Let's Be Honest Here...

I'm having kind of a blah day today.  I've mentioned before that Sunday's are hard for me sometimes.

Well this one is definitely one of those Sunday's.

I am trying to get some laundry done, my house clean, and my blogs updated.  I had to go through and do the books on the blog design business yesterday - can somebody say yuck??  I was once an accounting major...it's a good thing I got out of that.

I'm just ready to be caught up with life again.  I feel like I'm constantly fighting from behind.  There's ALWAYS (and I do mean always) work to be done.  I've just been feeling lately like I never get a break, and it's just hard right now.  I'm trying my best not to complain because I've got it SO good (good family, good husband, good house, financially stable when so many people aren't. etc.), but even the good life can get hard sometimes.

I'm so thankful for this blog, especially right now.  It's nice to have something to complain vent to.  Thanks for listening to me ramble and be a brat every once in a while. :)

How I Made My New Camera Strap Slipcover

I got into a sewing mood last night...enthralling Friday night, I know.  I had an old camera strap slipcover that I had made, but it was looking kind of ratty.  I still had some of the fabric from that, so I made a new (and improved) one!

Here's how I did it.

(Excuse the dog in the background and the toys.  Somebody was obviously hanging out with me last night.)

 

1.  Cut 2 strips of fabric and 1 strip of quilt batting to fit your strap, with a 1" allowance on the sides and a 1/2" allowance on the ends.

 

2.  I also cut a pocket for my camera lens cover...width the same as the strips, and length 1" more than the lens.

3.  Put the batting on top of the thinnest piece of fabric.  Pin 1/4" down on all of the ends of the fabrics.  Sew the ends down.

 

 

4.  Put the batting/fabric piece with right side facing up.  Lay the pocket on top of that in the position you want it, then lay the other piece of fabric on top of that, right side down.  Pin together.

5.  Sew together on long sides only...

...and flip inside out.  Put on your strap at this point to make sure it fits and to see how wide the top stitch can be.

 

6.  Put a top stitch on both of the long sides ( mine had to be pretty narrow...allow the pieces of fabric to be wider for a wider top stitch).

 

And presto...new camera strap cover (without having to pay $25 or $30 on etsy for one)!  I think I paid maybe $2 or $3 dollars for the materials...I might even go this week and get some different fabric and make a  new one!  (Yes, this is the fabric I used for the coupon organizer...it's overkill, I know, but I had it lying around.)

Ballin' on a (Teacher's) Budget

Kelly is doing a blog hop for fashion tips this week.  I know I have several teachers-in-training that read my blog, so I thought I would do fashion tips for teachers!

Here's what I've learned so far about teacher clothes:

• Wear flats.  Flats, flats, flats...I can't say this enough.  I wore heels to work one day, and it was the most miserable day of my life.  I have two good pairs of black flats and two good pairs of brown flats.  I also have Sperrys and (when I can get away with them) Rainbows.  I'd say those 6 pairs are the ones I wear 95% of the time.
• On a similar note, buy several good pairs of pants and mix and match shirts.  I don't really skimp when buying pants.  They don't go out of style, and the right colors (brown, black and gray) go with everything.  Now I don't really spend a lot on shirts...mostly because they go out of style so easily.  Spend a lot of money on the things that will last!
• I absolutely love Forever 21 for dresses and shirts.  It is so super cheap, and they always have something cute for everyone!  They also have a new line called Love21 that is more contemporary (i.e. older)...so you don't look like you're trying to be a teenager.  Plus the sizes in that line always fit me better.
• Invest in one good pair of jeans.  Most schools have a jeans on Friday policy, so you won't wear them that much.  I don't skimp on jeans either...if you buy the right pair (and don't yo-yo diet like I have lately), they will last you for so long!
• Don't wear white/light colors...it just isn't a good idea, especially if you're in primary grades like me.  You will usually have something on your clothes when you get home (mine is usually coffee from sucking it down as quickly as possible every morning).
• I consider this fashion, because it's really an accessory...get a good lunch bag.  They have the insulated ones that are GREAT...especially if you forget to put your lunch in the fridge 70% of the time like me.  Also, make sure it's big enough to fit what you eat.
• Don't get shoes that your children can play with...I have a pair of really cute flats that have a bow on them, and whoever is sitting in front of my chair always plays with the bow.  Go simple, not busy.
• Avoid the teacher sweater at all costs.  Especially at Christmas and (in my area) football season, these are popular.  They just aren't flattering on most people (sorry if you're a teacher sweater fan...I'm just not).  I had a teacher in college that was retired from the school system that, as a end-of-the-semester present, gave us all of her teacher flair - Christmas ornament earrings, Halloween pins, you name it.  It was hilarious!
• And, last but not least...hand sanitizer is your best accessory. :)

How Very June Cleaver Of Me

I've been in a cooking mode lately.  I get like that sometimes.  There are times where I just like to have those bagged frozen meals to drop in the microwave and not even think about, but then there are times where I like to be very Food Network-ish with my cooking.

This weekend, I made up my own recipe for something!  It's not something I do a ton, because I figure if someone else has already made the recipe, tried it, and liked it enough to share it with others, then it's good enough for me...most of the time.  But I was feeling adventurous (and wanting to clean out my pantry a little), so I went for it!

I have LOVED Rotel Chicken since college.  My sorority served it, and it was always my favorite meal!

You need:

1 lb. pasta

2 lbs. chicken

1 big block Velveeta

1 can Rotel

1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted.)

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 onion

1 can Chicken Broth 

1/2 cup butter

First, get the pasta going.

(I did 2 lbs., but it was a little dry, so I would go with 1 lb. next time I try this.)

Then, saute your onion in a little bit of oil...olive oil is my favorite.  I use it for EVERYTHING!

After the onions are sauteed, drop in your Rotel, tomatoes, soup,  and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, then drop to low while the pasta finishes and you get everything else ready.

 Cube up your Velveeta.

 

And roast your chicken in a 450 degree oven.  Preferably, thaw out before roasting (something I didn't do.  Whoops.)

Drain your pasta, and spread in your BIG casserole dish (I had to use 2 because I had 2 lbs. pasta, but you could probably get away with one if you only used 1 box).

Mix together cheese, chicken, and pasta in the dish.

Pour sauce mixture over the top and (wait for it)...pour melted butter over that.  I know...just pretend like you didn't do it, it will be okay just this once.  Plus I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, so I guess that's a little better.  (I also used 2% Velveeta and reduced fat Cream of Mushroom soup.)

Drop oven temp to 350 degrees and bake (covered) for 25 minutes.  Uncover, and bake 20 more minutes, until bubbly.

Makes a TON of food!

I also made my own bread yesterday.  It sounds really hard, but it was seriously easy...just time consuming!

(I got the recipe here.)

You let the yeast rise in warm water with some sugar for 10 minutes, then mix in flour and salt.  Let this rise

and it becomes this

Poke that down, then roll it into balls on a greased cookie sheet.

Cover with warm, wet paper towels

and let it rise...again.  Like I said, a little time consuming.

They will become this.

Bake, and they are super yummy!

I like to break down cost of each meal...it's just something I do in my head every time I cook.   I try to never go above $2 a serving, and I've gotten it to where our cost per serving is about $1 - sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.  Here's how these broke down, including my sale prices.

1 lb. pasta - I paid $.80 for 2 pounds, would be less next time around.

2 lbs. chicken - $3.40

1 big block Velveeta - $2.85

1 can Rotel - $.40

1 can diced tomatoes- $.40

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup - $.50

1 onion - $.25

1 can Chicken Broth - $.10 (I use chicken bullion.)

1/2 cup butter - $.20

So that's $8.90, and it makes 12 meals (6 per dish...I froze the other one.)  That's  74 cents per serving...not bad!

And the rolls:

Water - free

Yeast - 50 cents

Sugar - 5 cents

Olive Oil - 10 cents

Salt - 5 cents

Flour - 40 cents

So (about) $1.10 for 20 rolls.  If you have 1 per meal, that only adds 6 cents to each meal!

I've been reading this blog a lot lately.  I don't agree with a lot of the ways she does things, but I think some of her cost cutting methods are just FASCINATING.  I really like how she makes a lot of the foods we buy pre-made, like tortillas, salsa, and bread.  I think I may try some of it!  

One thing I am definitely trying is making my own garden this summer.  I have ALWAYS wanted to do this!  My grandparents had a garden when I was little...I spent many summers on my grandmother's back porch shelling peas and cleaning corn.  You have NO idea how good fresh garden vegetables are until you try them!  And it cuts way down on your produce bill...especially when you use free Amazon gift cards to pay for them.  So I'm ordering all of that within the next week...I'll be sure to put it all on here when I get started!

Numbers

4 Blogs. 1 Day. 1 Tired Lady.

These are the ones I finished today...AND I started 2 more!  I'm worn out, but I got a lot done.  Very productive feeling!

See what I've been up to today...click the headers to see the blogs!

 

 

 

A Very Birmingham Saturday

It's been a busy and fun day!

We had to go to Birmingham this morning so Noah could rewrite the insurance on a house for a friend. While we were up there, we had lunch with them! We ate at this cute little Greek place (can't for the life of me remember the name - started with an N - in Homewood - any of my Birmingham friends know what I'm talking about?).  I had hummus and and chicken salad pita - SO good!

I haven't seen my good friend from college, Nicole, in a long while, so we met up with her and had coffee after.  She was my maid of honor in my wedding, but living an hour away has just kept us from seeing each other as much as we'd like.  I got to meet her boyfriend and we just caught up for awhile...it was so nice! 

Her quote before taking the picture..."this is going to end up on the blog, isn't it?"  Yep, it did. :)

Since we've been home, I have been a complete BUM.  I need to work (and have every intention to work after I finish this post), but it's just nice to sit around every once in a while.  I'm trying to take a more "stop and smell the roses" approach to life lately, so that's my excuse for doing nothing this afternoon and I'm sticking to it! 

But there are currently 7 blog designs that are calling my name.  Stopping and smelling the roses will have to wait a little longer.

Absolutely Beautiful

My Coupon Organizer

So I told you guys about that coupon organizer pattern I was going to try to sew a few nights ago?

Apparently I'm not as good at sewing with a pattern as I thought.

If you missed it, I got a precious pattern for a coupon organizer from this site.  They are TOO cute, and help you organize that mess of coupons (that's been strewn about my bedroom floor since I started saving coupons).  You can buy them pre-made for $30, or you can buy the pattern for $8.  I'm thinking no-brainer, right?  I can sew, and this way I can pick out my fabric!

All was good and well at first.  I got the pattern all cut out

 

got my fabric cut, and got the pieces sewn together.  No problem!

 

Until I went to put the folder into the finished product.

Surprise, surprise, it didn't fit.

In all fairness, the lady that made the pattern warned me to be careful with the seams.  If they went over 1/4", the folder wouldn't fit.  I don't know if I thought that my magic folder was smaller or something, but I didn't really watched the seams.

So I cut it. Cut about an inch off of the side of the folder until it would fit...and voila...it worked!

Here's the finished product

 (Please note the first folder that I cut in the background, and still wouldn't fit.)

 

Isn't it cute???

All said and told, I saved about $10 by spending 3-4 hours making this thing.  Leave it to the professionals people. :)

Quick Notes

Still here.  Still sick, but still here.

I went to work today...don't know if that was the best decision or not.  I was DYING the whole day.  Luckily, it was one of those days where we had one activity right after the other...I didn't even talk to my kids until around 12!  But I am going to kind of play it by ear tomorrow...if I don't feel up to it in the morning, I'm not going...not making that mistake again!  I'll never get better if I don't take care of myself.

I have a new project (because, you know, I need something else to fill up my time)...a few days ago, I found this ADORABLE coupon organizer through iheartpublix.com...you can go here to see it.  If you buy it made, it's around $50 though.  Because I can sew enough to get by, and because it is TONS cheaper to buy the pattern and make it yourself, I'm going to try that!  Plus, this way I can pick out my own fabrics.  I'm going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow after work to pick out my fabrics...yay!  I VERY badly need a way to organize coupons - they are currently sitting in a pile on my bedroom floor.  I'm just waiting for the day that Hardy decides to play with them while I'm at work.

Speaking of needing things to fill up all of that spare time I have...I'm doing 6 blogs this week.  I don't even know how it happened is the problem...I just started way too many without thinking!  It's going to be a busy weekend!

Disqus

I've seen the Disqus comments feature used on a few other blogs, so I thought I'd try it.  I've been wanting a way to reply to comments and I think this is going to be the best way!  It's also a really good way for other readers to talk to each other.  I think it's kind of cool!

You guys tell me what you think - like it, hate it, want to go back to the old comment feature?  Let me know!

Not Me! Monday

Let's tell on every member of the family this week.

When my sweet beagle, Hardy, didn't have any food last night, we certainly did not feed him anything we could find in our house.  Hardy did not have popcorn chicken, cheese, tortilla chips, and dog treats for dinner.

That's unhealthy.

About 7:30 last night, my husband did not beg for peanut butter souffles like his life depended on it.  After some extensive bartering, I did not agree to make said souffles.  And I definitely didn't include one for myself.

I have not gone to sleep at like 8:00 the past three nights.  I am well aware that it was the weekend.

When I was in the shower the other day, and had no soap, I did not wash off with a lotion-based body scrub, only until I realized there was a little bit of bubble bath available.  I have not become so lazy that I can't get out of the shower for five seconds to get soap.

And finally, I did not break my New Years' resolution to only spend $25 a week on groceries (and subsequent punishment of not going to the grocery store the next week if I go over that budget) by spending 26 cents at the grocery store last week.  I am able to resist the temptation of practically free trail mix, so I didn't cheat, and justify it by saying that I only paid for tax, and that doesn't count.

Wouldn't that be wrong?

Happy Monday everyone!

Garages and Bugs

For the longest time, our garage has been the Achilles Heel of our house. Anytime we had something that had no other place, we just threw it in the garage to deal with it later.

By this week, it had finally gotten to this:

Embarrassing, but true.  We haven't been able to park a car in the garage for several months...partly because there's a boat in the driveway that blocks half of it, partly because it had just gotten that messy.  So we spent a good chunk of the day yesterday cleaning it out!

Here's the after...

Not tons butter, but there's a car in the garage now...yay!  And a bunch of that stuff in the corner is going on Craig's List or being thrown away (anybody in the Tuscaloosa area have any clue where I can take a broken set of box springs to throw away?).

Here are the Craig's List postings, if you're interested in helping with this garage cleaning project. :)

Lamps

Podium

Tree Skirt

Chest of Drawers

Headboard

Dog Crate

Air Hockey Table

Wicker Chairs

I feel like we got SO much accomplished by doing all of that!  It's good to finally start feeling like you've got control over your house again.

Other than that, I've been dealing with the 24 hour bug all weekend.  We were at dinner Friday night (at my favorite place in Tuscaloosa), and I got the overwhelming queasy feeling all of a sudden.  I went home and went to bed, thinking I could sleep it off.  Well I wake up yesterday morning with the same queasy feeling, only now I was really congested and weak.  By last night, I was running about 2 degrees fever...not fun!  I'm much better today...still congested and a little weak, but no nausea.  (And before anybody asks, I don't think it's pregnancy.) :)

Hope you've had a great weekend!

This guy...

 

 

 

...is a sight for sore eyes after a long, hard week.

Kelly's Show Us Your Life - Weight Loss Ideas

I need to be READING these tips instead of making a post about these tips. :)

I very, seriously, badly need to lost about 10 pounds this year.  I haven't even thought about a diet plan yet because a) I have ZERO motivation to lose weight right now (bad, I know), and b) I just don't have the time to think about losing weight.  By the time I get home from school everyday, I am so pooped that I don't want to move - much less work out.

But I will share things that have worked for me in the past!

• Drink water.  Oh my goodness, what a difference this makes!  You'll feel better, your skin looks better, you stay not sick, and you will lose weight...after that initial water weight wears off.
• Write down everything you eat/drink.  This is the only way I can ever lose weight.  Once you actually write it down, you really realize how many calories you're taking in everyday!  I always chart it for a week of normal eating, just to see what my calories have gotten up to.  It will shock you!  If you have an iPhone - there's a great app called Lose It.  It's free, and has pretty much every food under the sun!
  
• Eat Breakfast.  I am not really a big fan of breakfast food - I'm the person always eating normal foods at breakfast time.  My family makes fun of my for it.  But I do make myself eat in the morning.  I've heard before you burn 10-20% more calories throughout the day if you eat a good breakfast!
• Don't keep the bad stuff in the house.  This is something I really started doing once I got married.  I had a friend that used to call it a "bored stomach" - when you get bored, you eat everything in sight.  If it's not in your house, you can't eat it (and probably won't go to the store to get it).
• Cut out any liquid calories.  This is easy - just don't drink anything that has calories in it.  They're empty calories that won't fill you up.  We've also quit drinking diet drinks - I've heard, in the long run, they're much worse for you than regular calorie drinks.  Just stick with water - it's a safe bet!
  
• Have a set time you're working out, every week.  That way, you have no excuse not to schedule around working out.  Don't overdo it either - if you work out 3 hours your first go-round, you'll feel like you're going to die the next day and will be scared to go back.  Ease yourself into it!
  

We're Booked!

Noah just got off the phone with our travel planner from Carnival...we're booked and ready to go!

We're sailing out June 1st from Seattle on a 7 day Alaskan cruise.  I'm so completely totally excited!

Here's the boat:

 

 (I doubt we'll be using this much, considering the average high is 60 degrees that time of year in Alaska.)

 

And my favorite part...our room!

We went on and got a balcony, considering it was only like $100 extra per person and one of the days we will be cruising a glacier.  Definitely worth it!

I absolutely cannot wait!  And thanks to everyone for the recommendations on the last post.  We decided to go with Carnival because that's what we've always used (so we know we like it) and they have some sweet past guest rates. :)

Alaska, here we come (in 5 months)!!

Yet

Haha...after a few comments on the last post, I should clarify.  I am NOT pregnant...yet. :)  Just obsessed with all things pregnancy/baby.  It's not the right time yet, we haven't paid off quite enough debt yet, we haven't taken the big vacation we wanted before we started trying yet.  Yet, yet, yet.

But there's a plan.  I plan I like.  We actually talked about it around a month ago, and there's an exciting plan that makes yet come a whole heck of a lot sooner.

In other news...we are in the final stages of booking a 7-day Alaskan cruise this summer... :)

PS - I Heart Publix is having a VERY cute coupon organizer giveaway...I'm totally buying one if I don't win it!  Check it out!

I've got an addiction, and I don't want to be cured.

Ok, I've never been that much of a TV fan.  But I've gotten into some REALLY good shows lately!

(courtesy examiner.com)

Oh my gosh - where have I BEEN all these years?  I don't want to like The Bachelor, but I love it.  Tenley's my favorite this year...she seems so sweet and down to earth.  I think Michelle is a NUT JOB, and the one that got kicked off tonight looked like Jessie Spano from Saved by the Bell.  After the facelift.  Noah didn't see it.

 

(courtesy aetv.com)

Hoarders  is just the most interesting thing I've ever watched in my life.  I just can't wrap my mind around how someone can form the emotional attachments they do the random things.  Or how people can live in that kind of filth/clutter.  It's just really interesting to me...I guess because I just don't understand it.

 (courtesy beek.com)

Probably my absolute favorite...I can't not watch it.  My favorite seasons are Atlanta...I think it's just being from the south and relating to it a little bit more.  I don't really care for New York, but LOVE New Jersey too.  It's so good and dramatic!  I think I just don't have too much drama in my life, so I need to supplement it by watching other people's. :)

 

(courtesy health.discovery.com)

Who doesn't love some Duggars every now and then?  I'll tell you who - Noah Lambert.  I get made fun of incessantly about watching this show.  They're just good people!  Once again, I think I'm so interested in it because I just don't understand how a family of 20 works...but it does!  And she's always pregnant, and I might or might not have been a little obsessed with anything related to pregnancy lately. :)

Can you tell I have a thing for reality television?