Happy Birthday Beo!

Today is my baby dog's first birthday!

From little puppy...


to big dog







We are so glad that we made Beo a part of our family. :)

Housekeeping Meme

I read Mrs. Wilt's Answered and was therefore tagged... below are my contributions.

Aprons- Y/N? Yes, when cooking and baking.

Baking- Favorite thing to bake? Any type of quick bread, scone, or biscuit

Clothesline- Y/N? Yes, yes, yes. But like a wimp I only hang outside when it is warm. During the winter I have a drying rack I use inside.

Donuts- Ever made them? Yes, I made baked donuts for hannukah. I think I will try frying them next time.

Everyday- One homemaking thing you do everyday? Make the bed, vacuum the kitchen floor (the dog hair would take over if I didn't)

Freezer- Do you have a separate deep freezer? Nope, but I would love to if I could find the room.

Garbage Disposal- Y/N? Yes.

Handbook- Y/N? Yes, I have a Home Management Binder.

Ironing- Love it or hate it? It has to be done either way.

Junk Drawer- Where is it? We have several. The main one is in the kitchen.

Kitchen- Design and decorating? The same one the house came with even though I don't like it. Decorating is low on my priority list.

Love- What is your favorite part of homemaking? laundry.

Mop- Y/N? I Swiffer Wet Jet which I hacked.

Nylons- Wash them by hand or in the washer? I HATE THEM. But, when I do wear them I wash them in the machine in a lingerie bag.

Oven- Do you use the window or open it to check? Both.

Pizza- What do you put on yours? Artichokes and ham.

Quiet- What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Normally I am at work during the day, so I try to look busy.

Recipe card box- Y/N? I have an accordion folder for untried recipes and two 3-ring binders for favorites.

Style of house- Split Level suburbia circa 1965

Tablecloths and napkins- Y/N? Tablecloths for special occasions napkins everyday.

Under the kitchen sink- Cleaning products, trash bags, plant food, rubber gloves.

Vacuum- How many times a week? Carpets once a week, kitchen floor everyday.

Wash- How many loads do you do a week? 6-7 I think.

X’s- Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? I am a list maker.

Yard- Who does what? Hubby mows, I plant, we both weed.

ZZZ’s- What is your last homemaking task for the day? Pick up dog toys.

If you read all of this, consider yourself tagged!

5 days on the wagon... and then I fell off

If you remember, it was on Monday that I rejoined WeightWatchers after wrestling with my pantyhose. I did really well for the first four days. I was very conscious of what I was eating, incorporated lots of fruits and veggies, drank lots of water, and even got a little exercise.

Even though I do not consider myself to be Christian I have given up candy for Lent, so I didn't secretly sabotage myself with Snickers (ummmm... Snickers...) I was so proud.

Until today that is.

Today someone brought in donuts and carelessly left them on the table in the staff lounge. The were the bad, bad, bad for you powdered sugar kind (I am borrowing Mrs. Wilt's wording here) and I ate three of them. I don't know how many points that is (i still have to figure that out), I don't WANT to know how many grams of trans fat they had... I just want to acknowledge that my sizable rear end fell off the wagon and I want to get back on.

Thank you for listening.

Favorite Things Friday

So here are a couple of my favorite things from this week:

1. Jasmine Pearl Green Tea


Although it is expensive (more than the green tea you buy in the supermarket) I can bring my own containers and have the store fill them (no packaging to throw out and recycling old jars), there are no bags, strings, wax paper, cardboard box, or staples to go into a landfill or to pollute the air with their manufacturing. Plus, I use something like 5 pearls for a good size cup of tea, so it lasts forever and there is nothing, NOTHING like the heady aroma of jasmine to pull a girl out of a winter funk.

2. Aveeno Body Lotion

It is nothing fancy, and it smells slightly medicinal but winter is hard on a girl who likes a HOT shower. All of my skin is dry, tight, and itchy, but this lotion works wonders. At the end of the day, I still feel like I just put it on (in a non-slimey, non-sticky kind of way).

What are your favorite things this week?

Pumpkin Muffins

I found some leftover pumpkin in the refrigerator last night and went to my cookbooks in search of a recipe to use it up. I found one in the Goosberry Patch Pumpkin Cookbook. I tweaked it a bit and here is what I came up with.

Pumpkin Cream Muffins

Muffin Batter:
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt

Cream Filling:
1 (8-oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Splenda

Streusel Topping:
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3 tbsp. Flour
2 tbsp. Butter

Mix batter ingredients together and set aside. Blend filling ingredients until smooth and set aside. Combine streusel ingredients and set aside.

Pour pumpkin batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. Spoon heaping tablespoon of cream filling mixture in center, pushing it down just a little bit. Sprinkle with enough streusel topping to cover the entire top of the muffin.

Bake at 350º F. for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.

Makes 12 muffins.

I will post pictures when I get home this afternoon.

Whole Grain Bread

Since my hubby bought a bread machine in December we have been baking up a storm. I found a great whole grain bread recipe yesterday while I was trolling some blogs. I made it last night and it turns out one great loaf of bread. I halfed the recipe and used my breadmaker, but I am very pleased with the results, dense, soft, nutty, wheaty bread just begging for homemade jam and sweet cream butter. Yum!

Goodwill to All

This week's trip to Goodwill was a fruitful one.

A picnic basket for $4.99


A Nordic Ware cake pan for $2.99


Glass candle sticks for shabbat (friday night)for $1.99

** Note the star of david on the base

Two picture frames for $1.98


A Bodhrán for $4.99 (I'm thinking presnet for a child)


There is one other goodie I picked up, but it is going to be a gift for someone who reads this blog, so I can't tell you what it is:(

Things I learned yesterday

1. It is entirely possible to get tennis elbow without playing tennis. In fact everyone I have spoken to got it from cleaning (I am blaming mine of steam cleaning the carpets).

2. If you usually tell your mom about your Goodwill deals first, continue to do so after every trip. If she has to read about them on your blog, she will call you at work at tell you you are a "bratty kid."

[Since my mom is a faithful reader of this here blog, I think she will get a kick out of the second one].

Mardi Gras

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Eat a donut for good luck!


Blinkie by Pinky's Blinkies (http://www.pinkyblinkies.lunarpages.com/)

Ok, maybe today isn't so bad after all

I have had a little change of heart since my last post. Maybe today isn't so bad after all. Hubby did put his Sirius Radio in my car since he is now taking the train to work. My experimental mock lasagna turned out to be FABULOUS (I will try and create a recipe to post). I have an hour left until I can go home (always a good thing), and I rejoined Weight Watchers. After wrestling myself into my pantyhose, which you've already heard about, I figured it was time to decrease the size of my patooty. I've worked Weight Watchers in the past and I can do it again.

[addendum: Joining Weight Watchers is frugal. I had the money ear-marked for something else that fell through, and losing weight is cheaper then buying all new clothes even at Goodwill prices]

Today is not a good day

So I wake up this morning to discover that not only do I have a pimple on my chin (I'm 30 years old... puberty SHOULD be over) but I also have a HUGE silver hair smack dab on top of my head where it shines like a beacon for all to see.

I decided to wear a dress to work and since it is -57 (i lie, its probably 20, but still, it's cold) I have to wear pantyhose. I hate pantyhose. They were created by the devil and should I ever become president of the United States I will outlaw them.

So I wrestle myself into the dreaded pantyhose and they run. On to pair number two. I squeeze myself into these (run free, thank you very much)with much help from the dog only to find that I have gained so much weight since I bought them that they don't exactly cover my now sizable rear end. GREAT! I'm wearing them anyway.

I also decide that since it snowed close to a week ago, the university I work for will have cleaned of the sidewalks and parking lots and wearing my snow boots to work is unnecessary. I decide instead to wear my prized black suede knee-high boots with the 2" heels. Well, I found a parking space in the lot farthest from the library and discovered that they hadn't cleared diddley squat! I nearly killed myself trying to get into the building.

Which brings to right now when it is 12:15, I haven't done a gosh darn productive thing today and I still can't get blogger to do what I want it to do with my new blinkies. They are too far apart, but I don;t know how to get them all smooshed together like other people have them. If you know how to do that could you let me know? You could be the saving grace on the crappy Monday morning.

Thanks for listening.

[this is all written with a smirk on my face, just so you know.]

More Goodwill Finds

I stopped by Goodwill on my way home from work on Friday and got some more good deals

• A beaded handbag for $3.99


• A pleated spring/summer skirt (new with the tags) for $3.99


• A light blue cashmere sweater $3.99 (which I notice is really wrinkled since I wore it yesterday)

Favorite Things Friday

I have decided to start a "regular" column where I will post some of my current Favorite Things. Some are frugal, some are not, but at this moment my favorite things are

1. My Roomba Robotic Vacuum This was a gift and I use it at least once a week. It really does pick up an amazing amount of crud and dog hair and it cuts my vacuuming time in half


2. Clinique Superbalm It is a super-hydrating lip balm and glossy gloss all in one. I can make one tube last close to a year and I haven't found anything cheaper that comes close


3. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme I pick at my cuticles (bad Molly, bad Molly) but this heals them right up.

So what's on your Favorite List right now?

Snowy Valentine's Day

Here is the view from my front window.


Thanks to all of this snow and ice I have an unexpected day off :)

As Promised... Goodwill Finds

Here are the goodies I found on my last trip to my local Goodwill...

• Cute willow basket that will be part of a birthday gift($.99).


• Brown Ann Taylor Pumps ($3.99).


• Black Aldo Pumps ($3.99).

I Forgot to Tell you...

I hacked my Swiffer Wet jet. I first read about this on Like Merchant Ships. People are apparently finding cheap ways to refill non-refillable products like the Swiffer and the automatic shower cleaner thing. I loved the idea so last week when my Swiffer Wet Jet ran out of cleaning fluid I grabbed the channel locks and twisted that cap right off.

I refilled with a combo of Lysol All Purpose Cleaner (because it was what I had in the house) and water. Once I have used up the Lysol I think I will switch over to Simple Green or something like that which is cheaper and less toxic.

So I was feeling all proud of myself for being thrifty and a little bit for sticking it to The Man (hehehe) when I used my newly hacked cleaning tool and it worked better than before. I have tile floors in my kitchen and bathrooms and after using my version of cleaning fluid there was no sticky residue. Yeah ingenuity!

Here are the original instructions that Meredith referenced for hacking your cleaning products. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Celebrity Look Alikes?

I have seen this on other blogs and thought it looked like fun. Now that I see who I have been matched up with I'm not so sure...

What do you think?

http://www.myheritage.com

Fear Not Dear Reader...

I have not abandoned the blog. I have, however, been sick and not doing much of anything. Although, I have been to Goodwill and have more goodies to share. Digicam is at home so maybe tonight I can post the pics.

Hope all is well in blog land!

Sprinkled with Granola

If you get a chance, pop over to Bridget's blog and take the Granol Factor Quiz that she posted. Apparently I am a 57, which means I am sprinkled with granola... which I like the sounds of. Kinda makes me think that I am also creamy in the center and satisfying...hehehe :)

Home Management Binder in Pictures

As promised, here is what my HMB looks like...

The Front Cover

The Inside Cover

Next Comes the zippered pouch where I keep Post it notes, extra pens, sticky tabs, a dry erase marker, and whiteout tape.

Next is my "Schedules" section. There isn't anything in this section at the moment since my schedule is dictated by the hours that I work, however, all of this is subject to change so I have the section ready for when I need it.

Next comes my cleaning section. Here I have various recipes for homemade cleaning products and laundry detergents, both liquid and powder. I also keep my daily cleaning task lists and monthly cleaning task lists in this section.

For example, the "Week at a Glance"

Next is my "Recipes" section. This is where I keep some recipes for homemade convenience foods from the Hillbilly Housewife and the sour dough starter from Candy, dog biscuit recipes, and other goodies that don't really belong in my regular recipe box.

After that comes my "Pregnancy" section. I am not currently pregnant, but I hope too be shortly, in the near future, some day, and it never hurts to be prepared. I have lists of foods to avoid, how to protect your fertility, instructions on cloth diapers, breastfeeding, and all sorts of good stuff.

After that is the "Health and Beauty" section with recipes for homemade bath and body products. I have a sugar scrub recipe that is to die for!

Then there is the "List" section. I am a librarian and I like lists of things... best books, 100 most frequently challanged books, AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movies, etc.

Next comes my "Birthday" section. I have all my friend and family birthdays broken up by month so that I know when to send a card.

I have added a few more sections that I don't have pictures for including "Disaster Preparedness" and Flylady's Holiday Control Journal. I also have my scrap paper and a notebook where I keep track of gifts I have purchased, menus I am creating, lists of home improvements that need to be completed.

Finally, there is the back cover.

I hope that you have all enjoyed this journey thought my HMB. It is a great tool for keeping yourself organized and boy am I glad I created one. :)