Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! May 2016 be prosperous and may it bring everything that hope for!

Be safe and celebrate responsibly!

Homemade Chili!

Christmas Decor

Tis the season to decorate for Christmas. Without further ado, here is some of my Christmas decor!

Oh Christmas Tree!

The Snowman Hot tub!

Yes, I'm a Greenbay Packer fan.

A gift from a great friend!

The Christmas Cow

My son's art work. What a cute little elf he makes!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

  

My Top 5 Ways To Bring A Pleasant Scent To Your Home

Along with store bought spray scents, there are many other options for getting the scent that you want in your home that may not seem obvious. Here are my top 5 ways to make your house smell amazing!

1. Do you have a candle that you just absolutely love the scent of but it just doesn't burn right, stay lit, or is down to the lowest point on the wick? Try the electric candle warmer. I bought one about two months ago, and I swear it is the best purchase made in a long time. It warms the wax in the candle to get every last bit of scent out from it and the smell is stronger than just burning the candle. Not to mention that a candle warmer is safer than an open flame. Still make sure to place it where the heat cannot damage anything or that can't be a fire hazard.
2. You can also use that candle warmer for your Scentsy or store bought waxes. It works just as well and does not require an expensive burner. I paid less than $7 for a candle warmer. Make sure to put it in an empty candle grade glass that can withstand the heat.
3. Yes, we go back to the candle warmer for laundry scent boosters. This is a very effective way of making your home smell fresh and clean. I use Purex Crystals but I know some use Downy Unstopables which are just as scented. These options tend to last longer and fill the room faster with the scent you want. I use crystals because they are extremely easy to clean from the container used to warm them.  As in above, make sure to use a glass that can withstand the heat.
4. DIY Potpourri in a small pot on your stove is a great option also. There are several variations to DIY Potpourri. Here is mine: DIY Potpourri: Re-Purposing Over Ripe Apples . This is a refreshing option that uses things that you may already have at home. It is done on the stove top. Just remember to keep it at lowest heat and replenish the water frequently. 
   
5. This is one of my favorites! COOKING or making COFFEE! I love my Crock-Pot. The smell of the food fills the house and you get a warm meal at the end of the day. What can be better than that? Do some baking! Nothing yummier than the smell of bread baking or cookies or cakes. (Gotta stop with that, It's 6:15 in the morning and I'm starving!) The rewards are endless with this option and it makes your home smell fantastic. In a time crunch with unexpected visitors? Make some coffee, your home will smell great and you have something to serve your guests.
   

Give some of these a try, your home will smell great! As always, be safe when using heat for your scent options. Enjoy!

Before and After: Back to my desk!!

Here we go again! I can't seem to find my desk under all the clutter and madness that is covering it. I know you can relate when I tell you that when it looks like this, I can't concentrate on anything.

My desk is the first place that clutter attacks. Coupons, bills, junk mail, my son's school papers, you name it, it gets dumped here. For me, clutter equals chaos and chaos means a lack of productivity which is not acceptable. It isn't acceptable to the bills that may be missed, the paper my son needs signed, or the blog that needs to be written. I admit it, I need a better system but for now, until one is found, priority is just finding my desk again!

Hey, look what I found! It's my desk. Thank goodness, now I can actually get something done!!

Make Someone Smile?

I think few of us think of the benefits of smiling at others. Have you ever thought about what it does for the other person? For yourself?

After having a really hard day, like yesterday for me, smiling can have enormous benefits on your mood. I know you have heard the phrase "Fake it till you make it". Believe it or not, faking a smile can lead you to an actual genuine smile and a complete mood change. Take it as an affirmation. It's like saying to yourself that though you may not be in the mood, you will make yourself happy. After all, happiness comes from within, not from others. Even if you are just combing your hair in the mirror or putting on makeup, when you are finished, smile at the completed face you see. It is your beautiful, unique, self in that reflection and that person is someone to be celebrated.

The power of a smile is not only for yourself mind you. A smile can make someone's day. Someone, who like you, may not be having the best of day. It is infectious, that smile of yours. It may give them that boost to pass on that smile to others in a continuous cycle that may even come back to you. Even a person that is feeling grouchy as Oscar from Sesame Street will, at times, crack a smile when given one.

Have you ever noticed how much happier and better about yourself you feel when you can make others smile. It doesn't take a scientific study to show you how much your day can improve by improving someone else's. Yes, it's that "warm and fuzzy" feeling. But it really can have a huge impact.

With all the truly sad things happening in the world, you could be the deciding factor. Do you want to be happy and take the rest of the world with you? Give the world your best. Give the world your smile!

Fastest Breakfast Ever! Egg In A Mug

Here is another really fast breakfast idea.

Egg In A Mug

2 Eggs

1 Tablespoon of Frozen Chopped Peppers and Onions

A Dash of Garlic and Herb Mrs. Dash (optional)

A Pinch of Salt and Pepper

1 Tablespoon of Cheese of Your Choice (optional)

In a two 12 to 16 oz mug, put two large eggs. Add Salt and Pepper and Mrs Dash. Stir till well mixed. Add Frozen Chopped Peppers and Onions. Stir together. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Take out of microwave and sprinkle with cheese. Eat hot or let cool for two minutes. 

Cooking times may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Precooked breakfast meats may be added to this recipe.

Enjoy your morning!

Coffee Chat: Winter Has Arrived!

I wanted to pause this morning, while sipping my coffee, to reflect on the storm that brought the area 8 to 14 inches of snow and then beat a path out of town. Tis the season for the Midwest, and much of the nation, to receive this cool blanket of beauty, fun, cold, and fear.

It is beautiful when all is said and done. The freshly falling snow against a beautiful blue skied morning is an awe inspiring scene. I love seeing the branches of the pine trees heavy with a pillow of sparkling whiteness. Ice cycles gleam in the sunlight.

Children, even a few adults, look with wonder at the snow imagining the creatures they could create in its depths. Sleds come out in full force to the slippery slopes as our rosy cheeked young ones shriek with laughter while gliding at high velocity towards the bottom of the hill. Snowmen and women are popping up all over the country side. Or perhaps the little ones dream lazily out the window of the impending holiday season.

Make no mistake, the snow is beautiful but also cold and treacherous. Be vigilant in watching for signs of hypothermia in our overenthusiastic youth and even some adults for they may not realize how cold they really are. Watch for slippery surfaces which can be dangerous for everyone. Be careful not to overdo it while shoveling what seems like an endless sidewalk or driveway. Stay away from waterways that may not be completely frozen over. Emergency room visits, while sometimes necessary, are no ones favorite activity. Make sure that before these big snow storms, you have emergency kits in your cars with blankets, water, flares, food, flashlights, and extra pairs of dry clothes. Perhaps throw in a shovel and salt/kitty litter. Always make sure that your phone is charged and that people know where you are traveling. Slow down and drive safely! Also, before the storm begins, make sure you are well stocked on food at home and any necessary medications. Remember to check on the elderly and be generous to the homeless for they are exceptionally vulnerable.

At the end of a cold snowy day, come into the warmth of your home and heat up your body with a cup of Homemade Cocoa and a warm blanket. Enjoy the season and be safe!

Freezer Meals: The advantage of cooking too much!

Ever cook way too much food for the number of people in your house and have tons of leftovers? I am guilty of this a lot. And yes, a lot of the time, the leftovers would sit in the fridge till I had to throw them away which is a huge waste of food. Recently, however, I have started making them into freezer meals.  

 Although I may not feel like eating chicken for two nights in a row, I may be craving it by next week. It is great to thaw out precooked chicken, not have to go through the hassle of cooking it. Just warm it up for dinner. Often that chicken will be used to make soup or a casserole.

 

Freezer meals are also handy for on-the-go for work provided you have a way to heat them there. It can save you a small fortune. Buying food at work or going out to eat at lunch time isn't cheap. 

This may just improve your health also. No more processed vending machine meals. You have a delicious home cooked lunch all ready to go. 

One of the biggest advantages is not having a bunch of containers from leftovers in the refrigerator. This means more room for things like milk, eggs, butter, and veggies. And the food actually gets eaten so no more waste.

It's a huge time saver later in the week too. Don't have time to cook a full meal, thaw and reheat something from the freezer. Give this meal solution a try, who knows how much you could save!

DIY Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Longing for Hot Cocoa but don't have any of that prepackaged cocoa mix. Give this a try!

DIY  Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Dry (Powdered) Milk
3 or 4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional)

In a resealable 6 ounce container add Sugar, Dry Milk, Cocoa Powder, and Cinnamon. Stir together till thoroughly mixed. Takes three teaspoons of Cocoa Mix per 8 ounces of hot water for one cup of Cocoa.

Give this a shot, it's a great way to warm up on a cool day! This is a great compliment to the Chocolate Brownie In A Cup too! Feel free to add marshmallows. Makes a great gift!!

On A Cool Fall Evening

There are few things better than a cool Fall evening spent with family or even alone with a good book, a favorite mug filled with cocoa, and a warm throw blanket. I am a book fiend. Love to snuggle with a good book and lose myself in its pages.

Even better is cuddling with the one you love under a warm blanket while watching a movie. It is an amazing mixture of comfort and relaxation. Better still is the warmth of a fire and the dancing light of the flames that fill the room.

My favorite thing to do is watch the sunset. Nothing beats nature at it's most beautiful. Even a fire in a pit in the back yard while snuggled in a warm blanket is an amazing Autumn activity while hanging out with friends and family, telling stories and remembering good times while sipping a hot beverage.

Take time to enjoy the smells and feelings of Fall before they pass all too quickly!  

Autumn Colors 2

Here are some more Autumn colors for your enjoyment. Stay warm!!

Love the contrast of the leaves, their colors, and the wood.

Amazing beauty when one color seems to melt into another.

Hope you enjoyed the beautiful colors of Autumn. They don't last nearly long enough.

Vertigo! Why I haven't been blogging this past week.

Do you remember, as a kid, when you used to spin around in a circle several times then stop suddenly? The world seemed to have kept spinning even though you had stopped. This is what vertigo is like, without you having to spin to get there.

I have had to take the last week off from blogging because of what my doctor calls Reoccurring Inner Ear Vertigo. I lay down, the spinning starts and takes about fifteen seconds to stop. I get up and have to spend another fifteen seconds sitting on the side of the bed. I made the mistake a couple of times of getting up before the fifteen seconds was up and almost face-planted into the door frame or the floor. Walking and turning quickly are dangerous activities and driving is out of the question. This is not a fun experience.

In 2008, when it was first diagnosed, I spent three days in the hospital because I was unable to stand, sit upright, or walk without falling over. What followed was an abundance of nausea which made it hard to eat. 

When I have this vertigo issue reading, writing, and even thinking seems to be impossible. It feels like my mind is out of control. The first time was due to a mild inner ear infection. I have no infection now but the vertigo reoccurs at inconvenient times but not frequently. Usually it lasts for about three days to a week.

Fortunately, I am feeling better now and will resume my blog posting. Thank you for sticking with me!

When All Seems Lost

We all have days when all seems lost, when we feel lost. The world seems like a cold cruel place sometimes. The most important thing to remember is problems are temporary. This feeling will pass and there are people who love and care even during the roughest times. Life may seem like it is working against you. Sometimes the outcomes we want aren't always the best outcomes for us and there is another plan at work.

Hold on! Don't be afraid to reach out. Don't be afraid to pray or to ask others to pray for you. More often than not, they will. Don't be afraid to cry no matter what gender you are and don't let anyone tell you not to. Crying is a healthy release of emotion.

You can get through this and you are not alone!

www.crisistextline.org 

Miracle Whip Chocolate Cake

So you want to make a cake but you find yourself short a few ingredients.
Try this recipe for a delicious chocolate cake without eggs or oil.

Chocolate Miracle Whip Cake

2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
4 Tablespoons Baking Cocoa
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Miracle Whip
1 Cup Water
2 teaspoons Vanilla


Combine all dry ingredients thoroughly, then mix in Miracle Whip, Water, and Vanilla until batter has no lumps. Pour into and 8 x 8 pan that is sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

I know, it sounds odd. All you will taste is chocolate goodness though, so give it a try!

Colors Of Autumn 1

These pictures require no words!

Thanks for looking! Follow my page and then go out and look at the colors! :)

DIY: How I Make My Own Laundry Soap

In my quest to save money, I have happened on a few good ideas for making my own products. One of my favorites is to make my own laundry soap. The fact is I haven't had to buy laundry soap for nearly a year now, it costs me just pennies a month to make my own. How do I do it? Let me show you!

DIY Homemade Laundry Soap

1/2 cup Borax

1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

3/4 cup ULTRA Dawn

2 cups hot water

In an empty laundry soap bottle, approximately 32 load bottle, with a funnel add Borax and Washing Soda. Be sure to break up any chunks. Add Ultra Dawn. Be sure it is Ultra Dawn for maximum cleaning power. To this, pour in hot water and gently shake to dissolve mixture. When ingredients are dissolved, fill the rest of the bottle to the top with cold water. Be sure to shake every time it is used. Use a cap full per load. Always test for color safety.

Once you buy the ingredients, it takes a long time to go through them depending on how often you do laundry, of course. Give it a shot and see how much you can save.

DIY How To Make Your Own Laundry Soap

Chocolate Brownie In A Cup

In the mood for something warm and chocolaty but don't have a lot of time? Give this recipe a try for a Brownie In A Cup!!

Brownie In A Cup

1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Add dry ingredients to a microwave safe cup. Mix thoroughly. Add milk and oil and mix well, until there are no lumps. Microwave for two minutes on high. Let cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!!

I'm eating mine right now, you go make your own!!