Little Homemade Housewife

Bon's Book Club - My Story by Elizabeth Smart

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:00:00 +0000

So this month's book was My Story by Elizabeth Smart.

Now I will admit, reading this seemed like it would be...less than delightful, given the topic at hand.

And to be honest? It obviously wasn't one of those books you supremely enjoy reading.

Mostly because, at heart, it is about a young girl who got kidnapped and repeatedly brutalized.

I highly doubt there are many of us out there that would enjoy such a tale.

But I decided to give it a shot, not only because I enjoy book clubs,

but also because I remember it happening.

Remember the media. Remember her being found.

Remember how amazing it was that she could actually have survived,

as well as knowing what we did about her not exactly being in the wilderness the whole time.

But I also knew my scope of knowledge as far as details was sketchy at best.

So I decided, what the hell, I'll read it and catch up on the exact happenings.

I had a few problems with this book. Mainly, that it felt like it was being written by a 15 year old girl.

Understandable, given that was approximately the age she'd been taken.

But also, she was twenty five when the book was written.

I expected perhaps her writing style would be a bit more eloquent given that fact.

Sadly, it wasn't. It made it difficult for me to get through just by its structure alone.

The choppiness of it, the lack of real ability to immerse myself in the story.

Maybe it was just because it was a traumatic event being recalled and it was true.

So obviously, it wasn't a piece of crafted fiction that encouraged those things.

Who knows? I also know I got through the book in a couple hours.

So obviously, that always stinks a bit.

Otherwise, it interested me. I am, at heart, a psychology lover.

I actively enjoy reading and watching things that are in regard to different psychological disorders.

So to read about the way that Brian David Mitchell operated, his manner of thought,

that intrigued me. It obviously wasn't delved into deeply, as it was from her point of view,

but it still was enough to keep me interested, simply to see where it would end up.

Now, onto the questions provided!

New Layout! {And the Threat of Comparing Oneself to Others}

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 13:00:00 +0000

So I did mention that I was in love with the whole aztec print revolution in fashion right now....
So I decided to draw inspiration with it for a brand new layout! What do you guys think? Pretty lovely right?
I thought so!

I have worked on it in between the other three I have on my burners (wooh my stove is gettin full) for the giveaway I did last week. So I decided to treat myself and get it finished, and I can honestly say that it's very fetching in my humble opinion. It was strange to see how much my style has changed, and to realize I was enjoying being a bit more chic and less bright and fun. Not that I don't still love to party and have fun. But hey, a girl can be both, right?

Right.

I find that I've learned a lot as far as simplicity and pleasing to the eye, as well as how to organize things a bit more efficiently. I am very proud of this layout and think it shows my nature of growing and learning beyond where I had been when I dabbled in graphics before.

Though that leads us to our second part of today's spiel.

Why is it we always drag ourselves down when we're feeling good by comparing ourselves to someone else? It's no secret that I have several blog designers that I highly look up to. Whom I think the world of and think they have loads of talent that far outshines my realm of ability. And just when I was feeling like I'd grown so much and enjoying the fruits of my labor, I scoped out a few just to see what they were up to, and felt myself deflating again.

WHY?

I hate myself for doing such a thing and taking the own wind out of my sails. My life has been stressful for a long time, and I'm just now digging out of the hole I'd allowed myself to wallow in calling it getting by. So the opportunity to feel proud of myself and happy are few and far between lately. I've been majorly second guessing myself, caught between morose lackluster energy and panic. And the hits keep on coming. I'm only holding on by a thread sometimes, and sometimes not even that. But I'm still feeling better than I have been. So the fact that when I was feeling rather proud I decided to dash it on the proverbial rocks astounds me. Boggles my mind. Boggles.

/sigh

I'll figure it out one day I'm sure. And until then I'm still working towards that far away goal of self assurance and calm weathering of the storm. I feel better now than I have in a good long time, as I've mentioned, and I know my family will make it through. Make it work. Together, we are everything. I don't need anything else.

So I'm going to take this victory and hold onto it.

And don't forget, if you'd like to get your hands on some affordable blog design for yourself, visit me over at my shop!

Shrub Steppe Smokehouse and Brewery

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:00:00 +0000

So remember on Sunday I mentioned a delightful thing we did with our date night? Yes, we decided to plug in a random restaurant we'd never been to before, one that was a local favorite listed on our map app, and test it out for the hell of it! And we did not regret it. Not one bit. No. The only mild thing we came across was the pain we were in when we left because we literally could not stop eating the food.

Okay, ready to hear about it?

I present to you...

Shrub Steppe Smokehouse and Brewery

photo courtesy of their facebook page

So I'm not going to lie, upon first broaching this restaurant, the trip there as well as the outside of it was a little...daunting. The trip there was indeed off the beaten path, and you had to take a small series of highways in order to reach it. Luckily we had our trusty phone GPS at our disposal. But even then, our signal was lost once or twice along the small trek. And when we pulled into the parking lot, it was dark, and this place was tucked in at the beginning of several buildings. The inside seemed lit well enough, but everything outside was a bit dark. But we decided, we've come this far, let's take a chance.

We were greeted by this smiling face.

photo courtesy of their facebook page

I wanted to get a pic of her myself, but I have just started blogging again and am not really that comfortable being that girl walking up to strangers with the line "Oh hey I have a blog". So I couldn't quite make it. But not for lack of her friendliness. She was absolutely bright and welcoming, and made us feel right at home in the cozy atmosphere. When we were there, there was a woman playing cards with a young child, and a couple of other tables of nice warm looking people. So the husband and I knew we were in a place we'd be comfortable in. We took a seat and immediately got down to some business.

my amazing order. 50/50 brisket and pulled pork. Jesus.

So, upon ordering our drinks, which I watched our waitress draft quite nicely, and were equally tasty. My husband got one of the local drafts, while I had a guest draft that was a wicked cider. Very very good on both parts. Our waitress then got our orders, which we were both going to have a side of mac and cheese. But then...It got great.

She leans forwards in a conspiratory manner, and asks us if we'd like to try what they call Fat. Kid. Candy. Oh yes. You read that right. Fat Kid Candy. It was their mac and cheese half and half with their smokehouse chili. My husband and I gave each other one longing look before both pouncing on that. And let me tell you, it was so worth it. SO GOOD! We both ended up eating our side before we even touched our sandwich. There were several options of sauce to go with our meat as well, though they hardly needed anything. It was just...honestly heaven. We both stuffed ourselves way past our good nature and just couldn't stop.

We were both so pleased with the service as well as the food that we have vowed to ourselves we will try this at least once a month. Going out randomly and picking a new restaurant we've never tried to see if we can replicate such an amazing experience. [I have my doubts just based on how good this place was, but hey, I've been wrong before]

So, if you're in the Richland area, I highly suggest going to see the Shrub Steppe folks. You won't regret it. And if they don't offer it, ask for the Fat Kid Candy.

Homemade Bookclub - Month One - February Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 12:00:00 +0000

So I've decided to start my own book club. I'm sure it'll be a bit of a slow go, but I know there are bound to be other people out there like me that thirst for book clubs through blogs. I've done one before, and am looking forwards to participating in Life of Bon's book club later this month. But I've already finished the book she assigned. So I'm looking for more fulfillment.

So I chose to open my own. Maybe I'll have some fellow bookworms who would like to take the journey with me. The last Monday of the month, I'll be posting up questions that you are welcome to answer in your own blog and then we can all link up. I may extend this to pose questions every week as we read, but I don't want to go off the deep end too quickly.

So you ready for the book this month?

For February we will be reading:

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Here is a synopsis of the book from goodreads.com:

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of ways. Clearly history (and Kate Atkinson) have plans for her: In Ursula rests nothing less than the fate of civilization.

Wildly inventive, darkly comic, startlingly poignant — this is Kate Atkinson at her absolute best, playing with time and history, telling a story that is breathtaking for both its audacity and its endless satisfactions.

So if you're interested, please go ahead and get to reading! I'm also most welcome to anyone who might wish to cohost with me and we'll share the linky on any of your blogs! Just shoot me an email or leave me a comment. I'm always happy to accept suggestions for coming months as well.

Happy reading!

Wonderful Date Night Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 13:00:00 +0000

So I have to share with you all, my found again friends, the most amazing date night my husband and I had yesterday. In reality, date "night" is sort of a strong word, as he and I took off about 2 o'clock after dropping sprout off with his grandparents and went about an hour away to the Tri-Cities. [A collection of cities in our area about an hour away, including Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland, WA.]

We didn't really have a goal in mind, and in my opinion, that sparks some of the best adventures. We're so used to just puttering around our own town and going to the major stops of supermarket, quickie mart, and home, and it can get exceptionally monotonous. So I'm a huge fan of spicing it up and just going where the wind blows us, so to speak. We always start at usually the same location, that being the main shopping mall, and always at Barnes and Noble. We don't have one in our town, and we're both avid readers, so we love to start and explore the variety that's offered there. Plans for tomorrow, ideas for other projects. They all seem to bloom in the comforting aisles of books. Am I the only one that works for? I used to love going to libraries just for that purpose. Plus it was always quiet, something I love.

So we took to just cruising the mall, and I will say, I was wearing an exceptionally stylish outfit. Which of course, put me in a much better mind frame than any other.

Mall Cruiser by littlehomemadehousewife featuring 3/4 sleeve sweaters

Yes, the shoes hurt after a while, but they actually lasted quite some time. I was proud.

So we went up one side, down another. Just relaxing and cruising, enjoying one another's company without anyone else (save of course the millions of other people in the mall) and no agendas. It was freeing. Completely amazing. We talked about nothing, and browsed through nearly everything. Never really landing on anything we really needed, nor did we even bother buying anything.

After a while of this, we decided to further exploring. And on a whim, I decided to go to Maurices. Because frankly, that's the only place I buy my clothes anymore. At least locally. Just because they have cute modern young clothes. Something that's hard to come by with all those adjectives. And besides, they offer the sizes above 12. Which is also beneficial. So we had never been to the store over in that area, and had to rely on good ol' phone GPS. But we got there in a relatively painless manner. And...sigh...I fell in love. I'm absolutely in love with the whole geometric/Aztec prints everywhere right now, (keep an eye out because you'll certainly see some more of it soon) combined with the cuts and flattering styles of the seventies. It's just.. I'm heartsick over a bunch of clothing right now. And I couldn't help but by a little something, which I promptly pushed on to go out to dinner afterwards.

Aztec Pattern by littlehomemadehousewife featuring brown tops

Yes. And I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. I didn't regret it but an instant. Because the whole day my husband had been eyeing me, grinning at me, and patting along my butt. And it only added to it when seeing me preen over my fun comfortable outfit. And I'm glad I changed, because we were going out to dinner next. And while we planned originally on going to Bob's Burgers, it was packed. So we decided to get on our map app and see what was nearby. We picked a local favorite at random and decided to find it.

And we did not regret it...
come back tomorrow for a continuation of our story and a review of one of most awesome home town off the beaten path bbq joints we've ever found.

Blog Makeover Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 13:00:00 +0000

So major thanks to each and every one of you that entered my giveaway!
I'm so stoked to be able to work on graphic design again in this community.

I have my fingers crossed for some really amazing inspiration and results.

And because I was so amped,

I decided not only to give away two makeovers, as advertised,

but bump it up to three!

Y'all are so awesome

and I'm stoked to be slowly circulating once again in these circles.

So congratulations are in order to:

Brenda M!

Amanda!

and last but not least,

Pamela M B!

I will be emailing you all shortly with the details,

and thanks to everyone who joined the giveaway once again!

Looking forwards to sharing some stellar designs created for these

amazing winners!

Putting My Heart Out There

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 23:49:00 +0000

So I realize that my track record is not spotless,

at least not for the past year or so.

And I'm not going to promise grandiose plans of upheaval and delight

of every day posts and glorious projects.
Because frankly?

I know I probably won't deliver.

But what I want to do is write.

Write from my heart, and write what I want to.

When I want to.

[Because frankly, I hate trying to schedule my blog posts for some

bright sunny morning time thinking more people will see it.]

I'm tired of focusing on doing things so people will see.

So people will like it.

So people will like me.

I know I'm most likely starting from scratch here again,

and that's okay. Mostly because I don't want to feel pressure.

I want to be able to talk about how I'm feeling, what I'm dealing with,

what's going on from time to time.

Not because I think people will be raptly paying attention,

nor to get my blog out there as one of the fabulous must reads and awesome inspirations!

But mostly because I need it.

I need to expel some things occasionally,

and cut myself some slack. Like we all do.

So why the sudden revelation?

Because my poor husband (who is sick by the way)

had to be there with me last night at 4 AM as I sobbed.

Told him I was exhausted trying to hold onto the strings of my life so tightly.

Tell him that I was so ashamed because I couldn't seem to make myself better.

That my mantra of 'hold on for just a little longer and it'll turn around' wasn't holding water anymore.

That I felt so bad that I wasn't at 100%, and that I hadn't been for some time now.

That I wasn't being all I could be, doing all I could do, that I used to do, for my husband and what all I wanted to do for my son.

How it had felt so good to finally be normal and successful with my family for the past four years,

instead of feeling that tension because I know my parents don't understand what I'm going through

and they all but hold their breath in fear that I'll lose it or they'll set me off.

But it's coming back, and I can feel it.

Because I haven't been good for a while now.

How desperately I just wanted to remain good in their eyes,

and just be normal. To continue to just feel normal.

And not broken. Tired. Weak. and Wrong.

But I had to admit last night that I felt all those things again because I was suffering.

Suffering through depression.

And had been...for a good while.

I didn't want to admit it, and didn't want it to be anything beyond all that was going on.

Because I admit. There's been a lot going on. Back to back to back to back.

Deaths...miscarriages...financial tension.

It's been here and been here and been here.

An exhausting cycle that I've been just trying to push through.

And I am just...tired of pushing through and that being the entire center of my focus.

I want to have time and motivation and desire for other things.

For cooking for my family. For cleaning my house. For playing with my son.

Instead of simply expending what small amount of energy I have in simply getting up out of bed.

Even as I write this I cringe.

Hopelessly ashamed of the truth of the matter.

I can't help it. and I've always felt so alone in the fact that I'm the only member of my family

who seems to be coping with this sort of condition.

Or who ever has.

It makes it so I can't admit it to anyone,

not even my husband,

until I'm so exhausted that I can't hardly breathe.

But I want to get better.

Do better than 'just getting through'.

My family doesn't deserve me at just getting through.
They deserve me at my best. Happy. Delighted in life.

Who I normally am.

And while I know most won't have the time to stop by,

maybe as I continue they will.

Or someone will read this at four in the morning and feel some bit of kinship.

Feel not so alone, because that's the worst part about all of this for me.

That I feel so alone in my problems with it.

That I can't just be normal and happy like everyone else.

That I can't hardly relax unless I'm asleep because I'm working too hard to keep my head above water.

Maybe someone out there understands. And will feel relieved that they're not alone.

I know I'd like that some day.

Giveaway Reminder & Bargain for Your Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 00:50:00 +0000

I wanted to give a quick reminder, first and foremost, of the awesome blog makeover giveaway I'm holding in order to dig my fingers back into the fun of designing and gaining creative outlets once more at my fingertips!

There's not too many entries yet so high value on you in order to win!

Besides, who couldn't use a fresh face for the new year?

But that's not the only hope I have with today's post!

There's also another offee I'd like to provide to really however many would enjoy it!

You see, I'm a dedicated cake maker. I love making cakes for all occasions,

and while I'm working on making an entry into the local market here,

I've been searching for a way to connect those skills outwards as well to a more diverse community.

As such, I've found a way to do so bu providing cupcake (and possibly eventually cake toppers) custom made from fondant!

Isn't that awesome?

I hope you think so, because I'm absolutely excited.

Now. Here comes my offer to you!

I'm looking for people with a need and an idea of what they may be desiring for such an occasion.

And what I'd provide is a discounted rate to make you your toppers so I can build my portfolio!

I do offer some show based ideas so far

(Paw patrol and Sofia the First thus far)

But I'd also love to do any theme that fits your party!

[A dozen run around $20 normally, so we may work something out as much as 50% off depending on the design! ]

Nautical? Sea life? Mustaches? Ducks? Rain clouds? Initials?

The limits are endless and I'm open to nearly any suggestion should you be interested in helping me out!

If interested, please leave a comment here with your email or get in touch with me directly through etsy! Even if you're unable to order currently, I'm always open to ideas for themes! Go ahead and leave me some inspiration!

I look forwards to hearing from everyone and hope you are enjoying a quiet day like my family is!

[Even if I am the only one not sick]

Random Super Secret [But Not Really] Blog Makeover Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 12:00:00 +0000

So I know it's been entirely enough time by now that most of you have moved on.

I'm surely guilty of the same novelty if one of my blogs I follow goes offline for a long period of time.

Besides, I feel as if my words are most likely echoing to deaf ears.

But I find myself simply at a loss for creative outlet.

I have several fingers in several different pots, as it were,

currently trying to circulate myself for exposure to wage war on a creative craft once more.

And so far?

bupkiss

Yup. Big ol' goose egg. My ventures have turned up next to diddly.

Meaning squat.

I know this is most likely my own fault for not being outspoken enough.

Involved in enough networking,

both locally and non locally,

to really get things off to a progressive start.

Mainly because I have this awful habit of not believing in myself,

and so, I don't tell people I know about my personal ventures,

that way if it doesn't work out?

No one has to know!
Genius right?

Cept not so much.

So I'm looking to get back on the map graphic design wise.

I dabbled and did some really awesome layouts for people,

and my graphic skills and understanding of coding have only improved from there.

So I figured one way to get back into the public eye,

so to speak, is to...

HOST A GIVEAWAY!

That's right, my need is your gain.

Below you'll find TWO opportunities to win yourself a free blog makeover.

[I haven't experimented with wordpress much yet, but given the opportunity, I'd love to try it!]

Just follow the typical instructions below and get yourself some entries!
Look forwards to seeing and hearing from all of you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

sharing on Mingle Monday

The things I love to complain about about my husband

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000

~~I couldn't say hate. Couldn't do it. I have never ever hated one thing about my soul mate.~~

If anyone knows my husband and I,

you know that we are complete opposites about a lot of things.

Like a conversation my mom, my husband, and I were having where he states:

"You know me, I spent my entire life trying my best

to avoid as much attention as possible"

And my mom barely suppresses a snort and goes

"then why did you marry her?"

And honestly?

truth

My husband is extremely introverted and avoids social situations like the plague.

I have always been a host, a wild child, wanting to at least try everything a few times.

New situations make me want to try them.

Anything new he wants to go a long ways around.

We are inherently different.

Which has led to our fair share of adjustments.

But one thing we have always been in sync with is

communication.

and that has made all the difference.

So, as I sit here, sipping mildly sweet tea, and thinking on the world,

as mother's do in their small amount of spare time between bedtime and real bedtime.

[y'all know what I'm sayin].

I know there's a lot of things that I have learned to love about my husband.

Even if it at one point or another, at least once, has made me cringe.

one. He sees the world in black and white.

Honestly. Black and white. Where I have always embraced the grey.

It leads to some interesting debates, which we both enjoy.

And while on one side I've occasionally wanted to roll my eyes,

most days now, with our four year anniversary quickly approaching,

I like to just sit back and listen and watch him.

To see such passion in his viewpoints that they lead to extremes.

I've told him before, I feel sometimes like I'm not truly passionate about anything.

Because I am so willing to see multiple sides.

I envy that conviction.

two. He never ever learned how to close a cabinet door.

Swear to god. This one I'm still learning to love. I go into our kitchen several times a week,

only to find several doors gaping open.

And there I go around the circuit, snapping them shut, sometimes harder than others.

But I can't help it. Sometimes I just smile.

Because I know he's so into his own mind he hasn't noticed.

That many times those open cabinets mean he's fixing something for both of us.

Of all the times we've cooked together, one of our favorite though fewer opportunities now,

and I get to play assistant. Fetching and closing doors.

three. He loves to have an inch thick layer of pepper on everything, especially meat.

This one I was mildly offended by for a good while.

I love to cook, and I am a chronic seasoner. Perhaps overly so, but I never think so.

No one would ever accuse my food of being bland.

So when I go through the trouble of seasoning and flowing things on as I go,

only to be obliterated by another pound of pepper,

I'm left scratching my head.

Besides, salt is way better than pepper could ever be.

But I've learned that he just can't not do it.

He has to season everything over again. More from habit than anything else I think.

So I stopped trying to put as much pepper into things, which I don't like as well,

because I know he's just going to pepper it again anyway. We both win!

four. He's opposed to new experiences.

I love my husband, dearly, but he is indeed an introvert to the extreme.

He enjoys his spare time spent away from people as much as possible.

He doesn't like to go out, to socialize in new situations, and is perfectly content

to have the same interactions in his life that he's had since he was in third grade.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I honestly have calmed down a lot.

As much as I love new situations, I very much am a private person,

and enjoy having my down time alone. To decompress. To relax.

But sometimes I want to go out and have a new memory together.

Luckily, my husband is willing to do these things if he knows they're important to me.

And I, like a good partner, take stock of my priorities and don't force

things on him that aren't actually important.

Because I know each one is a big deal and requires a large amount of energy for him.

So we have learned to sort of feel each other out. To see if the other is really set on this.

Or set on not doing it, as the case may be.

Like I said, communication. It is the most important thing in any relationship.

All these things are honestly so negligible to me.

It was hard even coming up with four.

[and trust, I wanted five, to make it even, pretty, perfect. Could not.]

Because there are an infinite number of things I am so privileged to have with him.

To name a few off the top of my head;

The way he made a promise to never stop touching me in a loving manner on our first real date,

and he never has broken it.

That he will still tell me something nice about myself every time I ask him to.

That he's never once said I was stupid for feeling the way I'm feeling.

Or that I had no reason to feel the way I feel.

That he still oggles me like a teenager, still stops and stares when I walk in a room.

That my heart physically aches when I think about how much I love him.

How I nearly cry every time I see him with our son because it's that beautiful.

The joy I feel as I rush to the door each time he comes home like a little puppy.

His eternal optimism that everything will work out eventually.

There are so many things I love about my husband.

And I still feel like a newlywed,

and still worry that I'm not doing enough to deserve how good he is to me.

That he made me believe in soulmates.

In belonging together in a way that defies time and logic.

I hope that you have this, or have a chance at this.

Just know, that getting it, choosing it, every day, is not always easy.

But it's always the thing I want most in my life,

and I'm never willing to give it up.

Mindblock Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 15:16:00 +0000

Good morning guys and gals.

How did your weekend go?

Mine went well, but I was incredibly busy.

I helped do six dozen Seattle Seahawks cupcakes

and a Seattle colored cake as well for a family friend's 70th birthday party.

And it was by no means a normal little 70th small group.

There was probably close to 70 people there.

It was the most crazy thing I've been to in a long while.

The first large group party my husband and I have been to actually.

[Our 4 year anniversary is next month]

It was....stressful.

But overall I had a really amazing time.

Especially the last ten minutes.

My husband and I had a very small intimate wedding.

Proposed and planned in a week.

So we didn't have a whole large reception, or dancing.

Which was honestly perfectly okay for us.

But it meant we never had our first dance.

And as I mentioned, we'd never actually had an opportunity to have one.

So he gave in on Saturday, and we had our first dance.

I felt just like I did when we got married all those years ago.

I don't know what song we danced to..

I don't know who was out there with us..

I don't know how we looked dancing.

Because I was once again sucked into the way he looked at me.

And all I saw were his eyes.

The way they looked, the smile that crinkled them,

the way that they made me feel like the only girl in the world.

It was a beautiful, special, amazing ending to a great night.

Okay okay, now that I've gushed,

on to Mindblock Mondays!

I told you last week I'd answer the prompts I gave

[though I'm super sad that no one else did! Oh well! Maybe this time!]

and then I'll offer some new ones!

"What's your least favorite dessert?"

Mmmm probably flan.

[shudders]

Eggs don't belong as the main ingredient of a dessert.

"What was your favorite part about last week?"

Heh. Probably what I described above.

"The coolest but least practical pet you can think of?"

Ahh let's see.... Either an ocelot...or an otter. Otters rock my face.

"Your guilty pleasure tv show that you would probably deny watching?"

Oh man. I have soooo many of these.

I am a reality trash queen. I cannot help it. I'm a junkie.

I just totally blasted through the newest season of Orange is the New Black

in three days.

But I would totally cop to that.

Mm... Okay I'll admit.

I used to watch Jersey Shore...a lot.

I still like watching marathon reruns.

Don't judge me.

"Do you put any sort of stock in astrology? Why or why not?"

Mm I don't know how to answer that fully.

Do I think my 'sign' dictates my daily behavior and my fate?

No. I don't.

But do I think that horoscopes seem to have some truth to them?

Yes sometimes. As far describing personality types by birth time.

Supposedly. I'm not entirely sure how they work.

And I definitely don't read them on a regular basis.

But I do think they're fun to read and contemplate against yourself.

But as far as much stock? No. I don't.

Mostly because I don't think anything dictates where I'm going to end up,

or what I'm going to do. Astrological or otherwise.

All right, onto this weeks new prompts!

If you do play along, please link back so others can come link up too!

Mindblock Monday Prompts

1. How do you try and relieve stress in a healthy way?

2. What's the strangest food you've ever eaten?

3. Who is one of your favorite bloggers? Why?

4. Are you a wine or a beer drinker?

5. What are you most looking forwards to this summer?

Coffee Date

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:42:00 +0000

I've missed coffee dates.
I've missed the idea of having a drink or outing with a girl friend.

So when I heard that Alissa from Diary of an Addict offered a sweet little link up,

I figured I'd once again fuel my girl friend having coffee drinking fantasies.

via

First of all, if we had coffee, and I'm in my own little fantasy here,
I'd take you to Big Foot Java. I'd let you drive because my car is messy.
Big Foot Java is way better than any Starbucks, hands down.
I'd let you in on my secret there. Because I've never liked Starbucks.
I'd let you choose our friendship then. Maybe you can't be friends with a gal that thinks
Starbucks is super overrated.
If we're still chill, I'd introduce you to why Starbucks is overrated
through one of these glorious coffee stands.
We would then need to go find a park to sit at, mainly because it is a drive-thru.
But we'd find somewhere.
We have pretty parks around here.

It's been a long time since I've had a moment like this,
so we'd of course catch up.
Catch up on what we've been doing. What has been happening.
And I'd find myself unable to tell you anything but about my son.
Because I've become one of those mothers that knows not
how to talk about anything else.
I'd tell you how he's starting to roll over to his stomach now.
And that he's eating solid food.
And that his favorites are carrots, green beans, yellow squash, spinach.
In that order, greatest to lowest.
And that he won't eat oatmeal cereal unless he has carrots mixed in.
That he's always excited to eat, and wants to just eat all the time.
Actually eat. Not bottle. He loves his bottle still, but he is always excited for solid food.

And after we'd talked about what it is you always love to talk about,
be it your kids, your pets, your job.
I'd love to hear about it, knowing that that is what your life revolves around.
And if it wasn't kids, I'd admire how I'd already happily checked out of that world.
That I'd finally gotten what I'd wanted, to be a stay at home mom,
and I'm not missing anything from before.
I would feel like I'd finally belong where I wanted to be.

I'd tell you that it was my grandfather's birthday on the third,
and my grandparent's anniversary on the fourth.
This was the first year both those days have passed without my grandfather.
Oh I forgot to mention? He passed on the fifth of April.
I haven't told many people. I don't really think anyone besides my immediate family know.
I don't like to broadcast things. I naturally tend to be very private.
Especially with things that are exceptionally important to me.
I'd say I would feel bad that I haven't had time to miss him much.
Just in small idle moments when I have a bare instant that I'm not going,
I think of him. How something today reminded me of him.
That I'd want to share it with him. That I am happier he's in a better place,
but the song "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" has taken on a higher meaning.
I also think of him whenever I hear a sweet country song.
Or when my baby smiles.
He looks a lot like my grandpa sometimes when he smiles.
And how I want so bad not to ever forget him,
but the stories he told every other day are already dim in my memory.
How I miss him. I miss him. But I don't say it much.
I don't have time.

We'd share, I'm sure, an agreement that there's never enough hours in the day.
That I have to constantly shuffle myself, make sure my priorities are in order.
That when I indulge too heavily in something for me, personally, I feel bad.
I want nothing more than to be everything, everywhere, and happy.
But it seems like those things are sometimes mutually exclusive.
I'd tell you that sometimes I feel like I don't know anymore what's right.
What I'm supposed to be doing.
What I should be saying or making.
What qualifies as a happy family, a happy life.
How much time is enough quality time? What is quality time?
I'd tell you that I'm on the brink of making myself miserable again with stress,
but I'm trying to hold onto that barely bridled chaos and not let myself get sucked in.

There's too much been happening to really talk about it all over one coffee date.
That's one thing I'm sure we'd agree on.
Because June is the worst month for me.
It's too busy and I need at least three other me's to get it all done.
Off the top of my head, I tell you, there are:
Five birthdays [minus one for my grandfather]
Last weekend [not technically June but leading into it] we had a family reunion.
This weekend is one of the birthdays, which my mother and I are providing cupcakes and cake.
Not to mention there will probably be eighty people there and I'm dreading that.
Our first father's day.
One of those birthdays is my husband's, so I have to try and make it beautiful.
Another one of those birthdays is my great nephew's and my mother and I are hosting it.
That throughout June I'm helping to plan and do everything for my grandparent's
funeral service and reception afterwards for July.
There's not enough time.

So as you can see, I am leading a chaotic mind right now.
And I'm trying desperately to remain sane and happy.
To not put too much on myself, but at the same time, there's so much I need to do.
I'm in a conundrum. Would you have any advice?
Come, have coffee.

Summer Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000

So with everyone crowing about summer,

and how excited they are,

I will admit I'm beginning to get a bit of the fever.

To our household, summer isn't really that exciting yet.

We don't have any kids in school breaking for the summer.

We don't have any vacation coming our way from work.

And well, to me, I suspect it's going to be just another set of weeks.

But here's to hoping that it won't lack its fun and joy everyone is planning for.

So I figured that I'd post a few ideas that are on my personal summer bucket list.

one. take our family to the park

two. continue the [usually] successful cleaning schedule

three. host a dinner party, and/or birthday party

four. have a successful outside movie night

five. host a game night

six. have at least three solo date nights

seven. make a sale on my baby accessories

eight. enjoy myself

nine. do an art project with Liam

ten. make [and maybe produce somehow?] a custom fabric pattern

eleven. make another amazing birthday cake for my husband

twelve. come up with one reason each day why I deserve the great life I have

thirteen. go to an event I've never been to before

So these are just the ones I can pull off the top of my head at ten oclock at night before I go to bed.

Maybe I'll add onto them as I go.

And I definitely will be checking them off and letting y'all know how it's going.

I think this is an extremely fun thing to do

to get your priorities in order, as well as remind yourself what awesome stuff is in store.

So what's on your summer bucket list?
Do tell!

One of those Sucky Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 16:18:00 +0000

Do you ever just wake up and feel like the last six and a half hours were just

a waste?

Surely they must be because you wake up

tired, sore, achey, miserable.

Pick an adjective.

That's how I woke up this lovely Monday morning.

I usually don't wake up in this manner.

I'm usually quite decent in the mornings,

mainly because my son is usually excited to see me come into his room to take him downstairs.

And/or my husband hasn't left yet and I get to spend a few precious moments with him

before he takes off for his 8-10 hour work day.

That was not the case so far.

Hubby got called out on an emergency call so I was woken with a quick kiss and dash.

Baby's not up so far, which is nice,

but at the same time I'm considering going up and checking to make sure he's not dead.

But as I'm sitting here, I'm just gross.

Plain and simple, it's about the only word I got.

Gross.

I had a nice body image cry last night.

And tossed and turned for quite a long while to try and get to sleep.

And now waking up with this lovely back of skull ache

and not being able to get comfortable anywhere,

it's delightful.

ps baby just started crying so not dead. good.

I don't mean to be such a downer, I sat down here to offer up some prompts for this sucky Monday.

So in case any of you were feeling like crap like me,

you'd have a jumping off point.

SO! Here they are.

If you'd like to use em, please join the linky below so I can see the greatness of your answers!

Also I pray your morning has been perkier than mine.

Monday Mindblock Prompts

1. What's your least favorite dessert?

2. What was your favorite part about last week?

3. The coolest but least practical pet you can think of?

4. Your guilty pleasure tv show that you would probably deny watching?

5. Do you put any sort of stock in astrology? Why or why not?

I will answer these next Monday and I hope to see

what you come up with!

Please please take a moment to answer so I can nose and post stalk your blog.

Oh yeah, I'm one of dem.

Also, for all you faithful readers, I'm having a quick flash sale over at my shop.

Get 50% your new blogger design deposit!

Check out the details and snatch up the deal before it's gone with code 50FASHIONFLASH!

Go hang out at Mingle Monday too!

Three Things #2

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Fri, 30 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Hey again!
Happy Friday!
I hope that you plan on enjoying it!
Even if it's not until after work.

So taking a page once more out of Heather's book and featuring three things!
Last weeks were well appreciated by those I featured,
and I was really touched I could help make someone's day with it.
So here we go again and I'm hoping that you find some great inspiration!

first.

This absolutely AMAZING Printable Budget Binder from the talented Mique.
I've just discovered her through google+
yes I took that dive though still not sure how it works
And I can't wait to just totally stalk the rest of her amazing offerings.
I just got a new printer and was only too happy to test it out on these babies.
There's just a lot of great resources if you're trying to get a handle on your budget,
as well as if you're just a plain organization freak like I am.
I added a few pages to mine, such as extra non food shopping list,
as well as a coupon cover page.

BUT you should totes check it out.
Seriously. Go.
I'll wait.

Okay, back?
Onwards!

second.

ezra and eli

I absolutely adore following them on instagram.
Scrolling through and seeing their precious designs just inspires me.
And I always love seeing precious littlies in those awesome hip shirts.
I know one day I'll cave and get little guy one, but so far I've resisted.
But you totally shouldn't.
You should go get some of that fly right now.
Swearsies.

third.
Blogger Planners

I make them.
Mmhm.
They are honestly really really handy.
Especially for those of you, like a lot of us,
who just need to do organization hands on.
They're super handy to have on the go to jot down notes,
as well as planning out your blog posts, hostings, advertisings, stats, etc.
They come in a yearly package, and can be combined with grocery and meal planning pages.
I also have them bound professionally, and it makes them super sturdy and crisp.
I can custom design logos as well as pages inside.
I'd love to have a client to work with,
to create up a new one to show the rest of you how amazing they look.
So if you're interested, please either email me or fill out the order in my shop.
They are truly a life saver.
[If you're interested in having a mini version, I can see what I can do with that as well]

Until next time fellow bloggy peeps,
enjoy your fabulous weekend!

ps I'm submitting this to #fundaymonday!

Storenvy VS Etsy?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Thu, 29 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

I'm really in just unsure how I feel one way or another on the preference of

storenvy v etsy.

You see, I, as a small time hobbiest and homemaker,

mainly the second,

don't have a lot of extra cash to spend on my hobbies.

I enjoy doing my hobbies because they require very little capital.

So this is why I originally stopped using Etsy.

I really enjoyed the idea of Etsy, and the seeming amount of traffic most shops get on it.

But the fact remained, I was having money required to sell things.

Which I think seems slightly odd, but perhaps that's just me.

[this was some time ago, and I'm not sure just what it was being asked]

Now it appears it's $.20 and a 3.5% of what's sold.

Which, currently, doesn't seem so bad.

Maybe I did make a wrong decision when I switched.

But at the time, I just wasn't able to bring myself to pay anything for what I deemed as

"silly tinkering"

Which quite frankly, most days I still name it such.

So I decided to go to Storenvy, where I currently have a small rundown shop.

My problem being is that it seems it doesn't generate much traffic.

Regardless of if I advertise, what I post in there,

the only times I ever gained traffic was using it as payment methods for designs.

And that was because I specifically told my buyer to go there and pay that way.

I sort of feel that if I advertised my products on Etsy, they'd gain more notice.

Perhaps this is just a grass is greener expectation?

But then again, it seems like Etsy is a much more popular site,

especially through blogger and crafter communities.

So I'm just curious,

what's your opinion?

Do you have a shop on either site?
Do you prefer either site over the other?

How do you advertise and gain revenue through your shops?

Do you use self promoting or is there some sort of site promoting opportunities I'm unaware of?

I'd really love to hear any of your opinions on the matter to help build myself an informed decision.

Thank you to any and all of you who do take a moment to shed some light.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy going into another fantastic weekend!

p.s.
I opened an Etsy shop. Decided to bite the bullet and test it out.
Once I have a little time of it under my belt, I plan on giving y'all a comparison.
Here's hopin it makes a smidge of difference.

My Macaroon Adventure!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Wed, 28 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

So yesterday I had a fucking adventure.

sorry. it was pretty epic. it needed a suitable adjective.

So I decided....foolishly...that I wanted to take on french macaroons.

Here's a few facts with my knowledge of macaroons:

one.

I've never had a macaroon. Ever. Never even seen one in the flesh..so to speak.

two.

I absolutely know they are one of the hardest most finicky confections available to make.

Most at home bakers don't do them because of it.

And as such I'm like (of course)

"I wanna try that"

three.

No one truly grasps the time and soul consuming creations these are until you make them.

this I learned.

So I totally went into this thinking that:

A. I'm not going to tell anyone I'm making them, in case they screw all to hell.

2. I am not going to beat myself to hell if I do screw them up.

And III. I have no idea if I'm going to even like these things.

And guess what I did?

Made absolutely beautiful macaroons.

just needs a lil fillin'.

I am incredibly proud of these babies.

They actually turned out looking like macaroons,

and fitting the description of crisp but not crunchy, soft and with a good chew.

And honestly, now that I've tried them?

[sans filling even]

I can understand why they would be horribly addicting.

They are the most delicate little sweet flavored things in the world.

They just seem to float and melt on your tongue like bliss.

Seriously. So yummy.

Worth the effort? MMMMMMM.

Jury's still out.

And yes, I realize having really good results is super rare on the first go out.

But let me tell you, I did a good amount of research before I committed to this.

Luckily all was found through one super stellar page.

The recipe directly is found on said page, which is on Journey Kitchen!

And I was glad to click through the many helpful links listed to ease the process.

Specifically this one on oven workings,

as well as this video to help see what things should look like as they went.

Definitely do your homework first is all I got to say.

And have a couple thousand hours to kill. And a scale.

I think that's about it. Patience maybe?

Anyway, even sans filling,

I am very entirely proud of them and myself.

I deem this a raging success.

DIY Lightbox Results & Product Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Tue, 27 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

So over my memorial day weekend I've been playing with fun things.

Mainly making little baby hats as well as my very own lightbox.

I figured if I wanted to give it a good go at pitching my little things,

I'd want to take some decent photographs of them.

Decent lights are next on the list.

So I went around to find a good tutorial on building your own lightbox.

And as such, I stumbled across this one from Drawings in Motion.

I wanted something easy, cheap, and portable.

And in the tutorial I found it all.

It took a little bit of grunt work but I think it turned out well.

Don't judge my sad little lights

And while I was doing that, I figured I'd show you guys my first little attempt at creating.
Didn't this turn out absolutely sweet?

I think the lightbox did wonders.

And I absolutely cannot wait to try it during the daytime.

I have a really wonderful large window in my craft room,

and I'm hoping it will provide me with some great natural light in the meantime.

{gah it diddd!}

don't they look professional? and this was with my phone!

Also, if you're absolutely adoring this little cap like I am,

and would like to purchase one, they are indeed

for sale

in my little shoppy.

Go check em out, yeah?

Limited time limited supply as they're the first batch

and bought from a limited fabric supply.

Also once I get the smaller size finished, I'm hoping to do some modeled shots with little man!

And don't worry, I'll be sure to post those here too!

What did you do over your awesome long weekend?

Tell me!!

Meet You Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Mon, 26 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

So I want to start something here to..well...

to honestly help me.

I have fallen out of touch with a lot of bloggers over my absence.

I have a mile long stretch of blogs I follow,

yet most of them don't post any longer.

Which I totally don't blame them.
I did the same thing.

But that leaves me wanting more!

So I decided to start up a little link up for bloggers to enter and get some exposure.

Are you a current blogger looking to amp up your followers a bit?
Or just to get your name out there!

I want to know!

I want to help spread your word!

You don't need a project, a recipe, or anything else to share.

Just you and your blog.

I also want to hear about some of your favored blogs you follow.

Leave me some comments peeps!

I want to see who's good to follow right now.

I found all sorts when I was blogging every day, and loved seeing everyone post,

and have plenty to read.

Plenty of places to find inspiration for my own blog and my own posts.

I want to help do the same for others!

And I want to learn of who does an amazing job now!

So please, stop by for a moment, link up your blog, and leave me some others to follow!

And then each week I'll pick a blog from the previous line up,

and do a little feature on them!

Even more awesome exposure, right?!

So please, help spread the word and we'll get something awesome going.

Feel free to snag a button if you want, or just share the post somewhere.

No obligations to enter, just wanting to help and get some fresh new ideas up and out there!

<a href="http://littlehomemadehousewife.blogspot.com/2014/05/meet-you-mondays.html" target="blank"></a>

Three Things

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sun, 25 May 2014 13:00:00 +0000

I love cruising around and seeing new things around the blogosphere.

This time it was over at Glitter and Gloss

"Three things I'm loving this week and think you should know about"

What an awesome inspiration.

So I hope she doesn't mind me snagging it and sharing some awesome too!

one.

Leiaroux Shoesies!

I'm in absolute love with these little loves.

I'm a great fan of mocassins too, and will most likely share some of those next week,

but these little darlings I fell in love with first.

That, and the woman behind them is a real sweetheart who always loves to share.

Whether it be featuring other darlings wearing her product,

or great causes to help and get behind.

I follow them on instagram and always love seeing the feed.

I also have my very own pair coming, just got an email that they'd shipped!

SO yay!

These are the ones I'm getting little guy

two.

The amazingly (in a nerd sense) awesome peek at the new Dragon Age Inquisition Inquisitor's Edition.

it's sooo beautiful....

Me and the hubs drool over this sort of stuff.

Him for pretty much a lot of games.

Me because A. It's Dragon Age and one of my favorite games,

and B. It has a genuine imitation lock pick set from the game.

And I know you don't know much about my gamely ways,

but I am pretty much always a thief.

I love rogue type characters because I have the natural urge to just rob everything.

I know, this probably says something about my psyche and upbringing,

but I don't examine it too closely.

Naturally, we'd like to play with all these awesome doo dads and buttons and goodies,

but it does bump the cost of the game up nearly $100, so jury's still out.

and probably will remain that way.

Want to see it for yourself and check out all the fantastic details?

Bamn.

three.

I've decided I really would like to take up a bit of a small business venture again.

I loved blog designing, and most likely will get back into it once I brush up on my skills again.

Keep an eye out for upcoming deals and/or tester positions for that if you're interested.

But I just think having something to do that involves my hands,

actually producing something,

just sounds like it would be wonderful.

I've always loved working with fabric and design of clothes,

and would like to have some fun with it.

I'm sure it won't be anything major,

and will start very small and unique items rather than mass produced.

But I do look forwards to having some things to play with,

and perhaps some things to offer for sale.

Baby things. Because well babies are adorable.

So what are your three things? I'd love to hear about them.

Hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend!

Recipe Twofer - Turkey Soft Tacos & Their Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Tue, 20 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Today I decided to share some of the awesome things I've been eating lately!

Some have been recipes I've found.

Some have been things I created!

And some were a combo of the two!

Often the case in these parts anyway

So I hope you enjoy!

Firstly, yes I know my ingredient lists are always a bit vague.

Mainly because I don't cook by a strict recipe most nights.

I throw together what looks about right for the size of my small family.

So please feel free to play with these ratios!

Turkey Soft Tacos

• ground turkey
• can of black beans
• can of corn
• tortillas (we used low carb)
• olive oil
• seasonings you enjoy
we used taco seasoning, garlic salt, pepper, and johnny's seasoning salt
• sour cream for garnish/dipping

Throw your turkey into a skillet. Brown it while seasoning periodically. I prefer to season a few times as my meat cooks, in smaller increments, due to the fact I think it absorbs more flavor.

Once your meat is nearly finished, add your corn and black beans. Allow to cook on a medium heat for a small amount of time until warmed through, adding a final layer of seasoning to make sure the added ingredients gain that flavor.

Prepare a cookie sheet with spray and/or foil and preheat your oven to 375F. Heat your tortillas one at a time as you roll them by microwaving them for about 10-15 seconds to make them easier to roll. Fill them with your meat/bean/corn mixture, and roll them, tucking ends inwards first before folding/rolling.

Place your tacos seam side down to the baking sheet, then brush a light layer of olive oil over the tops, followed by a sprinkle of salt. Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes to gain a nice crispness. Add sour cream to the top or side as you prefer, and enjoy!

Yes I totally made pasta salad to go with mine because ick rice.

Super simple recipe, right? But I tell you, it's delicious.

Make it your own by adding different ingredients right on in there!

That's the beauty of cooking. Suiting it to your own individual tastes.

Experimenting, enjoying the process of creating.

Now a few days later, I was left with the leftover corn and beans I hadn't used

and had unceremoniously dumped into a singular tupperwear.

I also had some cilantro that I had used with fish tacos the night after our turkey tacos.

Yeah I've been on a bit of a mexican kick.

I promise to point you in the direction of some awesome recipes I tried.

And when I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner that was fairly simple,

he suggested chili.

He nearly always suggests chili.

So I decided to try something with them I've been wanting to try for a long time.

Corn fritters!

I've never actually had a corn fritter, but they sounded sooo good!

So I went and found a base recipe over at Average Betty and had at it.

This is what my recipe ended up looking like.

Modified Corn Fritters

• 1 1/2 c corn and bean blend
• 1/4 c somewhat chopped cilantro
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/4 + a little extra c flour
• johnny's seasoning salt
• garlic salt
• pepper
• olive oil

Otherwise, I pretty much followed the directions the recipe provided!

Definitely pay attention to the fact that you want your skillet about medium.
I have such a hard time with pan frying sometimes.
I get my pan too hot and then things are black before they're cooked through.
So yes, the secret to pan frying I'm finding is medium and patience.

I think these paired exceptionally well with our can of chili.
Very nice texture, which the black beans always add a nice creaminess to things.
And again, if you have those other ingredients on hand/enjoy them,
or want to add others, please I encourage you to!
The only thing I'd keep in mind is that the ratio of your flour may change a bit.
You're just going to have to eyeball it and make only one first if you're unsure.
Then if it doesn't turn out, [don't rush the first turn!], then add a bit more flour.
You can always add more, remember, but can't take it back out.

So what are some of your favorite meal/leftover meal combos?
I love trying to find new ways to repurpose ingredients.
I also love being able to figure out a recipe with things I already have on hand.
Makes things easier, more frugal, and makes me at least feel super accomplished!

Some more awesome recipes I tried during my mexican invasion:

The amazing slaw from this recipe paired with the bitchin pecan crusted fish from a recipe sorta like this.

I used cod instead of tilapia because tilapia tastes like dirt.

Also used milk instead of buttermilk because who honestly regularly has buttermilk?

Awesome chicken enchiladas with white sauce

I used small corn tortillas instead since that's what I had on hand.

And some of the peppers described from the slaw instead of chilis because again, on hand.

Linking up at:
A Humble Bumble Healthy Tuesdays

Weekly Cleaning/Chore Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Mon, 19 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

So I was cruising through blogs the other day,

and I stumbled across this little beauty from Household Management 101

I think I found it on facebook?

Regardless, I know that I've been beating myself up a lot about my housekeeping.

I always have. It's just never a skill I developed.

My mom is like amazing at keeping things tidy.

And I'm just the epitome of a clutter trail wherever I go.

Please tell me there's others like me out there. Let's form a group! We can go to CA meetings.

Clutterholics Anonymous.

And through a passing conversation with my mom,

as well as finding this little beauty of an inspiration,

I figured I'd try implementing something like this.

And since if I put it up on the blog, maybe I'll follow it better,

here we go!

Now I'm going to be making my own, mostly because I have to customize things.

Just the itchy fingers I've got I guess.

Besides, some of these things don't apply, and I also know I need extra.

I am hoping this will alleviate the overwhelmed feeling I get all the time,

and I can have a more continual sense of accomplishment,

and a more continually tidy house!

MONDAY

Bathroom:

Check supplies [including shower] to add to list

Wash towels

Clear clutter/empty trash can

Clean toilet, sink, tub, shower stall walls, toothbrush holders, and mirror

Sweep & Swiffer

Lawn:

Mow front lawn

TUESDAY

Kitchen:

Check supplies [non food] to add to list

Do a sweep of old food to toss out

Wipe down and clean kitchen surfaces, including countertops, stove, sink, and kitchen table

Sweep & Swiffer

Empty Trash

Do any remnant dishes [pots/pans/etc]

Lawn:

Mow side lawn

WEDNESDAY

Bedrooms:

Vaccuum

Pick up clutter/put away clean clothes

Dust

Lawn:

Mow back lawn

THURSDAY

Laundry Room:

Sweep & Swiffer

Do two loads of laundry

Put away any remnant clothes

Put away clutter

Lawn:

Mow garage side lawn

FRIDAY

Living Room:

Pick up garbage

Vaccuum

Clean up clutter

Dust

Lawn:

Mow driveway side lawn

SATURDAY

Green Room:

My awkward entry way clutter catcher room

Put away coats

Clean up clutter

Organize/restock baby changing station

Empty diaper garbage

Vaccuum

Lawn:

Anything that didn't get done in the week

SUNDAY

The best day/day of rest!

DAILY CHORES

One load of laundry

One load of dishes
Put away baby clutter

All right boys and girls,
I think that I finally have it nailed down!
Now I just have to try and get it done on schedule and diligently.
I honestly think this ~~could be~~ is going to be the solution to my problem.
This way I won't get overwhelmed.
I know I'm doing enough each day because it's all planned out.
And I can feel that sense of accomplishment each day,
instead of feeling unhappy because there's still so much to do.

I am going to do this.
Going. To. Do. This.

Tell me, do you have any success stories with a cleaning schedule?
Do you need/have one or are you one of those super cool people who don't need it
but your house is still well kept?
envy

Linking up to:
Do Tell Tuesday @ Crafting in the Rain

Awesome Movie Night At Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sun, 18 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

So Friday night me and the hubster were planning

ha that happens a lot. planning. not doing.

on going to our local drive in.

It was playing Godzilla, and we were gonna get chinese and go.

But then we heard that it really blew from some of his good friends.

And we had both had an exhausting week.

And I was like,

Hon do you just wanna stay home?

And he was like,

yes please.

So I decided to do something for us that would be just as fun.

And we could still pack it in and call it a night whenever we wanted.

I present to you the awesome personal home drive in!

we had already brought in our electronics from the night before. shh. use your imagination.

our awesome screen.

The kush set up.

And let me tell ya.

It was freakin bomb.

I loved the whole set up.

I could bring my baby and not have to worry about him being uncomfortable in the car.

And not bothering other people coming.

I could also snuggle up to my husband without the pain of a gear shift.

I just happened to have an inflatable couch from our last camping trip.

As well as an old box spring I'd just moved out to our garage prepared to go to the dump.

And a hand me down end table that had also been chillin in the garage for lack of space.

And lastly, an old sheet with a hole and some pet stains.

And the beauty of our redneck society was born.

See kids? Don't throw away anything.

It is an amazing set up, and I cannot wait to use it more.

Especially when the little guy gets a little older, I know we're going to have some amazing memories.

We watched The Legend of Hercules, and it was actually pretty cool.

Award winning?

Maybe not.

But fun to watch none the less.

We were gonna make it a feature with Life of Pi but we were both tired by that point.

[Unfortunate side effect of having to wait till almost 9:30 for it to be dark enough]

What did you do this weekend?

Have you ever felt like awesomemom by being able to throw something like this together?

Let me know what you think!!

Stop Touching My Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Sat, 17 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Okay folks, let's be real here.

We all love babies, right?

They are especially adorable, and sweet, and if you're lucky like me,

always well behaved in the store.

And particularly cute.

amirite?

But I cannot seem to avoid the inevitable,

random ass people in the grocery store

(the germiest place in the whole damn world I swear)

from touching him!

I mean, I don't understand this fucking phenomenon where you think it's okay to put your hands on a stranger's child.

Seriously.

Someone wanna explain this to me?

I've gone to lengths to try and avoid this, for real.

And I'm not just some randomly protective mother.

I was totally at ease with things before I took a premie exit class at the hospital.

[My son was 7 weeks premature, bee tee dubs.]

In case you've never been to one, let me break it down for you:

"Here are the twenty ways your baby can die.

Here are the additional forty ways your baby can die because he was premature."

Swearsies. That was the content of the class.

It scared the ever living piss out of me.

I didn't take my son outdoors save for grandparents' houses until he was probably two months old nearly.

And that was only after I made both grandmas get their tdap shots because they couldn't keep them out of their faces.

[I won't get into that one how badly I grit my teeth]

Then when I started taking him to grocery stores and people always surprised me by thinking it was totally normal to just reach on in there and touch him.

I'm like...seriously...what the fuck?

And it always takes me by surprise!

Because I'm like I would never touch a stranger's child. That's rude.

And yet there it goes and I'm left flabbergasted.

Someone even had the balls to grab his binkie and stick it in his mouth.

It just boggles me. Boggles me.

So I go to an additional length and every time I'm alone I take him in his wrap.

I thought this clearly sent the message that I had no real interest in sharing my child with your germs.

But lo and behold, yesterday, I was confounded again.

I was out on a quick tampon and candy run,

because those two always go together, right?

And a woman stopped and asked me how old my baby was, etc,

and then she started stroking his back through the wrap.

And I'm just....dumbfounded.

She's like seriously not only in his bubble, but mine.

Talking way too close, and all I can think is

What do you honestly think you're doing?

Maybe I was just lucky in the fact that no one ever randomly rubbed my belly.

Maybe I'm just super paranoid as remnant from that class.

I swear I don't make my family sanitize nearly as often anymore!

But this just puzzles me. Truly and fully confuses me.

Anyone care to share some light?
Or maybe some suggestions as to how to let someone know this isn't okay?

I never know what to say because I am always in a state of shock as to why someone is doing this.

Did this bother you too? Or am I totally alone...

Maybe Some Confessions?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. White) — Fri, 16 May 2014 15:00:00 +0000

Aw man once again, here stands the lonely blog.

And I am dying to enjoy it once again.

I was over along the lines of Frugal by Necessity, Cheap by Choice,

and saw the line of her confessions, and thought that seemed super theraputic.

~~And it's not like I didn't know where to start. No.~~

One. I am totally and fully in love with my son, with being a mom, with this stage in my life.
I know, super sappy right? But for honest, it's completely true.
Have there been some extremely frustrating days? Yes. Have there been total meltdowns? Couple times.
Have I frequently questioned myself like Ryan Reynolds in Definitely Maybe
"What am I DOING here?!"
Yep.
All of these things and so many more that I can't even fully describe. I've done em all.
And I have especially grappled with the urge for my desire for perfection in the eye of everyone that I've always struggled with and had become even more of a clusterfuck of stress in being a mother.
But I've set that aside. [for now]
But honestly, I feel like I've reached a good place. I'm so in love with my son, my husband, and my life.
And I'm doing the best I can. Which is totally the best that ever needs to be done.

Two. I am totally and fully also depressed about my weight and have been struggling in understanding what is wrong with my body.
Mainly meaning that it has a totally different style and reactionary method than it did pre-pregnancy.
I had dropped about 40 pounds pre-pregnancy. And when I finished having my son,
I only had to lose 9 pounds. I felt really incredibly proud of myself.
And now I'm up nearly 20 from my pre-pregnancy weight. And I've been trying to get back on the horse.
But even with exercise and trying to eat responsibly, which is all I did last time,
[minus the excercise actually]
it seems like nothing is working.
And it's extremely frustrating and makes me not want to even try.
But I'm trying to keep trying.

Three. I seriously don't understand how anyone keeps a clean house.
Like, honestly. I don't understand it. It is a skill that continues to allude me.
I feel like I can try and work all damn day on my house, and there's still a million places where it's filthy.
Okay not filthy most the time, but at least severely disorganized.
I want so much to be the woman with that perfect little cute kitchy house with all the sweet decorations
and the polka dot apron and a happy house with birdsong and a pie in the fucking window.
GOD. Who set that precedent? I want it so much it makes me whine like a toddler.
Whoever decided that imagery was a thing should have been shot in the damn skull.

Four. Periods. Fucking. Suck.

Five. I still sort of struggle with seeing teenagers walking along the street and realizing that I'm no longer part of that demographic.
Those are no longer my people.
I wouldn't understand half the shit they talk about.
I don't look like that anymore.
Depressing, but fact.

Six. Blue is seriously my new favorite color.
And I love being as cliche with it as possible when it comes to my son.
Cannot help it. Love it.

Seven. Speaking of babies. Hipster baby pictures?
Loathe them.
I'm sorry in advance if you dress your kid like that, but I just.. Why?
Children have the amazing ability to wear everything that no adult could ever get away with.
Why dress them like mini hipsters and those stupid fake glasses and make them look terrible.

So I could try and pull out so many more confessions, but the truth of the matter is,
given what time of the month it is,
these are going to devolve into bitch snippets (trademark) real quick.
OH wait one more.

Eight. When I go back and think of what I say after a day with new people, I wonder:
Do I seem super negative all the time?
It's so funny because I'm one of the least negative people in actuality.
I'm a continual looker on the bright side, most days, and try to give everything a chance.
But my humor is entirely sarcastic and dry.
It's one of the many reasons I married my husband. I can say whatever I want and we both laugh and know it has no actual bearing on what I'm honestly feeling.
I poke fun at everything. And half the things I say are just to get it out like word vomit as it flitters through my head like a sarcastic little butterfly. Two seconds after I've said it I've forgotten it.
But I think..to people who don't know me?
I could be such a downer if you didn't recognize it as humor.

Okay, I'm done.
I hope you maybe giggled at something? Or at least understood?
I promise I'll get better at this again.
Leave me a thought or your confession, the juicier the better.

Nine. I'm by no means a gossiper, but I'm a chronic snoop/nosy bitch.