Tie-dye cupcakes... why not?

My 5-year-old decided he wanted a glow party for his birthday...  so we quickly became the house of all things fluorescent, colorful, and/or neon.  In our attempt to stay vibrant, I discovered DIY tie-dye cupcakes, described below:

1. Make a batch of white cake batter (I used Aldi brand cake mix- do what works for you)
2. Separate into 6 bowls and add food color drops as follows
1. Red: 12-15 drops red food coloring
2. Orange: 5 drops yellow + 2 drops red
3. Yellow: 7-10 drops yellow
4. Green: 7-10 drops green OR 9 drops yellow + 2 drops blue
5. Blue: 12-15 drops blue
6. Purple: 7 drops red + 2 blue
3. Line cupcake pans with tins and drop batter in by spoonfuls...  I did red first, then orange, etc.  Have fun with this- it is not a science, it's an art form! 
4. Bake according to recipe directions
5. Frost with fun colors
6. Warn guests with dye allergies ;)

My best friend's wedding...

Today is an incredible day because my long time best friend is getting married...  And certainly when a best friend gets married, it's important to give something a little more personal than money.  So, I remembered a long ago shower gift I saw and called up my good friend Google to help me out with this one, wishing the newlyweds a lifetime of happiness together, as symbolized by candles.

To our favorite couple, wishing you love forever!
An explanation of our gift....
A basket of candles that come in a pair,
Of all different colors for you two to share.
The white ones burn first, they are wrapped in white lace,
To celebrate your fist married night in your place.
The burgundy pair is the color of wine,
Burn these when friends come over to dine.
The blue pair will burn for eight winter nights,
To celebrate your first married Festival of Lights.
There are candles to burn Christmas Eve before bed,
While waiting for Santa- that's why they are red.
The black candles are for your first married fight,
Use them to burn while you make up all night!
Two pink candles will pave the way
And add romance to your first married Valentine's Day.
Now when your first year of marriage is through,
The ivory pair will light up for you two.
Eventually we hope that maybe, just maybe,
The pink and the blue will honor your baby.
And just when you thought you could put these away,
Light the lavender pair for your fifth anniversary day.
Now just one pair left, the big twenty-five,
The anniversary pair that keeps love alive.
So congrats bride and groom, on the start of forever
May the two of you always be happy together.

Thought for the day.

I'm baaaaack... with cookies!

It has been TOO LONG since I've posted....  but, I'm a teacher and a mom and the end of school is a crazy time for me.  My apologies to my readers (looking at you, Mom and husband!).

My son was snack helper at daycare and is apparently sick of my favorite chocolate chip cookies, made extra delicious with instant pudding mix.  (Try these out...  I get so many compliments on them!)

He wanted "cinnamon cookies" which I interpreted to mean Snickerdoodles.  I read through a couple of Google's suggestions, but was falling short on some ingredients, until I found this AMAZING RECIPE from the Food Network.

Our daycare provider said they were the best cookies she's ever tasted.  Definitely worth a try.

Happy summer and enjoy!

Finding grownup girlfriends: What mama never told us...

After reading some very funny articles on the topic and spending a fabulous night with five women I adore, I spent my afternoon lawnmowing session pondering adult friendships.

Meeting friends used to be easy(ish): elementary school, you hang with whoever's in your class; middle/high school, every girl for herself; college based on interests, but everyone's desperate for friends; early career/grad school: people with the same goals or jobs (I've found those to be hit or miss...  luckily I had some great hits).  No one ever told me that, in my late 20s, as a wife and new mom, I'd be exceptionally lonely.  (Don't feel badly for me.  This is all past tense.  At 31, life is better.)

Rewind to 2009.  From the outside, I'm sure I appeared very well adjusted.  Two small kids, great husband, nice life in the town I was raised, social personality.  "She probably has loads of friends.  She knows everyone."  But inside our little yellow house, this was not the case: I was early to the game on marriage and kids, sooo... My high school/college friends were scattered around the world doing terribly interesting things AND all of my children's peers' parents were a few years older than me, and, while that wasn't an issue for me at all, I somehow felt it might be for them.  I remember saying to my husband, "I'm lucky to have met a few, wonderful women in my life and to consider them friends.  Maybe that's all I get."  Which sounded fine.  But when he would go off to soccer or Frisbee or basketball or to hang with his buddies, I knew it kind of sucked.  Since I was insecure and totally unwilling to reach out and find new friends, I was sort of my own worst enemy.

In the four years since, a few things happened:

1. A dear friend moved home (Hallelujah!)
2. I changed jobs and met a lifelong friend
3. I went out on a limb.  I started calling and "mom dating " my daughter's friend's mom and...  she's amazing.  I started running and inviting my then neighbor...  she's great.  I broke the past high school mold of immediately resenting aforementioned friend #1's other friends and getting to know them...  they're great.  I reached out to women who are local that I "knew" before but never bothered knowing, and am so happy I did.

With the kids and the husband and a career, I still think my girls friends are some of the most important people in my life and that being a good friend is one of the best things we can do for ourselves and each other.  Friendship is changed a little- now outings include things like trail runs, trips to the science museum, school events, and (too infrequently) catching-up dinners.  However, at the end of the day it still makes me a more complete and better person.  At any age, friendship is good for the soul.

Clean-out-your-cupboard crockpot pasta

Dilemma: It's 2:30 pm.  Your father and stepmother are coming over for dinner.  You have not been to the grocery store.  You could do that now, but you'd really rather squeeze in a run with a girlfriend.
Solution: Creativity and a crockpot.

This was my afternoon.  As usual, I turned to Google and once again came across the Year of Slow Cooking blog.  This woman totally impresses me.  Like, want to have her over for coffee and be her friend kind of impresses me.  Instead, I'll just keep stealing her ideas.

So based on what I had in my cupboards, I used her baked ziti recipe.

1. Grease your crockpot with cooking spray.
2. Rinse your pasta (I used penne) with water so it is damp going into the crockpot.
3. Make one layer of uncooked pasta in crockpot and top with pasta sauce (I used a jar of vodka sauce and a jar of primavera), grated cheese (I used mozzerella), and chopped vegetables (I used mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes).  Sprinkle with minced onion or onion powder or garlic powder.  
4. Repeat layers until you have the desired amount of pasta, etc.
5. Pour 1/3(ish) cup water around the edges of the crockpot to add moisture to the mixture.
6. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
7. Serve with garlic bread and enjoy!

Hubby was impressed, guests were happy, and I was able to run 5 miles with a great friend, so it was an all-around hit.  Thanks Year of Slow Cooking!

Introducing, my 2 favorite apps...

I am a happier person when my body is healthy and my home is clean.  I also love my iPhone.

Enter my two favorite apps...  in no particular order.  (And not counting the Project 365 app I already blogged about.)

• For a clean home: The Home Routines app is a great way to manage a household- with rotating weekly lists that break down top-to-bottom cleaning into manageable 15 minute chunks, complete with timer.  And with a checklist tracking feature, it makes me feel super-productive when I'm just doing ordinary tidying up. And while $4.99 may seem a little steep at the app store, trust me- It's. Worth. Every. Penny.
• For a fit body: Nike Training Club is your personal trainer on a budget.  Filled with targeted zone and all-over cardio workouts for all schedules and fitness levels, NTC is a great way to get in shape and stay in shape.  I've been using it on-and-off for a year and a half and have still not tired of the  workouts.  When I started an intense Monday boot camp class at our local gym, I felt totally prepared thanks to my high-knee-burpee-tuck-jump-plank routines at home with NTC.

PS.  I have no financial incentive to writing about this.  In fact, I have reason to believe that my mother is the only person who reads this blog and she doesn't have an iPhone.  I'm just putting it out there that these really do help me in my daily life.  I'm a fan. (Got it, Mom?)

Too busy Tuesday- crockpot chicken divan

Today I have meetings until 5, a school board meeting I want to attend at 6:30, and people to feed!

I had indicated to my family that I'd make chicken divan (an all time family favorite), without really considering my schedule...  so I looked up a Campbell's recipe and made some substitutions...

My (sort-of) crockpot chicken divan:

• Coat your crockpot with cooking spray
• Put 2 cups uncooked white rice on bottom of slow cooker
• Layer 4-6 uncooked chicken breasts, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1 bag frozen broccoli, and mixture of 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup mayo, curry to taste
• Pour 2 cups chicken broth around edge of slow cooker and do not stir!
• Top with 1 (additional) cup shredded cheddar and bread crumbs
• Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours (I had a long day...  mine was closer to 9 and still tasted great!)

Bunny Brunch

So Easter came and went and we were lucky to host a brunch for 18 - ourselves included.  Since I don't have many "old family recipes," I turned to my Google family and think the meal ended up a hit:

• Champagne brunch: I mistakenly bought a colleague white zinfandel thinking it was their favorite, just an hour before finding out it was actually Riesling..  So I was left with two bottles of wine I wouldn't drink, when I stumbled upon Barefoot's Pretty in Pink Sangria recipe- add some strawberries, pineapple juice, lemonade concentrate, ginger ale, and voila- a summery (springy) wine punch!
• Crockpot French toast: My goal was to have everything "made" when company arrived and this was easily accomplished with a 5 a.m. wake-up call to start the crockpot and a great recipe for French toast (prepared the night before).  This went over well and worked as leftovers too.
• Strawberry baked oatmeal: Along with my 5 am crockpot date, I had a minor panic that there would not be enough food. (In addition to the food I've listed, there ended up being an additional egg casseroles, a quiche, a dozen bagels, and 2 pounds of bacon.  My worrying was in vain.)  I searched my cupboards and the Internet and ended up with a strawberry baked oatmeal casserole.  I skipped the bananas and ended up eating this all week!
• Cherry and Nutella crepe bar: Better Homes and Gardens Crepes are one of our family favorites.  We prepared ahead and served warm alongside a bowl of Nutella and another of cherry pie filling, complete with a can of whipped cream.  This was a hit, with the kids especially.
• Easter deviled eggs: With 2 dozen dyed eggs on our hands, I decided to get a little Pinteresty and followed this Real Mom's recipe for Easter deviled eggs.  However, to spice them up a little, I added dried mustard and paprika to the yolk.  These got a lot of comments and were eaten much quicker than 24 hard boiled pastel lovelies would've been!
• Jake's egg surprise: A casserole my husband made up over time- this is sure to please: 
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 onion, chopped and sauteed
• red, yellow, and green sweet peppers, chopped and sauteed
• 2 zucchini, chopped and sauteed
• mushrooms, chopped and sauteed
• cheese (optional)
• any other veggies you have in the fridge (optional)
• Bake 45 mins at 350 or until cooked through the center

Grumpy gratitude

My best friend's mother has been a guru and guiding force in my life for all 17 years that I have known her.  She has given me some of the best advice on the planet, including:

• "Honey, just hold your head high and tell them all to eat shit." (when faced with nasty gossip)
• "Just remember, a dollar for college and two for therapy." (when faced with parenting woes)
• "Live with dignity." (when faced with life in general)

I sorted out some of my biggest life issues on her back porch and always loved her insight.  I remember discussing gratitude journals with her.  She said she dabbled in journaling about gratitude when it was big and told me: "One day I had a really bad day.  At the end of the day, I didn't know what to write in my journal.  Then I remembered watching Ricky Martin dance on the Today show.  It wasn't much, but I was grateful for it.  So, there's always something."

She is a wise and amazing woman.  And today, I'm taking a page out of her book.  I am a mostly positive person and try to look for the best in life, but for the past two hours I have been in a really crummy mood.  

Here are ten reasons I (and many of us!) need to shake the negativity:

1. I have two children who give my life meaning.  Has one been sick in bed all week with the stomach bug?  Yes.  Did the other cut my nose with a broken broom handle by accident (sort of) two days ago?  Yup.  Would I trade them for anything in the world?  Nope.
2. I have a husband who makes me laugh, listens to my grumbles, gives me coffee in the morning, and whom I love.  In place of a fairy tale, we have a real working relationship and we're partners in making our ever after happy.  (Added bonus: since he knows I'm grumpy, he's poured me a glass of wine, done the dishes, and loaded the washer.)
3. I have two parents and two stepparents that love me and are proud of me.  They overlook the ugly teen years and think the best of me.  In adulthood, they have become friends, confidantes, and allies.
4. I have two sisters who are among my very best friends.  Though we live far apart, we are closer than we have ever been.  They inspire me and make me proud.
5. I know the smartest, funniest, most creative, exciting, fun-loving and wonderful women in the world.  And I get to call them my friends.  Additionally, my extended family rocks.
6. I go to a job every day that I love and do work that I feel is meaningful.  
7. I come home to house every day that I love and have things that many world citizens lack - like clean, running water, heat, and a full refrigerator.
8. I am healthy. My children are healthy. My husband is healthy.  My parents are healthy.  My sisters are healthy.  My friends are healthy.  (That is enough right there.)
9. I live in a country, generation, and social class where I largely control my own destiny through choice and education.  Admittedly, I live a life of privilege.
10. I know a wise woman who is right- there is always something for which to be grateful.

DIY Collage Wall

My fabulous friend, Andrea, has been working on a collage wall in her bedroom for some time and inspired me to do the same.  However, while she is creative, crafty, and married to an artist; I am neurotic, linear, and married to an engineer.  So for every funky frame and creative finish she has on her wall, I have black wood and equal spacing.  In life, we do what works for each of us.

When I searched the Internet (my go-to resource), I found lots of great examples, but not much info on how to make it work for me.  Here are my very abbreviated DIY instructions:

1. Pick your very favorite photos.  (For me, this took an entire snow day and I still needed my husband to make the final call.)
2. If you're a parent, make sure your children are equally represented...  this was the first thing my daughter checked.
3. Pick a size prioritization and ratio.   I chose (3) 11x14s, (8) 8x10s, and (14) 5x7s.  I also accounted for (2) 8 x 10s to include the "What a difference a day makes" Pinterest craze and my favorite Beatles quote ("And in the end, the LOVE you take, is equal to the LOVE you make").
4. Order your prints.  I used Shutterfly and found a great discount code to make this a more palatable purchase for the hubby.
5. Find your frames.  Being the big spender that I am, I headed straight to Dollar Tree for the smaller frames and Dollar General for the 11x14s.  (By the way, I did this entire project for under $100.)
6. After your frames and photos are put together, measure the space you plan to take over and spread them out on the ground somewhere in an equivalent space.  Resist the urge to hang them up right away!  Take a few days to consider their spacing and order...  We're talking about lots of holes in your wall!
7. After you have chosen a layout, take pictures to remember your order and spacing.
8. When it's time to hang: start from the center!  
9. Work your way out and remember that plans can be changed and nails can be adjusted.
10. Take your time and walk away if you need to...  then, step back and admire your work.

This was a favorite project for me and a snapshot in time that I will always treasure.  While Andrea's is artsy and beautiful and cool, mine features the three people I love the most...  and is symmetrical.  At the end of the day, that's all I can ask for.  

Fun with worms... Vermicomposting at the Science Fair!

After a second grade research project on the brain and a third grade "Cookie Chemistry" experiment, we decided to roll up our sleeves for this year's science fair and do something to reduce our landfill contributions this planet we love.  Vermicomposting uses worms to help break down your food products and creates great soil for your garden in the meantime.  By vermicomposting, you avoid throwing out leftovers and old fruits/veggies, thereby reducing what goes from your kitchen to your curb to your local landfill in a non-biodegradable plastic bag.

While we've composted in the past, winter and laziness can present challenges to its success and our food still winds up in the garbage.  Now, thanks to the vermicomposting bin right in our kitchen, we can be green with our food products all year long.  It is easy to do and something we should all consider.  Below are the steps Grace created for her science fair poster:

How do I vermicompost?

STEP ONE: Get your worms!  (We ordered 200 red wigglers from Amazon.)
STEP TWO: Add ½ cup water to peat moss bag so worms don’t die.
STEP THREE: Make bedding for the worms.  (We shredded paper to fill the bin.)
STEP FOUR: Add water to bedding.  (We added 2 gallons.)
STEP FIVE: Chop up old food – anything but meat!
STEP SIX: Add worms and compost to bin.  Cover with damp newspaper.
STEP SEVEN: Drill breathing holes in bin.

The Science Fair isn't until 3/22, but we already consider this project a success.

If you're interesting in vermicomposting and want to learn more, please realize we've oversimplified the process a little and check out this great book: Worms: Eat my Garbage, which was a great resource for us!  Or, just Google and see what you can find!

I feel like chicken tonight...

Note to reader: there is nothing interesting, motivating, or exciting in what you are about to read.  However, I made a recipe tonight that is too good not to share: Cooks.com Fast & Easy Chicken and Potatoes.  Forget what your mother told you...  sometimes things that are fast and easy actually are worthwhile!

Ingredients: chicken, potatoes, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, sour cream, butter, broth or bouillon cubes

1. Cut up 2-3 lbs chicken
2. In a Ziploc, combine 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika
3. Shake the chicken in the Ziploc mix until coated
4. Pan fry chicken in 1/2 to 1 stick butter (worry about the gym tomorrow...  it's worth the calories)
5. Add sliced potatoes and 1 cup broth (I used 1 cup of water and 2 beef bouillon cubes because that's what I had in my cupboard)
6. When chicken is cooked through, remove from pan; keep cooking potatoes until tender
7. Remove potatoes from the pan and add 1/2 cup sour cream to drippings; stir to make delicious sauce/gravy

Serve with cooked carrots or a vegetable of your choice.

P.S. This entire process took me about thirty minutes.  

P.P.S.  The whole family liked it.  Even my exceptionally picky children.  One for the books.

Wacky Wednesday Seuss cookies

"It all began with a shoe on the wall.  A shoe on the wall shouldn't be there at all."

~Dr. Seuss

I am not a Pinterest mother.  Don't get me wrong: I admire you.  I aspire to be like you.  I just totally lack the creativity and talent.

That being said, when our beloved childcare provider Betty launched "Dr. Seuss" week at preschool AND my son, Miles, was "snack helper," I was determined to be creative.  Once again, Google prevailed where creativity lacked.  This time Souders Cookery helped me out; thank you whoever/wherever you are. My Tuesday night project: Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies.  Very fun, Seuss-like, and fairly easy to make.

• Ingredients: sugar cookie dough, food coloring, rainbow sprinkles

1. Make a batch of your favorite sugar cookie dough.  Store-bought mix works, although I used the Better Homes and Gardens recipe.
2. Chill the dough.  (I skipped this step.)
3. Divide your dough into 5 balls and dye them using food coloring and your hands.  (This is messy.  If you involve children in this process, look forward to several days of green fingers.)
4. To make one cookie: 

• Take a grape-sized ball of each color
• Roll the 5 grapes into one bigger, multi-                   colored ball
• Roll the bowl between your hands and the counter into a cylindrical shape (it will look like a psychedelic Play-Doh snake)
• Roll your cylinder/snake into a pinwheel/coil
• If desired, roll the edges of the cookie in a bowl of rainbow sprinkles

1. Repeat until you run out of dough
2. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 on an ungreased sheet
3. Cool, serve, enjoy.  (And, if your cookies look better than mine, post them on Pinterest.)

A very vegan birthday to you!

My stepfather has been experimenting with veganism for the past eight weeks and has experienced fabulous success with weight loss, lowered cholesterol, and general good feelings.

I wanted to make him dinner for his birthday, but as a true dairy lover (aka cheese addict) and occasional meat eater, I had my doubts as to how much I'd enjoy tonight's dinner (especially dessert).  Let it be known, I was pleasantly surprised.

Thank you Google, for once again pointing me in the right direction.  Bonnie, from Going Home to Roost deserves a medal, because her Vanilla Vegan Birthday Cake was UNREAL! (Purple text below from her blog.)

ingredients

2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup water
2 tbs earth balance butter
2 tbs coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 tsp lemon juice

*this makes just enough for one layer. for the above cake, i made this recipe 2 times, once for each round cake layer (don’t try to double it!).

directions

preheat the oven to 350 degrees. combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder) and mix together.

in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (water, earth balance, coconut oil, vanilla, lemon juice) and mix together.

slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix slowly until it is well combined. a few little lumps will remain.

pour the batter into a lightly greased cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes  or until a knife can be inserted into the middle and come out clean.

remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before icing.

icing recipe

- adapted from oh she glows:

ingredients

1/2 cup earth balance butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
2 tbsp coconut creamer

directions

place the 1/2 cup earth balance butter in a mixing bowl, and beat on high as you gradually add in the coconut creamer, vanilla extract and salt. continue to mix for 3-4 minutes. as it continues to beat, slowly start adding your 3 cups of sifted confectioners sugar. beat on high for another 5-10 minutes to achieve a really fluffy, smooth texture.'

(x2 to cover each layer)

Dessert in review: I'll never be able to give up my cheddar, but I might be a birthday cake convert...  This was really good!

 For dinner, we had my husband Jake's classic fried rice...  easy and delicious.

• Prepare 4+ cups rice (white or brown) in a rice cooker or on stove top
• Saute chopped broccoli and carrots in vegetable oil
• When veggies start to often, add equal parts soy sauce and hot sauce, to taste
• When rice is done, add to veggie pan adding soy/hot sauce as needed
• Serve and enjoy!  Non-vegans can add some scrambled eggs to this mixture for a little protein kick

I was going to take a picture of the rice itself, but it was eaten up before I had a chance...  That should be a testament to the taste!

Driving my family crazy... for posterity

When we were kids and my mother wanted to take yet another picture of us, she would always say "It's for posterity."

Fast forward 25 years and enter digital cameras...  posterity has taken on a new meaning.  

I am a picture fanatic.  I take thousands of pictures of my children every year.  Although I am a minimalist when it comes to "stuff", I admittedly hoard digital images.  Will I ever really want 18 images of my daughter in the outfield during any given softball game?  Probably not.  Will I delete even one of those images?  Never.

Then I got an iPhone and Project 365 became my new obsession.  Their motto: Document a year of your life by taking a photo a day.  My reaction?  Yes please!  Let's call it image journalling... this is a great and easy way for Smart Phone users to keep a visual record of their life- or the growth of their children...  or pets... or plants?  At the end of the year, I'll make a digital scrapbook with a page to feature each week and we'll have a record of our year in pictures.  (I also keep a written 5 year journal, but it's not like I'm going to put that on the coffee table for visitors to peruse.)  

So now it's my kids and husband that groan when I want to take yet another picture of them, and what do I say?  "It's for posterity..."

P is for Pancake

I bake with my son routinely- cookies, cupcakes, brownies, birthday cakes, you name it...  it's kind of our thing.  However for some reason, he is convinced I don't know how to make pancakes.  I was reminded of this early today when he and I were the only ones awake and I suggested (in a conspiratorial whisper) that we make breakfast for my husband (Jake), my daughter (Grace), and her sleepover guest.  To which he replied, "Mom...  you can't make pancakes."  Apparently, this a skill that only his father possesses.

I was reminded of why I should have stayed in bed when he told me that my much anticipated, new Good Cook Pancake Creator "gun" was not a gun because it doesn't shoot anything and tried to throw it in the garbage.   After a thrown lollipop (before breakfast, don't ask...), some tears, and a timeout, my husband came downstairs and they made pancakes. Maybe it's kind of their thing.

Jake and Miles' Perfect Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt (or a pinch in Miles' hand)
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp cooking oil
• food coloring (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.  Combine bowls and stir until moistened.  Batter will be lumpy.

Try the Good Cook Pancake Creator  to add fun shapes.  Just don't advertise it to your son as a "gun" or he will be sorely disappointed and your creator may (nearly) end up in the trash.  

Coffee pots and candid thoughts...

I somehow grew up without a single domestic skill... like, not one.  So, as a self-proclaimed perfectionist and a mother who wants to teach her son and daughter the value of keeping a good home, I've had to teach myself a lot.  Enter Google.  If your search history includes things like "how to de-vein a shrimp" or "how to remove old milk from a couch" or "how to brine a turkey" or "how to clean rust from a bathtub", then we could hang out.

I am lucky to have friends who are far more talented than I.  Enter Jill and her sparkling coffeepot.  Every day I ponder my stained coffeepot with a bit of disdain... until today.  My wonderful, kind, and savvy friend Jill informed me that the easiest way to clean a coffeepot is with baking soda and water.  Apparently this also works for ceramic coffee mugs.  There is no secret process-

1. Just sprinkle in baking soda 
2. Dump in some water
3. Scrub
4. Voila

I'm sold, I'm trilled, and now I, too, have a sparkling coffee pot.

Life is good.

PS- Thanks to Jill, I've also removed aforementioned milk stains from my microsuede throw pillows.  Did everyone else know you can throw two in the washing machine, air dry, and not look like your pillows are covered in slobber?  Magic!

DIY Pizza Party!

Hosted dinner tonight for friends with culinary talents far greater than mine, so I chose a fun, easy dinner to please: DIY pizza.  (This was also appealing to the under 11 crowd.)

Recipes to remember:

Jill's Tasty Artichoke-Red Pepper Dip - crowd pleaser

• 2 packages softened cream cheese
• 1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 jar roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
• 2 cups mayo
• 2 cups cheese (she suggests Parmesan, I used cheddar)

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and serve with chips or crackers.

AllRecipe's Awesome Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

• These were spicy, but the recipe lived up to the name!  I served it with "Bill's Blue Cheese dressing" - another AllRecipes winner.

Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Pizza Dough

• My husband and son LOVE to make this dough together.
• We filled bowls with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, goat cheese, chopped spinach, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, mushrooms, and peppers.
• Children and adults alike went to town making their own pizza masterpieces.

Night in review: 

• Cost was minimal (so husband was happy)
• Prep time was minimal (I spent the afternoon at the science museum with my kids, so they were happy)
• Fun was had by all (so I was happy)

Here we go...

Welcome to my blog.  (That feels weird to say.)

I want to write about my life- as a mom, wife, teacher, friend, daughter, sister, learner, and wonderer.  (According to Blogger, that's not a word.  Oh well.)

More specifically, I want to write about figuring it all out.  As a kid I looked at adults as magical creatures who inherently knew how to prepare a holiday meal, remove coffee stains from mugs, plan a bridal shower, keep a household, do their makeup, balance a career, have good hair, maintain a marriage, and raise little human beings.  They seemed so competent, confident, and wise.  Then I woke up- 31, a husband, 2 kids, a thousand commitments, endless laundry, and not enough time in the day.  There was no boot camp, no jedi training, no magical rite of passage.  Just me...  and some days, seemingly, the balance of the universe hanging in the balance.  Thank goodness for Google, a sense of humor, and a willingness to figure it out.