Humidity,Buckles, Magazines

Just one minute ago I escaped the 85 degree living room to the beautifully chilly bedroom! It felt as if I was being hit by a blast of Arctic air. The relief! 

It looks like it is back to sweating weather! I've always had a aversion to humidity. Even as a baby I would sweat more than most would think humanly possible for something so small. Alas,it is true. The past five or six days have been outstanding, weather wise. Sunny and in the mid to upper 70s. Back to sweating.I am jealous of those woman who can manage to look effortlessly beautiful and put together in the summer. How is this possible when the weather can be described as feeling like a "wet wool blanket"? Dreaming of sweaters,apple cider,and raking leaves!

The blueberries this time of the year are beautiful and yummy! I made a super simple and totally delicious blueberry buckle this afternoon. A buckle is kinda like a crisp and a cake rolled into one! Yummers!It was good plain,but next time I will serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

 

In the battle between myself and my junk belongings,I scored a small victory. I purged 40 magazines from my collection today. I am personally doing my part to support the magazine industry. Love magazines. I started with Seventeen and YM magazine and now happily page through Good Housekeeping and Country Living. Those buggers seem to multiply  pile up at an alarming rate.It felt good to get that stack of magazines down to 20 or so articles/recipes that I will store in binders for later. Speaking of those binders,I need to go through those too. Humph! Will this battle over junk ever be won?

This week has been such hell. I don't wish to go into details, but I don't ever want another week like it again! Enough about that!

Tomorrow we have church. In the afternoon I plan to make some cookies for my work bakesale! Made some cutesy tags to decorate the bags with! Yay! Will share those later!

Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!

Blank Walls

This is the blank wall that greets me every time I walk into the kitchen. It's so white! It's so blank! Does anyone have some fun ideas for what to put on this wall?

Menu Planning and What I'm Reading

Menu Planning

Fed up with eating out far to often, I have decided to actually plan meals. To many of you this may not be the most earth shattering idea. For our family it has really made a big difference. We are consuming much healthier foods.We are wasting less time thinking about what to have for dinner every night. Not to mention the less last minute trips to the grocery store eating up time.  

Each evening has a different theme.

Monday: Breakfast for Dinner

Tuesday: Crock Pot Dinners

Wednesday:Pasta or Casseroles

Thursday: World Food Night

Friday:Sandwich night!

The food is simple.With our busy work schedules it feels so nice to have a plan!

What I'm Reading!

I've recently been reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. It is just what I need to be reading this time of year. The gloomies tend to creep in this time of year.Just by reading this book and thinking of the concept of being happy is making me happier. Speaking it into being? Maybe!

The author strives to make her life happier. Is that even possible? Without moving to a private island or other such radical life changes she wants to make her everyday life happy. She sets monthly goals such as  "Being Serious About Play" and "Pursue a Passion" to give her project a nice framework. 

The author came to the realization that she was in danger of "wasting her life away." I can relate to this. We can let the blah and drudgery of everyday get to you. Life can seem dull when all you do is just "exist" in a haze and not take the time to notice all the truly wonderful things going on. Being mindful and deliberate in the way you choose to act and feel. 

This book has been a real joy to read. The author writes in a manner that is easy to connect to. She is transparent and shares her challenges as well as her successes. I have been inspired to step out of my own "hum drum" life and try something new. 

So I am going to strive to try/make something new every week. A new recipe! A new craft project! Meeting someone new! I plan to document in this blog what new things that I am trying!

Off to bed!

Emily

Snow and Kitchen Scissors

 

 This is what I woke up to outside my window. A lovely blanket of beautiful snow covering the ground and trees. I love snow!

Cleaning and organizing the kitchen took up most of the afternoon and early evening. There is something about having an organized house that can make you feel so much better. The only problem with that is actually keeping it clean. During the week things get so busy. By the time I get home at 7:15pm I'm usually pretty worn out from the day and the driving. The last thing I want to do is clean the house.Keeping organized is something that I struggle with. It's something that I've always struggled with. I remember my Mom throwing some of my stuff out on the front lawn because I forgot to put it away. I think she may have thought that would get me to pick up my stuff, but it didn't. I never really learned how to clean. My mother was so good at cleaning. I never took any interest in learning how to do it because she was just so good at it. I think cleaning and organizing was a hobby for her. Crazy!

Now that I've been married for 2 1/2 years and the ugly head of disorganization has shown up. I think if I could learn HOW to be organized I could be less stressed. I would be more productive in my work and creative endeavors. Where to start?

I've heard to start at one corner of a room and work around. I've heard to walk around with a basket and collect 35 things that are out of place and put them in the basket. Then put them away. Then you start again with another 35 things. Then there is the "Keep, Give away, and throw away" method. I have so many organizational books. I think part of my clutter problem has to do with the books that I buy or get from the library to help me deal with clutter is actually creating clutter. Ha! Ha!

While cleaning out the cart where we keep our tin foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper. I found 5 boxes of plastic wrap. Who needs that many boxes of plastic wrap? What can I do with that? I also found 3 boxes of wax paper. Now the cart looks so much better. Anybody want any plastic wrap?

 

Ode to My Kitchen Scissors!

 

Lovely red handles that match my kitchen colors

Cool steel blades

You are sometimes difficult to find

Cutting through those annoying plastic packaging with ease

You cut through cable ties like butter

I love how you make creating a bouquet of flowers a joy

Making a meal without you would be impossible

Thank you Kitchen Aid

Thank you Red Kitchen Scissors 

I think that we should get another pair.

Oh the joy of two pairs of Red Kitchen Scissors!