Archive for the Category »Works for me Wednesday «

01
Oct 2008

Simplify your kitchen!

At the end of August, I decided to start decluttering my house.  One place I started was the kitchen.  I had been fighting with my kitchen for awhile trying to keep it clean, and it finally dawned on me that I had too much STUFF!

So here are some things I did to simplify and declutter the kitchen ~

  1. I went through all of the cupboards and donated (or gave to family) things I had duplicates of or didn’t use anymore.  Nesting bowls went to my mom since she didn’t have any and I had THREE sets.  See what I mean?  I donated about 4 bags of goodies just from my kitchen alone.
  2. I then organized my cupboards in a way that I could see everything that was in each one.  Then when I went looking for something, it wouldn’t be so hard to find.
  3. The pantry was reorganized to put like items together (pastas, canned veggies, baking items, spices, etc)
  4. I cleaned my table so that it wouldn’t be a catch all anymore.  I decorated it with a few nice things like a tablecloth and it certainly made my kitchen prettier and a lot easier to set the table for dinner.
  5. One really tiny piece of advice I have for everyone is simplify everything for cooking you can.  Last night, as I was spraying my muffin tin with non-stick spray I started complaining about putting the lid back on.  It’s so hard to get on and off, and then the lightbulb went off.  Do I need this lid?!  No!  I threw it away, and it sure will simplify the next time I use that spray. :)

For more WFMW, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Category: Decluttering, Works for me Wednesday  6 Comments
17
Sep 2008

WFMW – Planning for Christmas

Did you know there are only 99 days left until Christmas?  Can you even believe it?  I have been very convicted this Christmas season to be wise about how we spend our Christmas budget.  Every month, we put a certain amount into our “vacation” fund which covers birthdays, trips, and Christmas and I’d really like this Christmas to be a good one.  A good one as in I find presents people like and want that are wise choices.  They may be homemade totes for my cousins with lipglosses and decorated notepads or onesies for the my new niece that have stamped, embroidered, or iron on letters on them made by me, or even using my discount through Mary Kay to get very nice and quality gift sets for the adults in my family.

 So with all this thinking and planning, I have decided to take part in the 100 Days Until Christmas.

I will be using their calendars, creating my own lists, and putting together a binder of decorating and baking ideas just for Christmas – since I love it oh so much!! :D   Planning for Christmas works for me!

 

For other WFMW posts, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Category: Frugal, Goals, Holidays, Works for me Wednesday  5 Comments
10
Sep 2008

Keeping my table from being a catch-all

For some reason, our kitchen table has become a catch all.  Maybe it’s the placement of the table, maybe it’s the sheer size and we think a few things won’t take up too much room, but I’m really not sure.  All I knew is that I had to do something about it.  There were car keys, wallets, sunglasses, mail, stacks of papers that needed to be sorted, planners, headbands… okay you get the picture.  It wasn’t a pretty one either.

 

So I decided to make my table look nice – really nice.  Using this thought process, I figured we stop putting our stuff there because the table was making a statement.  It was clean, fresh, and pretty just the way it was.  It was a place to gather to eat food not to put down our things after running through the house or returning home from being out.

 

I grabbed a white tablecloth from the hall closet that my mom embroidered with pink and yellow flowers.  I rolled up 2 cloth napkins that I received as a wedding gift (because these still aren’t complete), and I put my Pottery Barn bowl (that I got used from a friend) in the middle with fresh fruit in it.

 

I was right – it did the trick.  We keep it clean now! :)

 

For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, visit Rocks In My Dryer!

Category: Works for me Wednesday  10 Comments
27
Aug 2008

Like a McDonalds Vanilla Iced Coffee

I’m so glad Works for Me Wednesday is back!!

I haven’t been drinking a whole lot of coffee lately (and if I do it’s something decaf), but I ran across this copycat recipe of a McDonald’s Vanilla Iced Coffee and couldn’t resist sharing it.  I also can’t resist saving money or helping others save by making things at home.

You will need:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 1/3 cup milk of your choice
  • 2/3 cup coffee
  • ice
  • sweetener of your choice (sugar, splenda, agave, whatever…)

How to put it all together:

  • Make the coffee and set aside.
  • Combine other ingredients into a glass and mix well.
  • Pour coffee into glass.
  • Enjoy!
Category: Recipes, Works for me Wednesday  13 Comments
09
Jul 2008

Weekly Pregnancy Newsletter

Since this pregnancy is my first, and I am trying to learn each step of the way, I thought it would be fun to share it with my family and friends also.  Every week, I get an update from Baby Center explaining in words what is going on with my body, how Sprout has grown and changed, and other such words of advice.  The coolest part of the whole thing?  There is a picture of what Sprout should look like each week!

 

From this week’s newsletter – “Your baby is now a little more than an inch long roughly the size of a large grape. Your baby’s arms and legs are longer. The head is more erect, and the neck more developed. The eyelids almost cover the eyes. External ears are evident and well formed. Your baby now makes some movements and this can be captured via an ultrasound exam. The baby looks more recognizable as a human being, although it is still extremely tiny.”

 

For more helpful ideas visit this website for Works for me Wednesday.

Category: Pregnancy, Works for me Wednesday  4 Comments
02
Jul 2008

Veggie Pizza Recipe

 

I make this recipe a lot for birthday parties or showers, and it’s always a big hit.

 

Ingredients:

  1. 2 packages of cresent rolls
  2. 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  3. 1 cup mayo or sour cream
  4. dried ranch dressing mix
  5. veggies of your choice

Directions:

  1.  Preheat oven to 375*
  2. Roll cresent rolls onto a 13×9″ pan and connect all of the dough to create the pizza crust.
  3. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing and spread on the crust.
  5. Top with your favorite veggies (onions, broccoli, grated carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cauliflower…).
  6. Chill and serve cold.

For other 5 ingredient recipes, visit Rocks in My Dryer!

Category: Recipes, Works for me Wednesday  One Comment
18
Jun 2008

WFMW – Morning Sickness

The fight against morning sickness has begun, and I am trying to do all I can to keep it at bay.  The first thing I do is stay hydrated.  Dehydration is believed to bring on morning sickness and the queasies, so I have a water bottle with me at all times.  Not only that, but if vomiting were to strike at least I know that I have been doing my part to stay hydrated at the very least.

I snack between meals.  I know that I am only supposed to consume about 300 extra calories per day, but if I snack between meals it makes my stomach feel a lot better.  Good snacks for this are crackers, toast with peanut butter, or fruit.  I like cheese too, but I think that is my cravings talking. :)

I drink teas that have a calming effect like mint and chamomile.  They seem to ease my stomach and also add to my water intake.

For other great ideas, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Category: Works for me Wednesday  10 Comments
21
May 2008

Quinoa Taco Recipe

Yesterday, Jaime asked “Hi! Will you please share your recipe for quinoa tacos? Im always looking for new ideas for quinoa – to convince my husband that it can be delicious!” I figured this would be a great recipe to share because it works for me!

Random fact: Quinoa is actually an extremely healthy grain and one of the very few “complete” foods.

This quinoa taco recipe came together as my DH and I experimented with things while we were trying to cut back on meat consumption. I am guessing that you could use beef with it, or just use beans in the place of meat. Tonight we will be trying the basic recipe with black beans added to the crumbles and quionoa mixture. But the basic recipe goes something like this:

  • 1 cooked packet of boca crumbles
  • 1 cup cooked quiona
  • mix together crumbles and quinoa with a little water and taco seasoning to your desired taste
  • put in hard or soft taco shells with cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa or hot sauce

Find out what is working for others at Rocks in my Dryer!

Category: Recipes, Works for me Wednesday  6 Comments
14
May 2008

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant

I just recently bought the new Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant since it claimed that it would keep me dry.  I am a high moisture person, and I tend to sweat a lot.  I loved the idea of not worrying about wetness throughout the entire day.

The deodorant cost almost $8 at Wal-Mart, and after I read the instructions it made me a little nervous about using it.  The brochure explained that it created a layer over your skin, which was basically plugging it from sweating.  Now I know sweating is a natural thing and it detoxifies our bodies, so I don’t want to make the use of this deodorant an everyday happening.

On days when I need it, like during an interview or maybe for a formal get together I will use the Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant because it works!  I tested it on a day that I went running, and no sweat in my armpits!  That’s amazing!

This is not a paid post.  I just really like the product. :)

For other things that work, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

Category: Works for me Wednesday  24 Comments
30
Apr 2008

Making a green home

My DH and I have decided to really work on going green, and these are some things that we have put into action that really work for us.

  • When we moved into our new house we put in all CFL bulbs and kept some old bulbs that they had in for spares.  I must admit that I was a little leary once I had them in and realized they had mercury in them.  Be careful if they break and know how to handle them if something were to happen.
  • I have some canvas bags that I use for shopping that I keep in the car for unexpected trips.  I also put in some plastic bags as well, so they aren’t just one use bags.
  • I use paper bags for cleaning the kitty litter.
  • I do the “if it’s yellow let it mellow” since our toilets aren’t water efficient.
  • I make my own cleaners with vinegar, water, and baking soda.  I use rags that I make from old towels or shirts instead of paper towel for clean up.
  • I wash and reuse plastic baggies.  Generally, I use baggies for the same thing over and over again anyway (one for the lid of the dog food, partially used onions, freezing veggies, so I thought I may as well just rinse them and use them again).
  • We recycle.
  • I have a compost in my back yard.
  • I am going to grow my own garden this year.  I have watermelon, herbs, and tomatoes started so far.
  • We are working on eating in more and being conscious about the things we buy.  We try to buy more second hand and think about if we really need the things first.
  • I have been trying to shower every other day and not wash my clothes after one wear (unless it is a piece of clothing I workout in).
  • I buy local beef and free range eggs from my brother who is a farmer (and I get a discount :D ).  I also joined a CSA for the first time.

There are still many things I can do in order to help the Earth be a better place, so if you have any ideas to share – please feel free.  I’d love to hear what others are doing in regards to going green.

 For other Works for me Wednesday ideas, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Category: Going Green, Works for me Wednesday  4 Comments
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