Five on Friday

1)  You've probably seen the macaroni-and-cheese-boiled-in-milk pin/recipe floating around for a time, but I finally tried it on Wednesday.  It was very decadent and filling, but I approve.  The only thing is, I over salted it.  Blurgh.  I will have to try again soon.

2)  To put me in the holiday mood further, the Christmas trees went up on campus this week AND we had our annual Thanksgiving feast today.  In our meeting this morning, we early Christmas celebrators were chastised with the song here.  It was coincidental considering I tried to convince Zach to let me listen to Holly on route to work today because I was feeling bad, but no dice.  For the Thanksgiving lunch, my suite mates headed over 20 minutes early, so we could get in line first, and half of us braved the freezing temperatures (literally 32 degrees) to walk across campus there.  But it was worth it!  I'm so ready for turkey day and the Christmas rush.  :)

3)  I watched this video, and now I am obsessed with learning more about Hasidic Jews.  I love learning about other cultures, and I was really touched by one man's description of his soul being attached to God (I immediately thought of an umbilical cord) and how nothing can severe that connection or break God's love for him.  (He worded it much better than me.)

4)  The night before Veterans Day, we were visited by a little grey cat.  Then that Thursday, I heard the cat mewing when we got home after my long night of teaching.  This kitten was so sweet, purring and rolling around so we could rub its tummy.  It was clearly domesticated and not feral.  So we made it a box with blanket and put out some food since it was getting skinny.  Little kitty got upgraded to a carrier and a warmer blanket, and we started calling him "Pancake."  Now, we have found him a home with my SIL's coworker, so we are keeping him inside where it's warm.  Meet Pancake!

5)  Zach and I are "adopting" a little boy for Christmas through a program at work.  I am very excited to serve and go shopping for him over the coming weeks!!  I've already spent my lunch breaks all week combing through Amazon and Black Friday previews for a game plan to maximize our budget for the most blessings.  :)

Lazy Weekend and Sleeping Beauty

I had another low-key weekend, but it was nice.  I've been rubbish with this blog lately, and I thought about posting Thursday night after my class and then Friday when I wasn't doing anything.  But I just didn't.  Friday night, Zach had a guys night, and other than brushing the kitties, my butt stayed on the couch allllll night!  I wasted time on Pinterest and watching Extreme Couponing.  Oh, I lied...I did get off the couch when I made popcorn for dinner.  ;)

*I tell Zach about my night when he gets home*

ZACH:  How domestic of you!

ME:  What's so domestic about sitting on the couch all night?

Cue laughter.

Saturday was a bit more happening.  I was supposed to meet Katie for breakfast/brunch then lunch then lunch/snack time.  She had to bring Tommy up for a conference and was bringing Ella Kate along with her.  That meant I finally got to meet Miss EK, who is now two months old!

If you know Katie, you know she is the latest person in the world.  (Hey!  She admits it.)  So I can only imagine how late it must be now that she has a baby.  ;)  But I was just glad to see them for a little bit.  Zach and I ended up eating McNuggets for lunch and had what we fondly call a DipFest.

(I hate myself.)

So I just planned to have a snack when I got to meet up with the (Ella) Katies.  We met at Briar Rose, Katie had lunch, I had dessert, and Miss Ella Kate napped and got photographed by moi.  :)

She is absolutely beautiful with the loveliest eyelashes and lips.  Ella Kate also has such a funny little personality (at least, the little bit I saw when she woke as they were leaving).  I told her all babies have this reaction to me (see tri-photo collage above).  :)

After visiting with them, I stopped by Target and got some Cheez Its on clearance!  Then I picked up a shirt on clearance with a $10 off coupon at Kohl's and popped into Sam's and got gas.

For dinner, I made Eggs Florentine, and it was sooo good!  I made my Hollandaise sauce too soon, and my butter had cooled, so it wasn't quite right.  Still yummy though.

Today, we lazed about for just about all of the day.  I did pop down to Harp's to pick up some blueberry muffins and a paper this morning.  For lunch, I thawed some bolognese and planned our meals for the week.  I was so proud of the haul I got at the grocery store tonight!  I spent just over $21 for 2 family-sized boxes of Cap'n Crunch, 2 boxes of Honey Grahams, 1 jar of pickles, 1 box of Texas Toast, 2 boxes of scalloped potatoes, 1 Cool Whip, 1 4-pack of Greek yogurt, and 1 box of cheesecake pudding.  (I volunteered for office snack time this week.)

Looks like that Extreme Couponing is rubbing off...

How did your weekend stack up?

Weekend Update and a Laundry Day Recipe

Over the weekend, I joined Twitter, started an account on Pinterest, and started uploading to Instagram.  Oh, I started a Facebook page, too!  But I haven't really done anything with that yet.  ;)  This 21st Century social networking business is hard stuff.  You can connect with me through the icons on the left.

Speaking of social networking, I give you my weekend in Instagrammed pictures.  :)

1)  I had to take Hobie to the vet on Friday.  We've been having some behavioral and tummy issues with the kitties.  :(

2-4)  So they got lots of lovings this weekend.

5)  This is how my husband naps when he has gotten up at 11 to take a nap at 1.  *smh*

6)  We captured a sweat bee (by we, Zach), and we let the kitties watch it in the jar.  They were the ones who actually found it in the fireplace.

7)  Late in the afternoon, we headed out to take care of some business.

8)  We fought the tax-free-weekend crowds at Target and rewarded ourselves with some Starbucks.  I got an iced chai tea latte of course.  :)

9-10)  Then it was time for some Bliss!  Thanks, Living Social.

11)  I found some sandals on sale at Kohl's and fell in love.

12)  I've been drinking lots of hot tea this weekend because my allergies (thank you, vet/Hobie) have been acting up and giving me swollen lymph nodes.  (At least, I think it's my allergies...)

13)  Saturday night, I made a turkey pot pie.  YUMMY!

14)  And Sunday morning, we had biscuits and gravy.

And I can't forget my clothes.  It was a royal blue and orange weekend!

I decided to do something a bit different for Menu Monday.  Over a year and a half ago, I started making my own laundry detergent to save money.  It has worked well for us; two gallons last about four months, based on my calculations.  Keep in mind, there's only two of us.

We ran out this week, so I had to make some more.  First, however, I had to buy some more washing soda.  Then, once I got home with that, I realized I was out of bar soap.  Thankfully, Walgreens had Coast soap on sale (8 bars for $3.99) AND I had a coupon, so I got the soap for $3.49!  The coupon was from a few weeks ago, but Zest is also on sale, and there was a Zest coupon in the paper THIS week.  So this might be the perfect opportunity for you to try making your own soap!

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

1 bar soap
1 cup Borax
1 cup washing soda
2 gallons water
2 empty gallon jugs

-Shred bar of soap into a large stockpot.

-Add 1 gallon of water and boil until the soap is dissolved

-Add Borax and washing soda.

-Bring to a boil until it coagulates.  It will start to get foamy.

-But make sure you watch it very closely--or it will boil over!  Every. single. time. I turn my back for a second because it's not doing anything, and then it boils over onto my stove!

-Turn off the heat.  Add 1 gallon cold water; stir well.

-After it cools a bit, use a funnel and ladle to place detergent into jugs.

Sometimes it will get too thick; try using less soap next time.  Since this was my first time using Coast, I think I used too much, and I also overcooked it.  It was pretty solid by the time I began to funnel it!  *lol*  So I just heated it up for a bit until it started to melt again.  I really liked how easy it was to grate Coast; some of the other soaps have been near impossible!  You can choose what soap you want; I tend to add some of the Downy Unstopables to boost the fragrance anyway, and I have come to like much less fragrance than I used to.  (I also got my Downy beads as free samples; it said to add the whole pack, but I find ten or so increase the smell quite nicely.  :)

If we hadn't spilled our washing soda accidentally some months back, it would have lasted even longer.  I feel like the box of Borax and washing soda should last over 6 recipes' worth.  I believe Borax is a bit more, but the washing soda is only about $4.

I hope you will give it a try!  It only takes about thirty to forty minutes or so to cook from start to finish, but the funneling does add considerable time, especially if it is thick.  I think it is much more affordable than buying detergent.

What have you tried to make homemade?  Has it turned out?

Photo a Day in November #5

5.  Five O' Clock

Around five, I was making some more cider to help with my cold and because it's fall--when else is spiced cider appropriate?  I did leave out the "spiked" part and added some nice orange slices instead.  it is so tasty!  I have gone through half a gallon in about a day.  (We bought a new gallon yesterday.)  I have also had countless cups of hot tea and cocoa (made with water rather than milk to cut down on the mucus).  Last time, a cold came near me, I drank TONS of hot beverages along with eating a tablespoon of local raw honey with cinnamon in the morning and evening to stave off a cold.  (I read that honey + cinnamon prescription on Pinterest.  Everyone is a doctor these days.)  It worked that time.  But I have to admit defeat; I haven't been able to keep it at bay with my home remedies of hot tea and honey; I am fighting to get over a cold.  *boo*  *hiss*  : /

Photo a Day in September #28

28.  Front Door

I've already posted about my wreath earlier, but I never shared a picture of it on my front door. :)  I was too lazy to take a newer picture, but since you folks haven't seen this one, I think it will suffice.  (I rarely slack off in this photo challenges; I don't feel it's honest to reuse a photo or find one online.)  t looks pretty much the same, except it has sagged more, so it has a more of an oval shape now, and one of the pumpkins (lower left) looks blistered.  (But it may have looked that way originally, and I just didn't notice it!)

Our door is a darker red, but it always photographs fuchsia.  :)

Photo a Day in September #18

18.  My Passion

Ummm...I guess my current passion would be food.  I'm always thinking about what I am going to be putting in my tummy and posting pictures of my meals on Facebook and pinning every recipe on Pinterest.  I've made it my goal to attempt a new Pinterest recipe a week.  This weekend, I'm making caramel apple cider cookies!  I think they will be perfect for the fall.  :)

I cheated and took this picture last night. Ah, but these frozen Rally's/Checker's fries are sooo tasty, AND I got to use a 75 cents off coupon!  They were cheaper than the Walmart fries.  :)

Pinteresting...yes? :)

So I find all of my ideas on Pinterest lately.  Last night, we had some friends over for dinner, and everything but the dessert (which was courtesy of Marie Callender) was from Pinterest.  AND THEY WERE ALL DELICIOUS!  I made stuffed peppers, Crock Pot mashed potatoes, and homemade bread.  Ah, it makes my mouth water...

Yesterday, I gave you a sneak peek of something I was in the process of creating (for "Create" for my Photo a Day challenge).  Well, wait no more because here it is:

I made a lovely fall wreath!  I saw one on Pinterest and fell in love with it.  I loved it so much that I pinned it twice!  (No, it wasn't an accidental pin the second time around, as in I pushed the button too much.  This was my very first pin on my Holidaze board, and months later, I pinned it again.)

Zach and I like natural holiday decorations rather than whimsical or ostentatious ones.  We like our decor to be somewhat traditional and look as if it could have been plucked from the outdoors.  If, for the most part, Alcott's Little Women couldn't have made it, then we don't want it.  (Think pine boughs and cranberries and pinecones for Christmas.)  *lol*  So this wreath seemed perfect for us.  After all, I can hang this from September through November, and it will work just fine for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  The original was moss-covered with some realistic pumpkins and a simple burlap ribbon to tie it up.  I decided to recreate it with very few changes!

I had also seen on Pinterest how to avoid buying expensive styrofoam wreaths by using plumbing tubing instead!  The size I would have needed for this wreath would have cost me around $10 or more, according to my estimates, but I got a six-foot-long tube for $1.37!  I felt so proud marching into Lowe's and heading to the plumbing section as if I knew what things were.  ;)  This was great because we are short on our budget this month, and I didn't have much to spend on this wreath.  I simply cut where needed and taped them together.  What is even better is that this tubing doesn't flake like styrofoam does.  :)

I hot-glued moss around my tubing.  I didn't do the backs because 1) I was lazy, and 2) I wanted the wreath to lay flat, and 3) hot-gluing moss is hella messy!  I knew it would be very, very messy, but it was MESSY.  I decided to go with a variety of pumpkins to create interest, and I bought ones with picks (except for the very orange one in the center).  I trimmed the picks to fit, poked them into the wreath where desired, pulled them slightly out, coated the pick with hot glue, and stuck back in.  I had planned on using burlap ribbon, but I had some of this lovely brown fabric leftover from my bathroom shelf curtain and decided to cut a "ribbon" from it.  The ends and sides will fray, so it won't look too neat.  :)

Ah, it was an adventure making this.  Our kitties kept hopping up on the table to investigate the moss, and I was certain they were going to ingest some and die or get burned by my hot glue gun or knock the gun to the floor, getting hot glue everywhere.  Every five minutes, I was yelling, "Hobie!  No!  Dinah!  No!  Zaaaaach!"

I hung it in my kitchen to see how it will look on the door.  We have got to get a wreath hanger or put in a nail on the door.  I think it looks fab!  Don't you?  :)

Photo a Day in July #22

22.  Upside-Down

Zach's birthday is Wednesday, and every year I make him a scrumptious cake.  Usually, he requests Black Forest, but this year he wanted an ice cream cake.  (He requested it about two months ago.  *lol*)  I have never made one of those before, so I got on Pinterest to look for some ideas and made  a game plan.  He also asked if I could have it ready a few days sooner since we have a busy afternoon Wednesday (orientation session).  I decided to make it today since we are both off on Monday and could enjoy it then.  However, Dinah attacked Zach's foot last night--it bled quite a bit, was sore throughout the night, and made him hobble--and I woke up with a headache, so we missed Meeting this morning and had a very s-l-o-o-o-w start to our day.  I finally headed to the store at five this afternoon to pick up a few things I needed so I could get the ice cream ripening and cake baked.  (It's best to make the ice cream batter and refrigerate it for awhile before freezing.)  I made homemade chocolate chip ice cream, and then I made a homemade Black Magic (chocolate) cake (minus the marshmallows plus instant coffee).  This is the cake upside-down!  It was cooling on the rack, and I decided rather than being upside-down or placing an item upside-down or holding the camera upside-down that this would work for today!  I'm going to assemble the cake tomorrow, ice it with homemade whipped cream, place Kit Kat's around the outside, and top it with green M&M's (from a previous post).  I should be back tomorrow with a picture...

(I just realized that he is getting a Black Magic cake when he usually gets a Black Forest one.  There's something about those "black" (chocolate) cakes, I guess...)

I can't wait to try it!

H is for HAWAIIAN DIP (coconut, pineapple, and cherries)

Sorry for the long time between food posts, folks, but I have been a busy bee with all of the traveling and coming home and working and not feeling food-inspired.  But something finally kicked my butt in gear!  Yesterday, we bid farewell to the one who is really in charge of the advising center, our friend Erin, and we I had to bring a dish.

We had a potluck to honor Erin's departure, and I had considered bringing some Fourth of July cookies, but I figured we would have more sweets than we could handle (we usually do), so I settled on something semi-healthy:  Hawaiian Dip.  You have probably seen this on Pinterest, and let me tell you, it is easy-peasy to make and sooo light and tasty!

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 small package of sweetened coconut (I think the bag has 2 1/4 cups)

1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple (with 1/3-1/2 cup of pineapple juice drained from it)

chopped nuts

maraschino cherries

Beat cream cheese until creamy.  Add extracts and beat them in.  (These weren't in the original recipe, but I thought it added more flavor.)

Pulse coconut in chopper or food processor (or blender?) until chopped into finer pieces.  Pulse can of pineapple in chopper, if desired.

Add coconut and pineapple to flavored cream cheese and mix until combined.

Scoop into serving dish and top with your desired nuts and some chopped cherries.

Serve with cinnamon chips (which is what I did), crackers, pretzels, pita chips, etc.

This was just sweet enough without being too heavy.  The only problem is that people couldn't tell what it was; Zach says we don't work with adventurous eaters.  ;)  I had considered making a food label flag, but I thought everyone would make fun of me for being a nerd.  *lol*  I heard so many people ask what the dish with the cherries and nuts were (I'm afraid the cherries sometimes looked like chopped peppers despite the whole cherry I used to garnish it), and I answered many of the questions.  They would then say something along the lines of, "Oh, that sounds great!" and would try it and agree.

Next time, I'm making my food flag and let my nerd flag fly with it.  ;)

Eating at The Owlery

Hello to all my visitors from Kelly's Korner!  I guess I should start by explaining why our home is called The Owlery.  We actually live in a duplex, but it feels much more like a cottage:  you cross a wooden bridge to enter the top floor, the bridge and the trees around the bridge are covered in ivy, and there are three owl decoys on the side of our chimney watching over our house.  We felt The Owlery was a very whimsical, fun name--something out of Harry Potter, if you will--and so it stuck!

I LOVE our kitchen.  It is easily my favorite (or one of my favorite) part(s) in our home.  I spend a lot of time here.  (Zach's isn't much for cooking though he will help me.)  Some of my favorite things to cook include chicken pot pie with lots of veggies; cobbler; French toast; roast beef; red, white, and black bean chili; and Cadbury chip brown sugar cookies.  Right now, as I recover from my most recent Crohn's flare-up/surgeries, I am trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into our diets by trying ones I have never had or liked, or cooking old stand-by's in new ways.  Enjoy a look around the heart of our home!

 We seriously have three or four times the amount of counter and cabinet space we had in our first apartment, which was a teeny-tiny three-room apartment in a dorm.  (Yes, a dorm!)

 looking into our dining area

 looking into the kitchen from the other side of the living room

I forgot to show that wreath last week; it's faux lavender and was on clearance several years ago at Target, where I buy a ton of stuff!

 Our table is an antique Duncan Phyfe dining table!  A couple from Zach's parents' church gave it to us when we got married because they were switching from two residences to one. It needs to be refinished, but it is just beautiful.  It seats six, but we keep one chair in our bedroom for sitting.  I love imagining all of the different meals shared at this table and all of the different people who have sat down at it.  Zach's Momo made the lace tablecloth several years ago and gave it to me for my birthday.  The vase in center was made by Zach's mom who is very into pottery.  All of the birdy items were gifts from my birthday week that Zach's mom organized this year since I was recovering from surgery during that time, and the ironwork napkin holder was a wedding gift (I don't remember from whom.)  The rug, which you really can't see, was purchased with wedding gift money.  And I'm a new seamstress!  Zach got me this sewing machine for Christmas last year!

 the original needlework on the dining chairs

We wish we had the money to restore them to their former glory, but we can't right now.  We are planning to cover them with some fabric to protect the needlework and better match our decor at some point.

 I keep cookbooks, photo albums, yearbooks, photo boxes, picture frames, and scrapbook clutter on this shelf.  It needs to be better organized.  Our Willow Tree collection that we received from my mama, Grandma Byrd, and aunts on my dad's side are on top of the shelf along with a decanter that has been in my family forever.  The Alice in Wonderland bag was a birthday gift from my friend Katie; I used it in grad school, but now it holds fabric scraps.

 This china cabinet belonged to one of Zach's great aunts and was given to us by his parents to use since they weren't using it.  It holds my teapot collection, including our Alice in Wonderland collection.  (Alice was one of the first books Zach and I bonded over when we met, and we had a Wonderland-themed wedding.)  The horse paintings were Zach's uncle's; he passed away before I met Zach.  :(  On top are some plants from my mom, a set of candleholders that were left in our first apartment, and the tiered serving dish that was a wedding gift from some ladies at Zach's parents' church.  Our kitties sleep on the ottoman to the right; we store coupons in the basket.

Oh, and our chandelier can be dimmed, so we have MOOD lighting!

 The barstools were a gift from my mama; I need to redo the cushions because they don't fit.  Do you see our vintage microwave?  This was Zach's Gigi's many moons ago that was passed to his parents and then to us because ours went out...and we would rather use an old one than buy a new one.  That is an Entergy sticker on the front; Zach's dad works for them, and I am guessing he took this to work at one time.  The cookbook holder on top actually came from one of my professors who teaches Women's Lit.  (Oh, the irony!)

Our counter is a little cluttered right now because I had to hand wash some dishes and we are eating our way through that tin of cookies and container of homemade 7-UP biscuits!  (We should put the chips away so I don't see them...and thus eat them!)  I love the brown ironwork Love-Hope-Dream plaques by the cabinet.

And yes, our bottle of brandy has a sweater on...

 our lovely stove, my KitchenAid mixer, LEGO timer and shakers, new toaster (Zach killed ours by trying to make a grilled cheese in it--don't believe everything on Pinterest), the fruit bowl made my his mom, and a lovely candle from my friend Emily

 our vintage fridge with invitations, "Thank You" notes, announcements, fun photos of family and friends, menus and coupons, and lots of LEGO and bottle cap magnets

 This is a peek into our laundry room.  I used that memo board when I lived at home and when I lived in college to hold photos of friends; now I use it to hold a few photos along with cards and invitations and recipe cards as well as a picture with my cooking idol, Linda Adams!  (She is Zach's dad's cousin and used to do cooking segments on local TV stations when I was growing up, and I always watched her, and my mama had her cookbooks.  She is an Arkansas gem and so sweet.  I couldn't BELIEVE it when I found out I was now related to her after we got married!  She sent me one of her cookbooks that is out of print as a wedding present.)

I am especially proud of the collage I am putting together above our trash and recycling cans.  I was frustrated by the thermostat because you couldn't hang anything above or below it without it being too high or low respectively or without the thermostat looking awkward in the middle.  I found the idea for the frame around it on Pinterest and did it back in the fall before I was getting really sick.  I did the yarn "P" right after I had my first surgery.  I found the black frame at Hobby Lobby on clearance; it had an "American's Heros" mat in it--it was military-themed--so I removed it and mounted this picture that I love of us from our first married Valentine's Day on scrapbook paper.  We finally added these two pieces this week.  I can't wait to finish it!

I hope you enjoyed a further peek into our home!  Sorry I am so long-winded and kudos to you if you made it this far.  :)  See you soon!