Season of change.

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Kelly

It is nearly the middle of October, yet the cool, fall temperatures remain elusive here in the Heartland. At this point, I desire little more than to be drowning in a warm, oversized sweater with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a cozy book in the other.

“Autumn, you are late to your own party. The trees are already colored for you…”

I adore the season of change. I love the winding down of the year. I welcome the vibrant colors. Now, if it could just be colder…

This time of year also awakens in me a sense of renewal, inviting me to purge my house, my closet… my life! Almost like spring cleaning. But not. Knowing full well that I will likely be spending a lot more time in my house with winter coming on, it seems a good time to get things in order.

So I’ve started by changing batteries. LOTS of batteries. Funny how you can give a something new life just by changing the batteries. (Yes, even for Dead-Batty-Dora!) After lying unnoticed in a dark corner for months, suddenly, Baby Alive is beloved again. A flashlight stands ready to serve. An old clock is again useful.

Generally, I use rechargable batteries. Especially AAs, because those seem to be most popular these days. Often times, though, we still have the other kind laying around and I have decided to get the most out of every single one.

A “dead” battery may not have enough juice to power a camera or get Elmo to giggling, but its probably not truly dead. I toss spent batteries into an old shoe box marked “Clock Batteries.” Clocks require very little power to run and will run for a long time on a supposedly dead battery I have pulled out of an old toy. Batteries cost good money so make ’em count ’til the last drop!

So while I anticipate the true arrival of fall, I pour another cup, fall wardrobe at the ready, and I smile…

Do I like my coffee black? There are other colors?

This post is a part of the Frugal Tuesday Tip.

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Home Run.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Kelly

The weekend turned out like a dream. Restful Saturday. Perfect Sunday. Like hitting a home run (minus the screaming fans, beefy hot dogs and the smell of stale popcorn.)

And now it’s Monday, and for some bizarre reason I am ready for it. Coffee in hand, I dare say I feel almost invincible. Nevermind the meetings, housework, and chauffeur duty that lay ahead of me. I even contradicted my “I-am-not-a-short-order-cook” maxim and made four different kinds of sandwiches for lunch today (tuna, turkey, peanut butter & honey, and a sloppy joe!).

And on tonight’s menu is one my favorites (and so easy I could cry tears of joy). Good day.

　

Ravioli with Garlic Herb Oil

1 20 oz. package refrigerated or frozen 4-cheese ravioli
¼ c. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, sliced
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. each snipped chives and minced parsley
¼ tsp. salt

1. Bring a 5 – 6 qt pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook as package directs; gently drain and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, put oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes in a 1 qt. saucepan. Heat over medium heat until garlic turns light golden; remove from heat.

3. Add garlic oil mixture to pot with ravioli. Add chives, parsley and salt; toss to coat ravioli.

Serve with garlic bread and a light salad.

“This is God‘s work.
We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
This is the very day God acted—
let’s celebrate and be festive! “

Psalm 118.23-24 (The Message)

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Withdrawal.

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Kelly

I did not know it was a problem. I did not know it was quite this intense. I did not know what it had become.

I. Did. Not. Know. Until…

The seething pain began pounding into my brain, much like someone hammering a nail right between the eyes. For twenty-four hours. Relentless.

It’s official, everyone… I’m addicted to caffeine. Without coffee, apparently I am useless (and according to my husband, a trifle grumpy, too.)

Perhaps it shouldn’t be so surprising (this is a coffee-themed blog, after all), however, I was still caught off-guard.

Yesterday, we were running late for a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. I skipped the coffee simply because there was no time, and thought nothing of it. Fast forward two hours, as I am riding a jaunty little choo choo train around the pumpkin patch, my brain in protest from lack of caffeine, and I just wanted to find a dark corner and curl up in the fetal position until the pestilence had passed.

No such luck.

By the time we arrived home, it was much too late to drink coffee (I do like to sleep eventually) and I was still trying to convince myself that my ailment was the result of dehydration.

A handful of dark chocolate took the edge off as I prepared for bed, but I awoke again this morning with a Goliath headache.

Two Tylenol and one cup of joe later… all is well.

Perhaps it’s time to cut back? Probably. But, no thanks.

Decaffeinated coffee is the devil’s blend.

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Reboot.

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Kelly

Thankful to be alive. Thankful for a fresh day. Thankful for the warm coffee cup in my hand. Thankful that my past does not dictate my future.

Yesterday was… less than ideal. I spent a full day in the city with meetings, dentist appointments, and a GPS (whom we have affectionately named, Susan) that sent me through an old, abandoned parking lot named “36th Street” en route to the aforementioned dentist appointments (which we were already late for) and tried to convince me the dentist office was located in a residential area. Most of the time “Susan” is helpful. And most of the time she is my friend. Yesterday, however, I would rather have tossed her out the window, never looking back.

By the time we arrived back home, my little darlings were of sour disposition and mama was just plain tired. We were barely home for 10 minutes before the toilet was clogged and my toddler had dumped an entire glass of water down the heat register. Oh boy.

But this pretty much made my day: “Draw a Stick Man”

Now it’s nap time. And coffee break. And I have chocolate. Things are already looking up.

Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee. ~Stephanie Piro

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Crouton love.

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Kelly

Coffee. That’s a given. But I am also a salad girl. Give me a good salad over a steak any day. And I particularly love a salad that goes crunch.

Salad, soup, or snack. I. Love. Croutons.

I know these little bits of heaven are scarcely more than dry bread and a sprinkle of seasonings, but simplicity often leads to true deliciousness.

Have you seen the prices retailers demand for such a treat? Even my local store brand croutons are $1.88 for a mere 5 ounces of crusty, old bread.

When I discovered how easy (and absurdly inexpensive) it was to make my own croutons, it naturally became a part of my weekly routine.

It’s also a great way to put good use to dry, leftover bread (thus saving more pennies!). We recently went out of town for a few days and returned to a cupboard of various breads that I had neglected to use up beforehand. No problem. The ends of the Italian bread (which no one in my house will eat), and a half loaf of whole-grain sandwich bread were transformed into delectable little croutons.

I have one child that refuses to eat the crusts. Always. (I think there must be a law written down somewhere that says every household must have at least one child like this.) I have since decided it’s truly not worth the fight. I oblige her by cutting off the crusts and saving them for my weekly crouton bake.

I am also one of those cheesy moms that cuts little shapes into sandwiches for the kids’ lunches. (Even my dear husband requests a heart-shaped PB&J every now and then. And I am certain he is thrilled that I just publicly shared this information.) All those edges are perfect candidates for croutons!

Throughout the week, I toss all the crusts, heels, edges, and any other stale bread into an air-tight container for “croutoning.” (I’m pretty sure I just made that word up.) I use almost any kind of bread. French bread, Italian bread, various homemade breads, sandwich breads (even hearty whole-grains!), leftover hamburger or hot dog buns, etc. Endless possibilities. Then once a week (usually on Monday), I work my bread magic.

Here’s my favorite way to season them:

Parmesan Croutons

6 c. ½-inch bread cubes (any bread: French, Italian, sandwich, whole-grain, etc.)
¼ c. butter
3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1. In a large skillet, melt butter. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.

2. Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add seasoned butter mixture and stir until bread is thoroughly coated.

3. Spread bread cubes in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake about 10 minutes more or until bread cubes are crisp and golden. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

NOTE: These croutons taste absolutely fabulous when used in the Breakfast Casserole recipe from yesterday’s post: Upside Down and Sideways!

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Voting is open until October 15.
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This post is a part of the Frugal Tuesday Tip , Real Food Wednesdays,
Simple Lives Thursday and Fresh Bites Friday.

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Upside down and sideways.

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Kelly

The last 7 days.

I have braved a less-than-stellar report from my dentist (Lord, help me!), a household of sickies (thank God for hot peppermint tea and honey!), two days of an internet outage (who knew I was so addicted?), and a freak accident involving my toddler, hot coffee and my laptop (which now has a permanently sticky space bar. Ugh. Perhaps, I should take this as a sign to use a trifle less sugar in my coffee.)

My 7-year-old also sweetly informed me that my dancing is embarrassing and not cool. The middle one heartily agreed. I’m not gonna lie… it pretty much felt like an intervention. And I thought I was one of those cool moms. I am at a loss as to when my supreme cool factor crossed the threshold into absurdity.

It’s barely Monday, but I can see that it’s going to be one of those upside-down-sideways sort of days.

So I’m thinking Breakfast for Dinner???

And here is my favorite Breakfast Casserole recipe which was bestowed upon me by one of my fabulous sisters. This is by far the easiest and best I have ever come across!

(Note: I often halve this recipe and bake in an 8×8 pan.)

Breakfast Egg Casserole

1 bag (6 oz) seasoned croutons
2 rolls sausage, browned
2 cups sharp cheddar
6 eggs + 2 cups milk, mixed
1 small can cream of mushroom soup + ½ cup of milk + 1 can of mushrooms

1. Layer casserole in order of ingredients listed above. Refrigerate overnight or for awhile.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min to 1 hour.

(You can find this recipe and more available on my Recipes page as a downloadable/printable .pdf file.)

I orchestrate my mornings to the tune of coffee. ~Terri Guillemets

This blog has been nominated for the Best Mom Blog Awards at Parents.com! Be sure to vote by clicking on the button below or by using the button on the top right side of this page! And tell your friends!

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While they were sleeping…

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Kelly

After my beloved coffee machine is empty. After my most cherished mug is freshly washed and resting in the cupboard. After the lights are turned low and the house is finally hushed.

The stillness of this October evening is welcome as I try to unwind from another bustling day. But I just can’t keep myself from sneaking back in to peek at my little angels nestled warmly in their beds.

One with a fever (so sorry you caught mommy’s cold, but its ever-so-hard to not kiss your sweet little face), one with an injury (wish I could have been there to rescue your little finger from that heavy door), and one just oh-so-snuggly cute (can hardly tear myself away from you).

My little peanut, how is it that you are seven already? Wasn’t it just yesterday that you asked me to read to you about “Christmas-ter” Robin and his little Pooh bear? And didn’t we just dance the night away to “John Jacob Jingleheimerschmidt” about a thousand times?

My sweet ladybug, how can it be that you are in kindergarten this year? Are you sure you have outgrown your trademark red glitter shoes?

My loveable bear, is it true that you can now mostly button your own sweater? And say your ABCs? And count to ten?

Can. It. Be?

I love you forever and always.

“When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain.”

John 16.21 (The Message)

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Happy National Coffee Day!

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Kelly

It’s here! I am not sure how it snuck up on me this year, but thanks to my dear friend, Ranaye, I remembered just in time! (I choose to blame my memory lapse on this fierce cold I am fighting and my general lack of sleep.)

My love for coffee is magnanimous. It started just before college and… well… multiplied from there. There is simply no match for that warm fuzzy sensation I get as the caffeine meets my blood stream. Coffee has truly made me a morning person. (How would I otherwise deal with the pandemonium that presents itself at 7:00 am when the little ones start to roll out of bed???)

In honor of this momentous occasion, here is a great recipe for a fabulous treat!

Wolfgang’s Coffee Shake

5 oz Wolfgang Puck Culinary Iced Coffee
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar
½ cup milk
½ cup fresh cream

Add coffee, milk, sugar and cocoa powder. Blend well and top with fresh cream.

NOTE: Wolfgang’s Iced Coffees are only 120 calories each. They are organic, kosher-certified and flavors include Vanilla Fusion, Double Blend Mocha, Creme Caramel and Cafe Au Lait.

BONUS!!! Several companies are offering free coffee today only… Don’t. Miss. This.

7-Eleven
Snag a FREE cup of medium coffee today only (9/29) from 7AM-11AM. Check out the 7-Eleven Facebook page for more info

Caribou Coffee
Buy 1 Drink and Get 1 Free (of equal or lesser value) with the coupon found here (can print coupon or show it on your mobile phone) today only (9/29). Not valid on bottled beverages.

Krispy Kreme
FREE 12 oz. cup of the new Krispy Kreme Signature Coffee Blends; valid at Krispy Kreme locations in the U.S. and Canada today only. No purchase necessary! Click here for more info.

Thorntons
Snag a FREE cup of coffee or cappuccino from 6AM-2PM today only. Click here for more info.

I don’t have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine!

All together now… tip your cups up!

Also, this blog has been nominated for the Best Mom Blog Awards at Parents.com! Be sure to vote by clicking on the button below or by using the button on the top right side of this page! And tell your friends!

By Best All-Around Mom Blog

Little Miss Clean.

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Kelly

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done.

And well, I am not exactly a gardener (you can read more about that whole shenanigan here: Greenthumbery.), but I do enjoy a good foul-weather day that forces me to actually get a few things done around the house. I am sure this is God’s way of keeping in line.

I fancy a clean house just as much as the next person, but it’s definitely more of a challenge these days. I once heard someone say that cleaning your house before the children are done growing is like shoveling before it’s done snowing. Couldn’t possibly be more true.

However, it must be done (and frequently requires copious amounts of coffee).

I quickly learned that my third child is much different from her older sisters. She is cunning, precocious, and really, really fast. (I imagine she is exactly like my husband was at the tender age of two and if you know my husband, you know exactly what I mean.) She is continually bubbling over with incessant vitality and spirit (also the reason I am consuming greater quantities of coffee these days.) She readily scales walls, cupboards, fences, and furniture. I removed the ladder from my older girls’ bunk beds to help curb her desire to climb. Now she just climbs into the top bunk by scaling up the side. (Is she part monkey???) I am convinced that nothing could ever be completely my kind of toddler-proof.

She loves to eat my all-natural deodorant and once sucked the ink out of Sharpie marker. Trust me, I have poison control on my speed dial. Most importantly… I. Love. Her.

I was making an effort to “green clean” before, but it’s certainly become more of a priority in our home since this sweet baby arrived. (You can read more tips here: Super Secrets.)

Natural cleaning products are in abundance these days, but they are so darn pricey. I have everything I need right in my kitchen. I can clean my whole house with just vinegar, baking soda, salt and lemon juice.

Here are a few of my favorite natural cleaning recipes:

Drain Declogger

Pour 1 c. of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 c. of hot vinegar. Place a cloth over the top of the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. Flush with hot water. Works like a charm!

Air freshener

Place baking soda with lemon juice in a small dish to absorb odors around the house.

Fabric Softener

Use 1/4 c. white vinegar in place of liquid fabric softener. Softens and freshens clothes and removes odors.

Sticker Remover

Sponge full-strength white vinegar over stickers several times and wait 15 minutes. Then rub off. Also works well for sticky residue left behind by labels or price tags!

Window & Mirror Cleaner

Mix 2 tsp. of white vinegar with 1 quart of warm water. Use crumpled newspaper (black and white only, not color) or a cotton cloth to clean. (Don’t clean windows when the sun is on them or if they are warm or streaks will show. Be sure to follow recipe. Using too much vinegar will eventually cloud windows.)

NOTE: You can recycle old baking soda used for deodorizing the refrigerator and freezer by using it to clean around the house!

Happy cleaning!!!

NOTE: If you haven’t already noticed this blog has just been nominated for Best All-Around Mom Blog at Parents.com!!! Please, go cast your vote by clicking on the button below (or at the top right-hand side of the page)! Voting is open until October 15!

By Best All-Around Mom Blog

This is post is a part of the Frugal Tuesday Tip and Simple Lives Thursday.

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Makes me go hmmmm.

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Kelly

There are definitely a few things (give or take) in life that I do not understand. One thing, in particular, has me utterly perplexed.

Glow-in-the-dark flossers.

You know, those little plastic contraptions that are pre-strung with floss to make flossing your teeth easier and more convenient. You know, because it is already so difficult to cut the waxy string on your own. You know, because you might pull a muscle.

And now… they glow in the dark?

Seriously? Who flosses their teeth… in the dark? I fully understand these are marketed to children, but again I pose the question… in the dark?

Pouring another cup so I can contemplate this further…