Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Wolf Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Free family tree - Free family tree software

Cockpot Babyfood!

Stephanie, at my favorite blog A Year of Crockpotting, has done it again.

As if making your own Haggis isn't enough, she has saved me with her instructions for how to make baby food in the crockpot.

Check it out!

Oh Baggu Bag... How I Love Thee


For the holidays last year, my friend Steph bought me 2 Baggu re-usable shopping bags. I have to admit that I did not use them at first. I didn't use any re-usable shopping bags at first. In fact, and I am completely embarrassed to admit this, the idea of hauling my own bags to the supermarket and seeing people with piles of bags in their carts annoyed me to no end. I actually got irritated when I saw people using re-usable bags. I have absolutely no idea why. It was completely counter to my environmental leanings... but anyway...

I have since gotten over this feeling and have embraced the re-usable shopping bag movement. I have a combination of bags that I keep in my car and take shoping with me. Some are canvas LL Bean-like totes, others are the free giveaway conference totes, but my favorite by far are the Baggu bags.

They are made of rip stop nylon, fold un teeny tiny so I can keep them in the diaper bag or even in my purse. The hold a ton of stuff and are easy to load and unload.

The website offers a ton of funky colors and at $8 each (less if you buy three of six at a time) I think they are a good deal. I am thinking of buying a few more for myself and maybe even giving some as gifts/stocking stuffers this holiday season.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Fun Stuff!

Bridget over at Purity Seekers is having a contest to win some of her homemade goodies. For anyonw who cloth diapers, you should see the wool longies she knits they are all TOO CUTE.

Kids Craft Blog

A friend of mine recommended this Kids Craft Blog called No Time for Flash Cards... it is full of great, timely ideas for fun educational activites and crafts to do with the preschool set.

Be sure to check out the video of the Shark Attack Song!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Hallmark Deals

I was out over the weekend and stopped at one of my local Hallmark stores (Lisa, its the one in Lawrence Park) which usually has GREAT sales on all of their Vera Bradley. I was thinking about stocking up for the holidays. Well, the day I was there nothing in the Vera Bradley section caught my eye, but I was drawn to the huge 75% off sign at the back of the store.

I got two rolls of "self adhesive" wrapping paper, a pack of recipe cards, and a little coupon organizer for $5.57. I was so excited.

Then I saw the sign that said 50% off Yankee Candles, so I ended up with 2 of the really big jar candles in Vera Cruz Vanilla (or something like that) for the price of one.

The candles and the recipe cards will probably end up as gifts.

Hooray for clearance sales!

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Crockpot Quinoa

I am thoroughly addicted to A Year of Crockpotting. I was looking, the other day, for a recipe for something involving quinoa and a Crockpot and Stephanie was obliging enough to provide this little gem. I thought that it looked really good and was planning on making it, except I didn;t have half of the things it called for and the other half I didn't think hubby would like (the feta cheese for example). So, I adapted and tweaked this recipe until it became my own and here it is:

-1 1/2 cups Quinoa
--3 cups broth (I used vegetable, but anything would work)
--1 T olive oil
--1/2 t salt
--1/2 t cinnamon
--1 block frozen spinach
--1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes (chopped)

The Directions.

Rinse the quinoa. I don't know why but that is what everyone says to do and in this case I am listening to everyone.

Put all ingredients in the Crockpot

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4. You will know the quinoa is done when all the broth has been absorbed and you can fluff it with a fork like rice or cous cous.

Serve.