in winter I love white chocolate, milk steamers... with a splash of mint to it.

5. In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

Being a state employee on the Washington State Ferry's. I will post about this in the next week stay tuned you will not want to miss this....

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Tempt my tummy Tuesday

It's my goal to show you all the yummy fall favorites that I have! One of my top for fall is the 30 minute Chili. Its really yummy and tastes even better when it's a day old and you re-heat it the next day for lunch. I always top my chili with Sour cream, chives & cheese. Hub's always puts hot sauce on it.

Try also making some corn bread or some really nice thick sliced Sour Dough.

Beer can 1 hour Chili.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 pounds ground beef stew or chuck meat
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
1 bottle (12 ounces)beer
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, chili powder, chipotles (optional),cumin and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until mixture has begun to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes with their juice, beer, and beans. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook over medium heat until chili has thickened slightly and beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Meet me Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:01:00 +0000

Welcome to this weeks, Meet me Monday!!!!

1. Where do you escape to when you've had enough?

There are three places I go to when I am in need of escape, when I have had enough.... I go to Kalaloch its a place on the Washington Coast. This is a place where I have been going my entire life. I also love to go to Cannon Beach Oregon, it is something to do with the ocean. To look out and realize that my life is so small when I look how big the ocean is.

2. What shows are you watching this fall?

I am watching with the help of two DVR's all the regular ones, and some of the new fun ones............. Up all night with Christina Applegate, Ringer is pretty good, I am over top excited about tonight's 1st showing of Once upon a time, this is what I have been looking forward to seeing all fall. I hope that it is all I have been expecting.

3. What was the longest roadtrip you've ever taken and where did you go?

the reason I love to travel are these long road trips that my parents and I have taken my entire life we have always driven everywhere. So when Chris & I got a month off together for a vacation a few years back we went from Seattle through Utah, new mexico, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and back to Seattle. It was the most beautiful and amazing drive I have ever taken. I can't wait to go again.

4. Do you plan on taking your kids to Disney World?

Not just yes but heck yes!! We were looking into going on other vacations but every time we think about going anywhere else it always leads us back to Disney!! We will always be a Disney family especially now that we will have our babies of our own we will for sure bring them as often as we can. The memories from Disney are priceless.

5. What is something people would surprised to know about you?

Well, people think that I am a big talker, love crowds and love being the center of attention, but that I really get stage fright & I don't like talking to crowds! I can sometimes, not all of the time but many times I am way to shy to be the center of attention. Shhhhh! Don't you tell!

A Conversation with Cuppa Bella...

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Q) How long have you lived in the area?

A) With exception to a few short years in the TriCities, both Tonya and I have lived in the area our entire lives. I grew up in Kingston in the house my mom still lives in right across the street from Wolfle. Tonya grew up in Poulsbo on Finn Hill in the same house her parents still live in.

Q) How much family history do you have in the area?

A) My family history isn't extensive, in the area compared to many of the storied family names. My aunt and uncle moved out to Bainbridge in the late 50s and my mom moved out here from Pennsylvania in 1967 after nursing school. My dad was in the Navy at the time and moved to the area after he was discharged. At the time my mom moved out, my grandmother was still teaching in Doylestown but she and my grandfather moved out here in the mid-70s after she retired. We've been here ever since. Tonya's family has been in the area since the early 40s.

Q) What is your favorite thing about the area?

A) Other than the natural beauty of the area? Community.
Kingston is a true "small town". You get the sense that folks that live here watch each others backs, they take care of their fellow citizens, they take care of their own town. The volunteers in the Kingston area that come out for Town Cleanups, that put up the flower baskets, that put together the 4th of July are what makes this area so great.

Q) What would you change if you could about the area?

A) The only thing I would like to change is seeing more cooperation and communication between the various organizations in the area so that everyone is working toward the same goal, each with their own set of tasks to get there. We started something like this with Rotary, Kiwanis, Kingston Food Bank, Port Gamble S'klallam Tribe, Kingston Rescue Mission, Sharenet Foodbank and Wolfle for the "Feed the Kids" program this past summer. Sometimes, there's can be too much volunteer effort that it becomes scattered and small, creating a situation where each group is fighting for donations and volunteers. If you can join the numerous small efforts to make our town better with one common visions and goal, a huge difference can be made in a short amount of time and you can eliminate the publics sense of annoyance at solicitation after solicitation for donations. If we could all join together and target one issue at a time and resolve it before moving on to another as a group of volunteers and charities, great things could happen here. And Kingston is the perfect place to do it.

Q) What made you start your own business?

A) Well, we didn't start Cuppa Bella. Cuppa Bella was started by Mark and Karen Scholl in 1998 and the opportunity to purchase the business from them presented itself to us (by accident) last year. Tonya had run her own daycare business out of our home for several years while I was commuting to Seattle to an IT executive job. I had been looking for a way out of my commute for several years as I was losing time with our 4 children that I would never get back. The cards just sort of fell into place last September. I had planned on staying with my commute until February of this year but after ending up in Harborview after being hit on my motorcycle in December and our house burning down in January, it seemed best for me to stop commuting and focusing all of my energy on our business then.

Q) Where would you like to see your business be in 5 years?

A) We already have plans for a second location within the next 12 months. On the 5 year track, we're probably realistically looking at a 3rd location within that time. It's a struggle for us right now since Tonya and I are so focused on the quality and consistency of what we serve that we spend 60-70 hours per week working in our business, I get up at 2am to do all the baking from scratch and Tonya comes in at noon to close up shop at 8pm. We're not sure how additional locations will pan out for us in being able to maintain our high level of standards, but, we're not reinventing the wheel so we'll just have to look at how other successful entrepreneurs have done it.

Worldness Wednesday......

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:36:00 +0000

SO many things have gone on here is my wordless Wednesday and my wordless is a picture of my parents car when they were hit while a person was texting. So please look at this photo and remind your loved ones and yourself to not TEXT & DRIVE because our family will never be the same.

Tempt my tummy Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:35:00 +0000

I am getting back into doing what I did before I made my blog mostly just reviews and business. I have been told that a lot of my readers miss the daily post so here we are... enjoy!

This is an easy and nice enough, to make for some of those people that you love and just special enough for a Sunday dinner or holiday meal. I Add hot baked rolls, and always do a veggie frozen or fresh. The Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 center-cut pork rib roast, about 3 pounds
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
1 large onion, cut into 6 to 8 wedges
2 tablespoons melted butter
salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°.

Wash the roast and pat dry. Rub roast all over with the Cajun seasoning, dry mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, half of the minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the roast over medium-high heat in a skillet in remaining olive oil for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned.

Toss potatoes with the remaining minced garlic, onion wedges, and the melted butter. Arrange the potatoes in the baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the browned rib roast on the vegetables, bones facing down. Pour the wine or chicken broth in the pan. Roast, uncovered, for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the roast registers about 150° when a meat thermometer is in the thickest part of the meat, not touching fat or bone. If the rib ends begin to brown too much, cover each with a piece of foil. Cut between the ribs into separate chops and serve with the roasted potatoes and onions.
Serves 6

Know me monday.

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:51:00 +0000

I am going to do something fun that we will do each week so you can know Kingstongirl. The fall is filling up and we have some amazing things going on, Blogging is a funny thing, we tell our most intimate thoughts tor the people we don't meet in person as often as we would like to, but these people we feel safer to share our deepest feeling we write things down in anger, in sadness, always emotional and always showing my feelings, we know that we don't know them know them but I want to now who the person is behind all these wonderful stories that they share with us. The connection.......So here is a bit of getting to know me Mondays... Enjoy!

1. The thing that scares me the most is __________?
the thing that scares me the most is that my writing will never bring me the most of what I want to bring. I have so many great dreams that I never truly be able to have my own book on the shelves of the many book stores.... that the books I am working on now with the ideas in my head without putting it from pen to paper.

2. Do you like nuts in your Chocolate Chip cookies?

No, I don't like to eat cookies that have nuts in them. I like most everything sweet but I only like white Chocolate Chips, with macadamia nuts & I like almonds in some of the things that I eat just not Chocolate chips.

3. If you couldn't change the channel, what tv show would drive you from the room?
Nothing could keep me from watching Samantha Brown, She is who I want to be when I grow up! :)

4. Pulp or no pulp in your Orange Juice?No pulp I like it smooth, I can't drink it unless I am trying to get my sugars up when I am about to crash, so sadly I do miss that favorite morning drink. Could they find a sugar free Orange juice? Please?

5. Who do you miss the most?
I miss my sister, she has helped me in so many ways and introduced me to the thought process that I can get though anything that I put my mind to, that I if I have a dream then I can set my mind to it and make it come true with some hard work. She lives a few states away and I don't get to see her nearly enough as I wish I did.

A conversation with Polish and shine cleaning....

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:08:00 +0000

A close family to my husband and over time they have become great friends of mine. I love these girls and they are two girls that will do anything for their friends and every costumer is treated just like one of their friends. Enjoy getting to know Heather & Hayley
owners of Polish & Shine Cleaning!!!

1) How long have you lived in the area?

All of our lives, we were born in Bremerton and raised on Bainbridge. We Have lived in almost every city in Kitsap over the past 20 years.

2) How much family history do you have in the area?

Our Mother was born on Bainbridge in 1938. Our Dad came to Kitsap from FL in the 50's.

3) What is your favorite thing about the area?

The small town feeling, it is hard to go anywhere without seeing someone you know. There is not a lot of hustle and bustle but any service, store, and school are within arms reach. ~Heather

4)What would you change if you could about the area?

The constant additions of "big box stores". I think it makes it very hard for small businesses when they keep adding giant stores that Mom and Pop shops can't compete with. ~Heather

5)What made you start your own business?

Hayley and I are both Mothers, Wives, Etc. Heather is a Navy Wife who's husband is often deployed. She is also the mother to a special needs son and 3 other children. Hayley is married with 2 children and works part time at a vet clinic on Bainbridge. We were really looking for something that would allow us the freedom to work while being able to be available to our families as well.
We also saw a market for affordable house cleaners. Some of the prices out there are just too far out of reach for a lot of people. We wanted to be available to almost everyone regardless to income.

6)Where would you like to see your business be in 5 years?

GROWING! Hahaha. We would like to stay small and still be able to give personal attention to each client. It would be fantastic to be fully booked 5 days a week though.

7)What is the hardest part of having your own business?

So far, it has been trying to find clients and really get our name out there. When you are a tiny business starting from nothing, we just don't have the ability to pay for massive advertising or commercials. That's where we are hoping the "small town, word of mouth, everyone knows everyone", will come into play.

8)Where would you like our town to be in over the next five years?

Where it is now, without too much growth.

9)What is your favorite thing to do in our town?

We love to visit the parks, there are so many! Fay Bainbridge is one of our favorites. Girl's night's out are fun too, we all need a break and getting together with the girls is a great way to unwind.

10)What is your favorite Store in town?

I love consignment stores! I have four kids and a grandbaby on the way so any time I can get a bargain is great. Rock-a-buy is great and so is Fishline's store in downtown Poulsbo AND it supports a great cause! Hayley and I are both avid bargain shoppers.

11)Do you give to any local charities you work with?

We have are just starting out but would LOVE to work with Autism Walks and Autism Awareness. Hayley would say PAWS or the Humane Society as she also works with animals.

12) tell me anything you would love to share about your business.

We are affordable, 100% customer driven, and really do our best to make sure no detail is overlooked. We not only do residential cleaning but also, commercial, move out cleans and event clean-up. We have access to the bases as well. Our website is polishandshinecleaners.yolasite.com. You can request info or ask us questions on the "contact us" page. You can also find us on facebook!!!

Happy Monday Photography & A little bit sassy!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:49:00 +0000

This is a conversation between myself and Gretchen of Happy Monday Photography and a little bit sassy.

How long have you lived in the area?
This time? lol My family and I lived here from 2002-2007. We are a Navy family so we moved down to the San Diego area for awhile and returned to this area again last August. Unfortunately we will have to leave the area again next August. We look forward to retiring here in six years.

How much family history do you have in the area?

None in the Kitsap area. I spent most of my childhood in Bellevue.

What is your favorite thing about the area?
I love the “small town” feel but the fact that it is close enough to so many different city type activities.

What would you change if you could about the area?
I take away to stupid Toll on the Narrows Bridge. :)

What made you start your own business?
I felt VERY strongly that I needed to be a stay at home mom. I have attempted many different home based business and was never successful because my heart wasn’t in it. Before my 3rd child, a baby girl, came along, my husband bought me my first “real” camera. I have been interested in Photography since I was a teenager but I fell in love with it when I started taking pictures of my children. My passion for creating images evolved when we were in California and after a year of portfolio building, Happy Monday Photography was born.

Where would you like to see your business be in 5 years?
I would like to be in a beautiful studio filled with the sound of little feet, belly laughs and lots of love. My goal is to have a boutique in the front where I can sell all my crafty stuff. :)

What is the hardest part of having your own business?
Its all up to me. Whether I succeed or fail, its on my shoulders. I love the challenge though, it keeps me on my toes and gives me the opportunity to continue growing artistically.

Where would you like our town to be in over the next five years?
I would love to see Downtown Silverdale become something more than buildings filled salons. It would be so great to have a bustling area filled with a nice variety of businesses, galleries, resteraunts, etc.

What is your favorite thing to do in our town?
Our family LOVES geocaching!!! Never heard of it? Check it out, www.geocaching.com. It is a real life treasure hunt and is such an awesome activity for families to do together.

What is your favorite Store in town?
Goodwill. I LOVE transforming wood furniture into perfect pieces for my house.

Do you give to any local charities you work with?
I make several different products with a Breast Cancer Awareness theme. I donate a minimum of 50% of the profits of those items to the Susan G Komen Foundation.

What is your business motto?
“Leave Boring at the Door”. I am a fun person and I want my clients to have a carefree, relaxed, candid and fun time when we are together.

Tell me anything you would love to share about your business.
I do this because I LOVE it. I love giving people the gift of Heirloom quality images. Lets have some fun and capture the important moments in your life, big and small.

Sometimes you only have each other.

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:38:00 +0000

A few weeks ago some family drama emerged like a wreaking ball it destroyed some amazing relationships but what it didn't do is destroy my relationship with my husband it made us closer. The time I have been taking away from writing has been so that I could nest in our new home and snuggle closer to my husband.

My hub's works. A lot. I work. A lot.We are about to have two beautiful baby boys born in January, who will fill up a super amount of whatever little time we will have left. Add that to bills that keep showing up every month. A almost 40 year old home that needs to be up dated and made into the home that we will raise those boys and our family in, it never has a day go by that goes with out a creak or complaint and the typical everyday American life.

I realize how much I miss the man that I get to proudly call my husband everyday. The vows of "to love and cherish." that keeps getting drowned down with the "payment due" or the truth of "living day by day and paycheck to paycheck to paycheck. "

So with the ideas of what we want our home to look like especially the yard. "Hub's" and I started to plan the entire landscape DIY projects. We have started this out by a weekend a month to work on it. I don't work outside of the home and don't really feel that once the babies are home and safe if we will be more of my job to work around the house. We will tackle the shed remodel ( I am making it into my get away room and craft area, I think) I was thinking back to all the projects that we have done together in the past. I think back fondly to the project that we did in our back yard in our first home in Kingston.

We did a beautiful patio.

I knew that we were in trouble when it took the whole day to place stakes and string to start the perimeter. I would love to rewind and watch the funny arguments between us. Like any husband and wife the banter back and fourth wouldn't be funny in the moment but looking back it would be funny now. It was almost evening by the time the two of us started the strong willed of the two of us would keep that banter going for hours. Then over dinner and cocktails we discovered that we were going to take a few weeks to get the entire section done. We made trip after trip with a half a dozen gallon buckets along with a few kitty litter boxes filled with dirt to the dump, then back to the house to fill more dirt and then back to the dump.....over and over again we were able to do load after load.

The hum of the road, wind blowing in our hair, sunshine pouring through the window and the heat feeling so wonderful warming our skin for a few seconds. If we were able to close our eyes we would have felt like we were on a mini vacation for a few seconds. By day 7 of our 2 day project we had laughed and enjoyed our time together laughing and joking that we were to be the next HGTV show leaving his real life job to become the landscapers that we have now become.

We had gained so much more then a patio we gained a togetherness that we were so blessed to have been a part of. Him+Me= family. So every so often we walk the property with a notebook & pen and jot down our honey do together list. Allowing us to dream big and plan that mini vacation of staying home and building our relationship and value of our home.

All the busy work....

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:26:00 +0000

I felt it in the air today... Did you? That first sign of fall?

In Western Washington we have had the best two weeks of sunshine all summer. I love it so much!

Until today!

Then I wanted to go shopping for knee high boots & a wool jacket, sweaters and scrafts!

Highschool football games.

Pumpkin patches.

I have so many things to look forward too.....

All the fall hotel reviews.

Stay tuned for the two Hotel review next week when I am back

to my Monday through Friday

Reviewing and writing

Off to pack it is moving day on Thursday!

It has been a while. I am so sorry!!

noreply@blogger.com (kingstongirl) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:50:00 +0000

Hey there friends,

I have to start off by saying how very sorry I am about not writing in such a big span of time. So many changes have been happening lately that trying to take anytime to think straight let alone take the much needed time to write.
Summer is always busy but never like this.

We lost our Sophie girl a few weeks ago. I wrote in one of my last posts about how much she meant to us and how badly she was doing. A few days after that post she jumped of the sofa when "hubs" got home from work, it hurt her so so much that she couldn't even walk. So we made the most painful choice we have ever made to put her to sleep. This completely distroyed me and "hubs."

The next day in a fog, my mom and I went to Target, on our way back to the car I tripped over a curb and fell flat on my face, hurting my right foot, couldn't walk, or put any weight on it. A small break is what the Dr. said it could have been.

We are moving in less the 10 days and we are not even half way done un packing. Tomorrow will be a very busy day.

Having some major family drama. The drama has turned me and my life upside down. I feel like we have been handed a bomb and then left to sit and wait until it blows up in all of our faces.

So please forgive me for not writing as often as I should. I feel lost and a little out of sorts. We can only hope that this will pass so fast. I am so done feeling so broken and so out for control.