Ladies (and Gentlemen) the time has come! I am pleased to introduce Lucy's Kitchen. In order to manage my blog more effectively, I have decided to start a blog that is dedicated solely to posting recipes. If you are mostly interested in the recipes I post, hop on over and follow me on the new blog. If you are mostly interested in my ramblings about life, stay right here. And if you are interested in both (which I hope you are!!) then follow me on both!
I will still post my menu plans on this blog with links to the recipes that are posted on Lucy's Kitchen. That way, if you are a follower here you will be able to see what I'm cooking on a week to week basis and check out anything that catches your eye.
If you notice any links on this blog that are no longer working, please let me know. I have transferred all my recipes to the new blog and will be deleting them from Lucy's Life. So, if somewhere along the lines, a link is disconnected, I will try to fix it as quickly as possible.
You can get to Lucy's Kitchen by clicking the button at the top of my sidebar. I hope you enjoy the new set up!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Uh Oh...
For those of you who are parents, perhaps you've experienced a moment when your child did something or said something that left you perplexed, wondering and questioning if your sweet, innocent, *perfect* child is actually capable of doing such a horrible thing. Perhaps it was the first time they got a detention at school, or the first time another parent called you to inform you that your child was bully theirs, or perhaps when your child displayed unsportsmanlike behavior in a sporting event. Whatever the case may be, I'm sure for many parents there comes a time when your child engages in such an action and as you question your child's behavior, you wonder if, somehow, it is your fault. This is all speculation since I am not yet a parent. But, despite my status as a non-parent, I recently had an experience similar to this.
An experience that caused me to ask myself, "Did I do something wrong? Is this my fault? Did I not raise her right?"
When we returned from the weekend at the in-laws, we were greeted by a bright yellow notice card from the Humane Society sitting on our mail shelf. On the card we were informed that a complaint had been made about our dog.
We went upstairs to ask our landlord's if they knew anything about the notice. They told us that on Saturday a humane society officer had come by looking for the owner's of a "large black dog". Since we were away, he spoke to them and informed them that a complaint had been made about a large black dog at our address displayed "aggressive behavior". They told us the officer was very kind and was just interested in speaking with us.
Could it be true? Could this sweet, gentle, precious baby possibly be capable of displaying aggressive behavior? Capable of inflicting harm?
We called the number that was left on the card and left a message. A few days went by and we did not hear anything. Finally, last night, the dreaded call came in. Apparently, an elderly couple had called in a complaint last week stating that "a large black dog approached them aggressively" as they were walking past our house. The Officer said he explained to the couple that dogs in rural areas are expected to act differently than in urban areas and that when you walk in a rural area you need to be aware that there will be loose dogs. He also suggested to the Fabulous Dude that it is quite possible that the complaint was exaggerated and that a dog running to the road barking is likely not being "aggressive" but just saying hello. Regardless of the state of the claim, however, she is still our responsibility and it is up to us to ensure that she is not posing a problem for walkers, cyclists and cars on our road. The Officer did not suggest that we need to keep her on a chain but he did warn us that if any further complaints are received, we could possibly face a fine.
She is now 2 1/2 and has gone inside and outside on her own terms since she was a puppy. This is the first complaint we have ever received. Most families on our street know her, just as we know all of their dogs. Since we live in the country, it is kind of the norm here that dogs run around and visit each others homes. Hopefully, this complaint will be a one time occurrence and we won't have to worry about facing a fine or having to keep her on a chain. Most of the time when she's outside she's fast asleep on the grass but I guess she still has her moments.
By the way, in case you are wondering how I'm handling this situation, Nika is grounded and will be until she apologizes for her actions and demonstrates a sincere desire to change.
An experience that caused me to ask myself, "Did I do something wrong? Is this my fault? Did I not raise her right?"
People...my dog got in trouble from the Dog Police.
When we returned from the weekend at the in-laws, we were greeted by a bright yellow notice card from the Humane Society sitting on our mail shelf. On the card we were informed that a complaint had been made about our dog.
We went upstairs to ask our landlord's if they knew anything about the notice. They told us that on Saturday a humane society officer had come by looking for the owner's of a "large black dog". Since we were away, he spoke to them and informed them that a complaint had been made about a large black dog at our address displayed "aggressive behavior". They told us the officer was very kind and was just interested in speaking with us.
Could it be true? Could this sweet, gentle, precious baby possibly be capable of displaying aggressive behavior? Capable of inflicting harm?
We called the number that was left on the card and left a message. A few days went by and we did not hear anything. Finally, last night, the dreaded call came in. Apparently, an elderly couple had called in a complaint last week stating that "a large black dog approached them aggressively" as they were walking past our house. The Officer said he explained to the couple that dogs in rural areas are expected to act differently than in urban areas and that when you walk in a rural area you need to be aware that there will be loose dogs. He also suggested to the Fabulous Dude that it is quite possible that the complaint was exaggerated and that a dog running to the road barking is likely not being "aggressive" but just saying hello. Regardless of the state of the claim, however, she is still our responsibility and it is up to us to ensure that she is not posing a problem for walkers, cyclists and cars on our road. The Officer did not suggest that we need to keep her on a chain but he did warn us that if any further complaints are received, we could possibly face a fine.She is now 2 1/2 and has gone inside and outside on her own terms since she was a puppy. This is the first complaint we have ever received. Most families on our street know her, just as we know all of their dogs. Since we live in the country, it is kind of the norm here that dogs run around and visit each others homes. Hopefully, this complaint will be a one time occurrence and we won't have to worry about facing a fine or having to keep her on a chain. Most of the time when she's outside she's fast asleep on the grass but I guess she still has her moments.
By the way, in case you are wondering how I'm handling this situation, Nika is grounded and will be until she apologizes for her actions and demonstrates a sincere desire to change.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Garage Sale Fun
Head over to Homebody Holly's to see what others thrifty deals have been found this week.
As I mentioned in my weekend recap post, I did a bit of garage saleing on Saturday morning. I went with a whole slew of my in-laws, I think there were more than 15 of us at one point.
The morning started off pretty well. SIL #1 was got a bag of gender-neutral infant clothes for $5 for the baby that is on the way. The clothes were all in great shape and some looked like they had never even been worn.
At the second sale we went to, I picked up these Brandy glasses, which I will use for desserts and parfaits and a microwave popcorn maker that I had been contemplating purchasing at Walmart for quite some time. My total here was $5. Not the greatest deal but still good considering I would have paid $15 for the popcorn maker alone at Walmart.
We stopped at a few other sales, some were okay, so not so much. But then, we saw a sign pointing down to an area on the water where lots of people have cottages. We followed the sign and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove. We began to wonder if they were trying to lure us into some sort of trap.Eventually, we made our way to the sale that was located at a little cottage on the water. When we got out of our car, we saw boxes and boxes covering the ground all around the cottage. My first impression was that this garage sale was not very organized. Well, organized or not, it was a sweet sale. We discovered that the previous owner of the cottage had passed away and so they were selling many of her things (I am not sure if the seller's were her children/family or the new owners of the cottage). Apparently, the previous owner was a bit of a shop-a-holic, as was evidenced by the possessions. Most boxes were filled with unopened and unused items. AND, they were practically GIVING this stuff away. Most boxes were labeled 10 cents each, but some things didn't even have a price. What we discovered was that we could pretty much fill our arms, bags, boxes, what have you, and they would either say $2 or $3. Here's what I scored at this garage sale....
Two country fair drinking jars (I collect Roosters)
Two old lanterns. My plan here is to clean them up and possibly spray paint them. I have an idea for a decorating scheme I want to incorporate into our home and these will fit perfectly.
Christmas Loot. If you can't tell all of this is unopened. There is a cookie recipe book, a package of cookie cutters, two packages of candy cups, a package of Christmas cards, Snowman element covers, Jell-o mould, self-adhesive decorations (perfect for cards, scrapbooking and adding an extra something to gift tags), and a Penguin decoration.
Christmas Loot. If you can't tell all of this is unopened. There is a cookie recipe book, a package of cookie cutters, two packages of candy cups, a package of Christmas cards, Snowman element covers, Jell-o mould, self-adhesive decorations (perfect for cards, scrapbooking and adding an extra something to gift tags), and a Penguin decoration.
8 mini storage containers (unopened). These are the perfect size for granola, trail mix and even craft supplies such as beads, brads and other embellishments
A Tupperware patty press. This might have been my most exciting find of the day. Last week when I was making my Greek feta burgers, I was wishing for one of these. My mom had one when I was growing up and it is really quite handy when making homemade burgers. It makes them the right shape and size and even comes with storage containers to keep them in. When the FD's uncle found this and asked if anyone wanted it, I leaped at him like a rapid squirrel and got it before anyone else could. Trust me, we were vicious at this sale. FD's 5 year old cousin was diving into all the boxes, holding up items and yelling, "Mom, do you need this?" Classic....
Lastly, I got these bread baking supplies. First up, a set of 5 disposable mini loaf pans, perfect for gifts. Those mini pans are sitting inside a regular sized loaf pan, that is clearly brand new. And the best deal of the day - two sets of miniature locking loaf pans. Each of these pans have 4 little loaf pans and they are all connected for easy storage (should I be on infomercials or what?). Both of these are brand new and still had the price tags on them. 16.99 each!
Lastly, I got these bread baking supplies. First up, a set of 5 disposable mini loaf pans, perfect for gifts. Those mini pans are sitting inside a regular sized loaf pan, that is clearly brand new. And the best deal of the day - two sets of miniature locking loaf pans. Each of these pans have 4 little loaf pans and they are all connected for easy storage (should I be on infomercials or what?). Both of these are brand new and still had the price tags on them. 16.99 each!
And I got all this for a total of ..... wait for it ....$2.25!!
So, my grand total for the day was 7.25. I'd say it was a pretty good haul, especially considering those linked loaf pans which are worth more than $30 alone! If I had kids, my haul would have been even better because there were a couple really great sales selling tons of baby clothes, blankets and other items as well as toys and books. But, I guess you have to stop somewhere, right?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Vicmorial Day Weekend Recap
We had such a lovely weekend! I have taken the opportunity to name this past weekend "Vicmorial Day Weekend". We were at the fabulous dude's folks' house with all of his siblings, including those from the states, so it seemed as though it was a combination of our Victoria Day holiday (which was actually last Monday) and Memorial Day. The fabulous dude and I took Monday off to make this past weekend a long weekend, which was lovely. I am blessed to have an amazing in-law family and I always enjoy spending time with them. Here's a little recap...
On Friday we left our place after work and drove 3 hours to his folks place. When we were arrived we were so excited to see his oldest sister, her husband and their two daughters. We hadn't seen them since Christmas. FD's youngest sister was also there, along with his parents and uncle. The guys were still chipping away at the roof and so FD was up the ladder within seconds of arriving. I got to spend a few minutes with the little girls before they headed to bed and then I spent time catching up with my SIL's and MIL until the guys came in from the roof.
On Saturday, the guys were up early to get started on the work. My other niece was dropped of at Nana and Grandpa's house as well since her mommy and daddy both had commitments. We spent the morning garage saleing. We were joined by Grandma, some aunts, uncles and cousins, totaling about 16 people. And, we're all brave enough to admit that we are a crazy family so I think some of the garage sale hosters were a little bit weirded out by our group. We all found some great deals over the course of the morning (more about that later in the week). For the afternoon, my oldest SIL took her oldest daughter to great grandmas to play with one of her second cousins. I stayed at home with my MIL and other SIL and the other two nieces. I spent a few hours reading with them during quiet time which was so lovely. Saturday evening, we headed to FD's Aunt and Uncles house for a BBQ and campfire. His grandparents were celebrating their 58th anniversary this weekend and so we took this opportunity that we were all together to honour them. Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!
On Sunday we got up, got ready and headed to church. After church, we had some lunch and then my two older nieces decided that they wanted to take a walk down to the "ocean". So, we set out to the "ocean" to find some treasures. Everyone there had lots of fun! We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening playing outside and roasting hot dogs and marsh mellows by the campfire.
Monday morning we woke up early because the oldest niece really wanted to go shopping with all the girls before it was time to head home. They first went with Nana and Grandpa to see the baby chicks at Uncle W and Aunt M's barn. When they got home, their mom and I were ready to go. We headed to Dollarama and Bargain Shop where each of them were allowed to pick out a few special treasures to take with them on the long car ride home. When we got home after shopping, we had some lunch and started packing up.
The FD and I had to head out around noon as I had to be back for a meeting. Then, after my meeting, we did grocery shopping, had dinner and began planting our vegetable garden and flower pots! Almost everything is in except the Zucchini because all the greenhouses were out of zucchini. We will be checking back today and hopefully getting some. I will have some pictures soon.
Some photos of the weekend ....
Like father like son
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I'd love to hear what you did.
On Friday we left our place after work and drove 3 hours to his folks place. When we were arrived we were so excited to see his oldest sister, her husband and their two daughters. We hadn't seen them since Christmas. FD's youngest sister was also there, along with his parents and uncle. The guys were still chipping away at the roof and so FD was up the ladder within seconds of arriving. I got to spend a few minutes with the little girls before they headed to bed and then I spent time catching up with my SIL's and MIL until the guys came in from the roof.
On Saturday, the guys were up early to get started on the work. My other niece was dropped of at Nana and Grandpa's house as well since her mommy and daddy both had commitments. We spent the morning garage saleing. We were joined by Grandma, some aunts, uncles and cousins, totaling about 16 people. And, we're all brave enough to admit that we are a crazy family so I think some of the garage sale hosters were a little bit weirded out by our group. We all found some great deals over the course of the morning (more about that later in the week). For the afternoon, my oldest SIL took her oldest daughter to great grandmas to play with one of her second cousins. I stayed at home with my MIL and other SIL and the other two nieces. I spent a few hours reading with them during quiet time which was so lovely. Saturday evening, we headed to FD's Aunt and Uncles house for a BBQ and campfire. His grandparents were celebrating their 58th anniversary this weekend and so we took this opportunity that we were all together to honour them. Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!
On Sunday we got up, got ready and headed to church. After church, we had some lunch and then my two older nieces decided that they wanted to take a walk down to the "ocean". So, we set out to the "ocean" to find some treasures. Everyone there had lots of fun! We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening playing outside and roasting hot dogs and marsh mellows by the campfire.
Monday morning we woke up early because the oldest niece really wanted to go shopping with all the girls before it was time to head home. They first went with Nana and Grandpa to see the baby chicks at Uncle W and Aunt M's barn. When they got home, their mom and I were ready to go. We headed to Dollarama and Bargain Shop where each of them were allowed to pick out a few special treasures to take with them on the long car ride home. When we got home after shopping, we had some lunch and started packing up.
The FD and I had to head out around noon as I had to be back for a meeting. Then, after my meeting, we did grocery shopping, had dinner and began planting our vegetable garden and flower pots! Almost everything is in except the Zucchini because all the greenhouses were out of zucchini. We will be checking back today and hopefully getting some. I will have some pictures soon.
Some photos of the weekend ....
Happy Anniversary
On our way to the ocean (Niece #1, #2, SIL #1 and Niece/Nephew #4 with Nika) 
Everyone had fun at the beach
Roasting Marsh mellows by the fire
Everyone had fun at the beach
Roasting Marsh mellows by the fire
Like father like son
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Interesting...
Remember last week when I showed you the lovely candle my hubby brought home for me after his weekend away at his folks' place? Well, we got to his parents place last night (the WHOLE family is home) and I saw a few more that looked strikingly similar. Then I heard MIL say, "I got one for each of you at the sale last weekend. Lucy, did E give you yours?"
Interesting.
I must say, we all got a laugh out of it when I informed them that he convinced me he had been the one behind the gift.
What a guy, what a guy.
Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend!
Interesting.
I must say, we all got a laugh out of it when I informed them that he convinced me he had been the one behind the gift.
What a guy, what a guy.
Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
I Don't
Do you ever have those days when you are sick with a cold and you just feel so sorry for yourself and you expect that everyone around you should also feel sorry for you and you have a major pity party for yourself and you want to crawl up in bed and never get out and you don't know why people around you aren't taking better care of you?
Oh, you do have those days?
Because I don't.
Oh, you do have those days?
Because I don't.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
My Bucket List
Inspired by my BFF, here is my bucket list.
1. Stop biting my nails.
2. Drink less Pepsi (but not that much less).
3. Make at least one new recipe from a recipe book each week.
4. Continue baking our own bread.
5. Wash my face every morning and every night.
6. Pray for a specific need of my husband's daily.
7. Give more than I think I can afford.
8. Run a 5 km race in the next year.
9. Be a mom in the next __ years.
10. Be a better friend.
11. Wash the floor more often.
12. Get a tattoo.
13. Go on a real vacation with my husband, by ourselves.
14. Pray for a new person each day.
15. Complete a PhD.
16. Own and renovate a home.
17. Be more "homemade".
18. Make a quilt.
19. Keep a plant alive in my house for more than 2 weeks.
20. Have one billion followers on my blog.
21. Learn how to sew.
22. Teach my children about Jesus.
23. Have more kids than I can count.
24. Convert my BFF to become a dog lover.
25. Talk to my mom and dad at least once a week.
26. Be the coolest aunt on the block.
27. Train a guide dog.
28. Learn (or re-learn) a second language.
29. Explore Canada.
30. Learn how to work a BBQ (thanks, Em)
31. Own every Harry Potter book (in hardcover) and film.
32. Complete the Love Dare.
33. Learn how to drive standard - oh wait, I've already done this because I'm awesome.
34. Be a grandma.
35. Volunteer at a Women's Shelter.
36. Meet five fellow bloggers in real life.
37. Have a scrapbook room in my home.
38. Make good use of the scrapbook room in my home.
39. Write a song.
40. Be better at sending birthday cards.
41. Grow an herb garden.
42. Drink more water.
43. Laugh at my husband every day.
44. Never be afraid to ask questions.
45. Exercise daily.
46. Read more books.
47. Eat more fruit.
48. Overcome my fear of heights and snakes.
49. Refinish my desk.
50. Do at least one random act of kindness every week.
1. Stop biting my nails.
2. Drink less Pepsi (but not that much less).
3. Make at least one new recipe from a recipe book each week.
4. Continue baking our own bread.
5. Wash my face every morning and every night.
6. Pray for a specific need of my husband's daily.
7. Give more than I think I can afford.
8. Run a 5 km race in the next year.
9. Be a mom in the next __ years.
10. Be a better friend.
11. Wash the floor more often.
12. Get a tattoo.
13. Go on a real vacation with my husband, by ourselves.
14. Pray for a new person each day.
15. Complete a PhD.
16. Own and renovate a home.
17. Be more "homemade".
18. Make a quilt.
19. Keep a plant alive in my house for more than 2 weeks.
20. Have one billion followers on my blog.
21. Learn how to sew.
22. Teach my children about Jesus.
23. Have more kids than I can count.
24. Convert my BFF to become a dog lover.
25. Talk to my mom and dad at least once a week.
26. Be the coolest aunt on the block.
27. Train a guide dog.
28. Learn (or re-learn) a second language.
29. Explore Canada.
30. Learn how to work a BBQ (thanks, Em)
31. Own every Harry Potter book (in hardcover) and film.
32. Complete the Love Dare.
33. Learn how to drive standard - oh wait, I've already done this because I'm awesome.
34. Be a grandma.
35. Volunteer at a Women's Shelter.
36. Meet five fellow bloggers in real life.
37. Have a scrapbook room in my home.
38. Make good use of the scrapbook room in my home.
39. Write a song.
40. Be better at sending birthday cards.
41. Grow an herb garden.
42. Drink more water.
43. Laugh at my husband every day.
44. Never be afraid to ask questions.
45. Exercise daily.
46. Read more books.
47. Eat more fruit.
48. Overcome my fear of heights and snakes.
49. Refinish my desk.
50. Do at least one random act of kindness every week.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Two Awards and Two Smiles
First of all, let me apologize. I am horrible with keeping up with these things. I know I have gotten a few awards over the past few weeks and I always forget to post about them. But please know that I do greatly appreciate them! If you have given me an award and I didn't post about it - I'm so sorry.
I was given The Kreativ Blogger award by Megan at THE LIFE OF ME while I was away on vacation and would like to extend my thanks to her for thinking of me! When given this award, you are supposed to list seven things you love.
1. My God
2. My husband
3. My bed
4. My kitchen
5. My puppy
6. My couch (I have an awful cold and have a renewed love for the joys of laying on the couch in front of the TV lately)
7. My breadmaker (surprised?)
Thanks, Megan!
And then yesterday, I was given the One Lovely Blog Award by Snow White at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. Snow White is one of my very best blogging friends. I am so glad I found her in this big ol' world because she is constantly inspiring me to try new things in my kitchen, to become healthier and to be responsible with all that God has blessed me with. Thanks, Snow White!
I cannot choose who to tag to pass these awards on to because I think you are all so deserving!
Moving on to two smiles - there are two things that are making me very happy today. I have mentioned a number of times before that my brother is a great photographer. His work is excellent and I think he deserves all the great things coming to him. The last time my family was together, he was busy snapping pictures, as always, and got this one of me and my nephew (at 9 months old). I can't help it but to keep looking at this picture over and over and over again because every time I do, I just giggle. It is so cute, don't you think? By the way, some good news, my sister and her family are moving closer to the rest of us! Please pray for them as they adjust to a new job, new home, new town, new routine and pray that their house will sell quickly.
The second thing that is making me smile today is this...
I believe I mentioned in some past posts that the fabulous dude was away this weekend at his Folks place. He got home late in the evening last night, exhausted from a weekend of roofing. This morning I unpacked his bag to get some of his clothes in the laundry and I found this in his bag.
There is a lovely candle factory in his hometown where all the candles are made on the premises. This weekend they were having a major tent sale (lots of reduced prices and amazing deals). Since I wasn't there to check it out myself, he got his mom to pick up something for me. The scent of this candle is White Paper. It is a lovely, fresh, springy scent and is a perfect contrast to the deep, heavy scents of most of my other candles. It brings a refreshing aroma to the kitchen! It just made me so happy to know that he was thinking of me while he was away this weekend.
What is making you smile today?
I was given The Kreativ Blogger award by Megan at THE LIFE OF ME while I was away on vacation and would like to extend my thanks to her for thinking of me! When given this award, you are supposed to list seven things you love.
1. My God
2. My husband
3. My bed
4. My kitchen
5. My puppy
6. My couch (I have an awful cold and have a renewed love for the joys of laying on the couch in front of the TV lately)
7. My breadmaker (surprised?)
Thanks, Megan!
And then yesterday, I was given the One Lovely Blog Award by Snow White at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. Snow White is one of my very best blogging friends. I am so glad I found her in this big ol' world because she is constantly inspiring me to try new things in my kitchen, to become healthier and to be responsible with all that God has blessed me with. Thanks, Snow White!
I cannot choose who to tag to pass these awards on to because I think you are all so deserving!Moving on to two smiles - there are two things that are making me very happy today. I have mentioned a number of times before that my brother is a great photographer. His work is excellent and I think he deserves all the great things coming to him. The last time my family was together, he was busy snapping pictures, as always, and got this one of me and my nephew (at 9 months old). I can't help it but to keep looking at this picture over and over and over again because every time I do, I just giggle. It is so cute, don't you think? By the way, some good news, my sister and her family are moving closer to the rest of us! Please pray for them as they adjust to a new job, new home, new town, new routine and pray that their house will sell quickly.
The second thing that is making me smile today is this...I believe I mentioned in some past posts that the fabulous dude was away this weekend at his Folks place. He got home late in the evening last night, exhausted from a weekend of roofing. This morning I unpacked his bag to get some of his clothes in the laundry and I found this in his bag.
There is a lovely candle factory in his hometown where all the candles are made on the premises. This weekend they were having a major tent sale (lots of reduced prices and amazing deals). Since I wasn't there to check it out myself, he got his mom to pick up something for me. The scent of this candle is White Paper. It is a lovely, fresh, springy scent and is a perfect contrast to the deep, heavy scents of most of my other candles. It brings a refreshing aroma to the kitchen! It just made me so happy to know that he was thinking of me while he was away this weekend.What is making you smile today?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
Well, I guess it's about time for me to get back on the menu planning wagon. Last week was a complete write off. With a combination of me just returning from vacation, the fabulous dude working an obscene amount of overtime and a few nights that we were out with friends and family for dinner, I have hardly cooked since I got home - aside from a horrible loaf of Rye bread that ended up in the garbage. Tear. I am dying to cook. Seriously, I feel like I am in with drawl. This week isn't going to be very different from last as the fabulous dude is going to be at work every single night. However, I have decided that I have to stop eating junk just because he isn't home for dinner and so I will cook dinner as per usual and he can eat when he gets home.
Today is a holiday here in Canada. The hubby is at his folks place working on their roof and won't be home until late tonight so I am just relaxing at home. Last night, I went to a good old fashioned slumber party with her and her and her. We stayed up too late, ate too much food and laughed a lot. There was even a trip to the grocery store in our PJ's. Today, she and I went for a really long walk and spent most of the day together. It was nice. Girlfriends are nice. Therefore, nothing on the menu for today.
So here's the menu for the rest of this week:
Tuesday: Ground beef wellington, maple honey roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus
Wednesday: Curry chicken bites, rice, lemon pepper asparagus
Thursday: Greek feta burgers, tzatziki (I give up trying to spell that) sauce, pitas, and sweet potato fries
Friday: Hot pockets to go (we'll be heading back to his parents so he can finish the roof and I can love up my nieces)
Lunches: Hot pockets, cold meat sandwiches, Greek salads
Snacks: Granola bars, homemade granola and yogurt, fresh fruit
Head over here for more menu planning ideas.
Today is a holiday here in Canada. The hubby is at his folks place working on their roof and won't be home until late tonight so I am just relaxing at home. Last night, I went to a good old fashioned slumber party with her and her and her. We stayed up too late, ate too much food and laughed a lot. There was even a trip to the grocery store in our PJ's. Today, she and I went for a really long walk and spent most of the day together. It was nice. Girlfriends are nice. Therefore, nothing on the menu for today.
So here's the menu for the rest of this week:
Tuesday: Ground beef wellington, maple honey roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus
Wednesday: Curry chicken bites, rice, lemon pepper asparagus
Thursday: Greek feta burgers, tzatziki (I give up trying to spell that) sauce, pitas, and sweet potato fries
Friday: Hot pockets to go (we'll be heading back to his parents so he can finish the roof and I can love up my nieces)
Lunches: Hot pockets, cold meat sandwiches, Greek salads
Snacks: Granola bars, homemade granola and yogurt, fresh fruit
Head over here for more menu planning ideas.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Mission Accomplished
After spending Friday working on the bathroom cupboards and kitchen pantry, I spent Saturday doing the real work .... the closets and spare room/office/craft room.
First I tackled the bedroom. I am ashamed, embarrassed and disgusted to admit that I was able to get rid of as much as I did while still having clothes on our backs, let alone still having two closets and two dressers full. As I was in midst of this task, the fabulous dude came in and said, "I'm not going to let you shop as much". Umm, ya think?
There isn't much explaining to do except to tell you that I went through every single thing we own and held nothing back.
So, here goes nothing.
The before...
The after...
Now, to show you exactly how much of a difference there is I am going to show you the stuff that I got rid of. Again, as I said at the outset of this post, I am embarrassed that it was even possible for me to get rid of this much stuff. Please don't judge. This picture includes the stuff that I am giving away. It does NOT include the stuff that I just threw out. There wasn't much that was garbage worthy, but some stuff like socks, underwear, old work clothes was tossed.
Here it is all packed up and labeled according to who/where it is going to...
The coolest part about this is that after writing my first post indicating that I was going to be purging my closets, someone contacted me and let me know of an individual who is really in need of clothing who is about the same size as me. So, the majority of my clothes were packed up for her with the exception of a few things that I'm sending to my sister. The FD's stuff was packed up for either my BIL or to be donated. One bag is trash and the box has housewares and other items that are to be donated.
Above and beyond clothes I got rid of a bunch of stuff that had been hanging out on the shelves of the closets. When I was sorting through these items (most were sentimental in some way) I asked myself, "If this belonged to my mom, would I want to have it now?" If the answer was yes, then I kept it for my future children. The rest was placed in the to-go pile if I have no purpose for it.
I feel so great after completing this task. First of all, I am thrilled to know that I will be able to bless someone else with the items that I no longer need. Second, this task has given me a renewed appreciation for all that I have! I am certainly not in want.
After the bedroom was done, I headed to the spare room.
After
Not much to say except there was a lot of junk kicking around that is now gone. The only problem? Lots of stuff was just placed inside the craft cabinet instead of around it.
I guess I know what I'm doing this afternoon...
This post is being linked up to Organizing Junkie's Surface and Shelf Organizing post!
First I tackled the bedroom. I am ashamed, embarrassed and disgusted to admit that I was able to get rid of as much as I did while still having clothes on our backs, let alone still having two closets and two dressers full. As I was in midst of this task, the fabulous dude came in and said, "I'm not going to let you shop as much". Umm, ya think?
There isn't much explaining to do except to tell you that I went through every single thing we own and held nothing back.
So, here goes nothing.
The before...
The during (this was a must-get-worse-before-it-gets-better project)...
Now, to show you exactly how much of a difference there is I am going to show you the stuff that I got rid of. Again, as I said at the outset of this post, I am embarrassed that it was even possible for me to get rid of this much stuff. Please don't judge. This picture includes the stuff that I am giving away. It does NOT include the stuff that I just threw out. There wasn't much that was garbage worthy, but some stuff like socks, underwear, old work clothes was tossed.Are you ready? Everything on the bed is what is being given away...
Here it is all packed up and labeled according to who/where it is going to...
The coolest part about this is that after writing my first post indicating that I was going to be purging my closets, someone contacted me and let me know of an individual who is really in need of clothing who is about the same size as me. So, the majority of my clothes were packed up for her with the exception of a few things that I'm sending to my sister. The FD's stuff was packed up for either my BIL or to be donated. One bag is trash and the box has housewares and other items that are to be donated.Above and beyond clothes I got rid of a bunch of stuff that had been hanging out on the shelves of the closets. When I was sorting through these items (most were sentimental in some way) I asked myself, "If this belonged to my mom, would I want to have it now?" If the answer was yes, then I kept it for my future children. The rest was placed in the to-go pile if I have no purpose for it.
I feel so great after completing this task. First of all, I am thrilled to know that I will be able to bless someone else with the items that I no longer need. Second, this task has given me a renewed appreciation for all that I have! I am certainly not in want.
After the bedroom was done, I headed to the spare room.
Before
After
Not much to say except there was a lot of junk kicking around that is now gone. The only problem? Lots of stuff was just placed inside the craft cabinet instead of around it.
I guess I know what I'm doing this afternoon...This post is being linked up to Organizing Junkie's Surface and Shelf Organizing post!
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