It's not that I haven't been trying to write a post on a new shopping routine based on sound financial practices, like buying stuff on sale.  I have so been trying!  However all I end up with is a nasty rant based on the five minutes I watched of Extreme Couponing on the tv.

Oh.  My.  God.

Ironically it comes on right after Hoarders.

So.  Instead I can tell you what else I've been doing:

• Re-organized the hall closet so the cleaning products are handy and the indoor plant supplies are together.
• Walked around my gardens in my mud boots and filled up the bird baths.
• Was amazed by a lady cardinal zipping through my yard.
• Learned about cake balls.
• Fell down.  Ouch.  It hurt.
• Gave up on the walking at the gym for the exercise part of my resolutions.  Not happening.

You can see this is all much better than ranting about coupons.

Have a good weekend my dears!

 

It is so awesome.

Occasionally an effort at good health will be made at our house.   Recently we've started eating yogurt for breakfast, which is awesome I suppose.  At a friends suggestion I added granola to my yogurt.  It wasn't great, but ok.

It was in the back of my mind that I could easily make my own granola, so I did a little research with my pal Google.  There were interesting recipes, but nothing that propelled me out of my chair.  Then I picked up the Aprill 2011 issue of Everyday Food and struck granola gold, a recipe that looked easy AND I had the ingredients for it.

Have I ever mentioned that I often don't have good luck with Ms. Stewart's recipes?  It's true, I often have messy, expensive failures when following Martha Stewart's lead.  This time however, I scored.

There were liberties taken with this recipe. To the credit of the staff of Everyday Food, the recipe was designed to be tinkered with and that's just awesome.

Here's what I came up with:

Ducks Granola

3 C. rolled oats, not quick cooking
1 C. raw almonds coarsely chopped

1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the oats and nuts in a bowl.

Put remaining ingredients in a microwave safe container and heat on high for 1.5 minutes, stir, heat for an additional 30 seconds or until butter is melted.  Pour mixture over oats and nuts, stir to thoroughly combine.

Spread the granola in the rimmed sheet and bake for a total of 35 minutes.  Stir the granola with a spatula and respread every 10 minutes.  Let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack.  Store in a tightly covered container. 

As to how long it lasts?  I don't know, we eat it pretty fast.  It's a great snack if you throw in some dark chocolate chips, or coconut, or chopped dried fruit.  Or all of that.

That jar is looking pretty empty.  Time to make the granola.

I do not coupon.

Years ago I tried, I really tried.  But my coupons seemed to be for stuff that, even with the coupon,  was more expensive than store brands, or stuff I'd never really use.  Or the coupon was expired.  So I threw them all away and declared myself a non-couponer.

There's a lot of interest in couponing now, it seemed wise to check it out and re-evaluate my position.  Man, have things changed. 

First, I signed up for a couponing website, they send me coupons via email.  Looking them over I can sure see how someone could save a lot of money using these coupons, but that someone wouldn't be me.  As in days of yore, I don't use any of the stuff the coupons are for.

Second, I got a Sunday newspaper.  It's where I used to find all my coupons, however, I found next to none. 

Third, I could really dig into the couponing websites.  Armed with my shopping list I could potentially find coupons on the site for the products I'm looking for.  Not happening, that kind of attention is not being paid to my shopping list.

I guess I'm still a non-couponer.  However, in light of todays economic realities I will be re-evaluating my shopping routine.  While coupons aren't going to work real well for me, I'll bet I can come up with a simple way to keep my pantry stocked, but not cluttered, and take advantage of my favorite grocery stores sales.

Hmm.  That's a challenge. 

Aside from all that I now make granola and will share the recipe.  Because it rocks.

That is all.

Fargo is less than springlike with snow covering my gardens.  Still. 

Except there is a spring flood that's lurking as soon as the snow melts. 

Regardless of which comes first, gardening or flood, I'm ready.

And waiting.

What resolutions?  Oh yeah, those.  Well, it's not all bad news...

As a refresher:

1. Begin every day right.  Before I even get out of bed remind myself how lucky I am and what a great day I'm going to have.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Lose 5 pounds.
4. Keep better track of my money.
5. Learn new things.

Status is!

1. This is a totally cool thing to do, and I do it every day.  LOVE IT!
2. This is a yes.  Currently I am digging clementines in a big way and snarf up red grapes when they're on sale.  I've also started to cook a lot more carrots.
3. Three pounds down, two more to go!  I haven't been walking at the track due to the cold from hell, but I will.
4. Yes!  I'm doing this!
5. This isn't going as well as I would like, mostly I think because I've been sick, like, FOREVER.  My mojo will come back.  I'm sure of it.

How are your resolutions coming along?

You may remember that I refreshed our upstairs bath last summer, it was like this.



This is the before picture, I direct your attention to the rug.  I liked it because it was big and blue.  However I desired a change.  There is a church bazaar that happens in one of our malls every November.  Several of the churches sell flat woven rugs that I truly love.  So in November I hied myself off to the sale and searched high and low for a rug I deemed long enough for this room.  No go.  Then a delightful little lady offered to have her son make one to my specifications. 
Wonderful! 
Didn't hear from her and figured I'd check them out again next November.

Then.  She called!  Her son had woven not one, but three, so I could have a choice!  My choice was all three.  A dear friend picked them up, she kept one, I kept two. 



Ta freakin da.  I'm happy.  Every time I see this rug I'm happy.  Every time I set foot on this rug I'm happy. 

What made you happy today?

I'm just fine, thanks.  I have a little cold, well, actually, a  monster cold, but it's fine. 

How about those resolutions?  How you doin'?  I'm pleased to report, that while I'm not perfect in my resolutions, I'm making a solid effort and can say I'm fairly successful.  I do need to walk more, the cold is slowing me down considerably, and come up with a new vegetable recipe for this week.  Then I'm golden.  At least for now.

The other day I had the opportunty to talk to a reporter from our local paper, the subject was mudrooms.  Or rather, the lack of a mudroom in most of our houses.  I totally relate.  We have a tiny entry inside our back door that doesn't even come close to serving the purposes of today's mega mudrooms. 

How to cope?

If you're drowning in stuff by your door, the first thing is to declutter mercilessly.  Anything that doesn't absolutely have to be there right now needs to go.  Either store it somewhere else or get rid of it entirely. 

Use your space as wisely as possible. Use hooks instead of hangers, go vertical and take advantage of wall space.  Add shelving and boot trays to corral shoes that have to stay.  Take advantage of baskets and plastic dishpans to house mittens, hats, scarves, etc.

To keep it looking good, edit brutally, every day.   That's right, every day.  Why?  Because you want it to look good, you want to be able to find your things, you want to cut down on the morning frenzy.  Add this area to your daily routine, supervise your kids as they pick up and put away their things.  Sure it's hard, it's hard for me and I'm only picking up after myself.  But I really, really like what I get out of the effort.  Keys I always find, shoes where they belong and my choice of cute scarves.

That's how you live with a tiny entry. 

Even one this tiny.



Yeah.  I know.  Small.

Don't forget the swell mirror, nothing like checking yourself as you go out the door and giving yourself a great big smile.  You go!

Aah, resolution time!  Love it, love it, love it! 

Here we go:

1. Begin every day right.  Before I even get out of bed remind myself how lucky I am and what a great day I'm going to have.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Lose 5 pounds.
4. Keep better track of my money.
5. Learn new things.

These are resolutions I've been mulling for a while, the first of the year is the perfect time to implement some small changes in my life that will result in keeping these resolutions. 

To wit:

1. Just do it.  Lay in bed before you get up and think happy thoughts.
2. My grocery list will include seasonal fruit, preferable ones that can be eaten out of hand, like apples.  I will eat a piece of fruit with breakfast and lunch, vegetables with dinner.  I will try a new vegetable recipe every 2nd week.
3. Start walking at the track in the evenings.
4. Configure my Daytimer calendar into tabbed sections that contain forms to keep track of my hours worked and payments collected.
5. Take at least one class every quarter.  Say "yes" more.

Here's what I really want:

1. I'll feel happy.
2. I'll feel healthier.
3. I'll feel stronger.
4. I'll feel in control of my finances.
5. I'll feel excitement and curiosity.

What about you?  Do you have resolutions?  More importantly, do you have plans for keeping your resolutions?  If you're getting discouraged, sit down and think the resolution through.  Give some thought to what you really want to feel, then make a plan to make those feelings happen.  It's not hard, but you will probably learn something.

Seeing as how it's January in Fargo, ND, the wind is howling around my house and my personal snowbanks are about 4 feet deep, I'm thinking of this:

That's right.  Spring!  Because it's going to happen.  I promise.  Pinky swear.

PS.  I love my smart phone.  I feel smart using it. 

 

Have the holidays given you the joy you wished for?  I sure hope so.  We should probably talk about making room for all the gifts you and your family received, and maybe we will, just not now.

Instead I want you to know that I wish you well in 2011, really, really, well.  I hope it's the best year EVER!  That all your goals are reached and your resolutions met. 

It's New Year's Eve, I'm not going anywhere thanks to a winter storm, how about you?  Why don't you join me in taking one more day to relax and enjoy.  You deserve it.  We'll talk about the rest of it later.

Thanks for hanging with me in 2010, I'll still be here in 2011.

Peace.

It doesn't seem to be enough that we have to worry about social obligations, food and less than lovely relatives during this fabulous season, we have the dilemmas of gifting. 

Oh, and they are rampant.

There's lots you can do to be  a better gift giver, and getter.  Here's one simple thing that can save you a lot of angst:  Give everyone, including yourself, permission to be wrong.

That's it.  All you need to know.

Imagine if you gave your spouse permission to be wrong when he gifted you something horrific.  It really is the thought that counts, if the gift was bought with loving attention, can you really ask for more?  If it wasn't, well perhaps your problem is of a different nature.  Just sayin'. 

Imagine giving yourself permission to be wrong.  If you're simply wrong, the gift you slaved over and isn't appreciated, well, you tried.  Give the giftee permission to regift or return the item, then move on.  What more can you do than try?  You are not a mind reader.  Are you?

If you want to give yourself permission to be wrong, try this.  Give your gifts merrily.  Graciously let the giftee know that it's ok if you have made an error.  Be happy, be joyful, because you've tried.  And if you are on the receiving end of an unwelcome gift, remember the gift came from love and thank that person.  Take it home and let it sit for a few days before deciding the best course before letting the gift leave your life.  If the gifter asks the fate of the item they gave you?  Simply letting them know it didn't work for you so you were able to pass it on to someone who could really use it should suffice. 

Do you recognize what this is?  It's a step toward removing yourself from the emotional land mines of an over commercialized holiday. 

Now.  Isn't that better?

Number of organizing and gift giving rules I've broken this week:  Too many.  Today I'll be back on track.