Tuesday, May 29, 2007

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!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

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!

Saturday, May 19, 2007

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.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

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.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

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!

Monday, May 7, 2007

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!

Friday, May 4, 2007

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!




Thursday, May 3, 2007

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!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

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.