Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Velcro - Quick Fix

I realize that someone somewhere may have already had this idea , but for me it was a light bulb moment ! When I vacuum I feel that there are always those little attachment pieces falling off . I either bump them with my leg , run them into something or just look at them wrong way and they fall off . It is really irritating when you're trying to do a quick pick up around the house . Well , my last time in cleaning I had a ah-ha moment of the house wife kind . Amazing right ?! VELCRO !!! Why had I never thought of this before ?
This pack of sticky back velcro cost about 2 bucks . I only needed two or three pieces so I'll just save the rest for a later project . I am sure it will come in handy .
 

Placing a set of the adhesives on the vacuum and the matching piece onto the attachment . EUREKA !!! A quick fix indeed . I was able to do a quick sweep of the house sans attachments attacking me as I go .
If you have already thought of this and are sitting there saying , "no duh" , then my apologizes . If you are like me and this is a light bulb moment , CONGRATS !!! I hope you find this to be extremely helpful as you handle chores around the house .
 
 
What are some of  the quick fixes and light bulb moments you've had as of late ?!
 
 
To Read about other Quick Fixes Feel free to click on the links below .
 


Monday, April 21, 2014

Jacks 8th Birthday ~ Homemade Dog Treats

Happy Jack Davis' 8th Birthday !!!

Jack Davis Approved Dog Treats – preheat oven to 325 – grease cookie sheet
1 Cup Rolled Oats - 1/3 Cup Butter - ¾ Cup Cornmeal - 1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 or 2 Chicken or Beef Flavored instant bullion (dissolve in 1 cup boiling water before adding to mix)
½ Cup Milk - 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese - 1 Egg Beaten - 2-3 Cups of all purpose or whole wheat flour
In large bowl combine rolled oats, butter, and bouillon/water combination and mix well. Let stand for 10 min.
Stir in cornmeal, sugar, milk, cheese and egg. Mix well. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix well after each cup of flower until a stiff dough is formed.
I got one of these dog bone shaped cookie
cutters at Hobby Lobby and the other
was purchased online . I'm sorry I don't have a link for that .
Neither cost more than a dollar .
Use extra flower to sprinkle on surface used for kneading the dough. Knead dough into preferred thickness, size and begin using cookie cutters to create shapes.
Place cut out dough onto cookie sheet and bake for 35-45 min or until golden – let cool 15 min.
With 2 different sized cookie cutters this
batch yielded about 90 dog bone shaped biscuits .
(give or take b/c they of course had to be
taste tested by Jack for quality assurance)
(I added shredded , cooked & cooled turkey bacon to Jacks Birthday batch . Mainly because I had left over cooked turkey bacon on hand and Jack surely loves him some Turkey Bacon . Like most of my recipes I take what works from several and make my own. I have been using this one for so long that I don't even know where it began . )
Frozen in excitement of the idea that
those are for him .

When I placed the finish product in front of Jack so he could pick one to eat he kind of panicked . He started whining and got real close to me as if to ask if he really could have one . It was super cute . Needless to say this was about as close as he would get to the plate on his own . A "everything in moderation" kind of eater I suppose . Once he had a treat he was very excited to have a couple more . I mean , it is his birthday after all . We are also going to take "doggy bags" of these treats to a few members of his "paw-sy" . I tried to get a cute picture of him actually eating the treat , but he apparently thinks I am messing with him and gonna snatch the treat back from him . He takes the treat and scampers off into the other room to eat it , then comes back begging for another one .

Bag was bought on clearance a long time ago at Target .
I knew I would find a use for them eventually .
The paw printed ribbon was purchased at
the Dollar Tree . Combine costing about $2.00
and we have some left over for future uses .
As I have mentioned in previous Jack Davis focused posts , I realize he is a dog and has no clue it is his birthday . I also know I am technically breaking the "baby" clause in the Lists . Lists ? Lists ! post from several days ago . However , I find it to be a good practice for me to take a moment to think on someone or something other than myself . As a singleton you can get kinda wrapped up in "me" . Baking treats and making doggy bags for others helps to keep my focus on The Small Things . Hopefully brightening someone else's day with a surprise treat for their fur baby !


Here are a few past Jack focused posts .
They include another dog friendly recipe and fur baby birthday fun .


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Lists. Lists? Lists!

This post is going to merge just a bit with a upcoming post entitled , "My Favorite Things" . So, I would like to pre-apologize for future repetition of a few items . Now, onto this post ! I have learned the hard way that mocking a situation is a sure way to purchase your first class ticket into a similar situation of your very own . I worked in an admissions office for a couple years and my friend Ashleigh was always dropping her phone . She was one of the recruiting assistants so , having a working cell was vital . After about her fifth crazy cell drop I started mocking her , calling her butterfingers and whatever else . I sure did become a "dropper" after making fun of all the cracked screens . That was about 7 years ago and to this day I keep my phone in a "otter box"-esq contraption due to my fear of the dropping curse . Lets be honest , we all fear dropping our cell into the toilet and then having to explain to the cell people that you where texting on the toilet . Don't even act like that hasn't happened !!! My need for making lists came about in a similar fashion .  I have made fun of my mom for years over her list making . They are in her purse , in her planner , and I am pretty sure I have seen them in her car . I have apparently inherited this NEED to make lists . Grocery lists , to-do lists , gift lists (who I gave what & when....an attempt for no repeats) , packing lists , event lists , and it goes on and on . When working as a scheduling coordinator and event planner this list making came in extremely handy . Well , time has passed and I have found fellow list makers that help me feel a little less OCD about it .

Originally our lists where professional . Who was working what shift , who had who on their meeting list , so on and so forth . Since most of my list making associates have , like me , left the environment that made those lists so necessary we find our selves making new kinds of list . "You Can't Feel Bad When...." , "It isn't Summer Until..." , "What NOT to Post on Social Media" (our most popular and ever growing of the lists) , "I Hate Doing....(insert house chore here)" , and you get the picture . Our list making has gotten more creative . Most of these lists are ongoing and we add to them as needed . Always texting one another when an item is deemed important or irritating enough to be "listed" .

~ You Can't Feel Bad When...~
~ You're wearing good lipstick . Not lip gloss or chap stick , but a grown up , Marilyn Monroe kind of lipstick .
~ You have on perfume . Not body spray , but real perfume from a pretty bottle . You know the kind .
~ You are wearing high heels . Sometimes I just wear them around the house , they make me feel fancy.....and tall .
~ You are eating a great dessert !! (Moon Pie cheese cake from The Blue Plate , Chattanooga)
~ You have friends to make silly lists with !!
 
~You Know You're Real Friends When...~
~ You've cried over a lost love .
~ You've seen one another throw up .
~ You've made a emergency room or police station trip together.....or to claim the other .
~ Bachelorette.....(Bachelorette is Vegas , what happens there , stays there)
~ You can show up unannounced at the others house .
~ You don't bother to clean even if the other has announced they're coming to your house .
~ You can spend the day together in your jammies and no one cares....and you leave the house looking like that and no one cares .  
~ You quote movies , songs, or pinterest quotes to one another as normal dialog .
~ You send/receive a "my kid went potty in the big kid potty" picture text .
~ You send/receive the engagement ring/ultra sound photo text .
~ You make jokes about death & undergarments.....I'm not gonna explain that .
~ You can text any situation and they understand why you sent a text instead of calling .
 
~It isn't Summer Until ~
~ We've sat in the sun until our head hurts .
~ We've made blueberry ice tea .
~ We've spent the day swimming and then had a REAL burger .
~ We have flip flop tan lines .
~ Someone's stabbed themselves trying to cut a watermelon .
~ Someone's threaten to stab themselves while bathing suit shopping .
 


Now , we have debated back and forth the idea of one of us blogging the following list . We haven't been able to settle on the posting of all of the "listed" items , but I am gonna share a few . I hope you will find them entertaining and not offensive . It is all in good fun . I have a feeling many of you will agree with our list and even have items to add . And if you happen to be a violator of the list , don't worry . We give warnings......then we block you . Just kidding . Sorda . I do have a friend that "unfollowed" people for too many baby postings , so , ya know .


~ What NOT to post on Social Media & Why ~
 
~ Lists . LOL !!!! Had I tweeted this list , that'd be a no-no , but posting it on my blog is a yes-yes . Why ? What's the difference ? The majority of us don't take the time to "unfollow" , delete or block the people/organizations that constantly post the annoying stuff so , we become attacked with big kid potty , I'm on my honey moon and swimming with a dolphin RIGHT NOW , and look at my busted feet pictures/status' as soon as our news feed opens . Posting them via blog gives the option . You don't have to read it , but I think you're gonna wanna . Lists of what you're going to do that day , where you've been , where you're going , what you got for Christmas , what you want for your Birthday.......are you looking to be robbed ? Haven't you seen a insurance commercial lately ?! No one needs to know all of this jank and if they do they should be a textable relationship . Else , don't go postin' how sad you are that your brand new Blu-ray player got hijacked after you posted that you'd gotten a brand new Blu-ray player and that you leave your front door unlocked while you jog every day at 6 a.m. You've really only got yourself to blame .

 
~ Honey Moon Pictures......WHILE ON HONEYMOON . When we see people posting pics WHILE on their honeymoon all we can hear is Phoebe from "FRIENDS" responding to Monica and Chandlers honeymoon recap , "Good honeymooning tiger" , said in the dullest of tones . Post a few touristy , sight seeing-esq pics AFTER the honeymoon , but please don't give us a play by play of what you are (or are apparently not) doing . It's a honeymoon , it's self explanatory .

~ Status' that imply you and your spouse have just or are about to , bang . I'm saying it as politely as I know how . Forget politeness , some of you post in your status' honeymoon activity innuendos ! I'm not the rude one ! And yes , "bang" is about as polite as I can get on this topic . I have some examples of said status' , but for the sake of you keeping down whatever your last meal was , I won't post them . You know what I mean though , we all have those unaware friends , I say unaware out of an attempt to give them the benefit of a doubt , who post "ttttoooooooooo many informations" (said like Raj from HIMYM) .

~ Naked Preggo Bellies    You are a magical creature and we know it . We support it . We are as excited as you are about this new life growing inside your tumtum . However , we do not want to see your bare naked tumtum !!!! Beeeecause......if you are "that girl" that only gains in her tummy and you're posting your stick figure holding a basketball-esq pictures , you are just making the rest of the pregger club bitter and angry . HECK , you're making the girls that aren't in the preggo club bitter and angry !!! Everyone wishes they only gained in their belly when growing a person , but they don't . So, common , for the sake of the sisterhood....stopit!!!! (spelled as one word because it is pronounced as one word) . Feel free to post clothed preggo belly growth shots . I think we are o.k. with those . I know I consider learning that your fetus is the size of a orange and has grown ears as educational .

~ While we are in the baby vicinity , not everyone is as excited as you are that your toddler just took a pooh in the big kid potty . I mean , I am excited about it cause that is one less diaper "Aunt Stacie" is changing when on baby sitting duty.....or doody if you will . However , all those singletons on your friends lists really couldn't give a crap...."uhhhhuuuhhh , crap" (said like Bevis & Butthead) . Pun intended . If you're that good of friends that you wanna share your kids potty time you can text that kind of Kodak moment (see "You Know You're Good Friends When" list above) . I get these kind of texts often because most of my friends have procreated at this point . So , going potty is a pretty big deal these days and , I am not offended when I get said texts . I know , you're shocked , but you should keep in mind that not all of my fellow singletons are as excited as I am that your mini me went potty in the potty . Just yesterday I got a potty text , a first trip to the salon text and a my kid is going fishing in a tutu text . I found all of them amusing .  I must add to this category the "my kid is eating on their own" pictures .  I'm as stoked as you that your kid found their food whole , but when you post that mushed up food on their face picture , I honestly am not sure if you're proud that they ate all by them selves or if you are asking for medical advice because your child just spewed carrots......or at least what appears to have at one time been a carrot .

~ Feet - Yes . Feet .  And yes , I have broken this rule , but not to toot my own horn (toot toot) I have kinda cute feet . They are similar to a toddlers feet . So , unless you have well pedicured toesies , adorable toddler feet or are some sort of a famous foot model , we don't wanna see em' . We really don't wanna see them if you're doing a shoe shot and all of your toes do not fit in your shoe !!! Just take the shoe shot sans feet . It's in the best interest of everyone .

~ Passive Aggressive Status' -This topic has come up with more than one set of friends so it has been deemed important enough to be "listed" . Listen . I get it . We all get it . Some people are hard to confront , say what you want too , or even really just talk to in person . Some relationships are best in their cyber form . HOWEVER , if you choose to publicize your family/marital/friendship , etc. dispute via your status then the rest of us reserve the right to mock you until you cry . Yea , we feel that strongly about it . No , I'm not being passive aggressive in not naming names......there are just too many . Too many folks seem to think that if it's said on social media then that's good enough . I'm sorry , but if you love me....say it with your lips....not your facebook status ! Same goes for anger , if you are so immature that the only way to handle a dispute is via social media then maybe you shouldn't have social media accounts . I mean , can I get a Amen ?! ( I looked for the clip from Emma in which she bounces back and forth between her hate and love for John . I am sad I couldn't find it . Just pretend , "I hate john. I love John. I hate John.") That is what your back and forth of love and hate sounds like to us .


~ Quiz Results ~ I know , we all love a quiz . Especially if it is gonna tell us who we really are . I mean , I have taken a couple and I for one am glad to have confirmed that out of all the "Friends" characters I am most like "Rachel" . I think everyone that I shared that quiz with was as equally excited . Knowing that you are a orange , grizzly bear , martini , Christmas Story , and gonna have 10 kids is super important and can really only be found out through those social media quizzes . With out them how would we know who we really are ?! (If you can't sense my thick layer of sarcasm laced throughout this entire paragraph then maybe we should take a quiz to see if we are compatible as friends) .
 

Lists . Lists ? Lists !!! They go on and on . Hopefully these few created by several friends along with myself will give you a giggle or maybe even a guide line or two . LOL !!! Happy List Making !!!! What are some of your lists ? Do you have anything that needs added to my lists ?

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

~ Fresh Air ~

Spring is truly around the corner .
Jack Davis is sporting his warm weather hair do' .
There is a irony to the title of this post . Any of you that are FB friends know that today's status was , "If any one needs me I'll be a Benadryl haze until June-ish " . Oh, the joys of spring !!! Directly beside my home there is a row of pear tree's . If you are familiar with the tree I probably don't need to go any further , but for those that aren't ...... Fully grown pear trees grow well over the height of a "normal" sized one level home . They don't have very strong branches and are known for breaking . They are also known for their beautiful , but stinky white or pink blossoms that only occur in the Spring . Once they bloom and fall the tree will go back to green leaves as it's décor . I adore the appearance of these tree's , but their bloom is my current number one enemy . I hadn't really experienced this allergy situation until I moved to Chattanooga . Again , with tree's lining the front of where I lived , I quickly realized the irritation (quiet literally) of allergies .  Minus the annoyance of allergies and the stink of the blooms these tree's are a perfect reminder of the beauty of spring .
 
I am the kind of person who needs all four seasons ! It may be a sure sign of my commitment phobia and/or attention deficit . There is something simple and extraordinary about each season . With Spring , for me , it is the reminder that just because something appears done , doesn't mean it is .  These pear tree's in the winter are bare . For all appearances sake they look dead , but they aren't , they are simply resting and preparing for a new season . It feels like such a perfect analogy for the current season in my life !! Spring is also a reminder of renewal , forgiveness , and starting fresh . A plant doesn't bloom this Spring thinking about what happened last Spring . Last Spring , Fall, and even the oh so recent Winter are long forgotten once those petals and leaves start to emerge . The most extraordinary part of Spring for me is Easter . I find it no coincidence that we celebrate our Saviors resurrection in the Spring season . The visuals of  death and resurrection are all around , once again with  tree's and plants that appear to dead are coming back to life . Giving us energy , hope , and joy ! Reminding us (ME) that God is faithful to His promises and is always working something for the future .
 
Spring brings many beauties . What are some of your favorite Spring Things ?! Have you begun to enjoy the warm weather ? Here are a few of my posts from previous Spring seasons . You can find ideas on car washing , what to do with old soda cans ,  DIY Wreaths ,  spring in harsh places , and many other things . These are just a few of many . Please feel free to read older posts and comment . It's never to late to say hell-o !!
This pic is pre-grooming . He looks a bit like Slash from Guns-N-Roses .
Jack is truly excited for Spring . I think it is his favorite season .
Sitting outside , letting the breeze blow his ears , and chasing bunnies .

~ Peanut Butter Cookies ~ Quick Fix ~

Happy Tuesday Y'all ! Here is a quick and easy cookie recipe for ya . As spring is approaching we all have picnics and out door activities on our minds . Well , I don't really because at the moment I am suffering from the beauties of allergies . Hence the baking .  If anyone needs me I'll be in a sinus med haze until June-ish . Anyway , for all of you looking for some quick recipes , desserts for your picnics , or even a little kick of protein this recipe is for you .



Peanut Butter Cookies ~ One @ A Time

1 Cup Peanut Butter ( I use natural peanut butter)
1 Cup Brown Sugar ( I used light brown)
1 Large Egg

Mix together ~ Scoop in spoonful's onto a baking sheet ~ dip a fork in white sugar and then press down on each cookie w the fork ~ bake on 350 for 10-14 minutes depending on the color of your cookie sheet and the way your stove bakes

My oven is quick to heat up so, when baking I usually don't have to bake for the full 14 minutes . Mine took about 12 minutes on a light colored baking sheet .

I used larger spoonful's so this recipe made about a dozen cookies for me .

 
Not the best picture, but since I wasn't sure that the recipe would
work out I didn't take pics throughout the process, etc. Sorry !
 
What are you whipping up this spring ?!
 
(This recipe is a hodgepodge of several others from random places . I tend to take what works for me from multiple recipes and go from there . )