The Turkeys Are Out

Obviously this is from a while ago - no, we do not have snow on the ground any more. But I found the pics on my phone and had to share!

The neighbor toward the edge of town has some game birds, I assume these escapees belong over there.

Cats...

Sidda

We have three cats. The eldest, Sidda, we got when he was just a little kitten, and we were starting our relationship. We took that first big step and moved in together, then the next big step was Sidda.

Sidda has anxiety. We've worked with animal behaviorists, veterinarians, tried everything. And while we're not a rowdy household, we're not a quiet one either. Medication helps, if nothing else it gets his heart rate down to something more normal instead of the 180-200bpm at rest when unmedicated. Hubby and I have finally had the discussion of whether it's in Sid's best interests to stay with us, trying to separate our feelings from the issue and looking at his needs.

We've had him for 10 years, but we think maybe, as much as we love him and he loves us, he might be better off with a retiree or someone who's home and can sit around petting him in a quiet living room all day.

I think we may have found him a new home. I've been emailing with a gentleman and his wife, learning more about their home and telling them more about Sid and our home. This has to be one of the hardest decisions we've ever made, but I know in my gut it's right. He deserves quiet and peace in his last few years as well as love.

Bacon Egg Cups

Oh my yumminess. And so easy.

They taste better than they look. Unless you think they look holy-amazeballs, then yes, you're spot on.

Ingredients:
12 slices bacon
10ish eggs

Splash of milk (optional)
Salt, pepper, spices to taste
Suggested (some or all): minced onion, garlic, basil, oregano

• Preheat your oven to 350 deg F.
• Line an ungreased muffin tin with bacon (see below).
• Zing up the eggs, milk, and spices in a blender, or whisk it really well. You're going for a scrambled eggs/omelet mixture here.
• Pour the egg mixture into the bacon lined cups, up to 1/4-1/2" from the top.
• Bake at 350 deg F for 30-35 minutes.

Done! Pop them out while they're hot/warm, the bacon self-greases so clean-up is a breeze. No frying pans or getting zapped by grease spray.

No, these are not low fat, but they're Atkins friendly (if you use cream instead of milk).

Superhero Big Boy Underpants

Big boy underpants are even more awesome when they're Superhero underpants. Because even Green Lantern goes potty.

Front Entry Makeover!

Man, this was overdue.

Before:

These belong curbside, not on a house! And that bare bulb...

After!!!

A new light, house numbers, and an appropriately sized mailbox. What a world of difference!

I spray painted a 1'x2' board with a hammered metal finish, then hand painted the house numbers, and mounted the mailbox directly on the board. I just printed out big numbers, and cut them out to make a stencil that I traced on the board. Cheap and pretty!

The light fixture is my favorite part though. It's an $85 fixture that I got for $20 since it was a return with a damaged box. It's been waiting for two years for me to get up the courage to rewire a light - and after doing it I'm laughing at myself for waiting this long. It wasn't easy per se, but it wasn't as difficult as I'd assumed.

And isn't that a gorgeous result?

Less than $50 total - $20ish for the light, $25 for the mailbox, and a few new light bulbs. The rest I had in my stash. Oh, and the wreath? I made that from vines in the back yard, some gold spray paint, and a bit of old pant leg.

Cowboy Hat!

It's a good day to be a cowboy with a green hat. :)

Magnetic Grocery List

Sometimes the charities that send endless amounts of address labels send other random things - like this grocery pad. I glued a magnet to the back, glued a magnet to a pen, and now I have a conveniently located grocery list right on the fridge. How's that for an easy, cheap, five minute fix?

Small Cleanings

Sometimes it's just the small accomplishments - like wiping down the exterior of the fridge and freezer and rearranging the magnets - that make your day better.

Yes, that's a pillow on top of the freezer. Faith (kitty) likes to sleep up there.

Hard "Boiling" Eggs

Did you know you can hard cook eggs in the oven? Yuppers - 325*F for 30-35 minutes. Put them directly on the oven rack in a cold oven, and let them sit through the pre-heat. I put a pan of water below them to catch any breaks and to increase the humidity. When they're done, put them in a bowl of cold water until they're completely cooled. That's it!

Max and I prefer them this way, they're less rubbery, and I can do 12-18 just as easily as 5. Very handy when a certain little mister will eat 5-6 egg whites in a sitting (he doesn't like the "ball"). I use the yolks in my breakfast smoothies for an extra dose of protein.

Pirate Treasure

Arr!

Max spent a day with my mom, and when I got there to pick him up I was greeted by a pirate! Complete with pirate hat (lego bin), telescope (paper towel tube), and pirate outfit (training pants and socks). Mom just shrugged and smiled as Max told me all about his day, interspersed with several, "arr!"'s.

I wanted to go down to the basement to look for something in the future-yard-sale-collection my dad has going, so Max joined me on my treasure hunt.

After much searching, he found his treasure! He named it Mommy, after me. Duck-Mommy just needed a little bath and was good to go.

Who knew going down to the basement would turn into such an adventure?

that's my duck, gramma!

"Green" Smoothies

You know, green smoothies don't have to be green. They can be all sorts of colors - just getting that dose of kale or spinach (or green of choice) is the point.

I've been having the same thing for breakfast for the last few weeks, and I feel great. It goes a little something like:

• Handful of kale
• Scoop of protein powder/meal replacement (chocolate or vanilla)
• A banana
• A heaping Tbsp of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of frozen berries
• A crushed up multi-vitamin
• Milk/green tea to cover

I blend it all together, and there we go! Easy, and usually brown. :) I vary the berries and whether I use chocolate or vanilla powder, that keeps it interesting enough that I haven't gotten bored. And it's actually holding me until lunch - go figure!

DIY Reusable Pads

Fair warning: We're talking sanitary pads today.

I've made several pads over the years, and through some trial and error I've finally figured out what works. You'll need a few pairs of well fitting briefs (think granny panties), some old washcloths, and snaps (I love my snap press, so much better than sewing them on). Optional is waterproof fabric like PUL, and old t-shirts.

Trace your favorite disposable pad onto some paper or cardboard to make your template. Then start cutting out the pads. I find that either three layers of washcloth or two layers of washcloth topped with two layers of t-shirt works well and will still make it through the sewing machine. Layer your fabrics, and if you're using it put the waterproof layer on the bottom and the t-shirt on top. Serge or zigzag stitch around the edges. Trim any excess, and you have a pad!

Pad snapped into the panties.

Install a male snap at one end of the pad and a female at the other. If you want to install the snaps before sewing all the layers together you can, just make sure to put it through at least two layers so it doesn't rip out of the fabric later when you go to use it. Install the snaps the same distance apart on each pad.

Now install a male and a female snap on your undies at the same distance apart as on the pads. Use some extra material to reinforce the snaps when you install them, again to prevent the snaps from ripping out.

Done! You can change out a pad as needed, and fold it in on itself to prevent a mess. You'll have to change more often than with disposable, so make plenty - I suggest a pair of undies for each day, and a half dozen pads a day. I prefer doing more laundry versus sewing more pads, but you'll figure out what works for you. Speaking of laundry, I just throw them in with the towels.

Snaps on each end - fold it in on itself for transport

Finished pad - it doesn't have to be pretty, that's up to you, you're the one looking at it. I go for functional.

Seed Starting Status

See those little seedlings, those bits of green hovering in the light? Isn't it just so pretty?

The k-cups are working like a charm. I'm putting each type of plant in a different salad container then writing on the outside of the container what's inside, easy peasy.

DIY Glasses Wipes

So simple, I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of this years ago. Cut up paper towels, spray them with glass cleaner, and stick them in a baggie.

Cuteness

Yeah, we're that cute

Max's monkey wearing a night cap