Maya Angelou

I don't really like sending out forwards, but sometimes there are good ones out there.  A former neighbor of mine sent me this, and I thought there was some good stuff in it.  Instead of forwarding this I'm just going to put this here.  I find a lot of her wisdom very inspiring!

Here ya go...

Don't  break the elastic!
In April, Maya Angelou  was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.  Oprah asked her what she thought of growing  older. 

And, there on television, she said it  was 'exciting...'
Regarding body changes,  she said there were many, occurring every day  ...... like her breasts. They seem to be in a  race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried.  She is such a simple and honest woman, with so  much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou  said this:
'I've learned that no matter what  happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go  on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot  about a person by the way he/she handles these  three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and  tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've  learned that regardless of your relationship  with your parents, you'll miss them when they're  gone from your life.'

'I've learned that  making a 'living' is not the same thing as  making a life.'

'I've learned that life  sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go  through life with a catcher's mitt on both  hands; you need to be able to throw some things  back...'

'I've learned that whenever I  decide something with an open heart, I usually  make the right decision.'

'I've learned  that even when I have pains, I don't have to be  one.'

'I've learned that every day you  should reach out and touch someone. People love  a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the  back....'

'I've learned that I still  have a lot to learn..'

'I've learned  that people will forget what you said, people  will forget what you did, but people will never  forget how you made them feel.'

Please  send this to five phenomenal women  today... and back to me if you think I'm one  also.
If you do, something good will happen:  You will boost another woman's self-esteem.

If you don't....the elastic will break  and your underpants will fall down around your  ankles!
Believe me, I didn't want to take any  chances on MY elastic breaking..... I sent it to a lot of special  women I care  for.

There you have it!  I hope you enjoyed, and have a great day!
Amy 

A Hug

I was going through my email after a little camping trip, and came across this one from a friend. It felt like a beautiful sentiment...
Some days I sure could use a divine hug!

I Thought you could use a hug.



It's on you

IN 9 MINUTES SOMETHING WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY,

BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE 9 SISTERS A HUG INCLUDING ME !!!! 


I'm not really big on forwarding email, but I thought I could add this here to give out hugs to anyone who reads this.
I especially liked the quote at the bottom... lol

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit
the ground each morning the devil says,
"OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!

The Healthiest Foods On The Planet

I was doing a little menu planning (I KNOW what a good house wife I am!!  lol)  and I came across a website that claimed that the following foods are the healthiest foods on the planet.  The site is called bellybytes dot com and here is a link the article I am referring to: CLICK

Fruits

01. Apricots
02. Avocados
03. Raspberries
{04. I don't know they didn't list #4 ?}
05. Cantaloupe
06. Cranberry Juice
07. Tomato
08. Raisins
09. Figs
10. Lemons and Limes 
Vegetables
11. Onions

12. Artichokes
13. Ginger
14. Broccoli
15. Spinach
16. Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage)
17. Squash (Butternut, Pumpkin, Acorn)
18. Watercress and Arugula
19. Garlic
Grains, Beans, Dairy and Nuts
20. Quinoa
21. Wheat Germ
22. Lentils
23. Peanuts
24. Pinto Beans
25. Yogurt
26. Skim Milk 
Seafood
27. Shellfish (Clams, Mussels)
28. Salmon
29. Crab

Another thing to try!

Do you like coffee?  I am afraid I am a bit of an addict.  I think most people that live in this region (the great NorthWest) are pretty much hooked.  The birthplace of Starbucks is in Seattle, three hours north of here.

I want to try this coffee recipe too...
(from homemadesimple)

Here is the recipe; an excerpt from HomeMadeSimple:

Begin with the Perfect Brew
All delicious java drinks begin with a rich, robust cup of coffee, so use your favorite beans and a coffeemaker or French press to get started. Brew your coffee on the stronger side, as the coldness can dull the taste.
Tip: Create your own flavored coffee at home by grinding together your beans and favorite spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, before you brew. Be sure to clean your grinder thoroughly afterward to make sure the flavor doesn't transfer to your next batch. For complete instructions, watch our Cooking Maven Deborah at work!
Coffee Over Ice: Forget the barista! To quickly create your own iced java:

1. Fill a glass or to-go mug with ice.
2. Pour in cooled coffee. Add 1-2 tablespoons flavored syrup and stir, or use your usual milk and sweetener.

Tip: Before you pour out brewed coffee that's gone cold, consider putting the pot directly into the refrigerator. Coffee develops deeper, more intense flavor over time, so don't let it go to waste!
Blended Coffee: For a smooth, creamy beverage that rivals your favorite coffee shop:

1. Fill your blender with ice, and then add 2 cups coffee, a dash of heavy cream or your preferred milk and 2-3 tablespoons flavored syrup, honey or sugar.
2. Blend until smooth and pour into a tall glass.
3. Garnish with whipped cream and a drizzle of sweet sauce or a dusting of cocoa powder. Don't forget the straw!

Tip: Make it a coffee shake by adding 1/2 cup frozen fruits like strawberries, raspberries or blueberries to your blender first. For a truly decadent treat, drop in a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, too!

Making these sounds like a great party idea to me!

I have to try this recipe

I think I can actually do this one LOL
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breakfastbrunch/stuffed-french-toast-2/

The picture is from the Pioneer Woman's Blog

wishing...

I wish I had the ingredients in the house to make these (from the Pioneer Woman's Blog)...

click HERE to get the easy recipe... do NOT click if you are on a diet lol

I actually have the ham, so maybe I'll have my husband run to the store to the potatoes and other stuff.  I know not very housewife-ish to have the hubby do the store run, but I'm still working on it.  :)

I need to get busy!

I've spent the morning watching my children play... while I've been playing on the laptop.  Not very good "housewife" skills I tell ya!  I'm just checking in here because I SO don't want to do my housewife duties today!  How am I supposed to be a good HW if I don't to the the work?!!  Ugh!  Ok, ok here I go off to get busy

Off days and On days

Yesterday I earned 40 points.  I know not a very good housewife day for me, but today I've already 80 points.  I still have more things I am going to do so I may be earning more points yet woo hoo!

Will Work For Points...

My friend Valarie shared a link with me to the Home Sanctuary blog.  It is a really neat blog.  The author has daily "little things" to do to try and keep your house organized... to create a sanctuary in your home.  To make it fun the author "awards" points for doing the tasks she posts about.  I think readers can win little prizes and stuff with the points, but I don't think they really mean anything.  It is just kind of fun and motivating to earn points even if they are just arbitrary.  Valarie came up with her own  point system for her own house keeping tasks.  She shared her list with me, and I'm going to come up with a list also using her list as a guide .  Each day I will tally up my points, and maybe even share them here so you can help keep be accountable (or humble) for how "housewife-y I've been.     

An example would be
Mop kitchen floor 50 points
Vacuum living room carpet 40 points
etc.

Anyway I don't have points assigned for specific tasks yet, but I will try and work on that tomorrow or sometime this week.  If you come up with a list I'd love to see it!

A Little Better

I think the blogging is helping a little.  It makes getting things done more fun anyway.  I'm going to go work on getting the chair in my room "de-cluttered" now. 
Wish me luck!!! 

Meal Planning... Grocery Shopping...

I'm going grocery shopping today.  Friday may be a good regular grocery shopping day for me.  I can take the boys to library story time, and on the way home stop at the store.  Instead of just hoping all the right things will hop into my cart for several dinners I made a plan.  My goal is easy meals!  Nothing complicated!  Nothing that takes too much time!  With two kids 2 and under, I need to make simple things if I am to be successful at this housewife thing.  I'm just listing the "main dish" here.  Once this is complete I will add the needed things to my grocery list.

Friday- Herb "roasted" chicken; crock pot style (I adapted it from the back of the soup can and it is in the crock pot as I type woo hoo!)
Saturday- Chicken Tacos
Sunday-  Crockpot Chicken and rice soup I'm going to attempt biscuits
Monday- Lemon Pepper chicken
Tuesday- Boboli pizza (whole wheat crust and lots of veggies)
Wednesday- Crock  pot chilli and homemade corn bread (recipe from the corn meal box)
Thursday- Stir Fry with brown rice and chicken
Friday- Turkey meat balls and noodles

 Notes-
Make enough chicken on Saturday for the chicken tacos and the soup for Sunday.

When I was browsing recipes I found these Rocky Road Brownies.  Uh oh I might have to make those!  Not only would it be so "housewife-y" of me to bake something, they would be so yummy!

We don't have any dietary restrictions at our house.  We do try to eat lean meats and veggies, and avoid things like partially hydrogenated oils/trans-fat, and high fructose corn syrup. 

I am signing off now.  Once the baby is awake I'll head to the grocery store.

Kicking off this blog...

Well here I go!  This is my attempt to get and stay on track with all my domestic duties.  I would love to have a network of other bloggers with similar goals to blog around with and help keep me accountable so say hi and let me know how to find you if you want to be blog-buddies!  :)  I will be back later to post again.  Setting the blog up already took a lot of time.
Here is to happy home-making!