tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23565455792122772102024-09-04T15:34:23.728-07:00You have one hour, maybe two to create, clean, discover and be the domestic goddess of your dreams. What now?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-62194395346606892462014-03-07T10:42:00.002-08:002014-03-07T13:08:40.924-08:00

Here's how I cook for a month during naptime.  Please note, these meals are not gourmet, and I use very few ingredients in each dish so that I can mass produce them.  I seriously only cook once a month.  This has saved our family a great deal of money because I don't impulse buy or run to the grocery store and end up walking out with food I don't need.  Also, it provides me

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-52566379862377800792013-03-30T18:15:00.002-07:002013-03-30T18:15:53.124-07:00

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe. 1/2 c. butter flavor shortening 1 c. white sugar 2 eggs 2 c. mashed bananas 1 tsp. Salt 1 tsp. soda 2 c. flour 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 TBS cinnamon 1 cup chocolate chips. Cream shortening and sugar.  Add over-ripe bananas and eggs.  Add sifted flour, salt, and soda.  Add vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.  Bake at 350.  If you do a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-51540161535469979772013-03-30T06:43:00.002-07:002013-03-30T06:43:43.133-07:00

 We have been enjoying the citrus these days.  It seems to be growing everywhere.  We decided to go ahead and buy and juicer and it has revolutionized our beverage life.  :)  Fresh squeezed orange juice - it's liquid health!   My little man and I were picking lemons in the backyard.  He kept picking up the ones that had fallen on the ground and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-37237124924815742602013-03-30T06:33:00.003-07:002013-03-30T06:33:57.540-07:00

 I love this time of year in AZ!  It's just the right temperature.  Love my backyard and my cute little kiddos!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-21668059339035147342013-01-29T13:13:00.001-08:002013-01-29T13:13:59.470-08:00

 You simply place a slice of ham in the bottom of a muffin tin to make a "cup."  Then you put a little bit of cheese in the bottom of the cup and cover with beaten egg.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  It's that simple.  They feed a crowd quickly and they re-heat beautifully.  No carbs, full of protien, and super yummy

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-891809547071246302013-01-21T06:22:00.002-08:002013-01-21T06:22:47.335-08:00

When I was young I had really big dreams.  I imagined packed houses on opening nights, my name on a billboard, penthouse apartment in NY, stuff like that.  By now I was supposed to be in a completely different place.  But this morning as I was patting the back of my 2 month old with one hand and pouring milk over cheerios with the other it struck me that I am in the right

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-54693029131433976652013-01-08T09:59:00.001-08:002013-01-08T09:59:10.746-08:00

I have always wanted a big fireplace.  I live in Arizona so I don't really want the "fire" part, just the mantel really.  I love the idea of hanging stockings, beautiful mantel-scapes for every season, love love love!  Well, my home doesn't have a fireplace.  I thought about building one and was actually drawing up plans when I decided to look online and found a used one that

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-34509467273851340632013-01-08T09:34:00.004-08:002013-01-08T09:34:41.197-08:00

I'm so crafty, I make people! Yup, I've been away for a while now.  I was a little busy bringing this little guy into the world.  :)  I am so happy to show him off!   Roman   I love the name, I love the boy, I love the hair!  Yes, it's love.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-47935145596446371082012-08-02T21:01:00.001-07:002012-08-02T21:01:23.709-07:00

It is Thursday night and school starts on Monday.  I have gone to meet the teacher and check out the classroom.  I have given pep-talks and bought new shoes.  School supplies are already packed in the back pack and the fridge in the garage is full of juice boxes and lunch "stuff".  I am sitting here while my lovelies sleep upstairs.  This last week I have been doing the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-14045501154018468182012-07-11T16:52:00.001-07:002012-07-11T16:52:28.530-07:00

I needed a rest.  I fought for a rest.  Vacation was coming and I was ready.  I cleaned the house, scrubbed out the refrigerator, packed and unpacked and packed again, planned for every possible scenario.  I rearranged piano lessons, therapy sessions, doctors visits, and more.  I even squeezed in my daughters tonsillectomy so that we wouldn't have a nasty ear nose and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-17033609181049689442012-05-02T13:32:00.002-07:002012-05-02T14:48:32.464-07:00

I got a call from a close friend about a month ago and she was in tears.  She explained that she was lonely.  She said that she lives in an area where there really aren't many women her age to associate with.  It is a military base area where people move in and out frequently and she was struggling.  She said, "I need some kindred spirits!"  She had had a conversation

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-53552278281105221372012-04-10T14:28:00.000-07:002012-04-10T14:28:41.206-07:00

We finally got the rest of our house painted and we are thrilled with the result.  It was so nice to put that job in someone else's hands.  We even had him re-do several areas of the house just to freshen things up.  I am so happy with all of it!  We are also slowly decorating our dining room.  We got a new table and chairs which I LOVE!!!  I have always wanted a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-79607534774740621562012-03-27T22:05:00.000-07:002012-03-27T22:05:41.681-07:00

"You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-63380401059140799792012-03-27T12:48:00.000-07:002012-03-27T12:48:21.330-07:00

Hello everyone!  If you are following my When to do what??? cleaning schedule then you will know that today is FLOORS!!!!  Sweep and mop those floors and you will feel better about everything.  I have never been a big fan of Tuesdays.  I'm not even half-way yet.  But, today is sunny and beautiful and I am going to have a better attitude.  (Do you hear the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-71503432082027525362012-03-27T11:53:00.000-07:002012-03-27T11:53:07.755-07:00

I read a great article the other day in Real Simple magazine.  A reader asked the question, "Why does my front-loading washing machine smell like mildew? We recently purchased a new washer for that very reason.  It smelled bad and I couldn't figure out why or how to fix it.  Our solution was to buy a new one.  I wish I would have known how to prevent this problem and then how

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-41405274035517462042012-03-22T20:48:00.000-07:002012-03-22T20:48:29.052-07:00

You probably  have noticed a definite lack of posts lately.  The reason is wedding cakes.  I am a cake baker and I had a big wedding last weekend.  I thought I would post it for fun.  Wedding cakes are expensive for a reason - they take a loooooong time to make.  :)  Anyway, here it is.  Enjoy!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-27279781718001964172012-03-22T20:31:00.001-07:002012-03-22T20:32:17.362-07:00

I have been itching to add chair rail somewhere in my house and I have been re-decorating my dining room lately so it was a perfect fit.  I don't have the "after" photos yet because I am still working on it but here's the chair rail photos.  This was actually a really easy project - definitely do-able during nap time.  :)  Give it a try! First, measure and then measure

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-37020389137839957032012-03-02T14:17:00.002-08:002012-03-03T06:19:49.664-08:00

We had this lasagna for dinner last night and it was a big hit! Ingredients: 1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 1 green pepper (chopped) 1 Tbsp basil 1 Tbsp oregano salt & pepper - dash 1 jar of your favorite red pasta sauce 1 egg 1 15 oz carton of low-fat ricotta cheese 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp parsley (I used dried but fresh works great too) 2 cups

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-33757285540065646572012-02-29T12:48:00.000-08:002012-02-29T12:48:06.736-08:00

Sorry it's been a little while since the last post.  After the kitchen re-do, I really haven't felt like doing much of anything at all.  I did change the mirror out in the downstairs bathroom with a gorgeous one I found at a thrift store for $9, (SCORE!!!) but other than that, not much. Anyway, I was making dinner last Sunday and thought I would talk over a few points about gravy. Most

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-61361816043300461012012-02-19T21:16:00.000-08:002012-02-19T21:16:58.996-08:00

Me.I have been all about self-reflection lately and after hearing a talk in church today about recording your life story I am itchy to do it.  I thought I would start with this:  A short list of what I have wanted at different phases of my life.  I think making a list of things you yearned for paints a very good picture of who you were and are inside.  Also, it's fun!&

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-40012557564137215492012-02-14T14:29:00.000-08:002012-02-15T10:33:21.839-08:00

We love these taquitos.  They are amazing and really good for you.  They come together quickly and you can easily double or triple the recipe to make lots for a party or just to have for a day when you don't want to cook.  Healthy "make-ahead" frozen taquitos: Ingredients:1 small cooked rotisserie chicken 1 small can diced green chilis 1 can pinto refried beans1/2 tsp chili

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-40420738382587914302012-02-13T08:59:00.000-08:002012-02-13T08:59:55.669-08:00

I have often been told that I know how to do a lot of different things.  I have also been told that I am non-committal, a dreamer, and crazy.  The thing that I have discovered about myself amid all of these labels is that I love to learn.  There really isn't a subject out there that I am not interested in on some level.  I find everything at least mildly captivating.&nbsp

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-30370054254036087102012-02-08T13:01:00.000-08:002012-02-08T13:01:06.931-08:00

This is the after.  Where have I been you ask?  I have been painting my kitchen.  Those of you who have done this project need no further explanation as to my recent disappearance.  Those of you who have not attempted it probably don't understand the scope to which this can overtake your life.  :)  This kitchen has bothered me since the moment we looked at the house

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-2598938769994777802012-02-03T05:21:00.000-08:002012-02-03T05:21:27.002-08:00

Here are some websites that I frequent that have great deals.  I buy most of my presents online now.  It saves me time, gas, and frustration.  Enjoy! http://www.bradsdeals.com/ http://www.woot.com/ http://www.zulily.com/ http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ http://www.mamabargains.com/ http://www.soap.com/ http://www.totsy.com/ http://www.buy.com/

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356545579212277210.post-13083630921370258032012-01-30T19:49:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:49:23.324-08:00

Sugar-free cookies (healthy no-bakes) 2 cups sweetener of choice 1/2 cup milk 3 Tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 cup butter (don't use margarine) 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup pure peanut butter (just crushed peanuts) 3 cups oatmeal 1/2 cup nuts (optional) Instructions: Boil sweetener, milk, cocoa and butter together for 1 minute.  Then mix in vanilla, oatmeal, nuts, and peanut butter.  Drop by teaspoon

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1