Seeking next door neighbor

FALLen angel autumn display. No one in my neighborhood found it funny.

Who would you like to live next door?

You know, the person who you wouldn't care popped over unannounced? Someone who has similar life priorities as you and the same sense of humor? And didn't judge?

I love that scene in Stepford Wives when Bobby commented on Joanna's messy kitchen. Since all her neighbors had turned Stepford, complete with immaculate homes and shallow personalities, Bobby commented that Joanna's sticky kitchen was a "home away from home."

I totally get it.

My mom had a good friend. Let's call her Carol. Carol's house always appeared lived-in and she was a riot of good times. She also wasn't consumed by creating a spotless museum for her family.

I'm still looking for my Carol. In my neighborhood, it's unacceptable to have laundry on the dining room table and the rusted running board from the Jeep in the side bushes.

Here's one lady I wouldn't mind as my next door neighbor: Nancy. She loves her family, cooks, creates, and has a great time with her grand-babies. I can imagine she would be a blast to hang out with.

Who is your dream next-door neighbor?

Who's your daddy?

Some kids are about to start kindergarten. 

When I had daycare kids that age, I thought it was a good idea to review their parents' names. You know, just in case. 

The conversations often went like this:

Me: "What's your daddy's name?"

Little one: "Daddy."

Me:  "I mean his name."

Little one: "Daddy."

Me: "OK. You know your grandma is your daddy's mom, right?"

Little one: "Yes."

Me: "Well your grandma didn't name her newborn baby, Daddy."

Little one: "Yes she did."

When a conversation gets to this point with a preschooler, you just have to give them the facts and revisit the topic another time.

And so I'm thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea for young children everywhere to be reminded their parents' names.

Phone numbers, too.

Have a lovely day!

Friendship bracelets for end of summer

It's the end of summer. 

Do you have a houseful of bored nocturnals milling around looking for something to do? 

Perhaps you also have some barefoot neighbor kids thrown in the mix, too?

Celebrate their summer alliance with friendship bracelets. All you need is some yarn. And maybe a few beads.

Tape three stands of yarn to the table and space the strands.

Then begin braiding.

Add a bead or two if you want to be fancy.

Then, just tie the two ends together to make a bracelet! 

If the strands are really long, you can drape it on the arm, then twist and double over. (you know, like when a necklace is too long). This makes a thicker bracelet. 

The end of summer is such a bittersweet season.

Have a lovely day!




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Artsy-Fartsy Mama

The party is when?

You know how it is.

Maybe you forgot a get-together. Or one of the kids neglected to tell you about the school BBQ and you're supposed to bring a dish to share.

Keep this recipe in your back pocket and the ingredients on hand. You never know when a party will sneak up on you!

AMBROSIA - QUICK AS A WINK!

Ingredients:

3 cans of chunk pineapple
3 cans of Mandarin oranges
1 jar of Maraschino cherries
Couple handfuls of mini marshmallows
16 oz (two normal tubs) whipped cream
Optional: shredded coconut, pecans, walnuts

Instructions:

Drain the fruit
Mix all ingredients, except whipped cream, in a pretty bowl
Gently stir in the whipped cream

Then, cover the bowl and hop in the car!

Have a lovely day!

A is for animals

When I had an in-home daycare, we focused on one letter of the alphabet per week.

I made this memory game using our pets' photos. (A is for animals!). It took no time at all to put this game together.

Since we have lots of photos of Mr. Cool, Little Weirdo and Kitty Baby, I just found one picture of each of them. Then I printed two copies of each photo.

Depending on the ages of the kids playing, you may want to "laminate" the photos. I cheat-laminate by covering fronts and backs with packing tape; and I definitely needed to laminate these photos, because the players of the game were all three and younger!

To play: flip all the photos over so the pictures are hidden. Then, as in the classic game, Memory, just flip one photo at a time while trying to find its match.

You can add photos of other animals like lions, giraffes, fish, etc. Keep the game simple with only four or six photos or add a lot more to create a challenge for older kids.

Have a lovely day!



This post was shared on:
Mad in Crafts
Flour Me with Love

A serious new year's post and apple crisp

 

How is 2014 treating you so far? 

I can't help reminiscing about when I was a stay-at-home mom--about 10 years ago. We were able to keep the bills paid and even had extra money at the end of the month for music lessons, pizza outings, and savings.

Where are we today?

Well, to say the money doesn't go as far as it used to is an understatement. In addition, I see no reason to believe the economy will get better soon. 

How's that for a new year's sentiment from an otherwise "Pollyanna" blog?

It's time to get busy. Seriously.

Whereas frugality was a lifestyle choice for some, I believe it will become necessary for all but an elite few. But most of us will need to get super creative with how we live. Creative with food, creative with transportation, creative with recreation, creative with utilities. 

Frugality is but a distant memory.

The good news is that when we start thinking about life OFF the treadmill, we find unexpected joy. By eating the food we grow, our bodies become healthy. By working outside to produce that food, our lungs enjoy fresh air and our muscles tone. By pooling resources with our neighbors, our communities strengthen.

Hey wait. Maybe this is still a "Pollyanna" blog.

How about a dessert recipe?

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

8 medium apples from your backyard orchard (Ha! Made ya look.)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup butter, softened

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Skin and slice apples.

Arrange apples in the dish.

Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over the apples.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

It's up to us to keep spirits up. We've got a lot of work ahead, but we can do it!

Have a neighborly day! (I'm serious) 

Nachos with chicken aka tornado chicken

My kids kept reminding me about the time I was making chicken nachos the night the tornado sirens blared. We all headed to the basement and had to delay dinner. 

I guess the kids now associate chicken nachos with tornadoes. 

They keep saying, "Make that tornado chicken again."

All you need is some cooked chicken, spices and nacho stuff, of course.

After we had the baked chicken the other night, I put a few leftover cooked chicken breasts in the freezer.

Tornado Chicken Nachos

Shred two cooked chicken breasts.
Put them in a microwave-safe dish.

Add:
A splash of water
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

Put a lid on it and microwave it for about a minute and a half.

Melt some cheese on top of tortilla chips, add the meat, salsa and black olives. 

Don't you love having leftover cooked meat on hand? 

I know. Me, too!
 






This post was shared on:
The Prairie Homestead
Mad in Crafts
Adventures of a DIY Mom
Growing Home Blog 

Toy box for big kids

It all started with the Rubik's cube I found before the yard sale. I thought how fun it would be to keep it in the living room so people could pick it up and noodle around with it.

Then I thought of other things big kids (and grown ups) might like to play with. 

Here is what's in the box:

1. Three ball pit balls to juggle or play catch with. I allow ball throwing in the house and I'm proud of it.
2. The black bag behind the balls contains plastic cups to stack.
   
3. I'm hoping a rousing game of Mancala might break out soon.
   
4. Who doesn't like an Etch a Sketch?
5. Ball on a string. Catch it in the cup!
6. A wooden puzzle.
7. Silly Putty.
8. A yellow egg-shaped rattle for shaking a beat.
9. And, of course, a deck of cards.

Hey look! 

One of the kids wants to play!

Have a lovely day!
  




This post was shared on:
Pursuit of Functional Home
Snoopy's Dog Blog
Frugally Sustainable 

Chicken wrap buffet

There really should be more last-minute supper options. What's a procrastinator to do?

This little number is a favorite in our house (for now). I better be careful, though. Serve it too many times and it will become a dreaded meal.

My list of dreaded meals continues to grow. I find an easy recipe everyone loves and I can't help myself: it's all we eat for three weeks straight. Then no one will touch it for a few years.

It's my own fault.

This recipe is still a go at our house. See what your family thinks.

Just be careful! You could be walking a fine line here.

Chicken Wrap Buffet
(I didn't list quantities. It depends on how many to serve and their preferences.)

Ingredients:
Soft shell tortillas
Chicken, cooked and sliced/chopped (I cook frozen spicy patties--to get things done)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Tomato, washed and chopped
Celery, washed and chopped
Onion, washed and chopped
Lettuce leaves, washed
Ranch dressing

Directions:
Place chicken and bacon on the edge of a tortilla.
Add a sprinkling of cheese.
Top with tomatoes, celery, onions and a bit of ranch dressing.
Put a lettuce leaf on top.
Roll tortilla tightly.

My guys can each eat three of these.

Here is how I like mine:

Some crushed tortilla chips would be good on top, I bet!

Have a lovely day!

Baked apples in caramel sauce

The other night, the family was clamoring for something sweet.

I tried this on a whim and it went over well.

You should try it!

Baked apples in caramel sauce

Prepare the apples:
Peel and slice 2 apples. I used green ones.
Put apple slices in a microwave-safe bowl.
Stir in 1 Tablespoon sugar.
Shake the cinnamon jar once over the top. Not too much.
Microwave about 1 1/2 minutes on high. 
Test with a fork. Microwave longer if desired.

Prepare the caramel sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tablespoons butter
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Mix together the brown sugar, milk, butter and salt.
Heat the mixture over medium-low heat for about 6 minutes. 
Add maple flavoring.
Heat another few minutes until desired thickness or until your patience runs out.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Drizzle some caramel sauce over the apples. 

Top with whipped cream if you have some and if you are in the mood.

There will probably be some extra caramel sauce. And that's juuuuust fine.  :)

Have a lovely day.
 

This post was shared on:
Robyn's View -- Foodie Friends Friday 

Marianna Rose is not the problem

I was at the grocery store the other day. You know how you can hear shoppers in the other aisles talking? You might not see them. But you hear them.

On this occasion, I overheard a mother talking to her toddler. 

Or her dog.

"Marianna Rose, sit."

"Marianna Rose, stop that."

"Marianna Rose, that is NOT the way to get what you want."

"Marianna Rose, stop making that face."

I didn't hear a peep from Marianna Rose. I didn't hear scuffling. Marianna Rose seemed to be a most compliant child.

I was tempted to find Marianna Rose's mother and say:

"Lady, YOU are the one who needs to sit and stop that. The way you are acting is not the way to get what you want."

"And, by the way, your face is probably stuck that way."

But I didn't.

I hope Marianna Rose is one strong-willed kid. 

Or imaginary.

Cool kids still ruin my life

As I was experiencing a rare moment of housecleaning motivation, I grabbed the carpet shampoo from the laundry room shelf.

Imagine my surprise when I read this on the label:

"Safe For All Popular Machines." 

I never considered my steam cleaner cool or popular. He seemed average. Kept to himself, a solid B student. He always had to be carried up the stairs for chores, because he wasn't ambitious enough on his own.

I thought this was typical.

I asked him, "Honey, are you popular?" 

He mumbled something.

"I know you are hot and steamy," I said, "but are you popular?"

It became obvious to both of us. This was going to be a make-over day.

From seeing the kids around the neighborhood, I knew a thing or two about "popular."
So, I bought my baby a backpack and headphones. His hat and scarf were mismatched on purpose. I caved and handed over my car keys.

The journey had begun. 

Concert t-shirts were always fashionable when I was kid. 

We agreed on Rush (of course).

Look! Some interest from another kid.

Maybe this guy will tell his friends and my kid will become popular, I thought. 

We added bongos. 

It worked!

Yet, I wondered how much more effort was necessary. 

How popular does a steam cleaner need to be? Scholars and philosophers have been chasing the answer to that question for ages. I never gave it much thought, but this day my carpets were really dirty.

We pressed on.

The winter hat was replaced with a ball cap. A backwards ball cap. 

Dang.

Even I became intimidated by my steam cleaner's hipness. 

When asked about his feelings, he said, "talk to the cleaning bristles, woman." I think he also may have mentioned something about shizzles. 

Had I created a back-talking monster? I couldn't resist testing the matter:

"You can't make me wear this stupid hat. You never understood me. I HATE YOU!" screamed my steam cleaner. 

It was then that I realized...

Divas don't clean carpets.

This post was shared on:
Snoopy's Dog Blog
Adventures of a DIY Mom

Cream cheese fruit dip for real life

 

I made this fruit dip the other day. It was healthier than my normal recipe with all the powdered sugar.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip for Real Life

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/3 cup honey

2 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

Mix ingredients well until fluffy.

Serve with chopped fruit.

Here's the real life part:

Apparently, there is something sticky on the table along with a laptop, cooling rack and some drumsticks. Yeah, I live with drummers.

What's that you say? I can't hear you! It's too loud in here!

Have a lovely day!

 
Shared on these sites:
Mad in Crafts
Flour Me with Love
Pursuit of  a Functional Home
Adventures of a DIY Mom
Growing Home Blog

Make Dad a Toasty Joe

We've grown quite fond of these cute little sandwiches. 

Toasty Joes are a take on traditional Sloppy Joes (or yip-yips as they used to say in the school cafeteria).

Toasty Joes

Brown 1 1/2 pounds of hamburger in a saucepan. Drain fat.

Add:
1/4 cup chopped onion or some onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 cup catsup
1/2 cup bbq sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Stir add-ins into the hamburger and cook on medium until heated throughout--about 10 minutes.

Instead of serving on a bun, we like it on toasted "everything" bread. 

Do you have "everything" bread where you live? It's a French bread loaf topped with everything--poppy seeds, garlic, herbs, sesame seeds, and I don't know what all. It's good.

Then add whatever toppings to suit each person. I like shredded cheddar cheese and black olives. You could add sliced onions, green peppers, jalapenos, fries, sour cream. Whatever!

I like that I can crank these out in a hurry for all the hungry loiterers in my kitchen.

Try 'em!

Real deal zeal

I read homemaking blogs. I read cooking blogs. I read vintage blogs. I read gardening blogs. I read style blogs. I read motherhood blogs.

If there's a blog, I've read it.

Wait. No. That's not true. There's no way I could possibly read all the blogs on the Internet.

Some are about sports.

My own blog doesn't fall into one of the above categories. It is of the neighborly genre.

When you visit me here, I hope you feel as if you are visiting the lady next door--well, if the lady next door likes to bake and loves cats and kids and loud music and doesn't always mow her grass in a timely fashion and is okay with it if you don't mow your grass that much, either.

On this blog, you won't find gourmet recipes, the latest home and fashion fads, parenting tips from leading child psychologists, advice from a master gardener, or how to run a steel mill on a shoestring budget.

But you will find recipes I've tried, my attempts at style, and ideas on mothering and family. We can take a stroll out back to see if anything happens to be growing in the garden. We can play with the dogs and aggravate the cat.

Let's share thoughts about making the world friendlier and not wait until our lives magically turn perfect.

This is a blog about lowering standards!

We are allowed to be neighborly even if our teeth aren't whitened and there is still laundry on the couch from the other day.

You're on your own with that steel mill idea, though.

Kitchen communication center

"Mom, what's to eat?"

Ah, the theme song to my life.

This menu board hangs in a prominent spot in our kitchen. I could list upcoming meals on it for all the family to see. Doing so just might give me some peace and tranquility. I would probably end up in a bubble bath surrounded by candles.

However, I'm fond of self-sabotage. So instead of using this board to communicate, I drew a cat on it. Made sense at the time.

I call this piece: Wet Scrappy Cat, because I thought kitty looked like he had been in a scuffle. My oldest thought he looked wet.

A few days after that, the kids were talking about the word, February. They were having the most fun trying to say both r's and then trying to say it the way they usually say it; but after repeating it so many times, no one could remember how they pronounced it in the first place. At some point, someone wrote "February" on the communication center. I don't know why there is an arrow.

Anyway, so this is the family menu board.

I don't have a clue what's for supper.

Cake calms; thwarts familial instability

After supper the other night, someone asked, "We got anything sweet?"

Forgive our cavepeople grammar. Keepin' it real here.

"Huhh-huhh," I grunted in response, for I had just whipped up this cake that very morning.

Not only does it prevent the looting of chocolate chips from my former secret hiding spot, but this cake is also perfect for breakfast or as a boost of energy in the afternoon.

Here's the recipe:

Lemon Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For cake:
2 sticks butter
3 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
5 eggs

For glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
Mix cake ingredients and pour into a greased and floured loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.
Allow to cool. Remove from pan.
Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over cake.

The final count down

The count down:

Five days of school left

Four

Three 

Two

One

Zero!!! Let's have cake!!

Happy Summer Vacation Everybody!

Obligatory laundry soap recipe

I know. I know. 

You've seen this recipe all over the Internet. Please forgive me as I add it to my recipe collection here. 

As a bonus, I have done the math about cost savings of making laundry soap vs. buying detergent. 

Here is how I make homemade laundry soap. It only takes me five minutes to prepare a batch.

Homemade Laundry Soap

Ingredients:

Bar of Ivory Soap, unscented
Borax
Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
Essential oil (optional)

Directions:

You may wish to wear rubber gloves but I don't.

1. Get a plastic bucket with lid (like an empty ice cream tub).

2. Shred one bath bar of plain Ivory soap—not scented, with a cheese grater.
    (Beware of any soap or beauty bars with perfumes or oils. They may stain 
    your clothes!)

3. Combine the Ivory soap shreds with:

    2 cups of Borax

    2 cups of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

Don’t inhale the cloud of powder while stirring. It’s not too much of a cloud, but still the same…keep your distance. 

Use 2 tablespoons of this soap per load. Some loads I use double (dog blankets) and some loads I add a couple drops of essential oil (um, dog blankets).

If you use cold water and hang your laundry to dry (way to go!), then you might notice white soap spots, just a few. These brush off with a toothbrush, hair brush or fingernail. No big deal, really. Shredding the bar soap finer may remedy this. If you use cold water and dry clothes in the dryer, you probably won’t notice any white spots.

This soap does not make suds and that’s OK. It also doesn't have a scent other than the Ivory soap scent, which is nice. For more of a laundry smell, tumble dry load with a dryer sheet or hang clothes outside for a fresh air scent.

The math:            

       
Borax (76 oz.—11.5 cups) costs $2.98 at WalMart.
Washing Soda (55 oz.—5.5 cups) costs $2.79 at Schnucks.
Ivory soap costs about 35 cents per bar.

There are 16 tablespoons in one cup.
One bar of Ivory soap shreds into about 4 cups.

To make 44 cups of laundry soap (704 tablespoons):
(1) Box of Borax, 11.5 cups - $2.98
(2) Boxes of Washing Soda, 11 cups - $5.58
(5.5) Bars of Ivory Soap, shreds into 22 cups - $1.93

Total -$10.49

$10.49 should do approximately 352 loads of laundry (704 tablespoons divided by 2…to reflect using 2 tablespoons per load). Compare this to brand name laundry detergent selling for $11 to do only 80 loads.

This method is only smidge more effort but a lot of cost savings!

*Disclaimers: I am not an expert. Your results may vary. Keep out of reach of children. This recipe was not tested on a high efficiency washer. This recipe was used in a home with a sewer system as opposed to a septic system. Prices may change and vary from store to store.