Befores With No Afters in Sight

I am a pretty organized person, but like many others (I hope) I have a closet of shame. Inside, boxes and boxes and boxes of pictures that are in no particular order, just rotting away. Sad.

So this winter, I plan on getting them organized and in beautiful albums. I even bought bookshelves to put them on to motivate me. Empty bookshelves are lame right?








This is what I dream they will look like. Organized, bright, colorful... in my mind, my kids all excited, laughing and having a great time remembering.

Look at the potential!!! The problem is....

...this is my reality. When I ran out of room on the table, the pictures travelled to the floor. Then they travelled into the kitchen, around the corner to the living room, into the hall and ugh.

Why did I do this?

Happy New Year's Resolutions

2011 has been a great year! There has been so much in my life to be thankful for and looking back, I am seriously humbled by answered prayers and the angels that have come to the rescue, strangers and friends!!!

Looking forward, I have high hopes! No matter what happens, I am going to keep trying and be optimistic.  I am going to run this stinking 5K and NOT be the slowest. More importantly, I am going to make myself more available so at the last minute, I can serve others! That means being physically and spiritually prepared.... and WAY more organized.

I remember when my kids were all little and I was a frazzled young mom at home, there were a handful of angels who went out of their way be available, at the right times, to save my butt. I want to be that person in 2012, maybe not for everyone, but for someone. So that means I need to be more aware and more energetic. I want to spend more time with my family doing the best things. I think it's time for me to step it up, for sure! So, bring it on 2012!!!

Christmas 2011

 Christmas was wonderful this year! We are so thankful to have the blessings of family, friends, a job, good health, a warm house,  and so many other things we enjoy!!!

We spent Christmas day at home and had a great time opening presents. Then we attended church, where they had a beautiful Christmas musical program. I wish Christmas was on Sunday every year because it was nice to focus on more spiritual things for a while. After we got home we went to my sister's house for dinner and ate til some of us were sick.

So delicious!!! ...

... and my boy's home, did I mention that? I have ALL of my children together for over two weeks.

Merry Christmas!!!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16 He is the reason we have the season that's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!

Peppermint Marshmallows MSL Style

Ingredients

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 4 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring

Directions

1. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract; set aside.
3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture; with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

Smart Storage

Great storage ideas I found on "pinterest" to keep on file for later! I have this dream of living in a little teeny house with secret doorways and storage tucked away everywhere.

Legwarmer Giveaway

Go to KiKis List for a Legwarmer Giveaway! H&M, very cozy and super cute!!!

Latkes

Mmmmm, latkes are so yummy! I've never seen them served like this, but they look really tasty. Salmon and eggs are making my mouth water!!!

Anyway, topped with applesauce and sour cream, or however, latkes are a wonderful comfort food. They're like other Hanukkah foods, fried in oil, but if you make them right, they're light and crispy and not greasy at all!!!

Ingredients:

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 small white onion, finely grated
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grate potatoes in long strips, using smooth strokes to run potatoes across grater into a large bowl of ice water. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, transfer potatoes, reserving liquid, to another large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; gently squeeze dry.
2. Set reserved liquid aside for 10 minutes to allow starch to sink to the bottom; carefully pour liquid from the bowl, reserving milky residue (potato starch) and discard. Transfer potatoes back to bowl with potato starch.
3. Add onions to bowl; stir in eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. In a heavy nonstick skillet, heat 1/4-inch of oil. Spoon 1/2 cup of potato mixture per pancake into skillet. Make a few at a time, being careful they don't run into each other.
5. Fry on both sides until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in oven while preparing the others. Serve hot with applesauce, or sour cream and caviar, if desired.

(I got this recipe from MSL, and tweaked it just a little.)

A Very Martha Christmas

Martha loving the Asians

Martha just posted pictures of her home's Christmas decorations! I love peeking into her home/life and seeing what she's up to... or paying other people to do. Let's face it, she's busy so I'm not judging! If I could afford someone to come wrap all of my bushes in burlap and hang lights outside, I'D DO IT!!! Especially the lights outside part.

I really like the green walls and all of the tinsel trees, although all I think I would knock at least one of these over with my purse. She would be so mad!!!

MarthaStewart.com

What Would Suzanne Do?

Suzanne is one of the most creative people I know! I love her blog because she doesn't just copy other people's projects, she's constantly coming up with her own ideas. Like this one, homemade facial scrub in a beautiful jar. Wouldn't this be a great teacher's gift, VTing gift, BFF gift, etc.... She also has a function on her blog where you can easily print off her tutorials with or without pictures.

It's so nice to get a homemade gift!

Amazing Christmas Tree Topper

For a seriously easy and beautiful Christmas tree topper, go here:    A Little Glass Box...

... and spend some time time exploring. This dynamic gal is so creative and has her own fabulous sense of style, on a realistic budget, I might add. I always look forward to seeing what she and her cute family are up to next. (She's got an Ollie too) Check it out!

Go Army Beat Navy!!!!

The Army–Navy Game is an an American college football rivalry game between the teams of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis, Maryland. The USMA team, "Army", and the USNA team, "Navy", each represent their services' oldest officer commissioning sources. As such, the game has come to embody the spirit of the interservice rivalry of the United States Armed Forces.

It is one of the most traditional and enduring rivalries in college football!

Oh please oh please oh PLEASE!!!!

Stocking Stuffers

I'm 100% done with my Christmas shopping, but am still trying to find ideas for fun stocking stuffers.   I just came across this album at amazon.com and am hooked! It's the "Green Album" and is a compilation of classic Muppet songs performed by contemporary bands and solo artists. Very mellow, and very clean so it's good for kids of all ages.

I think I have to get it and try to figure out which one of my kids would 1.appreciate and enjoy it, and 2.is most likely to let me borrow it for an extended period of time.

Ahhhh, "The Rainbow connection" is my favorite song ever. Weezer and Hayley Williams do a beautiful rendition but the all time best is found here: Debbie and Kermit

"simple modern sewing"

I ordered, "Simple Modern Sewing: 8 Basic Patterns..." back in July and just got it in the mail. It's really a beautiful book with easy to follow patterns. Of course, I don't have time right now to actually make anything, but after the holidays are over I will. Maybe. I'll look all Asian/granola in my hemp threads. It'll be fun and comfortable!

Lebkuchen, the German Christmas Cookie

I love Lebkuchen! Living in Germany for so many years, I grew up eating this holiday treat and every once in a while work up the nerve to make them. It's not easy. It's a cross between gingerbread and snicker doodle maybe? Hmmm, maybe not. You'll just have to try them for yourself. And hey, if you don't want to spend a couple hours working on them, they have deliciously authentic versions at Aldi and Trader Joe's!



Lebkuchen:
3 C honey
2 1/4 C packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 TBSP lemon zest
3 TBSP lemon juice
8 1/4 flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 C chopped candied citron
1 C chopped pecans
2 C sliced almonds
1 1/2 C white sugar
3/4 C water
1/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

-Bring honey to a boil, remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in brown sugar, beaten eggs, lemon rind and juice. Combine flour, baking soda and spices and gradually add to the honey mixture. Stir in citron and pecans. Cover and chill overnight.

-Preheat oven to 400. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Gently press to 1/4" thickness. Gently press an almond slice in the center of each cookie. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove cookie sheets from oven. Brush glaze over cookies and remove to wire racks to cool.

-Glaze: Combine 1 1/2 C sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan, cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until mixture reaches thread stage. Remove from heat, stir in confectioner's sugar, mixing well. Pour over cookies.

 Fröhliche Weihnachten! Merry Christmas!!!

DIY Advent

We are already a week into December so I ran into Target yesterday to pick up a couple of advent calenders only to run into a whole bunch of awesome friends and of course, was a Chatty Cathy. Anyway, by the time I stopped gabbing, it was too late to get in line (I had to pick up Spencer from detention, short but irritating story) so I threw everything to the side and ran out the door.

I'm thinking now, I should just make one like this lovely from stylizimo. Of course it doesn't have the prepackaged chocolate. Hmmm, maybe I should start now for next year!

stylizimo.com




I found this one on Design Sponge. There's a link there to the actual tutorial if anyone is feeling crafty! It's really cute too huh.

Before and After

 So I've gotten pretty lazy about Christmas decorating. Here's a photo of my fall wreath deconstructed. Rather than putting up a new wreath on the front door...

.....I simply went out into my landscaping and scavenged. Here are a few of the things I cut this year. I don't remember what everything is (pine, juniper?? I don't know), but it lasts all through the holidays, even those nandina berries! Then I just added those clippings to my fall wreath and BAM, it's a Christmas wreath and I did it in about 10 minutes with no wire or anything! It's a little wild looking, but festive I think.

Also, this was my guest bath a couple of weeks ago. It looked like that for a really long time, but since we were expecting company for Thanksgiving, I thought they would appreciate being able to bathe and well, you know. Anyway, I think it turned out really well and can now move on to other things!

Whaaaat!!!

The "Home Alone" house is for sale!!!! This is one of my FAVORITE movies (that's right, I said it out loud).

If I was a billionaire without a care in the world, I would totally buy it and run around screaming and setting booby traps all the time.

I'd also love to buy Mikey's house in the Goon docks. There's all that cool stuff in the attic.

I Love Some Pie

Homemade Apple Cranberry Pie. Worth every calorie!!!


-3-4 large Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
-2 TBSP lemon juice
-1/2 C sugar
-1 TBSP flour
-2 tsp cinnamon
- handful of cranberries
-1/2 stick butter
- enough crust for a double crust pie
-1/4 C of cream
- sugar in the raw

- Mix up the apples, cranberries, lemon juice, sugar , flour, and cinnamon. Line the pie pan with half of the unbaked crust. Fill with the mixture and put pieces of the butter throughout. Top with the other half of crust and put a few vent holes in the top. Brush with the cream and sprinkle with sugar. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 375, then take off the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or so.

5K

pinterest.com

I'm going to run a 5K in the fall. My BFF Mia has inspired me, and I know if I don't say it out loud, it won't happen so there you go. I'm going to do it and not die.

I think I can, I think I can, I KNOW I can!!!!!  hahahhahah