Living for the Weekend-Warm Ideas

>> Saturday, January 29, 2011

More snow overnight, beautiful but COLD.


A posted survey of warm ideas, would be interesting.  Here are mine.

1.The Tundra Lodge has a indoor water park. A weekend getaway there would be a cheap little vacation. Poolside is as warm as a sauna.
2. Running the track at the YMCA. You can't remember arriving cold, once you start running.
3. Cuddl Duds
4. Socks (now that's rocket science), my favorite Christmas pair from Victoria's Secret
5. Hot tea, my favorite is Stash , especially licorice spice and peppermint.

 

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Water, Beer and Brats

>> Sunday, January 23, 2011




Received  this water bottle for a gift.
Trying to drink more water and less soda and caffeine.
I see it on everyone's birthday list this year  :)


I might be the only one drinking water on this beer and brats day. Go Pack!

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Mail Order Seed Catalogs

>> Thursday, January 20, 2011


This evening was spent looking over the catalogs to put together an order for seeds. The kickoff to my 2011 planting season.

This year's garden will be expanded.
I do have to decide this year if I (A) clear a new garden space and plant it or (B)just groom the new space for 2012 planting.

If Plan B is chosen, then:
I will grow tomatoes and peppers in new earth boxes on the patio,
in the cold frame will be lettuces, spinach, argula and sorrel (will have to build another cold frame)
the cucumbers grow on the ladder
the zucchini grow out by the living willow fence

I am adding
- yellow wonder wild strawberries this year, they don't have runners and the birds will not know that they are there.
- flat leaf parsely
They both will make nice border plants for a flower bed.

The most fun item ordered is the "Simply Salad Alfresco" from Stokes.

This is truly salad in a pot. It is a seed pellet with three different seedlings in it. You can cut it down to 2 inches every three weeks and it will regrow. Stagger the planting in each pot and there will always be salads.

The seeds for this growing season are being purchased from:
Johnny's Selected Seeds - Winslow, Maine
Territorial Seed Company - Cottage Grove, Oregon
Stoke's Seeds - Buffalo, New York
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company - Mansfield, Missouri
Totally Tomatoes - Randolf, Wisconsin

The seeds being ordered are:
Cucumber : Summerdance (Totally Tomatoes)
Garlic: Will receive plants in the Fall for next year
Lettuce: Dancine, Density (Johnny's) this seed is pelleted so you will waste less and have to do less thinning out of the small plants
Peppers: Planet (Territorial Seeds) grilling peppers; Carmen(Totally Tomatoes) salad peppers
Spinach: Emu (Johnny's Seeds);
Tomatoes: Sugary, Early Girl, Taxi (Totally Tomatoes) I am buying determinants, meaning they grow, yield fruit, stop growing, makes nice patio plants
Zucchini: Cavalli (Territoral) I picked these for the color and it has an upright, bush habit and bears loads of fruit.
Basil: Pelleted (Johhny's)
Parsley: Laura (Stokes) will plant as a border along a planter bed
Argula: Sylvetta (Johnny's)
Strawberries: Yellow wonder (Baker Creek) can grow as a border for a bed, no runners, birds will leave them alone
French Sorrel: (Territorial) good for quiche and salads
Zinnias: Whiligig (Stokes) will scatter under the Norwegian Pines.

This is the year of the Zinnia, so everyone should be planting them.

If you get a chance go here and look at this catalog., the pictures are artwork.

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Serving it Up

>> Monday, January 17, 2011

Came home tonight and this pasta bowl was begging for some delicious pasta.

I made whole wheat spaghetti with rosemary meatballs.

16 oz ground beef
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot cut in lengthwise strips (I cut up a bunch of baby carrots lengthwise)
12 oz whole wheat dried spaghetti
SAUCE:
5 medium tomatoes
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tbsp dried basil

Heat the oil in the pan, add onion and carrots. Cook over low heat for about 5 min.
While that is cooking, combine the ground beef, garlic salt, egg and rosemary. Shape into small meatballs.

Cook the spaghetti in a medium pan of salted, boiling water.

Remove the onions & carrots from the pan and set aside in bowl.
Place meatballs in skillet and cook until they are lightly browned all over. Remove from pan and place in bowl with onions and carrots.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, sprinkle with garlic salt and basil. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
Return the onions, carrots and meatballs to the pan with the cooked down tomatoes. Mix well and thoroughly heat for 2 minutes.

Serve the meatballs and chunky tomato sauce atop individual pasta servings. Serves 6


 


Erik and I decided after supper to head over to the YMCA to work off that pasta.
As I was walking out the front door I looked up, and quickly stepped aside. Just imagine snow down your neck, BRRRRRR!

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Living for the Weekend-1/15

>> Saturday, January 15, 2011

Enjoying the vacation memories.  Gpa Don, if you were here I'd make them for you since it's birthday weekend.
 Even the syrup was happy about it.



Lots to do this weekend:

Picking out carpet & furniture/tv  for the finished family room

Planning the armoire desk project like this for Don's business

Grout sealed and now putting the items up in the  laundry room

Going to Barnes/Noble for books & coffee with Cammie











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Too Deep

>> Wednesday, January 12, 2011


Don told me tonight that my last posting about "making do" was a little too deep for most. Work is too intense for all of us to come home and think that hard. Sorry. Fell off the wagon, but I am back on now.
And, oh so, blog ready,

BECAUSE

Don gave me an IPAD and and the kids gave me a keyboard dock for Christmas.

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Making Do

>> Monday, January 10, 2011

"Making do" is an interesting topic.
There are really two sides.
One view is unfavorable:
1. When it really means, it's never been fixed, and we don't know why.
2. Making do", because you don't clearly see the necessity.
(an electric keyboard instead of a piano for your children who are taking piano lessons.)
3. When it means that you're "settling" as discussed in Rachel Ashwell's blog



The favorable view is:
1. It's a preference instead of a need
2. In it's absence, something much more creative occurs.

My mother in law, Chris, provided clarity when she witnessed the top rack of my dishwasher fall, because I hadn't fixed or replaced it. My rationale was that I was raised frugally (making do). Her reply was, "you haven't lived in your parents house for 30 years".
AHA! The rack is replaced.

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Laundry Duty

Christmas decorations are put away.
From now through April 1 it is the time to repair and organize throughout the house.
This week, the to do is the laundry room.  It's a cluttered mess. Suntan lotion, ribbons & bows (that will be my next to do), all kinds of cleaning supplies around the laundry sink, some office supplies, etc.
All of it is now sitting on the dining room table and will not go back.



















Here is my new plan.


Additions: an overdoor folding drying rack, bedbathandbeyond.com.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A rug 
Laminated stain chart & magnets
Stainless steel suction clock-containerstore.com

Magnetic container (IKEA) to act collect everything that comes out of pockets, (loose change, popped buttons, so they get sewed back on-you're welcome, Justin).

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Kitchen Duty

>> Saturday, January 8, 2011

Cleaning puppy slobber off the window this morning. Thank you, Rocky. You're a bull in a china shop. Just for the record, if you chew on my Peter Hoe tablecloth, like your predecessor, Sterling, you will need to find another happy home. 



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Orlando to Nashville

>> Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Our holiday is winding down. Traveling Home.
Successfully wore ourselves out, I think.


We stopped at a hotel in Nashville at 8:30 p.m. No one was interested in finding a pool/jacuzzi.

Alot of discussion about our New Year's resolutions. We all agreed eating healthier and exercising needed to be on our list.

Power Foods from the editors of Whole Living Magazine, will be my next purchase at Barnes &Noble. (pictured on my READING bar, down and to the right).

At one of our stops in Tennessee, I bought this. Raw nutty taste combined with the cinnamon.
Not for you, if you crave Chicharrones.

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All day at Disney

>> Tuesday, January 4, 2011

On holiday and today, a daytrip to Disney.  We look ready, don't we?




Mary Ann's favorite: The Haunted Mansion



 

Cammie's Favorite: Small World
The rest of them are trying to fake their excitement, just for Cammie.



Justin & Erik's favorite: Space Mountain



We ate lunch and let the little ones play.



Then to Don and Lauren's Favorite: Thunder Mountain



 Light parade at 7:00 p.m. and then while everyone else starts taking their "kiddies" home, we run/ride the park all over again.


We finished what we set out to do today:


Eat funnel cakes
All day run
Have fun in the sun

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Packers just won, Justin is going to Disney World

>> Sunday, January 2, 2011


We left Key West today.



You should have seen the sense of wonder and excitement on everyone's face when they discovered the Garmin's next "where to" displayed Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

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Resolution: Make Memories

>> Saturday, January 1, 2011


New Years Day found us out on a morning run again.




and the rest of the day was spent on a catamaran... (Justin & Cam are all smiles)







snorkeling and at the end of the day, enjoying the sunset.



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