Friday Flashback

• Are They Good Enough?
• Yard Sale from Big Truck Day
• A Father's Day Gift for My Dad
• A Friday Link Roundup: Places I've Been...
• Big Truck Day
• Is Standardized Sizing Too Much to Ask For?
• Trash to Treasure
• Should I Get a New Sewing Machine?
• A Friday Link Roundup: Places I’ve been…
• Freezer Clean Out Soup

Some Thoughts on 30

my boys

I turn 30 today.

Yeah.

I think I'm ok with it tho. I know 30 is one of those dreaded ages to get to, but so far it's a heck of a lot better than my 20's. My 20's were a time of learning what works for me and what doesn't, and learning about what I really want and need in life. The last 10 years have been growing years.

In my 20's I lived in good apartments, bad apartments, had good landlords, bad landlords, and a landlord that accused me of having a dog (I made him walk inside my apartment and look for any sign of this supposed dog after two weeks of accusations and threats). Now I'm my own landlord.

In my 20's I had an ulcer or two, migraines, and just was not in tune with my body or my surroundings. Rather than fighting against myself, I now live more naturally and in harmony with my body and I'm living the benefits.

In my 20's I thought I needed stuff to be happy. Now I know that it isn't the stuff that makes me happy, it's how I interact with the stuff. If I'm happy, I'm happy. Stuff only assists.

In my 20's I thought I would never have children. Now I have a beautiful son that I love more than anything in the world and who inspires me every single day (even if it's an inspiration of patience).

In my 20's I stayed in love with the same person. Our love has changed as we have changed, but it's always there. It's been a good 10 1/2 years, hon.

In my 20's I created stability, a home, and a family. I am the most proud of myself for being a point of stability for myself and my family so that where we go our home goes with us. My love and priorities are strong, I'm resourceful, and I know no matter what we'll be good to go.

WE will be good to go. That's my favorite accomplishment of my 20's. Creating WE.

Sunscreen Success!

image source

I finally found a sunscreen that A: does not make me break out, B: isn't greasy, C: isn't completely full of awful chemicals, D: doesn't turn me bright white from the zinc, and E: works!

Banana Boat's Natural Reflect. No, this isn't a sponsored post, tho if they want to send me product I'd be majorly appreciative. I picked up the Kids version to check out since I was sick of the other products I've tried failing one or more of my above list and I'm constantly on the lookout for a good sunscreen that passes my evaluation. This one does, for sure! I've been using it on myself and on Max this summer and it's really fantastic. I'm not the only one who thinks so, Mandi at Green Your Way did a review as well. (she also did a great sunscreen review last summer too)

No-Pasta Salad

excuse the low-res cell pic

Summertime = pasta salad. Specifically my mom's elbow macaroni salad... which I'm not allowed to eat on Atkins. <sigh>

BUT, there is hope: Spaghetti squash. Yes, you heard me right. Spaghetti squash might be a less-than-stellar substitute for hot pasta with marinara, but it makes a great base for a cold summer salad.

No-Pasta Salad

1 spaghetti squash, cooked, cooled & prepared (fluff it with a fork)
2-3 cups assorted chopped vegetables
1/2-3/4 cup Italian salad dressing (or dressing of your choice)

Mix in a large bowl, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, and enjoy! It's even better the next day. :)

And, if you use cabbage as part of your chopped veggies it is very reminiscent of coleslaw, minus the slimey ew factor.

Work (or anywhere) Hack: Lotion Your Hair

If the ends of your hair are dry and frizzy, or if your curls are just going everywhere, give this a try: Rub a pea sized amount of lotion on your hands, then lightly work through the ends of your hair. Repeat if needed. It acts as a leave in conditioner and texturizer. Seriously, I'm not crazy. A photo shoot stylist told me that trick. Yes, it will weigh down super fine hair, and if you get it near the roots it'll make your hair look greasy. Just like leave in conditioner and texturizer.

You can thank me later.

And I tried to get a picture of the back of my head, but I just have my camera phone and it's not working out for me. But I've done it other times... actually, my hair in my profile picture was styled with free hand lotion from the hotel we were staying at. Bam, there you go!

Frugal Luxuries: Iced Coffee (and my desk)

my coffee cup & my desk at work

So, who in the old US of A isn't having a heat wave right now? Anyone?

In anticipation of the second day in a row of holy hotness (and not the Johnny Depp kind), last night I brewed myself some coffee. For homemade iced coffee, obviously.

There are a couple of key differences in making iced (or just cold) coffee versus hot coffee.

Number 1: Make it stronger than usual, it's going to get watered down with ice and/or milk.
Number 2: However you prepare it (milk, cream, sweetener, etc), make it more so. Like double the amounts. Unless you normally drink sweet milk with a little coffee, in that case just make it the same with stronger coffee.
Number 3: Add ice. Or just chill it and drink it fast before it warms up.

I brewed 9-10 cups of strong coffee, added 5-6 cups milk and two Splenda packets and put it all in a 2-quart jar in the fridge overnight. Tastes more or less like those iced coffees you get out of the coolers.

Well, now that I've looked at a map, it looks like the Rockies are pretty chill. And CA isn't doing too bad, but it's still very early morning there. Yes, this is the weather map at 8:45am, and I'm in one of those darker orange areas.

image source

BTW, did you notice how when I took the picture I angled the camera so my cup wouldn't look so large? Yeah, it's a big cup, and I drink at least one of those every day of coffee. Small addiction...

Natural Solutions: Boiling Water Weed Killer

Did you know that boiling water will kill weeds? Well, now you do. It's not practical for large areas, but cleaning up around the driveway or the front walk works pretty well. And it's practically free.

Step 1: Boil water.
Step 2: Carefully take boiling water outside.
Step 3: Pour boiling water (well, very very hot water at this point) on the weeds, making sure to focus on the base/root of the plant.
Step 4: Wait a few days. The leaves eventually die back and the plant goes away. I'd show after pictures, but who wants to look at gravel?

You could be a bit more proactive than I was and cut back the plant first... but that would have required more effort. And I was genuinely curious how this would turn out on a large, stubborn weed.

one of the large, stubborn weeds in question

The weeds are gone, by the way.