I feel loaded. Don't worry. I've actually been off the bottle for a few months now. Me and Mr. B are hoping to start a family of our own in the near future, and I've given up the stuff.(I mean, pretty much given it up:)
So no, not loaded on substances, but with emotions. Good ones and not so good ones. But I'm trying to lean more towards the good ones. In an effort to stay positive and remind myself of the big "Plan". My negativity only makes for a bad day with the hubby anyways.....soooooo.
So, I ask myself, how do I get excited about new adventures in our life that I wanted to happen, but not necessarily so soon? I just have to force myself?? That seems weird, and silly. I have to convince myself?? That seems impossible. I have to accept??
Hmmmmmm. I think I am capable of that. With a little help from my Friend.
What a day yesterday was. BIG news came and BIG discussions were held at the Baltes residence. Scott got his promotion!!! FINALLY!!! We have been wanting, hoping, pleading, and praying for this for I think like 2 years now. Considering how long he has been with Trader Joe's and how highly he comes recommended by so many people, it's a shame it had to take so long. But, all in the master "Plan", right? RIGHT!!
Our hopes for a promotion for Scott was the reason for moving out to the Midwest. "Our Plan" was to end up in Chicago. We've stopped in Minnesota along the way to spend some time visiting Scott's Grandma Mary, open up a new Trader Joe's here in Rochester to hopefully impress some people high up in the ranks, and to learn the ways of living in some drasticly cold weather.
We visited, Scott was impressive, and we have learned some valuable lessons-Like don't try and pass a snowplow on a small dirt road...Babe. And if your car starts rocking over 50 mph, it's time to clean the snow out of the wheel wells.
"Our Plan" is going as planned so far. We will be moving to Chicago in about a month from now. Trader Joe's has this inconvenient way of giving you practically no time to let the news settle and pack while searching for a new place to live all in one month's time. The idea of packing everything up again is so unpleasant to think about. I might have to try and persuade my mom into coming for a little visit to help me:)
Aside from the packing, leaving the house and little town I've grown to love, saying goodbye to new friends and Grandma, I am very stoked for this new adventure!! Have I convinced you...after all that negative juice I let spill out first. It's there, deep down inside underneath all the fears and worry, there is excitement to be found inside this body. I love the idea of a new little apartment in Wrigleyville, of reorganizing all my favorite pieces of furniture into little cubby spaces(as much as I hate packing and unpacking, I LOVE organizing!), of living in that cozy crowded midwest town where you can walk to a Cubs game, or to the beach. It will be spectacular!!
And so, I will muster up some heartfelt words for the beloved town of Racine and Rochester in a later post.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
3 hours later
3 hours later, and I'm still on my butt, typing and clicking away on the computer. Ever have those days? Jill, Heather, I'm talking to you.
I did my chores, Woke up at 8:30, tidied up the messy bedroom, vacuumed up the stinky ladybugs, threw the duvet in the wash and cleaned the kitchen in the meantime. Whenever Scott gets home and I'm on the couch watching Felicity or Grey's Anatomy, he says, "Is this what you've been doing all day?" "No!!!!" I say. "I did my chores first, so that I could veg on the couch until you got home:)" I'm sneaky.
It's so blustery out today. When it was blustery out in December, it felt like Christmas. Why doesn't it feel like Christmas now when the weather is exactly the same? I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Speaking of cake!!! Want an easy, low cost, no hassle original cake idea? Get this.....yellow cake mix, j*e*l*l*o pistachio pudding mix, a few eggs, some milk(I used almond), and some veg oil. Toss it all together in a big bowl, watch the mixture turn flourescent green and pour into a bundt pan(I love bundt pans, they're so old school). Bake, let cool, and pop out onto a pretty plate, dust with powdered sugar and you've got yourself a delicious pistachio cake!! My husband LOVES it! We have a slice every night on our way up to bed ;o) Sometimes I have a small sliver for breakfast....hehe. It's my mom's recipe. She's got some good ones up her sleeve and shares them with me every now and again.
*The official recipe to come....."No time for tea & cake, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!!!"
I....need.....coffee.....nowwwwwww! Grandma Mary has been in Cali for the past 5 weeks. And the special coffee cocktail she canned up for us only lasted 2 weeks. I mean, thank goodness I work at a coffee shop, and we do have fresh beans at home....but we only have a single cup coffee maker! Ahhhhhh! Kicking myself for getting rid of our Target coffeemaker. I've been off work for the past 3 days, so no fresh coffee smell brewing in this old house!
But, Today is my lucky day!! Movie Day!! And what's a movie without a nice hot cup o' joe to help keep you nice n perky for the show?! 127 Hours in next on our must see movie list. We saw The King's Speech last time, and it was amazing!! A must see for everyone. So inspiring, great acting, great script. An Oscar take home for Geoffrey Rush I hope. And Colin Firth deserves it as well.
Wehrenberg Theaters has a special matinee price between 4-6pm for $5!! Can't beat that! Looks like we'll be seeing Unknown, instead of 127 Hours. I'll letcha know how it is.
Ciao!!!!
I did my chores, Woke up at 8:30, tidied up the messy bedroom, vacuumed up the stinky ladybugs, threw the duvet in the wash and cleaned the kitchen in the meantime. Whenever Scott gets home and I'm on the couch watching Felicity or Grey's Anatomy, he says, "Is this what you've been doing all day?" "No!!!!" I say. "I did my chores first, so that I could veg on the couch until you got home:)" I'm sneaky.
It's so blustery out today. When it was blustery out in December, it felt like Christmas. Why doesn't it feel like Christmas now when the weather is exactly the same? I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Speaking of cake!!! Want an easy, low cost, no hassle original cake idea? Get this.....yellow cake mix, j*e*l*l*o pistachio pudding mix, a few eggs, some milk(I used almond), and some veg oil. Toss it all together in a big bowl, watch the mixture turn flourescent green and pour into a bundt pan(I love bundt pans, they're so old school). Bake, let cool, and pop out onto a pretty plate, dust with powdered sugar and you've got yourself a delicious pistachio cake!! My husband LOVES it! We have a slice every night on our way up to bed ;o) Sometimes I have a small sliver for breakfast....hehe. It's my mom's recipe. She's got some good ones up her sleeve and shares them with me every now and again.
*The official recipe to come....."No time for tea & cake, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!!!"
I....need.....coffee.....nowwwwwww! Grandma Mary has been in Cali for the past 5 weeks. And the special coffee cocktail she canned up for us only lasted 2 weeks. I mean, thank goodness I work at a coffee shop, and we do have fresh beans at home....but we only have a single cup coffee maker! Ahhhhhh! Kicking myself for getting rid of our Target coffeemaker. I've been off work for the past 3 days, so no fresh coffee smell brewing in this old house!
But, Today is my lucky day!! Movie Day!! And what's a movie without a nice hot cup o' joe to help keep you nice n perky for the show?! 127 Hours in next on our must see movie list. We saw The King's Speech last time, and it was amazing!! A must see for everyone. So inspiring, great acting, great script. An Oscar take home for Geoffrey Rush I hope. And Colin Firth deserves it as well.
Wehrenberg Theaters has a special matinee price between 4-6pm for $5!! Can't beat that! Looks like we'll be seeing Unknown, instead of 127 Hours. I'll letcha know how it is.
Ciao!!!!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
PP
I just found out about the legislative bill against Planned Parenthood to cut off federal funding.....On facebook, of course.
Uggggghhhhh. You can sign a petition on PP's website that posts your support for them on facebook. In my moment of extreme curiosity, I googled it and read PP's statement on the issue on their website.
Here's what I found:
ONE MILLION VOICES FOR BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS
The time has come to provide prescription birth control to women with no co-pays.
Birth control matters. It matters to the young woman finishing college or starting a career. It matters to the family struggling to make ends meet. It matters to the woman suffering from endometriosis. It matters to mothers and fathers who treasure the children they have.
When it comes to reducing the number of unintended pregnancies in this country, birth control really matters. The rate of unintended pregnancy in the U.S. is one of the highest among the world’s most developed countries. This is unacceptable, and we need a solution.
Help us raise one million voices to say that prescription birth control matters, and should be available to every woman who wants it without co-pays.
Ummmmmmm, I thought PP also provided abortions??? Doesn't look like the above petition mentions anything about that. Rather it glorifies the average low income woman unable to support her sex life, and probably her children too. I am one of those low income women, have been for the past 11 years. I've never had a problem affording my own health insurance. And guess what, with health insurance, comes birth control coverage!! Imagine that. I wasn't given health insurance through my job, my parents didn't pay for it. I worked for it. Which is what the average woman should be doing. That's the freedom we have here in America. Women get to work. And unless you're married at 18 and have a husband to support the both of you or you choose to live off your parent's assets, then you HAVE to work. The consequence if you don't, is...get this, NO MONEY!! I know, it's a lot to take in. Those poor girls ( I mean women) out there unable to work because they were just never taught how to work, let alone obtain an application.
There were some girls on facebook supporting the petition to stop the bill who I know have jobs, hence, have money. Soooooo, what's the catch? Oh, you work, you have bills, you have clothes to buy, you need money to go out and unwind with drinks, oh, and don't forget that kid you popped out 5 years ago. But that wasn't you fault. I know. Maybe you didn't know what birth control even was back then! So you must deserve this free handout of birth control so that you can continue your sex life. PP is spotlighting those in need, those struggling to make ends meet, or who suffer from endometriosis. Uhhhhhhh, excuse me, but people I know, you know people with values, also struggle with those things and by some strange miracle are able to come up with enough money in their budget for health insurance. They probably can't afford it, but they still pay for it! Truth is a very powerful thing. Most people are afraid of it for fear of exposing who they really are. I think PP is also afraid of truth. Their petition mentions nothing of anything else they offer, why? Because the majority of the nation doesn't want a free handout to be taken away.
Here's what their petition should say: "Help PP by supporting our petition to continue handing out free birth control to you low life women who already have 5 children and deserve to have an active sex life. Help us continue our education to those youngsters out there who don't even know what the opposite sex' genitalia looks like and who deserve to know! Help support your fellow Americans who didn't make it to PP in time to get free birth control before they decided to have unprotected sex and are now stuck with an unwanted pregnancy. With your support, we can, with a very simple procedure, suck the new life right out of them for a small fee. This is what we stand for, and we need you to stand with us."
Do these people know that PP is not only about supplying safe sex education through birth control?? That most of their profit comes from abortions costing their clients $350-$950??? If the possibility arose through congress where in some miracle fashion, abortion was illegal.....it doesn't even have to be illegal, but if PP stopped all abortions at their clinics, I would bet, that the bill would be dismissed. PP would be able to stay in business! Supplying the young generation with the knowledge they so greatly need from PP. Now that might be a petition I would be willing to sign. (Not really, but it's the thought that counts) Now, PP is offering safe sex education, birth control to low income women, and basic education of what sex and STD's are. I don't know much about why the government supports certain things, but this sounds like an organization the government would love to give their money to. I mean our money to. That'll never happen. And so, kids, you see what's more important to PP. Not supplying birth control, but rather a confidential place to rid yourself of that unplanned pregnancy because you accidentally forgot about this new invention called birth control!
Gosh, it is so unnerving coming to terms with how many stupid people there are in my generation. And you can't reason with them. All I know is that I was brought up with good ethics and values. And I actually still believe in those values. Going out, partying, getting wasted, letting complete strangers grope your body and pass germs into your mouth, let alone other parts of your body, go to bed someplace you've never been before, let alone a place you don't even remember being the next morning, nursing a headache with a strong cup of coffee while glorifying the past evening's events to a friend who couldn't make it out this time because she couldn't find a babysitter. All the while realizing last night's events was exactly how the friend here has a kid. Better stop at PP on the way home for some free birth control! REALLY?!! No wonder they need PP. "I'm too dumb, I mean busy, to have to think about my own health and protecting my body. I need PP for that!" That's really all I'm hearing.
America is overpopulated because of women's lacsidasical sex lives. The solution is not to have the option of abortion more readily accessible. I mean come on, I don't even have a college education, and I can come up with the logic that the problem doesn't lie in the ability to have an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy, it's the lack of common sense young women have that keep them from working to afford health insurance and birth control.
Women don't need PP around for birth control giveaways, they need knowledge.
Good ol' fashioned awareness!
Uggggghhhhh. You can sign a petition on PP's website that posts your support for them on facebook. In my moment of extreme curiosity, I googled it and read PP's statement on the issue on their website.
Here's what I found:
ONE MILLION VOICES FOR BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS
The time has come to provide prescription birth control to women with no co-pays.
Birth control matters. It matters to the young woman finishing college or starting a career. It matters to the family struggling to make ends meet. It matters to the woman suffering from endometriosis. It matters to mothers and fathers who treasure the children they have.
When it comes to reducing the number of unintended pregnancies in this country, birth control really matters. The rate of unintended pregnancy in the U.S. is one of the highest among the world’s most developed countries. This is unacceptable, and we need a solution.
Help us raise one million voices to say that prescription birth control matters, and should be available to every woman who wants it without co-pays.
Ummmmmmm, I thought PP also provided abortions??? Doesn't look like the above petition mentions anything about that. Rather it glorifies the average low income woman unable to support her sex life, and probably her children too. I am one of those low income women, have been for the past 11 years. I've never had a problem affording my own health insurance. And guess what, with health insurance, comes birth control coverage!! Imagine that. I wasn't given health insurance through my job, my parents didn't pay for it. I worked for it. Which is what the average woman should be doing. That's the freedom we have here in America. Women get to work. And unless you're married at 18 and have a husband to support the both of you or you choose to live off your parent's assets, then you HAVE to work. The consequence if you don't, is...get this, NO MONEY!! I know, it's a lot to take in. Those poor girls ( I mean women) out there unable to work because they were just never taught how to work, let alone obtain an application.
There were some girls on facebook supporting the petition to stop the bill who I know have jobs, hence, have money. Soooooo, what's the catch? Oh, you work, you have bills, you have clothes to buy, you need money to go out and unwind with drinks, oh, and don't forget that kid you popped out 5 years ago. But that wasn't you fault. I know. Maybe you didn't know what birth control even was back then! So you must deserve this free handout of birth control so that you can continue your sex life. PP is spotlighting those in need, those struggling to make ends meet, or who suffer from endometriosis. Uhhhhhhh, excuse me, but people I know, you know people with values, also struggle with those things and by some strange miracle are able to come up with enough money in their budget for health insurance. They probably can't afford it, but they still pay for it! Truth is a very powerful thing. Most people are afraid of it for fear of exposing who they really are. I think PP is also afraid of truth. Their petition mentions nothing of anything else they offer, why? Because the majority of the nation doesn't want a free handout to be taken away.
Here's what their petition should say: "Help PP by supporting our petition to continue handing out free birth control to you low life women who already have 5 children and deserve to have an active sex life. Help us continue our education to those youngsters out there who don't even know what the opposite sex' genitalia looks like and who deserve to know! Help support your fellow Americans who didn't make it to PP in time to get free birth control before they decided to have unprotected sex and are now stuck with an unwanted pregnancy. With your support, we can, with a very simple procedure, suck the new life right out of them for a small fee. This is what we stand for, and we need you to stand with us."
Do these people know that PP is not only about supplying safe sex education through birth control?? That most of their profit comes from abortions costing their clients $350-$950??? If the possibility arose through congress where in some miracle fashion, abortion was illegal.....it doesn't even have to be illegal, but if PP stopped all abortions at their clinics, I would bet, that the bill would be dismissed. PP would be able to stay in business! Supplying the young generation with the knowledge they so greatly need from PP. Now that might be a petition I would be willing to sign. (Not really, but it's the thought that counts) Now, PP is offering safe sex education, birth control to low income women, and basic education of what sex and STD's are. I don't know much about why the government supports certain things, but this sounds like an organization the government would love to give their money to. I mean our money to. That'll never happen. And so, kids, you see what's more important to PP. Not supplying birth control, but rather a confidential place to rid yourself of that unplanned pregnancy because you accidentally forgot about this new invention called birth control!
Gosh, it is so unnerving coming to terms with how many stupid people there are in my generation. And you can't reason with them. All I know is that I was brought up with good ethics and values. And I actually still believe in those values. Going out, partying, getting wasted, letting complete strangers grope your body and pass germs into your mouth, let alone other parts of your body, go to bed someplace you've never been before, let alone a place you don't even remember being the next morning, nursing a headache with a strong cup of coffee while glorifying the past evening's events to a friend who couldn't make it out this time because she couldn't find a babysitter. All the while realizing last night's events was exactly how the friend here has a kid. Better stop at PP on the way home for some free birth control! REALLY?!! No wonder they need PP. "I'm too dumb, I mean busy, to have to think about my own health and protecting my body. I need PP for that!" That's really all I'm hearing.
America is overpopulated because of women's lacsidasical sex lives. The solution is not to have the option of abortion more readily accessible. I mean come on, I don't even have a college education, and I can come up with the logic that the problem doesn't lie in the ability to have an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy, it's the lack of common sense young women have that keep them from working to afford health insurance and birth control.
Women don't need PP around for birth control giveaways, they need knowledge.
Good ol' fashioned awareness!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is a day I LOVE. It's my mom's birthday, so of course that is reason enough in itself! But I also LOVE this day because I have LOVE to give. Which makes me think that people who don't LOVE Valentine's Day don't have LOVE to give. I almost didn't just say that. It sounds a little brutal, especially since I know people who admittedly don't LOVE Valentine's Day, and I like those people. But I also appreciate honesty, and if I'm gonna write a blog I might as well be honest.
Seriously, though. Why does Valentine's Day bother some people so much? People have often said it's ridiculous to have a holiday whose sole purpose is to show someone special how much you LOVE them. Is it just me, or am I ridiculous for thinking that that is just ridiculous?!!! The world, our society in general, has relinquished it's ability to show LOVE on a daily basis, not just to loved ones, but to eachother. Friends, family, coworkers, a person in need, the elderly, children, animals. Personally, I'm one of those who like to show LOVE more than I like to receive LOVE. That's not to say I would be happy without LOVE in my life, but I do feel more satisfied when I show someone LOVE.
The day was deemed a holiday so that people could show LOVE in special ways via cards, flowers and candy to their intimate companions. It seems people are "uncomfortable" with intimate relationships. They are uncomfortable getting too close to one another. Opening yourself up to someone whether it's a friend, a lover, or a family member makes you too vulnerable. And so LOVE is eliminated from relationships.
Uggggghhhh. I could go a lot further on this. And I actually wasn't planning on going in this direction for my post. But I didn't want to stop myself :) Now that I've vented, I'll get back on track to a more positive outlook.
It's a confession, really. I cried. Not on Valentine's Day, but this afternoon. Watching the Valentine's Day special episode of Glee. Are you LOL'ing? it's ok, I expected it. I cried during the performance of PYT. A song that I LOVE. Originally sung by a musician I also LOVE. And dedicated to me by a person I LOVE most of all by setting it as his ringtone when I call him. It's a GREAT song!! You have to admit that, and haven't you ever been brought to tears by a special song you absolutely LOVEd? Just because PYT happened to be on an episode of GLEE is the only reason why it's funny.
So that's my LOVE post. My LOVE took me out for a special dinner, where I received a rose from the hostess, and a special Valentine's Day card the next day. I'm a happy wife.
Seriously, though. Why does Valentine's Day bother some people so much? People have often said it's ridiculous to have a holiday whose sole purpose is to show someone special how much you LOVE them. Is it just me, or am I ridiculous for thinking that that is just ridiculous?!!! The world, our society in general, has relinquished it's ability to show LOVE on a daily basis, not just to loved ones, but to eachother. Friends, family, coworkers, a person in need, the elderly, children, animals. Personally, I'm one of those who like to show LOVE more than I like to receive LOVE. That's not to say I would be happy without LOVE in my life, but I do feel more satisfied when I show someone LOVE.
The day was deemed a holiday so that people could show LOVE in special ways via cards, flowers and candy to their intimate companions. It seems people are "uncomfortable" with intimate relationships. They are uncomfortable getting too close to one another. Opening yourself up to someone whether it's a friend, a lover, or a family member makes you too vulnerable. And so LOVE is eliminated from relationships.
Uggggghhhh. I could go a lot further on this. And I actually wasn't planning on going in this direction for my post. But I didn't want to stop myself :) Now that I've vented, I'll get back on track to a more positive outlook.
It's a confession, really. I cried. Not on Valentine's Day, but this afternoon. Watching the Valentine's Day special episode of Glee. Are you LOL'ing? it's ok, I expected it. I cried during the performance of PYT. A song that I LOVE. Originally sung by a musician I also LOVE. And dedicated to me by a person I LOVE most of all by setting it as his ringtone when I call him. It's a GREAT song!! You have to admit that, and haven't you ever been brought to tears by a special song you absolutely LOVEd? Just because PYT happened to be on an episode of GLEE is the only reason why it's funny.
So that's my LOVE post. My LOVE took me out for a special dinner, where I received a rose from the hostess, and a special Valentine's Day card the next day. I'm a happy wife.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Something I MUST share
It's been awhile since I've posted, I know, and I'm sorry.
I'm still in a "funk". Last week my poor husband had to deal with my moody attitude. Luckily he sticks around, leaves me alone when all I do is grunt and complain, and then snuggles me when I am sad.
Quite frankly, he's the best. And every night I lay in bed thanking my Father for him.
Alright, so now that that's outta the way, I simply must share something I discovered today.
It started out a normal morning. Only, this particular morning I woke up very happy. (not something I do very often :)
3 reasons: It's 8 o'clock, which means, I'm not working! Yaaaaaay!!! It's snowing!! As of now, I'd say we have about 3 inches and growing. It's a baking cookies kinda day.......That's 3 things, right?
I promised my love I would bake cookies yesterday. And then I blamed him for keeping me on the couch all afternoon and nothing getting baked, hahaha. Today he is working, and I'm off. Which to me, means a productive day. I get nothing done when Scott is home, hence no cookies yesterday.
Baking cookies is productive, but it's fun too. So to even things out, I through in laundry to the "to do" list as well. Laundry's done, and the 4th dozen of cookies is in the oven.
Here's where it's time to pay close attention. On Saturday I picked up white chocolate chips and crumbled chocolate toffee bits for my cookies. I promised my neice Abbi I would make her twix bar cookies for successfully memorizing her propositions. WAY TO GO Abbi!!!!!!! Stewartville's only grocery store, Fairway, didn't have Twix. So I opted for Heath Bar instead.
I got as far as beating the butter and sugars together. Time to add the eggs.....only one problem, I hard boiled all the eggs over the weekend!! I paused, staring into the fridge, wondering what the heck I was going to do. And then it dawned on me. I remembered hearing that certain ingredients when baking, could be substituted with something else in your kitchen.
I ran to the computer, and googled egg substitute......over a hundred websites popped up right away. Thank God! I was hoping for something besides applesauce as a substitute, since I knew I didn't have it. Guess what I found for a not so obvious substitute, but a delicious one at that. Bananas. Now that I have!!!
Who would have thought that a small ripe banana, mashed up to a creamy consistency could act as the "glue", the same way eggs do.
Now, I know the taste between the two ingredients are obviously VERY different. Some may worry. But I absolutely LOVE bananas, ESPECIALLY in baked items. Before deciding on the banana as a substitute, I read on about other possible substitutes, in case there was something better and not as far from eggs as bananas. I found a couple tablespoons of soy milk could also stand in for eggs. Perfect!! I always have soy milk.....oh wait scratch that. I've recently converted to almond milk......could it work just the same??
I'm feeling inventive today:) So I gave it a try.
1 banana, plus 2 tablespoons of vanilla flavored almond milk.
Twenty minutes later....12 minutes of baking time.....8 minutes of cooling time.....I can't wait to taste them!
Words cannot describe the incredible taste of these crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside white chocolate chip banana cookies. You get a slight hint of the banana flavor, not missing the "egg flavor" (??) at all. What a great way to eliminate the extra cholesterol if you need to. Not that I DO, but I love the moistness the bananas give to the cookies.
Well, another successful batch of baked goodies for my hubby to enjoy. Your welcome Babe. It's all for Love.
I'm still in a "funk". Last week my poor husband had to deal with my moody attitude. Luckily he sticks around, leaves me alone when all I do is grunt and complain, and then snuggles me when I am sad.
Quite frankly, he's the best. And every night I lay in bed thanking my Father for him.
Alright, so now that that's outta the way, I simply must share something I discovered today.
It started out a normal morning. Only, this particular morning I woke up very happy. (not something I do very often :)
3 reasons: It's 8 o'clock, which means, I'm not working! Yaaaaaay!!! It's snowing!! As of now, I'd say we have about 3 inches and growing. It's a baking cookies kinda day.......That's 3 things, right?
I promised my love I would bake cookies yesterday. And then I blamed him for keeping me on the couch all afternoon and nothing getting baked, hahaha. Today he is working, and I'm off. Which to me, means a productive day. I get nothing done when Scott is home, hence no cookies yesterday.
Baking cookies is productive, but it's fun too. So to even things out, I through in laundry to the "to do" list as well. Laundry's done, and the 4th dozen of cookies is in the oven.
Here's where it's time to pay close attention. On Saturday I picked up white chocolate chips and crumbled chocolate toffee bits for my cookies. I promised my neice Abbi I would make her twix bar cookies for successfully memorizing her propositions. WAY TO GO Abbi!!!!!!! Stewartville's only grocery store, Fairway, didn't have Twix. So I opted for Heath Bar instead.
I got as far as beating the butter and sugars together. Time to add the eggs.....only one problem, I hard boiled all the eggs over the weekend!! I paused, staring into the fridge, wondering what the heck I was going to do. And then it dawned on me. I remembered hearing that certain ingredients when baking, could be substituted with something else in your kitchen.
I ran to the computer, and googled egg substitute......over a hundred websites popped up right away. Thank God! I was hoping for something besides applesauce as a substitute, since I knew I didn't have it. Guess what I found for a not so obvious substitute, but a delicious one at that. Bananas. Now that I have!!!
Who would have thought that a small ripe banana, mashed up to a creamy consistency could act as the "glue", the same way eggs do.
Now, I know the taste between the two ingredients are obviously VERY different. Some may worry. But I absolutely LOVE bananas, ESPECIALLY in baked items. Before deciding on the banana as a substitute, I read on about other possible substitutes, in case there was something better and not as far from eggs as bananas. I found a couple tablespoons of soy milk could also stand in for eggs. Perfect!! I always have soy milk.....oh wait scratch that. I've recently converted to almond milk......could it work just the same??
I'm feeling inventive today:) So I gave it a try.
1 banana, plus 2 tablespoons of vanilla flavored almond milk.
Twenty minutes later....12 minutes of baking time.....8 minutes of cooling time.....I can't wait to taste them!
Words cannot describe the incredible taste of these crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside white chocolate chip banana cookies. You get a slight hint of the banana flavor, not missing the "egg flavor" (??) at all. What a great way to eliminate the extra cholesterol if you need to. Not that I DO, but I love the moistness the bananas give to the cookies.
Well, another successful batch of baked goodies for my hubby to enjoy. Your welcome Babe. It's all for Love.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Crafts and Projects Galore!!
Living in a home versus an apartment is a dream! I know we're still paying rent, but Mary has made every point to make us feel like this is OUR home, not just a rental.
I'm in heaven decorating, remodeling, organizing, cleaning, picking up Scott's clothes all over the house....Okay maybe I'm not ecstatic about the last too. But atleast it means we're living in a house that we care enough about to keep it looking nice, right!!
One of my favorite networks on TV is HGTV. I started off a fan of all the home makeover shows. Design on a Dime, Bang for your buck, Dear Genevieve, and one of my favs Deserving Design. It was a far off dream when I imagined being able to do all my favorite DIY projects in my OWN home.
Now it's reality! I live in this awesome 50's era charming little country house with A LOT of room for improvement. We've started on the cheap and easy fixes by painting and decorating. A light shade of green, a collage of pictures on the wall, and strategically placed knick knacks have really helped define our cozy little cottage.
One of my favorite things are two very special framed silhouettes of Scott and I. Made especially for us by my best friend, Jill. Framed in 2 black, 8x10, distressed, antique"y" looking frames and hanging perfectly on either side of our living room window. Sooooo cute!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE anything and everything vintage! Aside from the inspirational DIY shows for antiquing and distressing your furniture, one of my other fav shows on HGTV is Property Virgins or My First Place. I love the couples, who are newly married, excited about their new life, proud to buy their first home together,and looking for a smaller scale, cottage-style, fixer-upper with huge potential. I'm living in one of those homes now!! Our home is a true "antique". Built in the 50's, it still has the original wood flooring (covered up with carpet of course, a future DIY project), a blue bathtub and matching toilet, a cedar closet for winter cloaks, and beautiful glittered popcorn ceiling in every room! (j/k about the "beautiful" part). I like to refer to all these unique findings as "charm". Yes, I've nominated my lovely husband to ceiling scraping and I've mentioned to Mary how great the floors would look without carpet, but it's still character.
Mary is very open to hearing our ideas on home improvements. Sometimes, she even offers to front the bill for our improvements. Scott has yet to experience his first DIY kitchen remodel :) Resurfacing our countertops with new laminate. Good Luck Babe!! (if you've done this facelift before, a little feedback would be appreciated). I've given myself the job of sanding and painting the kitchen cupboards...to be continue'd.
Remember the matching blue tub and toilet I mentioned earlier? I'd like to replace that tub with an antique white procelain tub with the "claw feet" and matching white toilet.
I can dream can't I?
Just getting you ready for some before and after pics to come :)
I'm in heaven decorating, remodeling, organizing, cleaning, picking up Scott's clothes all over the house....Okay maybe I'm not ecstatic about the last too. But atleast it means we're living in a house that we care enough about to keep it looking nice, right!!
One of my favorite networks on TV is HGTV. I started off a fan of all the home makeover shows. Design on a Dime, Bang for your buck, Dear Genevieve, and one of my favs Deserving Design. It was a far off dream when I imagined being able to do all my favorite DIY projects in my OWN home.
Now it's reality! I live in this awesome 50's era charming little country house with A LOT of room for improvement. We've started on the cheap and easy fixes by painting and decorating. A light shade of green, a collage of pictures on the wall, and strategically placed knick knacks have really helped define our cozy little cottage.
One of my favorite things are two very special framed silhouettes of Scott and I. Made especially for us by my best friend, Jill. Framed in 2 black, 8x10, distressed, antique"y" looking frames and hanging perfectly on either side of our living room window. Sooooo cute!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE anything and everything vintage! Aside from the inspirational DIY shows for antiquing and distressing your furniture, one of my other fav shows on HGTV is Property Virgins or My First Place. I love the couples, who are newly married, excited about their new life, proud to buy their first home together,and looking for a smaller scale, cottage-style, fixer-upper with huge potential. I'm living in one of those homes now!! Our home is a true "antique". Built in the 50's, it still has the original wood flooring (covered up with carpet of course, a future DIY project), a blue bathtub and matching toilet, a cedar closet for winter cloaks, and beautiful glittered popcorn ceiling in every room! (j/k about the "beautiful" part). I like to refer to all these unique findings as "charm". Yes, I've nominated my lovely husband to ceiling scraping and I've mentioned to Mary how great the floors would look without carpet, but it's still character.
Mary is very open to hearing our ideas on home improvements. Sometimes, she even offers to front the bill for our improvements. Scott has yet to experience his first DIY kitchen remodel :) Resurfacing our countertops with new laminate. Good Luck Babe!! (if you've done this facelift before, a little feedback would be appreciated). I've given myself the job of sanding and painting the kitchen cupboards...to be continue'd.
Remember the matching blue tub and toilet I mentioned earlier? I'd like to replace that tub with an antique white procelain tub with the "claw feet" and matching white toilet.
I can dream can't I?
Just getting you ready for some before and after pics to come :)
What's worse?
I asked some Minnesota natives the other day, "what's worse, cold weather or bugs?".
Considering, those are probably the two most talked about complaints over living in Minnesota.
Patty says bugs. Dave says cold weather. Two very legitimate answers.
Let's break this down further:
On one hand, you've got bugs. They are annoying in so many ways. They buzz around, sometimes near your face which is very annoying. They get into places where they are not wanted, like the kitchen, or the bedroom. They are capable of poisoning your food. They are very ugly. When they die in your house, you have to clean up their upsidedown corpses. Overall, (in my opinion) they are just gross.
On the other hand, I cannot recall any time that someone has ever told me they "like" cold weather.
They can tolerate it. But........... you can also tolerate bugs...atleast in the midwest you can. It's not like there are deadly bugs flying around stinging and killing people in Minnesota. Therefore, they are tolerable.
Alright, so what are some negatives about cold weather.....
It doesn't feel good. It's uncomfortable being cold. But if your prepared for it, it's not that bad.
It's costly. If it's cold enough, you're gonna be using a heater or some extra clothing to warm up, no question about that. Cold weather can lead to bad weather conditions, dangerous driving conditions, therefore, a negative quality.
So all in all, two very comparable things to dislike.
In my case, I deal with both. At the same time.
Scott and I are definitely getting a big slice of reality on the prarie homefront. Complete with excessive snow fall for December, temperatures in the negatives, and bugs coming out of the woodworks.
This is no old wives tale. We've learned from Mary that one or two empty food jars placed conveniently near a couple windows can become quite useful.
When a bug is trapped inside for days without food, it becomes weary and confused. Flying desperately into the window to try and escape death. Unfortunately for the bug, we keep our windows closed tightly in the winter to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. So no escaping until Spring. So their fate becomes death, belly up on our window sills and floors. It's really gross. Flies and (ladybug look-alike) asiatic beetles by the hundreds all over our house! I vacuumed up about 40 this morning. And guess what...it's 10 hours later, and I could probably pick up another 30 or so.
A true farm house, right?! Come springtime, I guess I'll find out for myself what's worse, dead bugs all over your house, or live bugs flyin' around your house?
Personally, I think dead bugs are worse than cold weather.
It's much more beautiful outside than it is cold!
Too beautiful to complain.
Plus....crisp, clean, cold air feels great! It makes me feel alive! It definitely wakes me up in the morning....with a little help from coffee of course.
All in all, I want the bugs gone!!! Don't you think a little deadly bug spray around the house would do the trick??? I thought I hinted at it to Mary, she didn't pick it up. She seems surprisingly content with the jar method.
Considering, those are probably the two most talked about complaints over living in Minnesota.
Patty says bugs. Dave says cold weather. Two very legitimate answers.
Let's break this down further:
On one hand, you've got bugs. They are annoying in so many ways. They buzz around, sometimes near your face which is very annoying. They get into places where they are not wanted, like the kitchen, or the bedroom. They are capable of poisoning your food. They are very ugly. When they die in your house, you have to clean up their upsidedown corpses. Overall, (in my opinion) they are just gross.
On the other hand, I cannot recall any time that someone has ever told me they "like" cold weather.
They can tolerate it. But........... you can also tolerate bugs...atleast in the midwest you can. It's not like there are deadly bugs flying around stinging and killing people in Minnesota. Therefore, they are tolerable.
Alright, so what are some negatives about cold weather.....
It doesn't feel good. It's uncomfortable being cold. But if your prepared for it, it's not that bad.
It's costly. If it's cold enough, you're gonna be using a heater or some extra clothing to warm up, no question about that. Cold weather can lead to bad weather conditions, dangerous driving conditions, therefore, a negative quality.
So all in all, two very comparable things to dislike.
In my case, I deal with both. At the same time.
Scott and I are definitely getting a big slice of reality on the prarie homefront. Complete with excessive snow fall for December, temperatures in the negatives, and bugs coming out of the woodworks.
This is no old wives tale. We've learned from Mary that one or two empty food jars placed conveniently near a couple windows can become quite useful.
When a bug is trapped inside for days without food, it becomes weary and confused. Flying desperately into the window to try and escape death. Unfortunately for the bug, we keep our windows closed tightly in the winter to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. So no escaping until Spring. So their fate becomes death, belly up on our window sills and floors. It's really gross. Flies and (ladybug look-alike) asiatic beetles by the hundreds all over our house! I vacuumed up about 40 this morning. And guess what...it's 10 hours later, and I could probably pick up another 30 or so.
A true farm house, right?! Come springtime, I guess I'll find out for myself what's worse, dead bugs all over your house, or live bugs flyin' around your house?
Personally, I think dead bugs are worse than cold weather.
It's much more beautiful outside than it is cold!
Too beautiful to complain.
Plus....crisp, clean, cold air feels great! It makes me feel alive! It definitely wakes me up in the morning....with a little help from coffee of course.
All in all, I want the bugs gone!!! Don't you think a little deadly bug spray around the house would do the trick??? I thought I hinted at it to Mary, she didn't pick it up. She seems surprisingly content with the jar method.
 |
| Cold weather? or... |
 |
| Bugs? |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
