Expanding the gift closet--or why you should keep pizza dough in the house

I'm sure many of us have read articles about keeping a little box of miscellaneous gifts on hand. As for myself, I have a place in the pantry where I keep fancy notebooks, foreign cookies, a few miniature bottles from Bath and Body Works, and a few other little things. I also keep a few packages of tissue paper on hand, along with matching gift bags. My gift box comes in handy all the time--when we are invited to someones house for dinner, when I pay a visit to the four ladies from church I am responsible for contacting once a month, or whenever I go to meet a new neighbor (which happens all the time on an Air Force base!). My gift box has been indispensable--but only when it comes to houses with ladies! I don't know of any men who would be thrilled to receive a bottle of raspberry hand lotion--even if it was partnered with sincere thanks!

The need to have an appropriate gift for anyone--including men--was brought to the forefront of my mind a few months ago.

My husband left early one morning to the airport on one of his many little trips. Normally he flies very early in the morning, and leaves while I'm still asleep after a kiss goodbye (him) and mumbled, snore-y wishes for a safe flight (me). On one of these mornings, I got a cell phone call from him at around 6 in the morning. He frantically told me that he was about to board the flight, but just realized that in his pocket he had both sets of keys, leaving me with NONE! No car keys, no house keys, no computer desk keys! Luckily, he was able to get a hold of his boss, who told him that if he left the keys with the airport personnel, he would be happy to drive to the airport, pick them up, then deliver them to me. Since his boss was going so far out of his way to help me out (at 6am on a Sunday morning) I knew that I should probably have a little something for him when he arrived. I threw on some clothes, ran downstairs, and pulled out the gift box. Nothing in there would be appropriate for a man. I immediately decided to cook something, and set a record speed for flipping through cookbooks. I needed to work fast, because the Air Force base actually shares runways with the city airport, and despite having to drive all the way around to get there, it still only takes about ten minutes. Not finding anything appropriate, I pulled open the fridge hoping for something...anything...and then I had an idea! In there was a tube of Pillsbury pizza dough. I'm not sure why, since I never use it, but on a whim I decided to throw some in cart at the grocery store. I unrolled the dough, cut it into strips, dipped it in butter then cinnamon and sugar, and baked it. I packaged it up and barely got it out of the oven before hubby's boss delivered the keys. When my husband came back a few days later, he told him how much his family had enjoyed the treat and actually asked for the recipe! It was a strange mixture of pride and embarrassment when I had to admit how incredibly quick and easy they actually were!

It was because of this incident that now I almost always keep some sort of refrigerated dough product on hand. They bake up quickly, and can be re-formed to look almost completely homemade in case you are in need of a "speed treat."

Besides the cinnamon-sugar bread stick idea above, here are two other ideas that come together in a jiffy:

**take crescent roll dough, unroll the triangles, and put in a square of chocolate (or a few chocolate chips if you don't have chocolate bars around), sprinkle the top with sugar for decoration, and bake according to the directions. The chocolate will become delicious and melty, and the crescents will be nice and flaky. A friend's mother taught us how to make these at a slumber party once. She called them "petite pan."

**take the same crescent roll dough, and after unrolling, take a marshmallow, dip in butter and then in cinnamon and sugar and completely seal inside the dough. Upon baking, the marshmallow will melt inside and be nice and tasty. This is a great recipe for kids, and one that won a Pillsbury Bake-Off prize some years ago.

Either of these can be thrown together and completely finished in under 30 minutes, and make fantastic, quick treats for anyone--especially the men!

It's a good thing I like crumpets!

I was at Wal-Mart the other day (buying new socks for everyone, if you must know!) when my cell phone started to ring. I looked at the screen, and recognized the number that shows up when my husband calls from Iraq. I answered and we chatted for a bit. After a minute or two he said "well honey, it's probably time for a new round of de-cluttering."

I asked why, thinking that maybe he had bought the kids a playhouse or something for Christmas, and it would be delivered in a week or two. But I was wrong!

He said "you might want to start de-cluttering, because it will easier for us to move."

"Move where? Where are we going."

"To ENGLAND!"

So yes, it turns out that our little family will be moving to England! Land of tea, crumpets, and Bob's-your-uncle.

At first I was shocked, and tried to hold back the tears. England? That's so far away from everybody--and everything I love. Plus, I just now got my living room the way I want it; finally sprung for curtains, a eucalyptus wreath, and hung all the pictures just how I want them. It seems I forgot the first rule of military transfers; they always occur just a couple of months after you've finished decorating and everything is perfect!

I was a little out of sorts the rest of the day, but in the light of the next morning I could feel my excitement start to brew. I have always wanted to immerse myself in a different culture, and the travel, education, and cultural benefits that all of us will receive are going to be priceless. I have already looked at the website of where we will be living, and it looks so cute! I can hardly wait! It's called Molesworth and it's in the county of Cambridgeshire. Oh, I hope I spelled that right!

There are still a few things over which I am apprehensive--fear of the unknown and all that--so I have decided to use the marvelous tool of the internet to help me out. So now, I am pleading for knowledge!

Do you live in England? Do you know somebody who does? Do you know somebody who knows somebody who does? And does that person have a blog?

It is going to be such a change; and to be honest I'm really not sure what questions I need to ask. I'm basically looking for general information that you think might help me out.

I have heard that most houses over there are much, much older than the ones over here. In fact, I don't think I have ever lived in a house more than about 50 years old. Generally speaking (and I know it's hard to generalize), what are the chances of me having a dishwasher? How about a washing machine and dryer--I heard a rumor that they are quite a luxury? What are the chances of me having more than one bathroom? Are the rumors about having a teeny fridge and only one power outlet in the room true? If you moved over there from here, is there anything unavailable in the UK you wish you had taken with you?

Please understand, even if my lifestyle has to change dramatically, I won't mind at all. I solemnly swear that I will not be one of those Americans who comes over and complains about everything and insists that everything is so much better "back home." I'd just like to be prepared!

Thank you to everyone who can help me out!

The Guest Bathroom

With the holidays coming up, many of us are preparing to have guests in our homes, at least for an evening, but possibly for a few days. With that in mind, I thought I'd post some "do's" and "don'ts" of the guest bathroom when preparing to have people over.

Do make sure there is an ample supply of toilet paper within easy reach. There is nothing more uncomfortable than realizing the roll is empty, then having to search all over an unfamiliar bathroom for an extra. And please, please make sure there are multiple rolls available! Some of your guests may use it up faster than others and faster than you anticipate. Please don't make a poor party guest resort to rooting through her handbag for a half-crumpled kleenex!

Do make sure any potential odor problems are taken care of before they arise. If it's feasible, leave a lighted candle in there. A scented votive in a little glass holder will do just fine. Also, even if you don't use it yourself, leave a can of air freshener by the sink. There is absolutely nothing more mortifying than having to leave a bathroom smelly after you've used it, and most would rather die than ask their hostess if there's a can of air freshener they can use.

Do keep the comfort of your guests in mind. Make sure the soap dispenser is filled, the garbage can is empty and lined with a bag, the towels are freshly washed, and there's a little plug-in night light. Provide little necessities like tissues, a bottle of lotion, and Dixie Cups for drinks of water. You might consider leaving a small box of--uhh--"feminine necessities" out as well. Most women will come prepared, but a few might be caught by surprise. Another nice touch is to leave a small bowl of breath mints by the mirror, and remember, a small vase of flowers makes everything seem more beautiful--even a bathroom!

Don't forget to clear out and tidy the medicine cabinet and cupboards. People will open them to snoop! Don't leave rusted nail clippers, medication other than aspirin (or similar), or anything you wouldn't want placed on your coffee table in front of everyone. Nobody needs to know that you color your hair, that you suffer from allergies, or your husband has IBS. Clear it out.

Don't forget that some of your guests might have babies in diapers. It's probably a good idea to leave a supply of baggies in there for any horrific diapers. And please have mercy on your guests! They are probably already embarrassed to have to carry a yucky diaper out of the bathroom; try to discretely take it from them and whisper "let me just put this outside for you." Save them the trouble and embarrassment.

Don't forget that your guests are people too! Think back to parties you have attended or other houses you have visited. What did you appreciate having in the bathroom? What did you wish you had? Use your own experiences and create a little oasis of calm--one that you'd be pleased with--for your guests.

For those of you who wonder what it's like...

...when your husband deploys.

Month One: You turn on all the lights downstairs before going to bed at night. Every little noise makes you think there is a rapist/murderer/child snatcher outside your bedroom window. Even though you are on the second floor. Even though you live in the world's most secure gated community complete with assault rifle-toting guards. You are afraid to shower, to check the mail at the end of the driveway, to put something in the garage because you just know that as soon as you're out of ear shot, something will happen and the babies will need you. Like they'll find a fossilized pretzel under their beds and choke on it. Or they'll fall out the (locked) window. Even waiting until they're asleep doesn't make this fear go away. You realize with surprise that you only have about 1/3 as many dishes to do, half as much garbage, and only a fraction of the laundry you had before. You also notice that the house is much easier to keep clean. You marvel at how the loss of one person can make housekeeping so much easier, and then feel slightly guilty for being happy about it. Like 95% of the wives, you vow that you will lose weight while he's gone and shock him with the new-and-improved you. Atkins begins.

Month Two: Time to get busy. Hoping to make the time go by faster, you throw yourself and the kids into whatever activities you can find. Church groups, book clubs, recipe swaps, play groups....anything at all. You go on at least one outing a day, even if it's something boring like filling up the car with gas and buying a pack of butter-rum Lifesavers. You no longer sleep with all the downstairs lights on--it's down to just the kitchen light. If you're feeling really brave, you turn that off too (but still leave the light over the stove on). This is also the month that your honey starts sending you fun packages in the mail. Yay for Shari's Berries, Amazon, and Sephora! Also, you get to send letters back to him, which is tons of fun because you get to break out the stamps, stickers, perfume, confetti, and girly-girl paper. You are keenly aware that deployed husbands view the quality of each other's wives by not only how much mail they get, but also the cuteness of said mail. Although they'd never admit it out loud.

Month Three: This is the hardest month of all. He's already been gone forever but won't be back for forever. Month three is also when something goes wrong at home that you can't fix. The computer will crash, the lawn mower will break, your car won't start, or your fridge will stop working. You'll tell your husband, and he'll call someone in his office to come fix it. The afternoon before this co-worker comes over, you will spend an hour scrubbing clean the house, putting on makeup, spraying air freshener and lighting candles. Maybe even bake something, and make sure that the children are clean and especially adoreable. The house must be perfect, and you must look hot. All the civilian wives just gasped in horror. All the military ones just nodded. Here's why. Because when your husband's co-worker comes over, he isn't looking at you, he's looking at your husband through you. And you'd rather die than have some silly man go back to your husband's office and say "Wow, he sure has a frumpy wife! She can't even keep her kitchen clean and the whole place smells like old towels." You want him to say "Wow, he is so lucky! Not only is his wife a hottie, but dude, she bakes and stuff!" Sometimes men are judged by what kind of woman they can "get," and in the military this is more common than you'd think!

Month Four: Boredom sets in. You are bored bored bored. You put the kids to bed and there's no one to talk to. You launch yourself like a blood-thirsty vampire on any adult who comes to the door. Newspaper salesman? Please come in and have a cup of Crystal Light and tell me all about your different delivery options! Cable guy? Have some cookies and tell my why going digital will change my life! A friend passing on the sidewalk? Oh beware, beware! This is also the month that you start fishing for houseguests, inviting whoever you think will stay at least a weekend. Or, it is equally acceptable to begin travelling--visiting whoever has asked you to come.

Month Five: If you've played your cards right, you are either out of town or you have an awesome houseguest. This means free babysitting, so you get to have your hair and nails done or go shopping.

Month Six: He's almost home, but not quite! You get so frustrated because every. single. day. he calls with a new return date. Sometimes it's later than you thought and you want to pull your hair out with frustration. Sometimes it's earlier and you can't believe your luck. Each time the date changes you write it on the calendar, along with a handy countdown in the top right-hand corner of each square. But you do it in pencil. Always in eraseable pencil because you're no fool. Finally, the day comes when you get to see him again. He is thinner and tanned. You are not. It takes a good month for the family to find it's "groove," but after you do it's almost like he never left.

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider Crawled Up the Kitchen Wall

I have always adored autumn. The crisp days and the frosty nights, the brisk walks in the equally brisk air....

And after being outside, enjoying the crunchy leaves and the cool breeze, isn't it nice to walk into a toasty-warm house and know you are warm and safe for when winter arrives?

Guess what? Bugs like it too!

Around here at Casa de Bumblebee, when the chilly weather arrives, so do the indoor pests. Ants come inside looking for warmth, water and food. Spiders try to take up residence in the heating vents or the blinds, and many more random bugs I can't even name show up around the house.

I can't think of any homemaker who's willing to share her house with all sorts of creepy crawlies, and with that, I'd like to share a few ways you can minimize the yearly autumnal invasion.

The most important thing is to make sure that there is no food whatsoever on you floor. A good way to avoid having to clean incessantly is to keep all food in the kitchen of dining room. If you must have your nightly hot, salty, buttery popcorn while you watch reruns of Gilmore Girls (ummm...hypothetically, that is!) make sure that you don't drop anything on the floor, and if you do, pick it up right away. This is also the perfect time to deploy your vacuum hose. Really get into all the nooks and crannies, especially where the floor meets the wall. Also give a good cleaning to your window sills and the tracks that your windows and patio door slide along. After a good vacuuming, bring out your mop or Hoover Floormate (I love mine) and get everything nice and shiny.

Unfortunately, this isn't something that only needs to be done once at the beginning of the season; it's something you'll have to maintain by integrating it into your daily cleaning once or twice a week.

Next, make sure your house is tidy. Nothing looks more cozy to a scary spider than a pile of towels sitting on the ground and nothing is quite as tempting as a full-but-forgotten garbage can. Take away their hiding places, and your home will become less attractive to them.

Finally, a word about ants--the bugs that I find myself fighting against constantly in this old house. If you see half a dozen or so "scout" ants spread out over a small area, assess where they are. Sometimes they'll look for food in places where there isn't any, like a bathroom or laundry room. If you can possibly bear it, let the ants look around for a while. When they discover there's no food to be found, they'll return to their nest, but leave a chemical residue that informs other ants that the area isn't worth searching. Then, chances are you won't see ants in that location for quite some time.

That's it--that's all my tips on keeping the bugs at bay. As you can see, it's nothing complicated with lime-soaked rosemary stems or soap flakes and borax. It's nothing more than keeping your home clean, which robs bugs of their food source, and tidy, which robs them of hiding places.

May your home be cozy, and devoid of creepy-crawlies!

Here I go again....

Well, I thought that since school was over I'd have lots and lots of time to give you all lovely blog posts, but I'm afraid I already have to take another break!

My sweetie will be headed over to spend six months in Iraq--and he leaves in a little under two weeks.

We will be trying to spend as much time as we can being together as a family, so I won't have much time for posting at all.

Thanks everyone for sticking with me--I'll be back in no time at all!

Home Improve-mint

Quick! Name something minty!

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What did you come up with?

Toothpaste?

Candy?

Gum?

Mouthwash?

Breath mints (of course!)?

The above are all things that everyone considers minty, but have you ever wondered why? Why is it that so many personal hygiene products smell minty—especially ones we’re supposed to put in our mouths?

It’s because mint is clean. Mint is fresh. Mint lifts the spirits. Oh, and did I mention mind is clean? :)

It is for this reason that if someone asked me to name something minty, I would probably answer “my house.”

I discovered a few years ago, that although unconventional, the scent of mint is a wonderful addition to any home. As I described above, it just makes everything seem cleaner. Think of it as giving a breath mint to your house!

When using mint, I tend to rely most heavily on regular old McCormick mint flavoring, found right next to the vanilla in the spice section of the grocery store. I also like to use spearmint essential oil that I buy from www.sweetcakes.com. Because mint is a fairly easy oil to extract, you can buy a huge bottle of it inexpensively. I’m sure places like Whole Foods and Wild Oats also carry it, but I’m not sure about their pricing. When buying the oil, I like to get spearmint rather than peppermint, but that’s purely a personal preference. Try both—you might find you like peppermint more.

Anyway, below are some of my favorite ways to incorporate a minty freshness into my house:

--Pour about a tablespoon of flavoring into my bottle of homemade vinegar cleaner.

--Place a couple of drops of oil on my vacuum filter before vacuuming the house.

--Make my own scented scouring powder by adding a little oil to equal parts of kosher salt and baking soda (your tub has never been so fresh!).

--Buy a Yankee “Fresh Mint” candle. The way they have scented this is uncanny. It smells exactly like a mint patch growing out in the yard. They have perfectly captured not only the mint, but also the subtle earthiness and bitter-sweetness of real, fresh mint. Have a look at www.yankeecandle.com. It is well worth the $23—I promise!

--If you’ll be leaving home for a few days, pour a few drops of the flavoring down each drain and in the bowl of your commode. It will eliminate that stale smell that develops when stagnant water has been in the pipes for too long.

--Dab a few drops of oil on the cardboard tube inside your rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. You’ll have freshness with each spin!

--And don’t forget about using mint for personal care products as well: a lid-full of essential oil poured into a full bottle of vanilla body wash is incredibly delicious (my favorite is St. Ives Swiss Vanilla—about $3 at the drugstore or Wal-Mart).

Once your house—and you—are sweet and minty, you’ll wonder why you never thought to use it before!

Happy Little Hint

A few days ago I made a fun little discovery. As it turns out, My Little Ponies have magnetic feet! I have a couple on the fridge right now holding up a "to do" list! I think I'll be headed out to Wal-Mart sometime this week to pick up a few more. So much more fun than standard fridge magnets!

Just a little tip for those of you who occasionally find yourselves craving something girlish and kitschy!

A Family Motif

Once before my husband and I were married, we were having a popcorn and movie night at my place. As the newly-engaged often do, things became rather playful and flirtatious when we all of a sudden found ourselves in a tickle fight! Now, I am ticklish and he is not, so this was not a very fair fight! Gasping for air, I decided I'd surrender, but because I was laughing so hard the only thing that came out of my mouth was a shrill cry of "BEEEEEE!" Now I don't even remember what I was trying to say. "Be nice?" "Behave?" Anyway, it was shrill and grating, but it got my honey to stop. He stopped, until he started teasing me about my "beeee" scream! Because of this incident, we jokingly started saying "bee" whenever things didn't go our way. Work wanted us in when it was supposed to be our day off? Bee. About to run out of gas? Bee. The people at Burger King forgot to put cheese on the burger? Bee.

As is common in the military, my husband (or fiance, I suppose) almost immediately got orders to spend a year in Korea. So instead of planning our wedding, we ended up planning to spend a year apart. Now, the one good thing about being separated from your loved one is all the letters and packages you get to send each other. As the years go by, you will treasure your "mail order courtship" and many of the letters will come to mean a great deal to you, even after you are reunited. For my letters to him I purchased a little sheet of bumblebee stickers, because saying "bee" was our fun little thing.

....And we were off! Anything with a bee or bee-related we collected and sent to each other. He (finally) came back and we again began to plan our wedding. Unfortunately, our plans were thwarted again by September 11th. It was an extremely busy time for anyone in the military then, and as such our requests to take leave and get married were denied.

Another year later we were finally able to be married! I had such fun setting up our first little house on base, and such fun organizing all the bees we had collected since our courtship began.

Since then, we have continued to collect bees. They are in my kitchen mostly, but there are a few around the rest of the house. They have really become our family motif and it is fun to pick them up when I see something cute. Sometimes with his work schedule I don't see my husband very much, and I still sign the little notes I leave for him on the counter with a little hand-drawn bee.

The bee has represented fun and laughter for us, because that is how the whole bee thing began. But the bee has come to represent so much more. What do you think of when you think of bees? Sweetness? Definitely. Bees make honey and there are few things sweeter than that. Bees are hard-working. That is a value I wish to have and wish to instill in my children. Bees are a family, with all of them working together to build a hive, raise the bee babies, and gather honey for everyone.

For these reasons and more, bees have become our family motif.

Do you have a family motif? What is it, and did you choose it because it meant something to you, or simply because you found it cute or fun?

"Bee" well, everyone!

The Well-Stocked Freezer

A huge part of home keeping consists of keeping a well-stocked and efficiently-run kitchen. I have seen so many articles discussing the pantry and what you should have on hand, meals made exclusively from it's contents and how to organize it, so I thought it would be fun to focus on another area of storage; the freezer.

The following list chronicles the contents of mine when it is well-stocked, and affords me many wonderful things to eat no matter what the situation.

1. A stash of breakfast foods.

When making pancakes, I normally take the leftovers, spread them out on a cooling rack, and when frozen solid I put them all into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Remember, they must be frozen individually or they'll turn into one giant pancake slab! To reheat, I put a couple into my toaster oven and "toast" until thawed and warm. If I'm short on time, about 20 seconds in the microwave brings them back to life. **This works wonderfully with the banana pancake recipe I posted previously **

I also like to make & store French toast this way. I'll normally make an entire loaf's worth, again freezing the slices individually on a cooling rack. Then, I stack the pieces together and put them back into the original bread bag. Essentially I am left with a "loaf" of French toast. Again, a couple of minutes in the toaster oven is all it takes to thaw and warm any number of slices my hungry family needs.

Smoothie ingredients are also nice to have on hand. You can buy bags of frozen berries in the store to have them available always. Those, coupled with some frozen sliced bananas (the ones that got too over-ripe in your fruit bowl) and some yogurt in ice cube trays (the stuff you bought on sale absolutely sure that you would eat a dozen cartons before they went bad) make a delicious breakfast beverage. Simply toss some fruit, the banana slices, and a couple of yogurt cubes into a blender with a splash of milk, and you have a smoothie!

Muffins also freeze extremely well. Just pop a few in a baggie and put them in. Another quick defrost in the microwave and a hot, homemade breakfast is on the table in 30 seconds.

2. Low Maintenance Lunches

I have so many recipes for soup that I absolutely adore! Creamy potato-cheese and cream of tomato are my favorites and I always make an entire stock pot full each time I cook them. I put what I think I'll eat in the fridge, and the rest I freeze for easy lunches throughout the week. Simply make your soup, then pour into quart-sized baggies, stack, and freeze.

What goes with soup? Bread, of course!

Bread freezes beautifully. I almost always have a giant loaf, or "miche" of French bread on hand. I also normally keep a loaf of our regular sandwich loaf, some hamburger buns, and dinner rolls ready to reheat at a moment's notice.

3. Dinner in a hurry

I love to keep a few of my favorite casseroles on hand for nights when I don't have a lot of time to make dinner. To do this, first take your Pyrex dish, or whatever you're using, and line it well with plastic wrap. you may need to use a couple of pieces depending on the size of your dish. Assemble your casserole inside, but don't wrap it up--just leave the plastic hanging over the sides. Pop it in the freezer, and when it's solid wrap it in the plastic. Then pull the casserole out of the dish so you essentially have a "casserole cube" Wrap it in another layer of plastic, then in foil, then take a permanent marker and write the contents on it. Stack several of them neatly on a shelf. When it's time to eat, simply unwrap your casserole cube, put back in it's original dish, and cook until piping hot. You'll never have an casserole dish "out of commission" because it's in the freezer.

4. Miscellaneous things that are nice to have

Cookie dough rolls; take a drop cookie recipe and lay all the dough in a line on a piece of parchment paper. (For the longest time I had no idea where to get parchment--I buy mine at Wal-Mart, right by all the other foils and baggies). Roll the dough up in the parchment forming a nice solid log. Twist the ends like a candy wrapper. When you're ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, slice with a serrated knife, and bake as normal.

Frozen juice in cans; great to use in a pinch

Fresh herbs in a baggie

Mashed potatoes; they're such a pain to make from scratch, so when you do, make a ton and then freeze the rest. They are kind of watery when defrosted, so after you thaw them, heat them up in a sauce pan right before you serve.

And of course, ICE CREAM! My favorite flavor ever is Coldstone's "Sweet Cream." It tastes uncannily like ummm....sweetened cream (ha ha!). It's perfect for eating on its own, or for topping with just about anything from crumbled cookies to fruit syrup.

I'd love to hear what you keep on hand--what are your "musts?"

Looking Good All of the Time

Do you have an outfit (or several) that you just never seem to feel good in? For me that outfit consisted of at least 3 tee shirts and a few pairs of sweatpants. Although I love the "idea" of a white shirt and all the crisp, fresh, clean things I associate with them, they just don't look good on me. The white makes my skin look yellow and my freckles look muddy, and it makes me look, well....wide. The other two tee shirts were a light blue and a red one. Neither looked particularly good on me, but they were on sale. And I got them at The Gap which I considered to be very fancy indeed. I owned all of the above for about five years, until it finally dawned on me that I felt unattractive every time I wore them. In fact, I think the final straw was when I wore the red one with a pair of khakis to Target and couldn't figure out why I kept getting strange looks. It turned out it was because I was actually wearing the Target uniform! I'm sure everyone was wondering where my name tag was and why I wasn't being friendlier to the other customers! As for sweatpants--does anybody actually look good in them?


Once I realized why I felt so unattractive, I decided that I would just do the simple thing and throw them all away. I couldn't believe how easy it was! And I had just ensured that I wouldn't have to feel like a slob in public anymore! Empowered, I also threw away my baggy sweatpants. Then I had a radical idea. Why not move on to the rest of my wardrobe? Why not get rid of everything that didn't make me feel good, or that I knew wasn't in fashion (even if I secretly liked it just a bit).

I replaced all my tee shirts with nicely cut and fitted Merona ones from Target. In fact, I believe I have one in almost every color. Except white, of course! My ugly jeans with baggy knees have been replaced with always cute-and-sassy capri's. I have stocked up on yoga wear, which is nicely cut, nicely fitted, and looks so much more polished than slobby sweats. Now, no matter what I grab out of my closet, it's guaranteed to look nice.

I strongly suggest that you go through your own clothing, and with your most critical eye decide if something really looks good or not. If it doesn't, donate it and replace it with something nice. If you are on a budget, as I always am, it's still possible to replace what you need to. I think I purchased all of my new things for under $200, over a period of several paychecks. I have found most of my things from places like Target, Ross, Wal-Mart, and the like. The only item I can think of that cost more than $10 are my Levi capri pants!

As for shoes, my goodness! Get rid of the worn flip-flops and the graying sneakers! They have such lovely sandals these days that go with everything. Pick something up in a neutral color with a little heel. They take no more effort to put on than a pair of flip-flops, but they look a million times better.

Some people don't wear make-up, but I find it necessary to fool people into thinking that I don't have beady eyes! I have it down to an art and it takes no more than three minutes to put everything on. The first minute I do my foundation. I use a mineral makeup that L'Oreal recently put on the market. The second minute I do my eyes. A quick swipe of eye liner, some brown eye shadow on my lids and some pearl-pink to blend everything together and make it look nice. Then a little mascara. The last minute I use to apply some blush, bronzer, and my lip gloss. And I'm finished in less time than it takes to make popcorn.

As for hair, don't be afraid to try color (it will grow out!), a dramatically different cut (it will grow back!), or some new accessories (headbands are back in! Yay!). Last time I got a cut I asked the stylist for something above my shoulders, with layers around my face, and lots of movement all over. She gave me a perfect cut that I don't even have to blow dry. I'm sure your stylist can do the same if you ask for it.

Looking good, even all of the time, doesn't really take much effort if you plan. If you don't own any ugly clothes, you will never wear ugly clothes. If you have a good hair cut and a head band or pretty elastic, your hair will always look good. If you have just a little bit of make up, but know how to use it, you will always look fresh and well-rested.

And if I, a mother of three-under-four, sometimes single, never well-rested,
budget-minded, full-time student, frequently frazzled homemaker can look good darn near all of the time, you can too.

I promise!

A Heavenly Bed

About two years ago I was having a really rough day. I was exhausted from caring for a 2-year-old and an 8-month old. I felt like nothing was going right and no matter how hard I worked, nothing was getting accomplished on any of my "to-do" lists. After arriving home one day and finding me in tears, my husband decided to take charge. Have I mentioned yet that he is perfect? Anyway, he packed a pair of comfy jammies, some books and all my fancy toiletries in a bag, put me in the car, and told me I had a two-night reservation at the Hilton in Sacramento. Well who was I to argue? I made the 45 minute drive and checked in. The room was serene and tidy, and deliciously clean in contrast to the disaster I had left at home. The first thing I do in any hotel is check the bathroom to see what little bottles of stuff they had, and after I did that I took off my sandals and stretched out on the bed.

That bed was heaven.

King-sized with a foot-thick fluffy comforter in a gold duvet cover, half a dozen marshmallow-like puffy pillows, densely woven white sheets pulled tightly over the mattress, and the exquisite feeling of fresh, clean linens surrounding me.

It could have been the bed, or maybe just the 2 straight years of interrupted nights :) but I had never slept better.

I have always loved a nicely made up bed. In my mind, there is nothing like the feeling of freshly washed sheets with crisp fold lines still visible. In fact, during my single days when I had all the time in the world, I changed my linens every other day to ensure my bed stayed clean and crisp constantly.

My sweetie and I got married, and he could not believe a bed could be so comfortable, but then again he had been a bachelor so long; a ratty quilt on a bare mattress seemed perfectly adequate to him! Ugh, boys are so yucky sometimes!

So we got married, and enjoyed our bed for nine months. Then we had a baby and our sheets began to resemble an abstract work of art. Every bodily fluid known to man, from spit up to milk to alarmingly yellow poo made an appearance on our formally clean sheets. We were both so sleepy we didn't have the energy to change them as often as we needed. But when we went to bed we found it awfully hard to sleep on crusty patches of baby drool, so we didn't sleep as well as we could have. It was a horrible cycle.

It took a few weeks, but I was finally able to get into a routine that worked for us and once I did our nights were so much nicer. Over the years I have perfected the art of making a heavenly bed, and I'd love to share my secrets with you!

Begin with your mattress. Has it been flipped lately? If not, turn it over so it will wear evenly. Is it a little stale? Buy some Fabreeze or other fabric refreshing spray and give it a good spritz. Alternately, sprinkle liberally with baking soda, let it sit, and then vacuum it all up. If you don't have a mattress cover, go out to Wal-Mart right this minute and buy one! It is essential for keeping the mattress clean, and also helps with that "hard" feeling that comes through the sheets if you've been sleeping without one.

Is your bed soft enough? If it isn't, don't worry about buying a whole new mattress. There are so many products on the market you can place on top to make things squishy. My mother uses a piece of memory foam which is lovely, but my favorite is a down-filled mattress pad. So delicious to sink into after a long day!

Next, let's mention sheets. This is a case where if you do your research, you generally get what you pay for. Cheap sheets will almost always be rough and scratchy. It usually costs a little more, but sheets with a 300 or higher thread count will be so much softer and smoother. Make sure to launder them frequently in hot water (to kill dust mites) and don't skimp on detergent or fabric softener. These days they make products that smell so nice; why shouldn't you get something yummy like lavender or jasmine?

After laundering, if you don't put the sheets directly on your bed, fold them neatly. Martha Stewart has good instructions for this on her website. I would link directly to them, but I don't know how yet! Patience, people! I also love to spray a little perfume or sprinkle a little scented powder in the folds before I put them in the closet. Just a nice little touch that makes the task so much sweeter.

As for pillows, make sure they are less than five years old. Nothing is more disgusting than a stained, lumpy, old pillow. Do yourself (and your husband) a favor and pick up some new ones while you're at Wal-Mart buying the mattress cover.

Now that you have the sheets and pillows on the bed, you are free to use whatever additional coverings you like. Maybe Grandma's antique quilt, maybe something down with a cover, maybe just something pretty you found while shopping. Either way, make sure it's clean and wrinkle-free. You may also want to have an additional blanket you keep folded at the foot of the bed in case you want to take a quick nap during the day without mussing the sheets.

There now, isn't that nice? Feel free to slip your shoes off, fold back the covers and insert yourself into your heavenly bed.

All together now: "aaahhhhhhhh."

What Your Husband Wishes He Could Tell You

Have you ever found yourself sitting with your beloved in front of the tv? You're clipping your toenails before flossing your teeth. You're wearing that hideous floppy grey flannel robe and your legs hairier than a lumberjack's. And then you find yourself wondering why the romance is gone.

Unfortunately, many of us settle down with our spouses and gradually fall into a cycle of not really caring if our husbands see the nitty-gritty of our personal hygiene. This is often the first step in the infamous "letting yourself go" that every bride swears on her life she will not do.





But "letting yourself go" is an awfully vague statement; one that's sometimes very hard to define. But if you already have, you probably recognize it. So how do you remedy it? I'll give you a few specifics I feel are important, but feel free to add or subtract things according to your lifestyle and habits. It may not be pretty, but it's some things that need to be said plainly.



Let's first get the really yucky stuff out of the way!

Never, ever, EVER use the commode in front of your husband. That is just disgusting, and I am shocked not only by how many women do it, but also by how many talk about it! A few seem to think that this proves the openness of their marriage and how "comfortable they feel around one another." I think it shows a serious lack of respect. If you wouldn't do it in front of a guest, you shouldn't do it in front of the man you love most. And if you feel you absolutely must, please refrain from speaking about it to others, especially at play group! On a related note, during your "lady's days" never rinse out your delicates and leave them in the sink to soak. No one but the owner of the delicates should ever see them in a less-than-pristine state. When you throw away anything that you may use in conjunction with your lady's days, please make sure it's wrapped up tightly in toilet paper so that nobody has to look at disgusting things sitting on top of the garbage. Once again, it's just yucky. If you have to use the bathroom for more than just powdering your nose and freshening you lipstick, make sure you are kind enough to spray a little freshener into the air. If you have to--ahem--poot--please do him a favor and leave the room first. Go get a glass of water, check on something in the kitchen, but don't just sit there and do it in front of him. This also falls into the if-you-must-do-it-don't-talk-about-it-at-play group category.



Okay, now on to something that's not quite so crude!

Don't let your legs get all horrible and hairy. I am well aware that nobody actually likes to shave their legs, but try to get it done at least twice a week. Personally, I do mine on Saturday (so they're ready for pantyhose at church on Sunday) and Tuesday. Shaving your legs in front of him is okay, shaving anywhere else is not. Logically he knows that women are hairy in the occasional place, but he'd desperately like to pretend they aren't; that they are just naturally smooth and silky where necessary.

Brushing your teeth in front of him is usually okay, but flossing is not.

Painting your toenails in front of him is okay, scraping the crusty callouses off your feet is not.

Putting on perfume; okay. Putting on deodorant; not. Again, he desperately wants to pretend you smell like a rose all the time and never have to worry about something as unfeminine as odor.

Things that are also okay include showering with lots of bubbly, scented body wash, lolling about in a hot bath, putting on make up, fluffing dusting powder over yourself, and doing your hair.

If you want the courtship to continue after marriage, it is so important to take the time and make the same effort you did prior to your wedding. Most men will appreciate these little efforts. Many will reciprocate by treating their wives not as a roommate who shares a bed, but as a companion and lover.

Try it for youself!

Introducing....

Our new baby Lyla Rose!

Born on Wednesday evening. 8 lbs 5 oz and 18 inches long. Absolutely perfect in every way; we are thrilled she is finally a part of our family!

Emergency Cleaning

Maybe you've just had a baby. Maybe you've been depressed. Maybe you've just been plain lazy and really don't have an excuse at all. Maybe the entire family has just gotten over the stomach flu. Either way, your home is a mess. Not just a little untidy, not just a little sticky in spots, but a giant, bona-fide mess. So messy, in fact, that you don't even know where to start to remedy it. Your spirits are low, your children and husband are antsy, and you are still sitting in your pajamas, staring bewilderdly at your living room wondering how you'll ever get the energy and motivation to fix this giant mess.

With that in mind, I have come up with a plan for an "emergency" cleaning plan designed to give you a little push to get things whipped in to shape. This is not designed as a long-term solution, but rather a nudge in the right direction. Any die-hard flybabies (http://flylady.com) probably shouldn't read this at all; you'll be far to busy cringing to even get through it!

I've designed it in a number of steps, since I am a chronic list maker and I think things are easier to accomplish if they are laid out in a simple format. So, are you ready to take your home back? Good! Here we go!

1. Pick one room in your house that you would like clean. I usually like to start with either the kitchen, because it's always the messiest, or the bedroom because I use it as my sanctuary, and love having it clean.

2. Turn on the radio or your CD player. Or your MP-3 player if you are technologically advanced and have one of those things. Pick something up-beat and very rock & roll to listen to. Something that will pep you up!

3. Divide the room and any clutter in to quarters. Simply walk down the middle of the room, pushing things to one side and the other with your feet. Then walk across the room, doing the same. You should end up with four clearly-defined areas.

4. Give yourself three songs to work within each quadrant. Work as quickly as you can, and if you finish one step before the song is over, move on to the next.

a) SONG ONE:
Pick up anything that doesn't belong in the room. Is there anything
that needs to go into the laundry? Anything that needs to go in the
dishwasher? Anything that belongs in the bedroom? Any
"miscellaneous?" If you don't know where it goes, simply put it in
a plastic grocery bag and hang it on a door handle in another room
(hey, I said this wasn't a long-term solution, didn't I? lol...)

B) SONG TWO:
Time to actually clean. Give any furniture in the area a quick dust,
vacuum, wipe down anything sticky that has mysteriously become
glued to anything. Throw away any garbage. Organize what you can;
re-stack the books on the shelf, straighten the cushions on the
couch, put all the mail you need to deal with in a little box.

C) SONG THREE:
This is your catch-up time. Is there anything you didn't get done
the first two songs? Get it done now. If you have finished, good
for you! Go have a glass of water and catch your breath.

5. Complete the three-song method for the other three quadrants.

6. Now, look around the room? What still needs to be done? If you are finished and the room looks fairly good, congratulations! You get to skip the next step!

7. If there is still some work to be done, give yourself one or two more songs to get done what you can.

8. Time for a break, and time to get out of the house! Everyone feels better when they get a little sunlight and fresh air, so bundle up the kiddies and get in the car. Drive to the grocery store or to Wal-Mart, where you will purchase the following: something for the house, something for you, and a treat. Oh, and something for the kids if they've been good! Don't feel like you have to spend a whole bunch of money, either. All three things can be purchased for under five dollars if you're careful! My favorite combination would be, however: a small scented candle (for the house), a cherry lip-smackers lip gloss (for me) and a candy bar (a treat).

9. Go back home, and enjoy your new treats in your nice clean room. Doesn't that feel better? And now that you see how nice one room can look in under about 30 minutes, maybe you'll feel motivated to do it again in another room. And now that you've been out and about, maybe you'll find that you have just a teeny bit more energy than before.

Remember, do your best, try to keep it up, and don't forget that we all have those periods in our lives where nothing seems to go right, and our home keeping suffers. Don't feel bad about it, just fix it and move on when you think you can.

Beyond Banana Bread--two new uses for those horrible black bananas you have sitting in the freezer

Banana Pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed thoroughly

In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together the egg, milk, oil or butter, vanilla and the mashed bananas. Stir the two mixtures together, and cook in a buttered pan like regular pancakes.

**Delicious also with some nuts and cinnamon sprinkled in**

**Extra-tasty with blueberry or boysenberry syrup**



No Ice-Cream Maker Necessary Banana Ice Cream

4 over-ripe bananas, mashed thoroughly
1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of whipping cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix up all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Pour into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and put in the freezer until softly set; about 2 hours. Stir occasionally during this time. Transfer to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until nice and fluffy. Put into a covered container, and keep frozen for up to three days.

Dusting Powder

It used to be that no lady was ever caught without a generous dusting of fragrant, silky powder, and I really wish it was a tradition that endured today. For this reason, it is one of my favorite little indulgences.

I clearly remember my first; Strawberry Shortcake powder given to me by my Grandma on my fifth birthday. How I treasured it! It was such a treat to smell so delicious after my bath each night! I have tried many different ones since, but sadly many have been discontinued or are simply too difficult to find. I have tried the very simple and inexpensive, such as Johnson & Johnson baby powder in their various scents. I also loved a rose-scented one that Victoria's Secret used to make while I was in high school. I have even tried (and amassed quite a stash when I found out many were being discontinued) glittery, delicious-smelling and tasting Urban Decay dusting powder in flavors like gingersnap and marshmallow. I also like the more natural powders that companies like Burt's Bees make.

Since I am such a fan of making things on my own, one day I set out to make my own dusting powder, so that I could customize it until it was just the way I wanted it. I started by reading the labels on the more natural powders. Many were talc-free, which was handy since I don't know where I can buy a bunch of talc, anyway! It seemed the main ingredient was usually cornstarch, which I already have in the baking cupboard. So I got to work, and I finally created a recipe for a silky, fabulous powder that costs literally just a few cents to make.

This recipe makes just enough to fill a travel-sized container of Johnson & Johnson baby powder. I find I prefer small batches because I can change scents frequently without having a bunch of unused powder sitting around. If you'd like to be more fancy, however, I'd recommend using an old sugar shaker container, maybe with a pretty label and a ribbon.

Here are the instructions to make your very own dusting powder:

1. In a zip-lock baggie, place 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This is where the "silkiness" of the powder comes from.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. This is where the "freshness" comes from.

3. Zip up the baggie, and squish it about with your fingers to break up any lumps.

4. Add 1/4 teaspoon of your fragrance. You may need to adjust the amount according to the scent you are using.

5. Zip up the baggie again, and shake it like mad! Make sure that the fragrance is evenly distributed and you don't have any clumps.

6. Decant into your container (if you're using an old baby powder container, pop off the top with a screwdriver).

7. Let it sit for a day, then give it a good shake before using.

Now, for a word about fragrances. I have found that the scents used in soap making work wonderfully. I personally get mine from http://www.sweetcakes.com/

They have every fragrance you can imagine, plus about a hundred more! Their prices and shipping are also very reasonable. You could also look for fragrances at the craft store, but I find many of them to smell cheap. Essential oils are also a good way to go, but some can be irritating to the skin so test first and use with caution. If you use a high-quality perfume that doesn't have too much water in it, that would also be lovely and a wonderful way to layer your scents.

What else can you add? All sorts of things! If you're making some for a young girl, consider adding some fine soap glitter for a little sparkle. You can also put dried lavender or rose petals in a mini food processer and chop until they are as fine as possible. Then add to your powder for a natural scent and pretty confetti-like appearance.

This method is so very simple, but I promise you'll love it! In fact, it's a very real possibility you may get addicted to creating all sorts of new scents for yourself and for others!

Now that you have made this fabulous dusting powder, what should you do with it? There are so many possibilities, but here are some of my favorite ways to use it.

1. Sprinkle it on yourself after bathing, after taking a walk outside or anything that makes you--uh--"glisten."

2. Sprinkle a bit into your underwear drawer.

3. Sprinkle your sheets as you make your bed in the morning.

4. Add to your bath water.

5. Sprinkle into your rubber gloves. It makes them slide on so much more easily and will trap any moisture that is inside.

6. Use it on your children. Since it is all-natural, it won't irritate their skin (but again, be careful they aren't sensitive to whatever scent you're using first).

7. Keep a little in your handbag for freshening up in public restrooms.

8. Give it as gifts for almost any occasion.

I'd love to hear if any of you try this recipe, and what you think of it. And if you come up with any interesting scent "cocktails," be sure to let me know, too! I am obsessed with things that smell delicious!

The Fragrance of Home

Have you ever been in someones house who maybe wasn't the best housekeeper? How did you know? I'm willing to bet the first thing that tipped you off was the smell of the home. Too often people neglect the all-important sense of smell when home keeping, and it always shows. The must of dirty laundry, an unclean litter box, dirty dishes in the sink, a lingering "moist" odor...all are smells that must be avoided at all costs.

On the other hand, there are those who devote themselves fully to their home keeping efforts, and that also shows! I think of my neighbor back in California. Her house was always clean and tidy, and the smell was heavenly! It was so subtle I almost couldn't put my finger on it--clean laundry and craft stores was all I could come up with to describe it!

With that in mind, I'd like to list a few of my favorite ways to add scent to my home. Please remember, however, that you can not cover up uncleanliness with perfume. Before you start, it is essential to have a clean home with the dishes done, the floor vacuumed, the garbage emptied, etc. All the air freshener in the world will not fool others into thinking you have been cleaning all day!

1. Beautifully scent your closets.

There are many ways to do this but my favorite is so simple--store your scented candles (with lids off) in the shelves among your sheets and towels. A subtle fragrance will permeate your linens and bring a little bit of joy into your life as you perform the most mundane tasks. Even small things like changing the sheets or drying off after your shower will become far more pleasant.

2. Beautifully scent your sheets.

As you fold your sheets, sprinkle a little bit of scented dusting powder on each layer. Not only will this keep your sheets fresh while they're being stored, but it feels so cool and silky to slip into powdered sheets at bed time. When you make your bed in the morning, again sprinkle a little powder between the sheets. If you're like most and only change your sheets once a week, this will also help them to stay fresher-smelling until laundry day. **Look for my own special homemade dusting powder recipe soon!**

3. Don't forget about extracts.

So many books and articles mention using essential oil around your home to add a wonderful fragrance. Unfortunately, lots of these oils are expensive and only available at health food stores. A less-expensive alternative is right in your kitchen cupboard. A simple bottle of vanilla extract can be used in many different ways to scent your home. Try adding a splash to the rinse water when you're mopping, soaking a cotton ball and placing it in an out-of-the-way corner of the fridge, using it in your own homemade cleaners, or even in your bathwater! I also love to place just a few drops on my vacuum filter or directly on the bag to fill the house with fragrance as I vacuum. Don't think that vanilla is your only option either; I have successfully used other scents like mint, lemon, orange, almond, and coconut. For a real treat, you can combine the extracts into cocktails--try cinnamon, butter, and vanilla for a "cinnamon bun" fragrance!

4. Candles!

I absolutely adore candles! I have one burning almost every day--in fact, it's a safe bet that if you drop by at anytime between 9am and 9pm I will have at least one candle burning. I love Yankee candles the most--the jars last almost forever and the scents are fantastic and realistic. But I don't overlook the less expensive ones either. Glade has some wonderful candles that can be bought in any grocery or discount store for only about three dollars. I love to make "cocktails" with my candles too; a sugar cookie one downstairs and a lemon one upstairs somehow mingle and end up smelling like lemon cookies somewhere in the middle! It's such a mood brightener!

5. Cooking

Cooking will scent your house for hours as well as give you something else to enjoy. Bake brownies or cookies, pop popcorn, make some lovely yeasty rolls for dinner. Bake some cinnamon apples, even start a barbecue if that is what you enjoy! **Look for my crock pot apple butter recipe soon--it takes several hours to cook and smells good the entire time**



I'd love to hear what others do to scent their home, so please share any tips if you have them!

Tidying the Closet

Isn't this closet like a little breath of fresh air? Oh, how I would love for my closet to look like this! Unfortunately, mine more resembles a heap of something you'd find outside the dressing room of K-Mart. Not that I don't like K-Mart (and their Martha Stewart line of products), but sometimes they aren't the tidiest store in town. Anyway, my closet needs a little organization.

This is especially pertinent now, not only because I am in full "nesting" mode, but my husband begins his 4-day drive home tonight after being deployed. As it stands right now, he'll have nowhere to put his clothes! When he moved out I was initially so pleased with the extra feet of closet rod I found, and I used it liberally! I didn't store my summer clothes like I normally would, when I brought out my maternity clothes I didn't store my pre-pregnancy things. Since I nurse my babies I'll also need to store all my one-piece church dresses that don't lend themselves well to being hiked up under a blanket and having a baby stuffed under them.

Somehow, all the drawers in Sweetie's dresser are also full of random things--photos I didn't want the children to play with, socks without mates, and a multitude of other miscellaneous things. If I don't remedy this, his socks, underwear, and tee shirts will all be homeless.

My project for the next couple of days will be to transform my closet and drawers. I really don't have much I can purge or donate because CLUTTER IS MY ENEMY and I am always decluttering and purging. That means I will need to find places for everything. If only I could remember where I kept everything before Sweetie left! I'll probably steal at least a little room in Bun and Muffin's closet, since all their clothing is in drawers anyway. But this is hardly a long-term solution; I may be going to Target later on today and I will see if they have some of those under-the-bed storage boxes.

If I get time (and have the energy) I'd also like to go through my underwear drawer. It's currently a tangle of pantyhose, underwear I don't think will fit post-baby, tacky socks with embroidered kitties, and tiny lacy things that will not be appropriate in any way for nursing.

...but that's another project, and another post!

Favorite Things

One of my favorite things is a nice hot drink, especially before the weather turns too warm. I never drink tea or coffee, but that doesn't mean there aren't dozens of delicious, hot beverages to choose from.

While walking through a health food store not too long ago, I noticed that the beverage aisle was filled with delicious-looking herbal teas. They had names like "Wild Cherry Berry" and "Rise and Shine." I found myself particularly drawn to a brand named Celestial Seasonings and their dessert tea line. I picked up a box of Vanilla-Hazelnut and English Toffee. Doesn't that sound good? Well, they are! I took them home and brewed up a cup or two, with a splash of vanilla syrup and cream. It was delicious, and then I decided to get creative! I saw a show about coffee on the Food Network that explained how lattes, cafe au laits, etc are made. It seems that often a very strong coffee called espresso is brewed in a small quantity (usually only about an ounce or two) and then poured into a hot cup of milk. I thought, how about I do that with my dessert tea? So I put a tea bag in a little cup and added a couple of ounces of water and let it brew for a good 15 minutes. It became very fragrant and almost as dark as coffee. Then I heated up a mug of milk, added the tea, and a splash of vanilla. It was delicious! Truly a "dessert" tea if ever there was one!

I am also a huge fan of hot chocolate. Starbucks used to make a drink called "Chantico." They called it "a drinkable dessert" and it was so, so good! It came in a small cup--maybe no bigger than 6 ounces or so. It was so thick, so rich and creamy. It was so full of chocolaty goodness that if you let it cool, it would actually start to become gelatinous from all the chocolate starting to solidify. It was also about 700 calories and so a rare indulgence for me. I have probably only had two or three ever, which is why I was so disappointed when they stopped making it! I haven't tried regular Starbucks hot chocolate; maybe during my next trip to Target I'll pick one up and see how it is. I also enjoy making my own hot chocolate. When I am feeling especially decadent, I will make a mug using nothing more than a bar of grated chocolate and a mug of hot, hot cream. Oh, it's so delicious! Also about 700 calories, but also worth it!

About a year ago I discovered that the International Coffee Company (the people who make those little red and white tins of coffee mixtures) came out with a product called "Vanilla Creme." It's basically hot chocolate, but instead of chocolate, it tastes like vanilla. So I suppose it's hot vanilla? Anyway, it's delicious made with milk, as it specifies on the tin to do. If you're feeling crazy, and I usually am, you can top it with marshmallows for a real treat. Since the flavor is so wonderful, I also have found a spoonful of the powder to be fantastic in smoothies too.

Yet another little thing I love also comes from Starbucks. They are called "steamers" and consist of nothing more than hot steamed milk and flavor syrup. Many coffee shops have dozens of different syrups, so mixing and matching can be quite fun! I love a combination of caramel and vanilla, or raspberry and vanilla, or pretty much anything and vanilla! My favorite, however unusual it sounds, is mint and vanilla. My husband is such a sweetie, he makes sure that I have vanilla and mint syrup in the house at all times for homemade steamers. Unfortunately, they're never quite as good as the ones from Starbucks as I don't have a milk frother and so am forced to just heat up my milk in the microwave. Still delicious, though!

Lastly, a very simple classic is nothing more than the juice of half a lemon in a mug of hot water. Sometimes I'll add a touch of honey for sweetness, but generally I prefer the clean, tart taste of just the water and lemon.

Now that spring is here though, I think it's time to expand my repertoire of cold drinks. I'll have to search for some yummy ice-cold drinks before summer comes!

Eating Like a Lady

Since I was about 20 I have struggled with my weight. I have never been obese, however I have often flirted with numbers on the scale that make me uncomfortable. I have tried Slim-Fast, medication, Atkins, calorie counting, fat-free foods and meal replacement bars along with a host of others. You might say that I have more than enough experience yo-yo dieting than I care to admit!

It's with joy that I can finally announce that I think I have cracked the secret to a healthy, maintainable weight. I have been eating differently ever since I got pregnant (at about 15lbs overweight) and have gained almost nothing. In fact, I weigh now at 9 months pregnant just about the same as I did at my heaviest point. It's all due a shift in how I view my daily diet.

I invite you to think back in time to books you have read, movies you have watched, or your Grandmother's account of what ladies used to eat during their days. I cannot remember my (very formal) Grandma ever recounting how she used to have a breakfast of low-carb bread with fat-free margarine and a banana-flavored protein shake. Her meal used to consist of hot oatmeal with brown sugar and cream, or perfectly cooked eggs with buttery toast and tea. One of my mother's favorite memories is of the time she was walking home from school in the rain. To her surprise, she saw my Grandma coming down the road the opposite way. In her hands she carried a tray covered with a tea towel. Under the towel were warm homemade scones and hot chocolate, so that Mom could have a nice warm snack on that cold walk home. I can guarantee the scones were smothered with butter and the hot chocolate was not made with skim milk. Think of the ladies at the ultimate feminine meal--afternoon tea. Can you imagine them eating low-fat chips made of dehydrated potato pulp? How about watery, bland fat-free cottage cheese on a fat-free cracker? Of course not. Ladies used to eat the most delicious food in tiny quantities and feel perfectly satisfied. In fact, to make a proper sandwich for a tea party most vintage recipe books will specify that cream cheese or butter should contain more fat than the regular kind!

Reduced-calorie, fat-free, artificially sweetened foods are a fairly recent invention. As the consumption of these "foods" has increased, so have our waistlines. Doesn't this seem ironic? It does, however I believe the reason we continue to get fatter despite all these new options is because our bodies have not changed over the years. Our bodies know what real food is, and crave it insatiably when we fill them with such artificial junk. Thus, when we eat these horrible fake things they try to compensate my forcing us to eat more and more, in an attempt to satisfy our need to be nourished. We have been designed to find fat tasty, because it's a substance that we need to stay alive. Our wonderful bodies will not be fooled by chemicals and flavors that it knows are not the real thing.

I have adopted this philosophy for myself. I no longer buy anything labeled "low-fat." The original versions taste better, and a smaller amount will bring satisfaction. I invite you to try it for yourself; make an omelet from that awful fat-free egg substitute they sell in cartons and dump on some fat-free cheddar. Put some low-carb bread in the toaster and then spread it with fat-free margarine. To contrast, make yourself a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg. Place it in one of those dear little ceramic cups, break off the top, and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt directly onto the creamy yolk. Toast up a hefty slice of crusty country bread and spread with real butter. Cut it into slices so you can dip it into the yolk. Now, which is tastier? Which satisfies with fewer bites? Which to you feel more ladylike eating?

This morning, as I have for many other recent mornings, my breakfast was a large bowl of strawberries, sprinkled with real sugar and drizzled with a generous amount of cream. With all the fat and sugar I have been consuming, the people at Jenny Craig would likely fall off their chairs to warn me about how fat I'm going to get.

Eating well will be my little weight loss secret.

Pleased to meet you....

Hello, my name is Sarah and welcome to my brand-new blog!

I am a twenty-something mommy to two fantastic children, a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl. I am expecting our third child in only three weeks! We decided not to find out the sex, but I bet it's another girl. My husband is in the Air Force and we have been married for five years. After spending several years near Sacramento, we moved to Colorado Springs about a year and a half ago.

My blog name was chosen after my children's nicknames. When I was pregnant with my son, we referred to him as "the bun in the oven" and after he was born, the nickname "Bun" just stuck! When I was pregnant with my daughter, we obviously couldn't use "bun in the oven" anymore, so she became "Muffin." And our third is already known as "Biscuit." If we have a fourth? I'm not sure...maybe "cupcake" or "crumpet." Yes, I know crumpets aren't technically made in an oven, but oh well!

I am a stay-at-home mommy for now, but when my husband gets back from his deployment (and when Biscuit is at least a few months old) I would like to go back to college and further my education. I love homemaking--well, except for mopping the floors and scooping the kitty litter. I like to read, to cook, and to watch movies in bed. I am unnaturally obsessed with fancy bath-and-body products, anything vanilla-scented, Yankee candles and Williams-Sonoma. I love snow, buttered popcorn and sugar cookies. I'm a chronic list-maker. I admire anyone who is "crafty" and I'm desperately trying to learn to sew, scrapbook, paint, and make cute things for the house.