Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Smooches of the day
Go to my husband Jim Heil. For putting up with me, and him letting me put up with him. :)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
My Smooches of the day go to:
Justin Timberlake! Not only does he sing well,and he's adorable but he's very funny too!
How to declutter your home
- When to Declutter: Decide how often you are going to declutter a zone. Do a little every day - use a timer. But be warned - this can become compulsive! Once you get started you will want to clean like a banshee! Don't burn yourself out! Only do small amount at a time. The house did not get dirty overnight and it will not get clean overnight. When you set the timer you can only do two sessions at a time. This goal may seem unattainable right now, but you can do it in little pieces. In a couple of months, the whole house will be decluttered.
- Decluttering Equipment: You will need garbage bags, boxes, magic markers, and a dust rag. Label the boxes "Give Away", "Throw Away", and "Put Away". Line the "Throw Away" box with a plastic garbage bag.
- Set your timer: for 1 hour (or 30, 15, or 10 minutes - it does't matter how long). Just do the job as fast as you can and do not pull out more stuff than you can put away in that length of time. This means just one drawer, one closet (or even one shelf in one closet), one magazine rack, or digging under just the furniture in the zone. Not all of them at once!
- Start at the entrance to the room: Then, work your way around the room clockwise. Do not skip a spot. Whatever happens to be next, just do it.
- Declutter Away! With boxes at your feet and dust rag in your waistband, start off by cleaning out and getting rid of the things that do not belong in this room. Put garbage in the "Throw Away" box, donations in the "Give Away" box, and stuff that goes somewhere else in the "Put Away" box. Don't worry that you do not have a place for everything right now. By the time you finish you will. That's a promise from FlyLady!
- What to declutter? Things to ask yourself as you get rid of your clutter:
- Do I love this item?
- Have I used it in the past year?
- Is it really garbage?
- Do I have another one that is better?
- Should I really keep two?
- Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
- Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see the item?
- Cleanse this room of everything that does not make you SMILE.
- Get rid of the garbage! When the "Throw Away" box gets full, pull out the garbage bag, close it, and put it in the trash can, the pickup truck, or wherever you keep your garbage. Put a new garbage bag in the "Throw Away" box and keep on Flying until the timer goes off.
- Donations: When the "Give Away" box gets full, seal it off, and put it in your car. The next time you are out, you can donate to the area thrift shop. Do not save your clutter for a yard or garage sale, you will be blessed by giving it away. The value can be deducted on your income tax. Remember you are trying to get rid of clutter - not relocate it somewhere else in your home. Now, grab another box, label it "Give Away", and get back to work.
- "Put Away" Stuff: When the "Put Away" box gets full, take the box in your arms and run around the house (good thing you have shoes on - right?) and put the items in the room where they belong. If they have a place, put them there, if not put them in the room where they logically belong. By the time you have finished you will have a place for everything and everything will be in it's place.
- Timer Goes Off: When the timer goes off, you have to put away all the boxes, but first you have to empty them all. Go as fast as you can.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Smooches
Smooches is a blog entry totally dedicated to men and women that I think are hot!
Today's smooch goes to:
adam sandberg! I'm sorry but funny and adorable.....yummmmmmmmmmmmm
Today's smooch goes to:
Hospitals, why I hate them
Today Jim asked me to go by the hospital to pick up something, I cringed.
You would probably think that I hate hospitals for the obvious reasons; they are filled with sick and dying people, and they are filthy, contrary to what some may believe,
But that's not it at all, you see, I grew up in a hospital. Mom was a nurse that worked 12 plus hour shifts, and I rarely got to see her, except at the hospital,
As a teen, we actually ate breakfast at the hospital on our way to school in the morning. That way we could at least have a meal with her.
I miss my mom, and dad.
You would probably think that I hate hospitals for the obvious reasons; they are filled with sick and dying people, and they are filthy, contrary to what some may believe,
But that's not it at all, you see, I grew up in a hospital. Mom was a nurse that worked 12 plus hour shifts, and I rarely got to see her, except at the hospital,
As a teen, we actually ate breakfast at the hospital on our way to school in the morning. That way we could at least have a meal with her.
I miss my mom, and dad.
Things I need to remember.....
Avoid negative people at all costs. They are the greatest destroyers of self confidence and self-esteem.” ~ Brian Tracy
“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure — which is: Try to please everybody.?” ~ Herbert B. Swope
Toxic people, we all have them, friends, co-workers, family. I tend to fall to them and try my best to please them, but no matter what I do, they are still toxic.
Life it too short to have toxic people in it. I cut them out of my life.
So if you're a friend, co-worker of family member, and you aren't hearing from me, guess what?
“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure — which is: Try to please everybody.?” ~ Herbert B. Swope
Toxic people, we all have them, friends, co-workers, family. I tend to fall to them and try my best to please them, but no matter what I do, they are still toxic.
Life it too short to have toxic people in it. I cut them out of my life.
So if you're a friend, co-worker of family member, and you aren't hearing from me, guess what?
Getting your family to eat a healthy diet
Is getting your family to eat a healthy diet beyond your reach? Despite my insistence on natural, not-overly-processed foods, my kids still love Frosted S’Mores-flavored Pop-Tarts and fast-food burgers. My persistence and their growing awareness of food as potentially wholesome fuel have helped but so have some tips from Tosca Reno. This mother of three shares her approach for encouraging healthy habits in her book The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids. Ideas range from basic (such as drink water, not soda!) to more complex (a 15-ingredient recipe for homemade protein bars).
Clean Eating, according to the book, involves:
Here's what has been working at my house:
1. Stock my kitchen with healthy convenience foods (easy to buy and serve): fresh fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries, pineapple); raw vegetables (celery, broccoli, cauliflower); healthy nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds); dried fruit; and rice cakes. Younger kids might appreciate unsweetened applesauce.
2. Bring in brown and toss out white rice, flour, pasta, bread, etc. My kids have been eating whole wheat bread forever. We never really adopted brown rice and whole wheat pasta but I’m trying it again. Mixing brown with white rice, whole wheat with regular pasta is one way of becoming accustomed to the healthier taste and texture. I have to get a head start on cooking brown rice, as it takes 40 minutes or so (unless I use the instant or pre-cooked kind, which is much more expensive). And, upon Tosca's recommendation, I have discovered whole wheat English muffins, which adds a nice, novel texture to sandwiches.
3. Add (and possibly hide) extra veggies in dishes. A recipe for Smashed Potatoes, for example, includes mashed cauliflower along with potatoes. Another recipe adds cooked and mashed carrots to a tomato sauce for a baked pasta dish. My family could tell that something was different but they didn't seem to mind.
4. Bake healthy snacks. Since my teenage son has been wanting and needing extra protein lately, I decided to try the Applesauce Protein Bars.
The recipe calls for 15 items, many of which I had never bought before (adding a hefty amount to my grocery bill though my supply has lasted for several batches):
I had never heard of agave nectar, a low glycemic sweetener (that helps to avoid sugar-induced highs and lows) but found it on my grocer’s shelves; I was also surprised to find the spelt flour and flax seed at a traditional grocery store rather than just at Whole Foods. I did make a couple of substitutions (replaced apple butter that involved slow cooking homemade applesauce for hours with Smart Balance and safflower oil with canola oil).
Though I think it is an okay recipe (my substitution makes it a bit dry), my teenage son loves it and finishes the large pan within a few days each time I have made it.
5. Embrace snack time as a way to encourage a variety of healthy foods. Tosca advocates having 6 small meals rather than 3 large ones daily, so that you and your children will have a steady supply of energy throughout the day (there’s more but that’s the basic idea). I have found that it is often easier and better, energy- and time-wise, for me to have a few well-planned snacks during the day but I also know that this set-up may not be as practical for everyone. Nevertheless, most kids will have some sort of snack during the day; mine often want to eat something around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., frustrating dinner plans. If they eat veggies and fruit (or protein bars) for an afternoon snack, then it’s not so essential for them to eat 2-3 vegetables with an entrée at dinnertime.
6. Eat natural nut butters rather than commercial peanut butter. I’ve been eating natural peanut butters for a while, after I realized how much bad stuff is in regular peanut butter (my husband’s cholesterol went up when he began eating lots of regular peanut butter as a snack and then way down when we started buying the natural peanut butter). There are many natural options now, ranging from roasted, mashed up peanuts to those with added oil. Since peanut butter may be a staple in many households (though you are supposed to limit healthy fats), it makes sense to buy a good kind of peanut butter or almond butter, etc. for your cupboard.
7. Skip the sugared cereal. Well, if you noticed my earlier pop-tarts reference, you’ll know I don’t always run a perfect, nutritionally balanced household. But, upon Tosca's and friend's recommendation, I have been eating oatmeal with dried cranberries and pecans for breakfast.
8. Realize that your children may not grow to love every fruit and vegetable. Even Tosca's kids don't eat everything. Though I may keep trying to get everyone to sample new foods, I have learned to make sure we have healthy things we like.
9. Bring back the stir-fry! Somehow, in the years from baby food to grown-up food, I stopped making some easy basics such as fresh tomatoes with pasta and parmesan cheese or chicken stir-fry with broccoli. There are lots of exotic oils and marinades now, so I can get good and tasty nutrition.
10. Turn off the television, computers, and other digital devices for family meals. Enjoy your food and your family's conversation.
Clean Eating, according to the book, involves:
- Drinking lots of water (2-3 liters per day)
- Consuming natural, unprocessed foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains rather than grocery items with a long list of unrecognizable ingredients
- Eating 6 small meals per day, never missing breakfast and combining various types of lean protein with complex carbohydrates at each meal
- Avoiding refined foods, chemicals, preservatives, artificial sugars, trans fats, etc.
- Eating healthy fats from healthy oils, nuts, seeds, grains, and fish.
Here's what has been working at my house:
1. Stock my kitchen with healthy convenience foods (easy to buy and serve): fresh fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries, pineapple); raw vegetables (celery, broccoli, cauliflower); healthy nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds); dried fruit; and rice cakes. Younger kids might appreciate unsweetened applesauce.
2. Bring in brown and toss out white rice, flour, pasta, bread, etc. My kids have been eating whole wheat bread forever. We never really adopted brown rice and whole wheat pasta but I’m trying it again. Mixing brown with white rice, whole wheat with regular pasta is one way of becoming accustomed to the healthier taste and texture. I have to get a head start on cooking brown rice, as it takes 40 minutes or so (unless I use the instant or pre-cooked kind, which is much more expensive). And, upon Tosca's recommendation, I have discovered whole wheat English muffins, which adds a nice, novel texture to sandwiches.
3. Add (and possibly hide) extra veggies in dishes. A recipe for Smashed Potatoes, for example, includes mashed cauliflower along with potatoes. Another recipe adds cooked and mashed carrots to a tomato sauce for a baked pasta dish. My family could tell that something was different but they didn't seem to mind.
4. Bake healthy snacks. Since my teenage son has been wanting and needing extra protein lately, I decided to try the Applesauce Protein Bars.
The recipe calls for 15 items, many of which I had never bought before (adding a hefty amount to my grocery bill though my supply has lasted for several batches):
- 1 cup whey protein powder
- ½ cup spelt flour
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup oat bran
- ½ cup coarsely ground flax seed
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. allspice
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ cup apple butter
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- 1½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup safflower oil
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
I had never heard of agave nectar, a low glycemic sweetener (that helps to avoid sugar-induced highs and lows) but found it on my grocer’s shelves; I was also surprised to find the spelt flour and flax seed at a traditional grocery store rather than just at Whole Foods. I did make a couple of substitutions (replaced apple butter that involved slow cooking homemade applesauce for hours with Smart Balance and safflower oil with canola oil).
Though I think it is an okay recipe (my substitution makes it a bit dry), my teenage son loves it and finishes the large pan within a few days each time I have made it.
5. Embrace snack time as a way to encourage a variety of healthy foods. Tosca advocates having 6 small meals rather than 3 large ones daily, so that you and your children will have a steady supply of energy throughout the day (there’s more but that’s the basic idea). I have found that it is often easier and better, energy- and time-wise, for me to have a few well-planned snacks during the day but I also know that this set-up may not be as practical for everyone. Nevertheless, most kids will have some sort of snack during the day; mine often want to eat something around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., frustrating dinner plans. If they eat veggies and fruit (or protein bars) for an afternoon snack, then it’s not so essential for them to eat 2-3 vegetables with an entrée at dinnertime.
6. Eat natural nut butters rather than commercial peanut butter. I’ve been eating natural peanut butters for a while, after I realized how much bad stuff is in regular peanut butter (my husband’s cholesterol went up when he began eating lots of regular peanut butter as a snack and then way down when we started buying the natural peanut butter). There are many natural options now, ranging from roasted, mashed up peanuts to those with added oil. Since peanut butter may be a staple in many households (though you are supposed to limit healthy fats), it makes sense to buy a good kind of peanut butter or almond butter, etc. for your cupboard.
7. Skip the sugared cereal. Well, if you noticed my earlier pop-tarts reference, you’ll know I don’t always run a perfect, nutritionally balanced household. But, upon Tosca's and friend's recommendation, I have been eating oatmeal with dried cranberries and pecans for breakfast.
8. Realize that your children may not grow to love every fruit and vegetable. Even Tosca's kids don't eat everything. Though I may keep trying to get everyone to sample new foods, I have learned to make sure we have healthy things we like.
9. Bring back the stir-fry! Somehow, in the years from baby food to grown-up food, I stopped making some easy basics such as fresh tomatoes with pasta and parmesan cheese or chicken stir-fry with broccoli. There are lots of exotic oils and marinades now, so I can get good and tasty nutrition.
10. Turn off the television, computers, and other digital devices for family meals. Enjoy your food and your family's conversation.
10 simple ways to teach your children Etiquette
Teaching manners to your children gives them the tools to function and succeed as adults. Ann Marie Sabath, author of Business Etiquette: 101 Ways to Conduct Business with Charm and Savvy, says that children should know these ten rules of etiquette.
1. How to Dine
When invited to a pre-arranged meal, always use your utensils from the "outside in." After all, utensils are set in the order that food will be served.
2. Telephone Manners
When calling a friend, identify yourself to the person who answers the phone before asking to speak your friend. By doing so, the parents or other family member who answer the phone will appreciate this courtesy and see you as friendly.
3. On Correspondence
Anytime it takes someone more than 15 minutes to do something for you, send the person a thank-you note. By doing so, the person will know you really appreciated what was done for you.
4. Be Gracious
When you are sent an invitation that requires an RSVP, be sure to let the person know if you will be able to go to the gathering. After all, "RSVP" means "respond if you please."
5. Shoes Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your shoes are well-maintained. People associate the way you take care of your shoes with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.
6. Be Open to New Foods
When you are invited out to eat and are served a food that is not your favorite, try a piece of it anyway. You may be surprised and find that you end up liking it.
7. Ask Questions
When talking with friends and family, always make a point of asking them questions about themselves. People will see you as interesting if you are interested in them.
8. At the Table
When eating a roll, be sure to break off a bite-sized piece at a time. No bread-and-butter sandwiches, please.
9. Be Friendly
When you are in school, be cool by making a point to talk with that new kid in your class. If the tables were turned, wouldn't that make you feel good?
10. The Rule of Twelve
When talking with others, always use a form of thanks and the person's name in the first 12 words you speak ("It's good to see you, Mary," or "Thanks for picking me up from soccer, Dad.") By following this rule of 12, people will want to continue to do nice things for you.
When invited to a pre-arranged meal, always use your utensils from the "outside in." After all, utensils are set in the order that food will be served.
2. Telephone Manners
When calling a friend, identify yourself to the person who answers the phone before asking to speak your friend. By doing so, the parents or other family member who answer the phone will appreciate this courtesy and see you as friendly.
3. On Correspondence
Anytime it takes someone more than 15 minutes to do something for you, send the person a thank-you note. By doing so, the person will know you really appreciated what was done for you.
4. Be Gracious
When you are sent an invitation that requires an RSVP, be sure to let the person know if you will be able to go to the gathering. After all, "RSVP" means "respond if you please."
5. Shoes Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your shoes are well-maintained. People associate the way you take care of your shoes with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.
6. Be Open to New Foods
When you are invited out to eat and are served a food that is not your favorite, try a piece of it anyway. You may be surprised and find that you end up liking it.
7. Ask Questions
When talking with friends and family, always make a point of asking them questions about themselves. People will see you as interesting if you are interested in them.
8. At the Table
When eating a roll, be sure to break off a bite-sized piece at a time. No bread-and-butter sandwiches, please.
9. Be Friendly
When you are in school, be cool by making a point to talk with that new kid in your class. If the tables were turned, wouldn't that make you feel good?
10. The Rule of Twelve
When talking with others, always use a form of thanks and the person's name in the first 12 words you speak ("It's good to see you, Mary," or "Thanks for picking me up from soccer, Dad.") By following this rule of 12, people will want to continue to do nice things for you.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Vent
So when will people get that I do actually know what the hell I am talking about. I've been a mom for over 20 years now.....I'm damn good at being a mom, get over it. :)
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