life hacks



I did something crazy last night. Not as crazy as misspelling my first name on my boss's birthday card this morning, but close.

I ate mushrooms.
On purpose.



Mushrooms are a no go for me. It is a texture thing. I prefer not to eat cooked slug. But I saw a recipe that added mushrooms to ground beef to stretch it. We normally half a pound of ground beef anyways and adding a little more veggies and bulk to a meal is great when you are feeding a giant man.

Source - Iowa Girl Eats

IGE instructed me to grind up my button mushrooms in the food processor and toss them in with my ground beef. She also SWORE I wouldn't be able to taste the difference. We cooked up a full pound of ground beef/mushrooms and divided it, saving 1/2 for tacos later.

VERDICT -- I could taste the difference. There was a distinct earthiness in our meat sauce. Texture was perfect. And if you hadn't told me I would have thought there was just a strange spice. Would I make it again? Probably. But I wouldn't use a full 8 oz package. For a non-mushroom eater it was a little to overwhelming at first and I might need to slowly increase the mushroom flavor. If you like mushrooms, what are you waiting for?

HUSBAND TEST -- David's delicate pallet detected no taste difference. None. He said the tomatoes overpowered the mushroom. I could probably hide real slugs in his meat sauce and he wouldn't notice...

 

camping gear - loves/wants/necessities

Favorite Things "Camping Gear"

My family used to go camping as our summer vacation until this very unfortunate trip to the Smokey Mountains when it End of the World rained and water came in the tent and everything was wet and everyone was miserable. After that the camping thing sorta tapered off dramatically.

I thought I knew everything there is to know about camping and gear but I've learned so much doing it on my own. What to bring, how to pack, where to go, tool and tips. Most of the time I sit back, let David split logs and enjoy the fresh air.

COLEMAN TENT
When David came into the picture so many things about him needed to be fixed. He had 1 button down shirt and a pair of khakis and 6 inappropriate tshirts from Hot Topic. He couldn't name the Beatles. HE COULD NOT NAME THE BEATLES, he didn't even know how many there were. I'll give you a minute to pick yourselves off the floor. He also had never been camping as a child.

After the Beatles catastrophe and an introduction to the collared shirt I knew we were going to be camping folk. And my parents gave us a Coleman tent for our wedding gift.

Our tent has held up very well, it fits Dp which is also a chore for every.thing.in.life. Coleman makes great camping gear. If we ever get a new tent (this past trip I trying to remember how long we had been married and in 2015 we will be married 10 years! that tent is almost 10 years old? when did that happen??) which we certainly don't need cause it is like new, I think we will get a shorter ceiling so it is warmer in the cooler months. Even though we already have a pretty low ceiling compared to some of the monster tents people drag out into the woods.


SWEATY BANDS

I have a small head. In addition to my tiny head aliment, I have thin straight hair that doesn't stay in a ponytail or behind my ears and elastic headbands shoot off my head like missiles.

The Sweaty Band has velvet on the inside and it grabs hold to your hair. They stay on forever, through runs and hikes and even putting on sweatshirts!! I dont have this cute chevron one but I want it!

These are my new favorite thing ever.





SOAP ON A ROPE
My mom is a certified genius. She always packed a soap on a rope for the camp because there is never soap in a state park bathroom.
This is how my mom did it and this is how we have our SOR set up.
Take a knee high or the leg of a pantyhose; stick a hotel bar of soap in the toe; tie a knot at the top of the hose. Soap on a Rope! We keep ours tied to our water dispenser which we keep close to camp so running water and clean hands are always near by.

OTHER NECESSITIES

• We pack everything in one 116 gallon tub. Bugs/moisture stay out and it keeps the campsite clean and orderly.
• A nice hatchet and camp shovel. I'm not sure how you can function without one.
• We always bring extra freezer ziplock bags when we go hiking, if we see litter we pick it up and hike it out.
• I got Dp a camelbak for Christmas in a discontinued color and snagged a super deal. He loves it. Then he got all excited about me getting one too, and since the brand makes lady packs I looked into it and found my very own discontinued color - Mountain Fudge... wonder why they decided not to keep a pack with a name like that. ewwww. It is the best fitting backpack I've ever had! I think it is supposed to be a tiny pack on a normal sized human but it is just normal everyday sized on me, compared to past my butt in every other backpack I've ever owned!

CAMPING STOVE
Want one so bad. And after the cooking disasters we've had recently we can say we need on. Cooking over open flame is trickier than it looks...
Sometimes I can't believe that MeeMaw learned to cook on a wood burning stove. She was amazing.

it is the little things

I know some people have the mental faculties to blog everyday of things they are thankful for. I intended to do all the Thursdays in November and see how far I got?


I made Wheels, our little stray kitty, a house out of a storage bin and foam insulation board. Cats don't always respond to their human's crafty efforts. A lot of times there is a blank stare, huff, and walk away texting their little cat friends and say "i can't believe she thought i was actually going to like eat/play with/sleep in that. lol" (thats my teenager impersonation.)

But! Wheelsie sleeps in her house!!
It is the little things.

I made Dp get down our Christmas decorations already.
I understand some of the outrage at people jumping the Christmas gun. But I can barely get fall decorations out and the next day is January. So I said I'm actually going to get stuff up and down on time this year.
Step 1: Pull everything out 2 weeks before Tgiving
Step 2: Get annoyed at tripping over the boxes sooner
Step 3: Decorate Tgiving weekend!

What is it about a tree that makes me so happy?
It is the little things.

Camping Weekend is coming up.
We don't normally go camping so late in the year. And I'm pretty thankful our sleeping bags are rated for 20 degrees. My favorite part of camping is waking up early in the morning, hopefully you see a couple of deer in the low fog, and you get the first fire of the day going......
My other favorite part of camping is listening to the quiet, just nature, birds and leaves.

It is also our first weekend getaway since January, so I'm pretty excited. David got his hatchet sharpened and pulled out his cold weather gear from the navy... it is safe to say he is jazzed.



Earlier this year I started keeping a gratitude journal.
There is so much good in (most) everyday. But you have to be looking for it.
I'm thankful for all the little things that make life rich and full.
And most importantly I'm thankful for my kitty bears! :)

Snoballs from angels

Yes yes yes yes!
It finally isn't 1000 degrees! Houston almost feels like fall.

On a most glorious day, a sweet-toothed certain someone begs her hubby for a Mam's run. He can't say no (cause he knows what's good for him- sometime- sorta).

There was no line. Not a single person. We had a nice little chat with the snoballer, she sneezed.

Super soft snow with light, unique flavors. I must start and end the season with orchid. It's my favorite flavor- very purpley.  Mixed with soft & sweet nectar and a shot of cream.

Wednesday treat for me!

scrumptious

fresh palmiers
very grape drippy popcicles
sweettarts and pixie sticks
spinkles and jimmies
mounds of pink frosting on a strawberry cupcake

None are as sweet as my Abbey Darling
My sugar bear honey pants

Her kisses are sweet to the max.

Friday is my Favorite

We made it to Friday, last week was incredibly long for a short week and this week felt even longer.
So how about Friday Faves?

 :: A couple of weeks ago I got a stye (and a UTI - fun week) and so I stopped wearing makeup to help my eye heal. And the following week I broke out, like BROKE OUT. I had more zits than all my teenage years combined, even cheek zits. Never had a cheek zit before.

So the last three weeks have been a war zone on my skin. I think I'm getting things under control and below is a list of all my favorite skin care products.

I had a coupon for Simple products, so I bought the Face Wipes. I don't like having all the waste from a daily wipe, but I know how much I hate washing my face. Water drips down my neck and my arms and it skeeves me out. 

I really like these. They don't dry out my skin, but still remove make up and I guess clean my skin well cause Pimple City is on the way to a ghost town.(I'm new to this "washing of the face" stuff)

  

:: We are still on a budget, it doesn't leave much left over for fun. We have the $8 streaming netflicks and dude it is so worth the $8. We are power disc-ers. 

In the summer we love us some mam's. It's cheap and they are happy colors.

I think we need to have them everyday. I'm getting nectar & icecream (the flavor not the scoop o'icecream) next time I go. Yummers.

Let's go today! Yeah? Anyone?!

:: I never really watched YouTube, just the viral videos and things. I need new music SO bad, I'm in a music slump. So I've been listening to random people's vlogs. It's odd. But entertaining at work.

These are a couple of channels I watch.

• Essie Button 
• Tammy
• CJane
• Kandy
• Make up Never Sleeps

:: A few weeks ago I started my gratitude journal. LOVE IT. It is so simple but it truly has changed the way I see the world. I go through the day trying to find good things for my journal. Totally different than I ever have thought before.

"Think positively" is hard to swallow. It is so sparkles and sunshine and I am way too cynical to believe that sugary sentiment. But being thankful in life grounds me, focuses on blessings.

You should try it!

fur therapy

today is a kittie snuggles kind of day. its been like that lately. high stress/low joy. I daydream of vacations and napping outside.

most of the time the only thing that really makes me feel better is kitten hugs and kitten kissies. (much healthier than lots of aussie cheese fries, bread pudding, chocolate truffles, and drippy burgers) (much more responsible than retail therapy)

I like it when they nap together

I like it when they nap with me

I love em.

 

I was tickled, TICKLED, this weekend when I finally captured Rigby's singed whisker in a picture. This little funny whisker appeared shriveled a few months ago and is so cute I just can't stand it. (no clue how he managed to burn his whisker, stuck it an electrical socket? stuck it in the oven? welding accident?)
I really need a macro lens to capture the full ridiculousness, so you are just going to have to click on the picture to see Toasty up close.

Doesn't he remind you of Chef Louis? Le poissons.

favorite things- gift review!

I was supposed to have my thank you notes written by Feburary and noticed yesterday I did not achieve that goal. I'm seriously going to be writing all my correspondence this weekend. On my honor.

Favorite things this Friday are inspired by thank you notes!

Kitty Water Fountain

Yes I am a crazy nut and asked Santa for a water fountain for my kitties. And they like it. I guess I thought they'd love it and invite all their kitty friends to a fountain party then I'd come home to cats in bikinis passed out with one paw in the fountain.
They don't love it that much, but they get fresh running, filtered water which can't be THAT bad, right?

Kitty Window Seat

I used some Christmas money to buy my kitties a window seat. I have mentioned how Michmansion doesn't have window sills, it is weird, but we don't. We had been using an old dish barrel box from a move. But it really only had space for 1 kitty and they had some trouble sharing. Until I found the TROFAST at Ikea and some carpet remnant in my mom's garage.
Kitties are in LOVE. Abbey particularly loves taunting the scary pitbulls next door. ;)

Urban Decay Eye Pencil Set

I have never worn eyeliner. It is scary and scratchy and smudgy. I am intimidated.
But, I figured I am almost 30 years old and I should be able apply a little liner. I research and purchased this Urban Decay set and have been "wearing" eyeliner everyday since (ha!), but not very well. I think I still need lessons, but the colors are cool.

Aerolatte Frother

Like hot chocolate? Coffee? Hate stirring?

But seriously, I didn't really have a problem with the stirring but thought hey, a gadget! It is pretty nice. We always have clean spoons now, mostly because David uses my frother more than I do. He likes a gadget too.

My mom also got me an immersion blender! Woo! I haven't used it yet. In the months leading up to Christmas I would say to my self, oh an ib would be great for this... and now that I have one I can't think of anything to immersion blend. Suggestions?

One more for the road, cause we all wish we could nap in the sun.

favorite things friday

*optional soundtrack for today's post

I've been thinking tomorrow was friday since tuesday. that's the kind of week it was.

- I think I would like grow olives as a profession. I'm not sure I'm an office worker. I can see David and me in the hill country growing olives. I need a financial backer, know any?

- The kitties got a water fountain from Santa, and Rigby finally drank from the stream. He has had wet ears for weeks now.

- Why does the dr insist on weighing me for a hurt wrist? I chose not to look at the scale.

- Goals for This Weekend -- de-christmas, clean out my purse, bra shopping (grrrrr), something unexpected, spring cleaning

What I'm digging lately:

Fabri-Tac - best.glue.ever. It dries fast, sticks to anything and holds lik super glue. I've wasted my life with a glue gun, modpodge, super glue, elmers, spray adhesive. Fabri-tac is it for me. We are married now.

Glitzerland - the perfect gold for my pink skin. I haven't worn nail polish since middle school, but ever since Sally Hanson Salon Effects I'm addicted.

favorite things friday

I'm dreaming of a favorite thing that zaps fat away and doesn't involve giving up my comfort food. And if someone says exercise I'm going to punch them in the face! This week I'm liking --



Clinque Redness Solutions - Daily Relief Cream
So my skin is wacky all of the sudden. I look at myself in the mirror and I don't know who the heck is looking back at me. This lotion really helps with some of my redness, I'm instantly white within seconds of putting it on. I got the cleanser as well but still have all sorts of pimples (I think ladies call they blemishes but lets face the zit truth).

I find it funny that I use lotion to reduce redness, concealer to hide red spots (see aforementioned ZITS), foundation to further whiten and then go on top of it with blush to make myself.... red.... again.





SleepRight Slim Night Gaurd

Ok, so I don't love that I use one of these but I clinch and it hurts my jaw, this is reality. So I wear a mouth guard. I've tried lots of kinds, boil, no boil and trays. I found this SleepRight brand at Walgreens and loved it! No more football mouth. And when I found the SleepRight Slim I feel in love (as much as one can) with a mouth guard made for a mini person like myself. I go through about 4 a year and order them online cause the Slims are hard to find.





A Friday WISH
I wish it were cool. Like the rest of Texas, I wish it would rain and save my lawn. I wish could go outside and go camping and make smores. I just basically want a vacation. And a raise so I can go on my vacation.

favorite things friday

My favorite thing this Friday is

IT IS FRIDAY!!! duh

:: Eating Right
I eat frozen meals. I know, processed food is going to kill me, but some days it is too easy to grab a frozen and go. I hate how most frozen meals are so high in sodium; and I sure don't need any other excuse to bloat these days.

Randall's carries a store brand - Eating Right. Their frozen meals are the best I've ever had. Ok, are they the best thing I've ever tasted? No. They have no salt or fat! But they taste pretty dang good. I'm hooked. They are not a cure-all, still thinking about Carrabba's carrots and parmesan dressing.... yum.


:: Cocoa AlmondsMy mom raved about these for weeks. I finally tried one at her house. You know Hershey's Treasures with almonds? Yup that's what it tastes like except they are so satisfying and I don't eat 4000 of them, unlike Hershey's Treasures.








:: STYCD
Sheesh this season. Marko, Melanie and Sasha are just perfection. Also, I'm a Jess fan, the judges are too hard on him. Wed. Night was CRAZY! Gaga was there and the choreographers really went for it.

You MUST watch--

Marko with All-Star Allison
I loved the message of this piece- it is so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind. And Marko made a wonderful apology to his mother for words that may have hurt her in the past. Wow. I love art. Art in all forms makes people think, drives people to act, and changes the world. I can not understand how the government thinks children don't need art in school. WE NEED ART.

Sasha and Melanie
The female body. Strong, powerful, beautiful. I officially wish I could dance. Last week when someone at work said I wasn't capable of taking on a large project (cause I was a girl), this was the dance in my heart.

my love language is candy

my love language is not hugging
dp knows i'm not a hand holder, we link pinkies sometimes. it is the best i can do for a husband who's love language is physical touch. that's why he laughs when i tickle him. :)

Do you want to know the way to my heart?
CANDY!
Seriously, yeah this could be why I am caring all this extra weight. Gimme Gimme Gimme!

I have a small candy hoarding problem. Recently my candy stores were out of control, so I now limit myself to one container.

On year dp made me a candy scavenger hunt. It was the best present I've ever gotten from him.

All this to say--
Our 6th anniversary is coming up. Guess what gift is traditional? Yup candy.