We've been on Spring Break this week. John took the week off to hang with all of us and it's been a really nice week--a good mix of rest, fun, and productivity!
Here's some of what we've been doing this week...
Celebrating TWO birthdays. John and Abbey both had a birthday last week and we kicked off our spring break with a birthday dinner for them.
Bought a new oven. We were down to 2.5 working burners on our old one.
Christened the new oven with Easter dinner cooking and birthday cake!
WAY too much eating out.
A shopping trip to Denver. Everyone needed shorts and tees and sneakers and one girl in particular had some birthday money burning a hole in her pocket.
Movies. We saw The Croods last weekend--I thought it was cute. We've stayed up late watching a few others. My "7" group has been fasting from media for this two-week period. I gave up Facebook and Pinterest but couldn't give up movies or television. Just couldn't do it.
Fro-yo! A new place opened in town and we really like it. I will not tell you how many times we've been there in the past two weeks but it's pretty obscene.
Sleepovers--I think each of our kids has had one this week. And surprisingly they weren't too crabby the next day.
Science fair project. Abbey and friends got their project mostly completed.
Playing football with friends. That was Will, not me, but I love when my kids love things I love. Surely I don't need to remind you I'm a football fanatic.
Painting projects--we only got one-third of them completed, but I'm good with that. We just simply ran out of time.
Work. John and I both had some to knock out, but we paced ourselves. And I'll admit my pace was pretty slow.
Hiking. I did the Incline with two friends. Two weeks in a row--yay! I've been trying to get back in my once a week groove.
Survived another spring snowstorm. Yeah, our spring break started off SNOWY and freezing cold with temps BELOW zero, but thankfully it's warmed up nicely.
Dying eggs. We skipped this last year and honestly, no one was super excited about it doing it yesterday. I think we might be ready to let that tradition die.
Sleeping in! I think I've gotten up to walk ONCE this week. That's not normal for me, and I'm pretty sure my early wake up time on Monday is going to be brutal.
Went for my annual mammogram. Hopefully they won't call me back again this year for additional views. That would be a first though...so we shall see.
We're having Abbey's birthday party this afternoon--a swim party! She's excited and I need to go finish up her cake.
Happy Easter everyone!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
SMP 3.19.13
I'm sure I've mentioned this before but I'm a bit of a grammar geek. This afternoon I had a proud mom moment. I was driving my youngest child home from school and as usual she was chatting away about her day. She began telling me about her lunch antics and said: "So mom, today me and my friends...wait...(brief pause)...my friends and I were..." Ya'll! The girl stopped and corrected her own grammar. Like I said, proud geeky-grammar-mom moment.
I just put this artichoke chicken in the oven for dinner. I found it on Pinterest and I hope it will taste as delicious as it looks and smells. I'll let you know. In the interest of full disclosure, I told my kids what I was making and they all rolled their eyes, which means I'll probably open a box of macaroni and cheese for them ensuring lunch leftovers for the grown-ups tomorrow. I also threw all of the ingredients for dinner into a disposable foil roasting pan because hey, baking dishes don't wash themselves and scrubbing baking pans is not a job I enjoy at the end of a long day. Just keeping things real.
Recipe verdict: We liked it. I'll make it again. My kids wouldn't touch the artichoke, onion, mushroom mixture but they ended up eating some of the chicken. :)
Speaking of jobs I don't enjoy...
On one of our recent snow days, I called an emergency meeting in the kids' bathroom and gave them all a thorough lesson on how to clean their bathroom to my standard. After their lesson, I made them go practice what they'd learned in my bathroom. Brilliant, eh? I'm happy to report that I am no longer responsible for cleaning theirdisgusting bathroom. My hope is that they'll dislike bathroom duty so much that they'll be better about keeping it clean. Right now that's still a dream, but I'm thankful that I get to cross that one dreaded chore off of my to-do list.
I made a major eBay blunder last week. I can't wait for the item I bought to arrive so I can post a picture and you can all laugh with (and possibly AT) me. It was a stupid mistake, but thankfully not too costly. I'm totally leaving y'all hanging on that one. Stay tuned...
I just put this artichoke chicken in the oven for dinner. I found it on Pinterest and I hope it will taste as delicious as it looks and smells. I'll let you know. In the interest of full disclosure, I told my kids what I was making and they all rolled their eyes, which means I'll probably open a box of macaroni and cheese for them ensuring lunch leftovers for the grown-ups tomorrow. I also threw all of the ingredients for dinner into a disposable foil roasting pan because hey, baking dishes don't wash themselves and scrubbing baking pans is not a job I enjoy at the end of a long day. Just keeping things real.
Recipe verdict: We liked it. I'll make it again. My kids wouldn't touch the artichoke, onion, mushroom mixture but they ended up eating some of the chicken. :)
Speaking of jobs I don't enjoy...
On one of our recent snow days, I called an emergency meeting in the kids' bathroom and gave them all a thorough lesson on how to clean their bathroom to my standard. After their lesson, I made them go practice what they'd learned in my bathroom. Brilliant, eh? I'm happy to report that I am no longer responsible for cleaning their
I made a major eBay blunder last week. I can't wait for the item I bought to arrive so I can post a picture and you can all laugh with (and possibly AT) me. It was a stupid mistake, but thankfully not too costly. I'm totally leaving y'all hanging on that one. Stay tuned...
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday randomness
I don't always like Mondays, but I've decided I like this particular one. Mainly because I'm getting away by myself to do something I love. I betcha I'll like next Monday too because next week is spring break! I cannot wait.
The weather we've had lately has certainly made it feel spring-like around here. Just last Monday we had mounds and mounds of snow on the ground from another spring blizzard and I was certain I was going to be looking at dirty snow for a long, long time. Wrong! Thanks to some beautiful, sunny days, it's completely melted save one small patch in our backyard! I'm usually over snow by now but you will not hear one single word of complaint out of my mouth this spring because we need every drop of moisture we can get in order to decrease the fire danger this summer.
John and I did a little summer vacation planning/dreaming yesterday afternoon. Looks like the winning destination will be CALIFORNIA! I've been lobbying hard for sunny CA for months while the rest of my family has been indifferent or indecisive. But I think John is finally on board and plans can begin to take shape. Sun, sand and surf? I'm in!
Remember how I told you a few posts back that Saturday morning was social hour at the grocery store? I was wrong. It's Sunday afternoon at 4:30pm. John and I made a quick trip to grab a few things we needed for dinner and ran into SO many people. It's fun to live in a small town.
So, did I mention that next week is our spring break? We're not traveling anywhere, at least not anywhere far. We're going to try to ski for a day, do some shopping in Denver, and we're having Abbey's birthday party next week too. Other than that, I'm hoping it's a low-key week to catch our breath at bit before the final push to May. Is it just me or has this school year flown by?
Alrighty. Must get off of the computer and get this day started!!!
Happy Monday everyone!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
SMP 3.14.13
SMP = Seven Minute Post
In case you haven't realized this, there is a direct correlation between my lack of posting on this blog and and the pace of my life. Needless to say I've had a lot on my plate lately. I found myself with a couple of unexpected days at home this week and now I am finally feel like I'm on top of things again. And that is one of my favorite feelings in the world! Yay!
Will tested positive for the flu on Tuesday. YUCK! He came home early from lacrosse Monday evening with fever, chills, body aches and a sore throat and I just knew that's what it was. A mother's intuition is rarely wrong. He's missed three days of school this week...and two days of TCAP testing...and he'll likely be home again tomorrow. Not fun, but definitely necessary. Poor guy.
I really really really want to share some stuff about the Life and Justice conference I went to last week at New Life Church. It was soooooooo good. But it will take more than seven minutes and I'm actually still processing a lot of it. It's been cool to see God align my heart and mind with a desire to ACT...and hopefully make a difference in some areas that I feel called to involve myself in.
I am so glad it's almost the weekend, aren't you?
In case you haven't realized this, there is a direct correlation between my lack of posting on this blog and and the pace of my life. Needless to say I've had a lot on my plate lately. I found myself with a couple of unexpected days at home this week and now I am finally feel like I'm on top of things again. And that is one of my favorite feelings in the world! Yay!
Will tested positive for the flu on Tuesday. YUCK! He came home early from lacrosse Monday evening with fever, chills, body aches and a sore throat and I just knew that's what it was. A mother's intuition is rarely wrong. He's missed three days of school this week...and two days of TCAP testing...and he'll likely be home again tomorrow. Not fun, but definitely necessary. Poor guy.
I really really really want to share some stuff about the Life and Justice conference I went to last week at New Life Church. It was soooooooo good. But it will take more than seven minutes and I'm actually still processing a lot of it. It's been cool to see God align my heart and mind with a desire to ACT...and hopefully make a difference in some areas that I feel called to involve myself in.
I am so glad it's almost the weekend, aren't you?
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
March currents
Current Book: Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. I've had this book beside my bed for a long time but am just now getting around to reading it and it is SO good.
Current Playlist: Sovereign by Chris Tomlin has been on repeat for almost a week. I do that with songs I love. I just play them over and over and over and over ad nauseum. Honestly, I never tire of Chris Tomlin. Never. Ever.
Current Color: It seems like black has been front and center in my wardrobe lately but I am ready for spring colors!!!
Current Drink: Peach tea, blueberry tea, water. I'm so boring.
Current Food: The food chapter in "7" really did a number on me and I've found myself re-evaluating many of my food choices and buying patterns of late. I hope to share more about this soon.
Current Favorite Favorite: I have two. A new pair of earrings from Francesca's (I love this store and was so happy to realize that our Francesca's finally opened!) And Hail Merry Meyer Lemon Tarts (I buy them at my health food store--soooooooo delicious!)
Current Wish List: Nothing comes to mind at the moment (that's good, right?) so how about I list some things I'm currently praying for? A friend who needs a miracle in her marriage. Another friend who is wading through some difficult and painful life circumstances. And for wisdom and clarity about some decisions I need to make.
Current Needs: You know, I really don't need anything right now. Except maybe a few more hours in my day. Or a maid.
Current Triumph: Realizing what I'm called to do and just doing it. In the past I've tended to over think things or obsess that what I'm called to do isn't important enough or big enough to make a difference. The truth I'm realizing is that even small things matter greatly and obedience to your calling is huge. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Doesn't even really sound like a triumph. But trust me, it is for this girl!
Current Annoyance: Ummmmm, my list is a bit on the lengthy side right now and my gut tells me I should probably refrain from sharing it.
Current Indulgence: I was talking to a friend last week about all the trash there is on television. After talking to her I realized that I was such a hypocrite because I'm sorta kinda hooked on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. That show is a train wreck, y'all. It's definitely an indulgence. And not a healthy one. But I own my addiciton. :)
Current Mood: Pretty chill right now.
Current Blessing: Our district called a two-hour delay this morning because of road conditions. It's a blessing because I have three children who did not get enough rest over the weekend and this allows them to sleep late and catch up a bit.
Current oufit: Oh, that's easy. I have so few to choose from these days. I'm almost finished with my clothes fast that's part of my "7" study. I chose 7 things to wear for two weeks: one pair of jeans, one pair of black shoes, long sleeved black t-shirt, long sleeved gray t-shirt, black/gray vest, red down vest, and a purple zip-up sweater. Truth be told, I'm tired of wearing the same thing over and over but it hasn't been nearly as hard as my food fast. And again, God seems to be using this study to create space in my heart and mind for things that are much more important than what's hanging in my closet.
Current Excitement: I'm going to a conference this weekend that I'm excited about. I'm also excited about my upcoming snow-shoeing trip. AND I'm excited to have coffee with a friend today.
Current Project: 40 bags in 40 days. This ties in nicely with the next chapter we're tackling in "7"--Possessions.
Current Link: My husband wrote this post a week or so ago. It's really, really good. Do you believe that any one and any story can be redeemed? I sure do.
Sunday, March 03, 2013
Confessions
I'm feeling confessional today...
1. I am a BIG FAT BABY when my husband is out of town. He's been gone for a few days and I thought this particular trip was going to be a breeze because the kids had a long weekend and we could just stay home and relax. Wrong. My kids had SO much going on and my days (and nights) were spent shuttling them hither and yon. It's been nuts and I've complained more than a time or two. John gets home later today and all will be right in my world again. We are just better together.
2. I had to give myself some grace on my "7" clothes fast the other day. I threw most of my seven things into the washer the night before and completely forgot about them until the next morning when it was time to get dressed. It's not really possible to wear wet clothes so I had to don some non-sanctioned items for a day. Good thing I gave up on legalism a long time ago.
3. I sometimes avoid people in the grocery store. Yesterday I was in a huge hurry to finish shopping before picking up one of my children and in case you didn't know, Saturday morning is pretty much social hour at the grocery store. I love my small town and I'm definitely a social person but after stopping to chat with a friend in the produce section and again by the deli, I knew I couldn't spare the time to stop again. So I did something contrary to my nature and avoided the aisle where I saw a friend. Gosh. I feel guilty all over again now.
4. I talk way too much. A friend came by to drop something off yesterday and I talked her head off and kept her WAY too long. She will likely now be the one avoiding ME at the grocery store. Ha!
5. I slept in my workout clothes so I could stay in bed until the last possible moment before getting up to walk this morning. The irony is that my body clock and my alarm don't always work in sync and I woke up an hour before my alarm and couldn't fall back asleep. The joke was on me.
Happy Sunday, y'all.
1. I am a BIG FAT BABY when my husband is out of town. He's been gone for a few days and I thought this particular trip was going to be a breeze because the kids had a long weekend and we could just stay home and relax. Wrong. My kids had SO much going on and my days (and nights) were spent shuttling them hither and yon. It's been nuts and I've complained more than a time or two. John gets home later today and all will be right in my world again. We are just better together.
2. I had to give myself some grace on my "7" clothes fast the other day. I threw most of my seven things into the washer the night before and completely forgot about them until the next morning when it was time to get dressed. It's not really possible to wear wet clothes so I had to don some non-sanctioned items for a day. Good thing I gave up on legalism a long time ago.
3. I sometimes avoid people in the grocery store. Yesterday I was in a huge hurry to finish shopping before picking up one of my children and in case you didn't know, Saturday morning is pretty much social hour at the grocery store. I love my small town and I'm definitely a social person but after stopping to chat with a friend in the produce section and again by the deli, I knew I couldn't spare the time to stop again. So I did something contrary to my nature and avoided the aisle where I saw a friend. Gosh. I feel guilty all over again now.
4. I talk way too much. A friend came by to drop something off yesterday and I talked her head off and kept her WAY too long. She will likely now be the one avoiding ME at the grocery store. Ha!
5. I slept in my workout clothes so I could stay in bed until the last possible moment before getting up to walk this morning. The irony is that my body clock and my alarm don't always work in sync and I woke up an hour before my alarm and couldn't fall back asleep. The joke was on me.
Happy Sunday, y'all.
Monday, February 25, 2013
SMP 2.25.13
SMP = Seven minute post
We had a blizzard here yesterday. A full-fledged, snow-blew-sideways-all-day-long blizzard. I'm not sure how much snow we actually ended up with because the wind rearranged most of it, but John shoveled the driveway and estimated between 8-12 inches. We were privy to a small miracle last night when our district called a closure for today. The miracle is that they called it the night before. I believe that has happened only once or twice in the almost ten years we've lived here. It's nice to see your weekend stretch into three days...or five if you're my youngest child who hasn't been to school since last Wednesday because of snow/electrical problems at school since. And this is already a short week since the kids are out of school Friday. I am digging the short school weeks we've been having.
We're celebrating our snow day by meeting some friends at a local sledding hill. I'm also getting my hair cut and highlighted. No blizzard aftermath can keep me away from the salon. My gray population is quite healthy at the moment. And totally hogging the spotlight.
The blizzard was probably the highlight of my weekend. Other weekend events included a very girly sleepover with three giggly ten-year-olds and hosting some friends for dinner on Saturday night.
My favorite quote of the weekend was overheard during breakfast on Saturday which included stacks and stacks of pancakes, fruit from a jar--probably with added sugar, chocolate chips and a can of whipped cream...because clearly I was going for cool mom points over nutrition:
"I want to be a whipped cream artist when I grow up!"
I found this photo (and several more like) it on my phone after breakfast. I'll have you know they used the entire can of whipped cream. And don't you love the nostrils. Happy Monday, y'all!
Disclaimer: this turned into a seven + seven minute post!
We had a blizzard here yesterday. A full-fledged, snow-blew-sideways-all-day-long blizzard. I'm not sure how much snow we actually ended up with because the wind rearranged most of it, but John shoveled the driveway and estimated between 8-12 inches. We were privy to a small miracle last night when our district called a closure for today. The miracle is that they called it the night before. I believe that has happened only once or twice in the almost ten years we've lived here. It's nice to see your weekend stretch into three days...or five if you're my youngest child who hasn't been to school since last Wednesday because of snow/electrical problems at school since. And this is already a short week since the kids are out of school Friday. I am digging the short school weeks we've been having.
We're celebrating our snow day by meeting some friends at a local sledding hill. I'm also getting my hair cut and highlighted. No blizzard aftermath can keep me away from the salon. My gray population is quite healthy at the moment. And totally hogging the spotlight.
The blizzard was probably the highlight of my weekend. Other weekend events included a very girly sleepover with three giggly ten-year-olds and hosting some friends for dinner on Saturday night.
My favorite quote of the weekend was overheard during breakfast on Saturday which included stacks and stacks of pancakes, fruit from a jar--probably with added sugar, chocolate chips and a can of whipped cream...because clearly I was going for cool mom points over nutrition:
"I want to be a whipped cream artist when I grow up!"
I found this photo (and several more like) it on my phone after breakfast. I'll have you know they used the entire can of whipped cream. And don't you love the nostrils. Happy Monday, y'all!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
When 10-year-olds text
This was a text conversation between Abbey and one of her friends.
It totally and completely cracks me up every. single. time. I. read. it.
Ahhhhh, ten year old girls. I love their active imaginations and creativity and humor and their naivete.
Abbey has a texting app on her iPod but for some reason this particular friend only texts her on my phone. I'm okay with that because otherwise I'd miss this kind of funny stuff. Grin.
It totally and completely cracks me up every. single. time. I. read. it.
Ahhhhh, ten year old girls. I love their active imaginations and creativity and humor and their naivete.
Abbey has a texting app on her iPod but for some reason this particular friend only texts her on my phone. I'm okay with that because otherwise I'd miss this kind of funny stuff. Grin.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Ho Hum...and some of my recent Pinterest wins!
We had an unexpected day off from school yesterday because of a mini-snow-storm that blew through Colorado on Wednesday. A snow day should make me deliriously happy, right? Turns out yesterday was just a hard day. I worked myself into a really bad mood over some really stupid stuff and couldn't manage to ever snap out of it. A snowy walk helped a little. So did a few episodes of Mad Men and an early bedtime. I think I'm going to make it though because it is finally FRIDAY!
I definitely wasn't expecting an elementary school closure again this morning, but I started getting calls and texts and emails while getting Abbey ready for school and it seems a heating issue at her school necessitated its closure today. That means I get an unexpected day at home with my littlest girlie (and work)(and cleaning) but you know what? I could really get used to two-day school weeks.
Moving on to some of my recent Pinterest "wins". Have y'all seen some of the Pinterest "fails" out there? If not, google "pinterest fails" for a laugh. My neighborhood friends have taken to texting their wins and fails of late and believe me, it's not hard for the desired results to go awry and it can get pretty hilarious. But a win is a win is a win and I have some new recipes to my repertoire that are just too great not to share!
Here are my links. And my commentary. Because obviously, I like to talk. And I really like to talk about food.
Cauliflower pizza crust. This was very, very good. Especially, if say, you decide to maybe take grains out of your diet for two weeks and you've never met a carb you didn't love. It was also pretty simple to make. I topped mine with sauteed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and dried basil (was out of fresh--boo!) It made a medium-sized pizza which I didn't have to share with anyone and I got two meals out of it! *Please read my comments on my pin to see my modifications.*
Avocado dressing. I am not a fan of bottled salad dressing. And during my food fast I was only eating whole foods. Translation: I ate a lot of salad. I bought avocados at Costco and needed to use them up before they went bad so this recipe was not only delicious, but a great find. I just realized I don't have this pinned and I didn't take a picture either. My modifications: I cut the recipe in half and used a bit less water and more olive oil to get the right consistency.
Baked spaghetti squash and cheese. OH. MY. GOSH. This was so delicious. It's actually a "light" recipe but I don't eat low-fat dairy so I did what Paula Deen would do and fattened it up with cream instead of skim milk, and full-fat cheddar instead of low-fat cheese. Which is probably why it was amazing. But YOU could totally go with the low-fat version. It was another great no-grain option that didn't leave me feeling deprived (I made mine with cornstarch so it would be gluten-free). I will definitely be making this again. I'm not a food blogger and I'm nowhere close to being a food photographer, but I did take a picture for y'all after I pulled it out of the oven.
Raw Cookie Dough Bites: This may be my favorite new recipe EVER. It was the first thing I made after my two weeks of no sugar ended! They're gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and good for you. And super yummy to have on hand when you have a sugar craving. Not to mention that they taste EXACTLY like cookie dough. I added walnuts and unsweetened coconut to the last batch I made--but you chocolate lovers could just stick with the chocolate chips. *Please read the comments on my pin to see my other modifications and some info on other ingredients*.
Happy Friday, y'all!!!!
I definitely wasn't expecting an elementary school closure again this morning, but I started getting calls and texts and emails while getting Abbey ready for school and it seems a heating issue at her school necessitated its closure today. That means I get an unexpected day at home with my littlest girlie (and work)(and cleaning) but you know what? I could really get used to two-day school weeks.
Moving on to some of my recent Pinterest "wins". Have y'all seen some of the Pinterest "fails" out there? If not, google "pinterest fails" for a laugh. My neighborhood friends have taken to texting their wins and fails of late and believe me, it's not hard for the desired results to go awry and it can get pretty hilarious. But a win is a win is a win and I have some new recipes to my repertoire that are just too great not to share!
Here are my links. And my commentary. Because obviously, I like to talk. And I really like to talk about food.
Cauliflower pizza crust. This was very, very good. Especially, if say, you decide to maybe take grains out of your diet for two weeks and you've never met a carb you didn't love. It was also pretty simple to make. I topped mine with sauteed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and dried basil (was out of fresh--boo!) It made a medium-sized pizza which I didn't have to share with anyone and I got two meals out of it! *Please read my comments on my pin to see my modifications.*
Avocado dressing. I am not a fan of bottled salad dressing. And during my food fast I was only eating whole foods. Translation: I ate a lot of salad. I bought avocados at Costco and needed to use them up before they went bad so this recipe was not only delicious, but a great find. I just realized I don't have this pinned and I didn't take a picture either. My modifications: I cut the recipe in half and used a bit less water and more olive oil to get the right consistency.
Baked spaghetti squash and cheese. OH. MY. GOSH. This was so delicious. It's actually a "light" recipe but I don't eat low-fat dairy so I did what Paula Deen would do and fattened it up with cream instead of skim milk, and full-fat cheddar instead of low-fat cheese. Which is probably why it was amazing. But YOU could totally go with the low-fat version. It was another great no-grain option that didn't leave me feeling deprived (I made mine with cornstarch so it would be gluten-free). I will definitely be making this again. I'm not a food blogger and I'm nowhere close to being a food photographer, but I did take a picture for y'all after I pulled it out of the oven.
Happy Friday, y'all!!!!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Throwback Thursday: One Product I Don't Want to Live Without
This post was originially published in January 2011. UPDATED info at the bottom of the post!
Back before Christmas I wrote a post (in my head) that I titled: Four Things That Will Change Your Life. They changed my life so surely they'll change yours, right?
I decided that claim was a bit dramatic (and the post never moved from my head to my computer) so I moved on. BUT, the truth is that I really have stumbled upon some things that aren't necessarily life-changing but they're too good not to share. So, I'm introducing "Tell About It Tuesday". And I can only guarantee you 3-4 Tuesdays worth of posts.
Today's topic: Dry Shampoo
I remember a friend mentioning this to me several years ago and while I found the idea intriguing, I couldn't find the product. Last summer, Leslie mentioned dry shampoo in a blog post and reminded me that I wanted to try it! I finally got around to it a mere six months later...
Here is the product that she steered me to buy--Batiste Dry Shampoo
Y'all...this stuff is AMAZING.
I typically wash my hair every day. Not because I want to, but because my scalp is oily. Not only do I wash my hair every day, but I blow dry and straighten it too. You can imagine how dry my ends are in the land of no humidity. I really have tried to go a day between washings because I know it's best for my hair, and I can totally pull it off, but by the end of the second day of unwashed hair, it starts to get gross--oily and *ahem* stinky.
Enter Batiste Dry Shampoo. I spray it on my hair (it turns my hair whitish-gray), wait a few minutes, massage it into my scalp, then brush it completely out. My "shampooed" hair is shiny, smells good, and has amazing body with NO residue from the shampoo. It actually looks better on the days I use the dry stuff than it does on the days I go through my whole wash/dry/straighten routine.
I've been using this stuff for about a month and WOW. It really has changed my life morning routine. Now I live for days that I can get ready in fifteen minutes or less!
Seriously...you MUST try this product!!!
Here's what you need to know.
I found it at Sally Beauty Supply, but it's also available at Ulta (I get coupons from there all the time!) or from Amazon.
I like the blush scent the best. The original scent is okay, but it's a little funky. I tried that scent first and was glad I also had the blush scent to try. I haven't tried the tropical. *See update at the bottom of this post.
It retails for about $7.50-$8.00 for a 5.5oz can.
I actually bought two smaller (1.5oz) cans instead because they were on clearance and I wanted to try the smaller size before I was "fully" invested. I'll be buying the big one from now on.
I also picked up a can of this at Walmart last week to compare. It's Salon Grafix Dry Shampoo and it's slightly cheaper (around $5 for a can). I used it over the weekend and didn't love it. It left my hair feeling slightly sticky and like it had (even) more product in it. I think the Batiste shampoo makes it feel cleaner. I will say that the Salon Grafix shampoo smells really good though. I hate to waste things so I'll finish the can and then buy more Batiste!
So, there you have it! Let me know if you've used dry shampoo and if you have another one that you love! I've heard Bumble and Bumble is good (but pricey) and I've heard the one by Tigi is good too. Tigi's is called Dirty Secret. I love how they name their products. I think I like the price tag on the Batiste dry shampoo best though! Let me know if you try it!!!
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UPDATE: It's been two years since I posted this and I STILL use and love this product. Batiste has even more scents to choose from; my personal favorite is "Cool & Crisp Fresh". I see this product on sale at Ulta fairly often. I bought some a couple of week ago that was buy one, get one free PLUS I used a coupon so I got two full-sized cans for around $2 each. Can't beat that!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
SMP: 2.20.13
SMP = Seven Minute Post
Weeks that start on Tuesday are HARD for me. I feel perpetually "off". The only redeeming thing about weeks like this is that Friday arrives much more quickly!
Abbey's appointment with the allergist confirmed that she IS allergic to pistachios. Along with two other tree nuts--pecans and hazelnuts, with hazelnuts winning the "most allergic nut" for her. So, the EpiPen stays because tree nut allergies tend to fall into the life-threatening category. I'm honestly just glad to know conclusively. And true to form, Abbey was very brave during the testing. Not sure I completely understand what the girl who endured her dental fillings without being numbed up was afraid of!
Today is bible study day and the end of my 7 food fast. Of COURSE we're all going to lunch afterwards. OF COURSE. I modified my fast a bit since I originally wrote about it. Initially I was only going to eat 7 foods but after I got to bible study last time I decided to cut out seven things. I cut out all caffeine, soda, sugar, grains, ALL processed food, beef (I adore beef), and for the life of me I can never remember the last one. I have it written down somewhere...I'll find it later. It's been hard but very very good (feels like I talk about this all the time) and for this next two week period we'll be looking at clothes and their excess our lives. I get to wear the same seven pieces of clothing for two weeks. I'm still choosing what those pieces will be but I'm sure you'll hear about it so stay tuned.
My seven minutes are up. Hilarious to me that I started these seven minute posts before I knew the significance 7 would have in my life!
Peace out, peeps, and HAPPY hump day!
Weeks that start on Tuesday are HARD for me. I feel perpetually "off". The only redeeming thing about weeks like this is that Friday arrives much more quickly!
Abbey's appointment with the allergist confirmed that she IS allergic to pistachios. Along with two other tree nuts--pecans and hazelnuts, with hazelnuts winning the "most allergic nut" for her. So, the EpiPen stays because tree nut allergies tend to fall into the life-threatening category. I'm honestly just glad to know conclusively. And true to form, Abbey was very brave during the testing. Not sure I completely understand what the girl who endured her dental fillings without being numbed up was afraid of!
Today is bible study day and the end of my 7 food fast. Of COURSE we're all going to lunch afterwards. OF COURSE. I modified my fast a bit since I originally wrote about it. Initially I was only going to eat 7 foods but after I got to bible study last time I decided to cut out seven things. I cut out all caffeine, soda, sugar, grains, ALL processed food, beef (I adore beef), and for the life of me I can never remember the last one. I have it written down somewhere...I'll find it later. It's been hard but very very good (feels like I talk about this all the time) and for this next two week period we'll be looking at clothes and their excess our lives. I get to wear the same seven pieces of clothing for two weeks. I'm still choosing what those pieces will be but I'm sure you'll hear about it so stay tuned.
My seven minutes are up. Hilarious to me that I started these seven minute posts before I knew the significance 7 would have in my life!
Peace out, peeps, and HAPPY hump day!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Backtracking
I need to backtrack a bit and mention that Will turned sixteen a week ago. SIXTEEN. I'm still not sure how that can be possible.
We celebrated his birthday by taking him to dinner at Chipotle (his choice)(which, thankfully kinda fit into my 7 fast) and then taking him to pick out his birthday gift from us before hitting up the mall so he could spend some birthday money. We did all of this on his birthday eve because he spent a huge chunk of his actual birthday down at the Young Life office doing a training for a summer work crew job. Will is a great kid and we are super proud of him. He's becoming quite a young man and growing up way too quickly. John and I commented later that night that our lives changed completely and for the better on that February day sixteen years ago...
Prior to the birthday celebrating, John and I attended a mini-marriage conference. It was a smallish affair led by some friends of ours and the setting was a beautiful home in downtown Colorado Springs (locals: it was in one of those big, gorgeous homes on Cascade). I will admit that I was a bit smug going into it. We've been married almost twenty-three years. What don't we know?
It turned out to be a wonderful day that inspired me and challenged my thinking on some things and left me feeling extraordinarily grateful for my marriage. The friends who led it are working on a book and John is their editor so perhaps I can share more as that progresses.
Other random thoughts...
We missed Ash Wednesday last week because we were in the mountains. I was sad about that. I love Lent. I love that our 7 study is overlapping with this season and God is definitely using it to re-shape some big things in my heart and mind. I tried to download our pastor's podcast from Ash Wednesday but I don't find the podcast thing on iTunes to be very intuitive. Instead of one singular podcast, I ended up downloading 213. None of which are the Ash Wednesday one. I need to sit down when I have some extra time to figure that out and undo the mess I created.
Abbey's appointment with the allergist is today. She's not excited at all that I'm making her go on her "day off". She's also nervous! Her friend came over yesterday and her dad was telling us that she had some allergy testing done last year. Totally freaked Abbey out. I'm not entirely sure what to expect so I'm praying she will be brave and that it will be fairly quick and pain free.
I fell asleep during the season finale of Downton Abbey last night. I woke up when it was over and evidently I missed a LOT. I'm good for nothing after about 9:30pm (and often am in bed much earlier than that) so hopefully I can catch the episode later today. John told me a little of what happened but I need to see it with my own eyes!
We celebrated his birthday by taking him to dinner at Chipotle (his choice)(which, thankfully kinda fit into my 7 fast) and then taking him to pick out his birthday gift from us before hitting up the mall so he could spend some birthday money. We did all of this on his birthday eve because he spent a huge chunk of his actual birthday down at the Young Life office doing a training for a summer work crew job. Will is a great kid and we are super proud of him. He's becoming quite a young man and growing up way too quickly. John and I commented later that night that our lives changed completely and for the better on that February day sixteen years ago...
It turned out to be a wonderful day that inspired me and challenged my thinking on some things and left me feeling extraordinarily grateful for my marriage. The friends who led it are working on a book and John is their editor so perhaps I can share more as that progresses.
Other random thoughts...
We missed Ash Wednesday last week because we were in the mountains. I was sad about that. I love Lent. I love that our 7 study is overlapping with this season and God is definitely using it to re-shape some big things in my heart and mind. I tried to download our pastor's podcast from Ash Wednesday but I don't find the podcast thing on iTunes to be very intuitive. Instead of one singular podcast, I ended up downloading 213. None of which are the Ash Wednesday one. I need to sit down when I have some extra time to figure that out and undo the mess I created.
Abbey's appointment with the allergist is today. She's not excited at all that I'm making her go on her "day off". She's also nervous! Her friend came over yesterday and her dad was telling us that she had some allergy testing done last year. Totally freaked Abbey out. I'm not entirely sure what to expect so I'm praying she will be brave and that it will be fairly quick and pain free.
I fell asleep during the season finale of Downton Abbey last night. I woke up when it was over and evidently I missed a LOT. I'm good for nothing after about 9:30pm (and often am in bed much earlier than that) so hopefully I can catch the episode later today. John told me a little of what happened but I need to see it with my own eyes!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Much needed break
I can't tell you how much I love long weekends! The kids had a four-day weekend for President's Day but John and I decided to tack a couple of extra days onto their long weekend and pulled them out of school for a family ski trip to the mountains. School and work and the busyness of life caught up with us and we all needed some rest and relaxation! Here's some pics (and random commentary) from our getaway to Winter Park last week.
(It's the Coca-Cola tubing hill, hence all the logos.)
Saturday, February 09, 2013
SMP 2.9.13
SMP = Seven Minute Post
Last night was the first Friday night in AGES (or at least in five weeks) that I had nowhere to be. Being home on a Friday night makes me deliriously happy. So does going to be before 9pm. I think I crashed around 8:45pm. Blissful, I tell ya.
I am thankful it's the weekend. We have a few big things going on but I'm hoping to squeeze some rest and relaxation in between. If the forecast holds true we might get some snow. We REALLY need it. We had several inches of snow one day this week and I think I could actually hear the ground sighing in relief and begging for more. I'm not the only person around these parts wishing for a big ole blizzard like the one hitting the northeastern United States right now. We need and want some snow!
Is anyone else sooooooooooooooo sad that football is officially over until next fall? I'm not sure I will know what to do with my Sunday afternoons now. Maybe napping will make a comeback! Sounds like a good plan.
Evidently I don't have as much to say as I thought I did this morning because my seven minutes are up and I must get off of my computer and get this day rolling. Happy Saturday, folks!
Last night was the first Friday night in AGES (or at least in five weeks) that I had nowhere to be. Being home on a Friday night makes me deliriously happy. So does going to be before 9pm. I think I crashed around 8:45pm. Blissful, I tell ya.
I am thankful it's the weekend. We have a few big things going on but I'm hoping to squeeze some rest and relaxation in between. If the forecast holds true we might get some snow. We REALLY need it. We had several inches of snow one day this week and I think I could actually hear the ground sighing in relief and begging for more. I'm not the only person around these parts wishing for a big ole blizzard like the one hitting the northeastern United States right now. We need and want some snow!
Is anyone else sooooooooooooooo sad that football is officially over until next fall? I'm not sure I will know what to do with my Sunday afternoons now. Maybe napping will make a comeback! Sounds like a good plan.
Evidently I don't have as much to say as I thought I did this morning because my seven minutes are up and I must get off of my computer and get this day rolling. Happy Saturday, folks!
Thursday, February 07, 2013
SMP 2.6.13
SMP = Seven Minute Post
I was pretty stubborn about jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon for a long time. I caved and finally joined last spring and have become quite taken with Pinterest and all her lovely ideas as of late. I've pinned and made three recipes this week. All were wins so I thought I'd share them with YOU!
Cheesy taco soup
Cowboy casserole (I had my doubts about this but John really liked it.)
Quinoa bites (I've made these twice in the last week. My kids aren't big fans but John and I like them and it's another tasty way to prepare quinoa.)
So do y'all know about Houzz? I was talking to a friend yesterday about a small home renovation project we're contemplating and she suggested I browse Houzz for ideas. It's like Pinterest but it's all home ideas. VERY cool.
It's Thursday and I am so looking forward to the weekend! This girl is in need of some down-time since last weekend was anything but restful! Y'all have a great day.
I was pretty stubborn about jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon for a long time. I caved and finally joined last spring and have become quite taken with Pinterest and all her lovely ideas as of late. I've pinned and made three recipes this week. All were wins so I thought I'd share them with YOU!
Cheesy taco soup
Cowboy casserole (I had my doubts about this but John really liked it.)
Quinoa bites (I've made these twice in the last week. My kids aren't big fans but John and I like them and it's another tasty way to prepare quinoa.)
So do y'all know about Houzz? I was talking to a friend yesterday about a small home renovation project we're contemplating and she suggested I browse Houzz for ideas. It's like Pinterest but it's all home ideas. VERY cool.
It's Thursday and I am so looking forward to the weekend! This girl is in need of some down-time since last weekend was anything but restful! Y'all have a great day.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
February Currents
Current Books: Success! I've read three books this month. One was Friendkeeping by Julie Klam. It was a book club selection and I did not care for it at all. That was pretty much the general consensus of my book club so if you're contemplating reading it let me steer you far, far away. The other book I read was Wheat Belly, which I blogged about here. And the last book I read was 7 by Jen Hatmaker. I've mentioned it a ton on this blog already but it is fantastic!
Current Playlist: Beyonce and Destiny's Child. Just kidding.
Current Color: Orange. Brown. Black. Gray. Those are my favorite go-tos.
Current Drink: Herbal tea--mostly peach or cranberry. However, I met a friend for coffee last week and opted for tea instead. I had a white, Madagascar vanilla and coconut tea. Oh my gosh, it was amazing. I've been craving it ever since.
Current Food: Food is about to get interesting for me. I'm going to be eating only 7 foods for 7 days as part of the food chapter in my 7 bible study. I think I've narrowed my seven foods down to include: chicken, almonds, brown rice, blueberries, avocados, spinach, and sweet potatoes. I start tomorrow and I'm already realizing that it's going to be a huge challenge, especially with a couple of lunch meetings and a birthday dinner factored into my week. Oy!
Current Favorite Favorite: This scarf hanger from The Container Store. It's only $5.99 and it holds 28 scarves. I love it, but I especially like it hangs flat and takes up very little closet space! I've always loved The Container Store, but here's a reason to love it even more if you live close--order online and schedule your in-store pickup. They'll even bring your order TO THE CURB! That's service.
Current Wish List: My friend and I were joking about needing a homework-free school. Would that be too much to ask?
Current Needs: A power cord to my computer. I'm not sure how mine got so mangled, but John and I noticed some exposed wires on it last week. Not good. I plugged it in yesterday morning and it sparked and popped and officially went kaput. I need to find time to run by the Apple store soon because my battery no longer stays charged all day I can't be without a computer! I managed to get by with my phone yesterday until John got home with his power cord but it's hard to do any actual work on my phone!
Current Triumph: Legal hiking! The Incline was festive on Friday to celebrate it's legal status.
Current Annoyance: Jack-the-beagle/scavenger. Argh! I made some yummy treats for us to eat while watching the Super Bowl on Sunday including these jalapeno poppers--my very favorite. I pulled a couple out to eat yesterday and somehow Jack managed to knock the container off the counter when I was in the other room and eat some. I'm not sure how many he actually ate, but since he had his face in the container I threw the rest out. I was NOT happy about it either. I was really looking forward to enjoying those for a few more days. Thank goodness for no jalapeno side effects for him, though I might not have minded him learning his lesson the hard way.
Current Indulgence: Sleeping in! It's rare when it happens but I'm trying to get better at it. Of course it means that I have to miss my morning walk in order to sleep, but I'm okay with that a few times a week.
Current Mood: Content.
Current Blessing: Two days in a row at home this week!
Current Outfit: Work-out clothes because I'm meeting two friends to hike this morning. (Yay!) Later, I'll probably put on jeans and a sweater just like I do every single day. I'm so inspired by people who can put together cute outfits, and there are so many bloggers who have blogs devoted entirely to this. I think I'm just boring.
Current Excitement: Hiking with friends today and again later in the week! Celebrating Will's birthday this weekend! And a ski trip next week!
Current Project: I'm still trying to pull my bedroom re-do together. John and I found some bedding that we both liked that was on sale. When I went back to purchase it, it was 50% off the sale price. I love those unexpected blessings! I still need to find a bedskirt that I like, paint, and figure out some kind of window treatment. It's a work in progress.
Current Link: Since I'm going to be eating a lot of sweet potatoes for the next week, I think I'm going to try this method of baking them in the crockpot. Genius! Thank you, Pinterest.
Friday, February 01, 2013
SMP 2.1.13
It's February! I've said this so many times before but I LOVE flipping my calendar page over to a brand new month. I cheated and flipped mine yesterday so I could ride that euphoric wave a little bit longer! That's how I roll.
I bought a Groupon back in the fall for three-hour guided snowshoe hike. It sounds awesome...and it WILL be if we'd only get some serious snow. We are way behind on snowfall totals again this year. I mentioned the snow day we had this week but it was a bit of a joke. The roads were fine by mid-morning so the girls and I went to Target.
Speaking of Target, it's not nearly as much fun to go there when you're reading 7 and feeling conviction left and right about the excess in your life.
I found out earlier this week that my favorite hike gains legal status today. Until now it's been considered trespassing to hike the Manitou Incline. Not that that stops anyone; there are dozens and dozens of folks ascending and descending the Incline every single day of the year. I find it fortuitous that I'd already planned to hike the incline today with a friend. Hooray--I'm a law abiding citizen again.
We have a busy weekend on tap. Not my favorite kind of weekend, but it's all good and necessary stuff...with a bit of extraordinary mixed in.
Happy Weekend Everyone!!!
I bought a Groupon back in the fall for three-hour guided snowshoe hike. It sounds awesome...and it WILL be if we'd only get some serious snow. We are way behind on snowfall totals again this year. I mentioned the snow day we had this week but it was a bit of a joke. The roads were fine by mid-morning so the girls and I went to Target.
Speaking of Target, it's not nearly as much fun to go there when you're reading 7 and feeling conviction left and right about the excess in your life.
I found out earlier this week that my favorite hike gains legal status today. Until now it's been considered trespassing to hike the Manitou Incline. Not that that stops anyone; there are dozens and dozens of folks ascending and descending the Incline every single day of the year. I find it fortuitous that I'd already planned to hike the incline today with a friend. Hooray--I'm a law abiding citizen again.
We have a busy weekend on tap. Not my favorite kind of weekend, but it's all good and necessary stuff...with a bit of extraordinary mixed in.
Happy Weekend Everyone!!!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Throwback Thursday: Meal Planning
This is a post from early 2009. I came across it the other day while doing some searching and was surprised that my method hasn't changed since I originally wrote it four years ago. I guess if a system works, stick with it!
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I've found that freezing meat in ziploc bags works well because they stack nicely (taking up less room in freezer) and they thaw quickly.
In the mornings, I just pull the package out for whatever meal I've decided on and let it thaw.
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I feel kinda silly sharing this because it's probably stuff that most of you already do anyway. I am NO expert. I am, however, a big believer in doing what works best for your family. What works for me might not work for you, so keep that in mind as you read this.
1. Sit down with the family calendar.
I plan meals two weeks at a time and do my shopping accordingly.
I find it helpful to sit down with our calendar and look at everything that we have going on in the two-week period I'm planning for. After-school activities mean that I need to plan easy meals, preferably crock-pot meals, on those nights.
Parties/Get-togethers (like Bunco)? Do I need to bring a dish? We used to get together with our small group for dinner and that was something I needed to factor into my meal planning. Classroom parties? Do I have cookies to make or a snack to bring? Are we having guests for dinner? That usually means I plan dessert. Is John out of town? If so, we have easy, easy meals.
Eating out? We usually plan at least once a month to eat out. Sometimes more, sometimes less. My favorite times of the week to eat out are Friday nights and Sundays after church.
Everything on the calendar gets incorporated into my planning.
2. Plan meals.
I gather all the grocery store ads and flip through them to see what's on sale. If chicken breasts are .99/lb, you can bet we're having lots of meals with chicken. If roast is on sale, I'll plan to have that too.
I also take a quick inventory of my pantry/freezer and plan around what I have an excess of.
Variety is key. I try to vary meats (chicken/beef/pork/fish) in each two week rotation as well as including some meatless meals (lentils/eggs/potatoes/pancakes).
When I lack inspiration, I ask my family for ideas. They're usually quick to suggest some favorites.
I also like to peruse cookbooks and cooking blogs for ideas. If I find a recipe I want to try, I make a note of the page number and cookbook it was in, or bookmark the website so that I can find it quickly when it's time to prepare the meal.
I also plan the sides to have with our meals. Usually this is a salad, bread, and/or veggie. It seems like we eat lots and lots of salad in the summer and more frozen veggies in the winter. 
3. Make grocery shopping list from meal plan.
I go through the meals I've planned one by one and write down all the ingredients I need to buy. I like to do this a day or two before I go to the store so that I have time to think of other things I need and gives me time to gather my coupons. My list is very specific. If I think of something I know I need as I'm planning menus, then I jot it down at that time. I've been known to forget important things if I don't write them down immediately!
4. Write menu plan in list form and stick on fridge.
I bought this magnetic note pad at the dollar store and I keep a list of all the meals on my menu plan written down on it. Once I prepare a meal, I cross it off the list.
5. Check the menu daily and decide what's for dinner.
I've gotten in the habit over the years of looking at my list each morning and deciding what we're having for dinner that evening. This allows me to think about my day and be flexible when I need to. I don't assign a meal to each day because my schedule isn't always predictable.
After I decide what we're having (I often ask John or one of the kids to choose) I set the meat for that meal down to thaw.
If I'm going to be at home all day, I'll choose to make something that requires a little more time and effort. If we have somewhere to go that night, I'll do something easy like tacos or spaghetti. On days that I have a Brownie meeting and get home at dinner time, I make sure I use my crock-pot.
I also try to be thinking ahead when I select meals each day. For example, I do not like coming home after church on Sundays (starving) and trying to figure out what we're having for lunch, so I try to make something on Saturday night that will ensure we have leftovers the next day.
My Best Tip
After I got into a regular routine of planning meals and sticking to my plan, I began to look for ways to simplify the process. While I can't tell you that I've found a way to make planning easier or faster, I have found a way to make meal preparation easier.
I buy meat in bulk when it's on sale. When I get home from the store, I "process" it all at the same time. With chicken, I look at my chicken meals and figure out how much I need to cook, then cook it and freeze in meal-sized portions in a labeled ziploc bag (quart size). If the recipe calls for raw chicken, I go ahead and slice/dice it before freezing, saving me a step later.
Yes, that's a pumpkin in the background because I took these pictures in October--back before I talked myself out of doing this post!
Yes, that's a pumpkin in the background because I took these pictures in October--back before I talked myself out of doing this post!
I've found that freezing meat in ziploc bags works well because they stack nicely (taking up less room in freezer) and they thaw quickly.
These are all pictures of chicken, but I do the same thing with ground beef. I just cook it all at once and freeze in meal-sized portions. In the summer, we eat lots of burgers, so I make the patties and freeze between sheets of waxed paper. 
In the mornings, I just pull the package out for whatever meal I've decided on and let it thaw.
This saves time each evening because you've eliminated one cooking step.
It saves clean up too because you make the mess once and you're done.
It has saved us money because it allows me to throw a meal together really quickly. One day not too ago, I forgot to put the meat down to thaw. I was planning on having chili and I didn't realize until 5:00pm that the meat was still frozen.
It was kids eat free night at our favorite restaurant and we had almost talked ourselves into going, but I realized that by the time we drove to the restaurant, ordered and received our food, I could have the pre-cooked meat thawed (thank goodness for microwaves) and simmering along with everything else in the pot. I got our meal from freezer to table in about 30 minutes. If I'd had to start from scratch that night we would have spent $30+ on dinner.
I also do the same thing with cheese. I buy a 2lb block (Tillamook!) every two weeks, and come home, shred it in my food processor, and store in a gallon sized ziploc bag in the fridge. Saves tons of time when you're throwing a meal together, plus it's cheaper to buy in a block than pre-shredded.
So................there you go.
I'm sure that I'm forgetting things, so I'm going to do a Part III later this week. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them in that next post. If you have ideas or suggestions, add those too. I'd love for this to be a dialogue!
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I wrote this post back in 2009 as part of a series.
And guess what? I'm still just as wordy as ever. Wink.
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