tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29943441844259788252024-03-13T19:48:16.854-04:00I'm just a girlMy 30's aren't so bad, I'm old enough to to have learned from my mistakes and young enough to remember themMJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-9196724630079705532011-12-31T19:32:00.003-05:002011-12-31T19:47:11.141-05:00NYC New York Color - Beauty on a budgetI love pretty things! Like most people these days, I also like to save money where I can. One place that I try to save money is in my make-up box. It's not practical for me to spend $25 on a lip gloss when I want to try a new shade. Instead, I like to find more affordable options because then I can afford to have more variety. <br /><br />That's where NYC (New York Color) Brand comes in handy. Found at your local drugstore or mass market retailer, their products are easy to locate and don't put a huge dent in your wallet. They carry all the fun trends in products with the colors you want at a price you can afford.<br /><br />I recently tried their Liquid Lipshine in "Nude York City" - It's a great color that seems like it would work with a variety of skin tones. Just like pricier department store brands, NYC Color Liquid Lipshine gives you pure pigment color and creates a 3D style effect for a gorgeous, glossy pout. I loved the way it felt when I put it on and the color stayed true, giving me a great glossy look.<br /><br />If your make-up box needs some new life, the NYC Color brand can help you get out of that rut. You can check out the <a href="http://www.newyorkcolor.com/products/lips/lipgloss/liquid-lipshine">Liquid Lipshine</a> as well as all their products at the <a href="http://www.newyorkcolor.com/">NYC Color website</a>. The gloss retails for about $2.49 at your local retailer. <br /><br />I received this complimentary product to test as part of Influenster.com's holiday VoxBox giveaway. You can join <a href="http://www.influenster.com/community">Influenster</a> too if you're interested in getting to try the latest products for free!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-5495749415984647862011-12-31T19:18:00.003-05:002011-12-31T19:31:14.397-05:00imPRESS Press-on ManicureRecently, I was sent an "<a href="http://www.impressmanicure.com/">imPRESS Press-On Manicure</a>" from Broadway Nails to try. This was part of my holiday "VoxBox" from Influenster. If you haven't checked out Influenster, I highly recommend signing up!<br /><br />So, onto my manicure... The nails come in a cute little nail polish shaped bottle. The manicure sets are available in a variety of solid colors and patterns. I received a black and white crackle effect set. What I loved about these nails was the fact that it was super easy to put them on. I was on my way to holiday party for work and running behind, I literally put them on in the car! (Thankfully I wasn't the one driving!) I liked that they were easy to apply and gave me a special look for that night. At the end of the night, they were just as easy to take off. I found this great too, since I was a little tipsy and struggle with nails and my contacts!!! <br /><br />They would have held up longer I'm certain, but for me, it was all about having that cool, trendy nail look for the night. imPRESS Press-On Manicure gave me just that!<br /><br />If you want to check these out, you can find them at your local mass market or drugstore, they retail for between $5.99 - $7.99 (solid versus pattern). You can visit the <a href="http://www.impressmanicure.com/">imPRESS</a> website to check out more about them.<br /><br />I received this product complimentary to test as part of the Influenster holiday VoxBox. You can sign up with <a href="http://www.influenster.com/community">Influenster.com</a> if you're interested in testing great new products too!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-76272391904772756342010-08-26T19:31:00.003-04:002010-08-26T19:35:20.076-04:00Furbabies<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/THb5tbfatqI/AAAAAAAAASA/sP3psfcOQ_Y/s1600/zzz.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/THb5tbfatqI/AAAAAAAAASA/sP3psfcOQ_Y/s320/zzz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509865753003341474" /></a><br />I am a mama. My babies simply have four legs and a little more hair than yours. Yes, I really love my babies as much as you love yours. I pick up scattered toys, I clean up puke, I potty train, I soothe away fears and I want to pull my hair out when they are underfoot sometimes. I pay for food and shelter, healthcare costs and the like, I reward their successes and scold them for their misdoings. In these ways, I am just like you.<br /><br />I teach my babies good manners, when we are in public they know they must behave. When they misbehave, I correct their behavior or remove them from the situation, I don’t simply ignore the disturbances they are creating for other people. My babies are not allowed to play unsupervised, creating havoc for those not responsible for them. In these ways, I may not be just like you.<br /><br />I will not pass judgment on the money you spend for violin lessons or soccer gear. I will expect the same courtesy for the money I spend on daycare or playgroups. You may find the clothes/accessories my babies have as laughable, but stop and consider that I might find the way you dress your children laughable too, I am just too polite to say so. It is not my place to question the depth of your love for your children. Until you know what it’s like to hold your little furry one in your arms as they draw their last breath, you cannot question mine.<br /><br />“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”—Francis of AssisiMJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-3662382704398639002010-06-14T13:48:00.003-04:002010-06-14T14:01:58.231-04:00Comfort<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/TBZsL2p1sQI/AAAAAAAAARw/OrnFRNYg-os/s1600/blog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 191px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482688547275518210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/TBZsL2p1sQI/AAAAAAAAARw/OrnFRNYg-os/s320/blog.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Awe... isn't she sweet? I mean just rotten... The downstairs of the townhome is often a tad bit chilly in order to keep the upstairs bearable, so since I my lil' furbabies have practically no fur (ironic?) there are always an abundance of blankets for them to snuggle under. This weekend, while straightening up the living room (which really should happen multiple times a day with a dog that will chew anything) I finally realized something. I started to fold up the assorted throws that were scattered about and fluff and straighten the throw pillows... then it occurred to me that it really was pointless. I mean, if I do this, one of the dogs will inevitably sit and nudge at the stack of blankets until they tumble over or will curl up somewhere looking cold and me or the roomie will spread the blankets back out. Yes when company stops by, I'll take 5 minutes to fold up the throws and arrange the pillows (and hopefully have enough of a heads up to vacuum!). However, in the meantime, I think it's better to just let things remain comfortable. It's not that I don't appreciate an asthetic looking living room, but I also want it to be a living room that you can... LIVE in. This is also why, when you stop by, you'll notice that there is a gigantic dog bed crammed into the small space between the couch and the entertainment center. I'm the first one to admit... it looks cluttered, and I've moved it to other spots... but you see... my furbabies apparently love to snuggle in the bed, crammed securely into that tight spot. When the bed gets pulled out from the corner, they manage to drag it back... I've taken the hint... they live here too, it makes them happy, I can deal with it. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-3147809115733827572010-05-13T09:26:00.002-04:002010-05-13T09:51:42.116-04:00It's not over after 30, It's just getting startedI've taken a significant blogging hiatus and I'm hoping that I can now get back to it. Over the past several months, I've found interesting things I want to blog about, just never seem to manage to take the time to sit down and start typing.<br /><br />I figured I'd start back up with an update on a goal that I shared awhile back. Back at the end of '08 (doesn't that sound like a long time ago) I shared that I had decided to go back to school. True to my word, in Jan of '09 I was back in school taking classes. In December of '09 I actually completed my Associate's Degree! It was odd, because from the minute I started back to school, I hadn't really given my Associate's Degree much thought. I was (and still am) focused on my Bachelor's degree. However when I received my Associate's Degree in the mail, I felt such a sense of accomplishment. I was greatful for that feeling because this past semester has been a struggle for me. Not academically, in terms of grades, I completed the spring semester with flying colors, but their were just a few snags at the beginning of the semester with my textbooks getting lost at the warehouse and stuff - not to mention that I had been going to school (after being out of school for just over 10 years!) for a year straight, including summer, with no breaks... so I was reaching a burn out.<br /><br />I finished out the spring semester and I am actually enjoying a summer off. I debated taking a summer course, but after struggling to keep some momentum during the spring and knowing that the fall semester was going to be a hard one, I decided that taking a couple months to catch my breath, relax and re-focus.<br /><br />Now I have my sights set on my Bachelor's degree. In the fall, I will be attending Northern Kentucky University (via online... I love that!) for either 3 or 4 semesters (I'm shooting for 3, but that may prove tricky) to finish out my Bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership. I'm also starting to contemplate what I want to complete my Master's Degree in. I've been tossing around a few different ideas, but I think I'll wait until I'm closer to finishing my BA to make a final decision.<br /><br />One thing that I've thought about alot as I've been back in school is how much I wish I hadn't taken time off the first time around. Once I stopped, it just seemed easy to not go back. It would be nice to already be finished. However, I don't think it was without some benefit. I've found that the work and life experience I've had over the last 10 years have given me much to draw from for my classes. Especially in the last semester, since my classes were oriented towards aspects of professional life. I don't think I would have gotten as much out of those classes the first time around. Of course, I wouldn't have been pursuing this degree the first time around. Perhaps that is why it has happened the way it did, because it's really hard at 18, with no real life experienc to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life!<br /><br />So, that's where I am... a little over halfway through my BA, taking the summer off to enjoy other things, like READING for pleasure (I'm hoping to share some reviews on some of the books I've been reading). Stay tuned for the next step in this journey.MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-57630693157581212522009-12-22T22:40:00.002-05:002009-12-22T22:51:29.817-05:00A year in books...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SzGTpZM-vOI/AAAAAAAAARk/b7QLh2w0i3Q/s1600-h/books.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418274166052666594" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SzGTpZM-vOI/AAAAAAAAARk/b7QLh2w0i3Q/s320/books.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Recently, my friend <a href="http://bobbisbooknook.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-favorites-of-2009.html">Bobbi blogged about her top picks for books she has read in ’09</a>. Now the first thing I thought as I read Bobbi’s blog was “Whoa! You’ve read 141 books this year?!?!” I think my count for the year tops out somewhere between 30 and 40 books. That being said, this year is probably the first year in MANY, MANY years that I have read with such intense frequency. Growing up, I loved to read. I would often read 2 or 3 books in a weekend (I’m a fast reader) for pleasure, not counting books I was required to read for school. </div><br /><div><br />Then somewhere along the way, my passion for reading seemed to fade. I’m not certain why, because I’ve always loved the mental escape that reading provides, but it always seemed like life got in the way. I would read when I traveled (still is my favorite way to kill time on a plane) or occasionally see a book that I just had to read, but probably averaged no more than 2 books a year! </div><br /><div><br />So what have I been reading this year? A completely random assortment of books on every imaginable subject. I’ve decided to steal Bobbi’s idea and share a list, though I’m putting my own little spin on it.<br /><br />My Top 5 books for 2009:<br />(5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Handmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood/dp/B001IC52I4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261539777&sr=8-2">The Handmaid’s Tale </a>(Margaret Atwood) – I was required to read this for a class I took fall semester. After reading the book, I easily would put this on the “Must Read” list for all women. The book is a fictional book that takes place in an alternate future in which women become something much worse than second class citizens. It really makes you think about some of the “innocent” fanatics and encourages readers to explore the notion that what may seem harmless today, could quite possibly become something far worse. </div><br /><div><br />(4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whale-Done-Power-Positive-Relationships/dp/074323538X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261539848&sr=1-1">Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships!</a> (Kenneth Blanchard) – I thought that this book would be useful to read, considering my major. Additionally, I was taking a communication class that focused on interpersonal communication, so maybe I was just in the mood for this kind of book. This is a fairly easy read, nothing technical. The average person could most likely read it in a single sitting. The focus of the book is about using positive reinforcement to foster better relationships, which is something many of us have heard of. The reason I like this book is because it is able to clarify in very simple terms how to accomplish this, how many of us aren’t accomplishing it (even when we think we are!) and what we’re doing instead. </div><br /><div><br />(3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lover-Eternal-Black-Dagger-Brotherhood/dp/0451218043/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261539923&sr=1-1">Lover Eternal</a> (J.R. Ward) – This is the second in a series of books called the Black Dagger Brotherhood. If you enjoy vampire books, you’ll want to check out this series. I will say, the first book in the series, I only thought of as “average” but I am glad that I have continued on in the series. I’ve currently finished 4 of the books, though this book remains my favorite. </div><br /><div><br />(2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Vampire-Mysteries-Market-Paperback/dp/B002EP7UDO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261539964&sr=1-2">Dead to the World </a>(Charlaine Harris) – For the minority of people out there who aren’t reading the Southern Vampire Series (it seems everywhere I turn, people are) this is the fourth book in that series. Why did this one make my list? Because after being teased in the first 3 books, for many readers, this book has some plot payoff! I must say, if you watch the series, True Blood, that is based on this series of books, I strongly encourage you to pick up the books, they are much better! </div><br /><div><br />(1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Gone-Sookie-Stackhouse-Book/dp/0441017150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261540027&sr=1-1">Dead and Gone </a>(Charlaine Harris) – Yes, I have picked two books from the same series for my top two books, but I really have enjoyed this series thus far. This is book 9 in the series, the last book until May of ’10. I know that some people didn’t enjoy it as much, but I really like this one. </div><br /><div><br />One book that I am a little sad to say didn’t make the list… <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Symbol-Dan-Brown/dp/0385504225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261540054&sr=1-1">The Lost Symbol</a>, by Dan Brown. I have loved, loved, LOVED Mr. Brown’s work over the last few years… And have been anticipating this book for awhile (it was at one point rumored to be released in ’07, so yes, I’ve waited AWHILE!). I even preordered the book, so I would have it the day it came out. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Unfortunately, it took me a few months to find the time to read it. While I didn’t completely despise the book, I didn’t love it either. Perhaps waiting so long made it hard for the book to live up to it’s hype, but I found this to be a just average read, though the subject is controversial.<br /></div><br /><div>Looking into 2010 I have stacks upon stacks of books that I’m trying to wade through… There are two books that I am eagerly anticipating. </div><br /><div><br />First up – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Family-Sookie-Stackhouse-Novel/dp/0441018645/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261540101&sr=1-1">Dead in the Family</a> (Charlaine Harris), the latest and greatest Southern Vampire Novel. I read the sneak peak of Chapter 1 on the author’s website earlier this week…. I cannot wait for this book to come out!!! </div><br /><div><br />And second – is more of a wish… a pleading even… to Stephenie Meyer to please go back and finish <a href="http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html">Midnight Sun</a>, or heck, rewrite the darned thing… I need more Edward! </div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-29303392058054358282009-11-03T15:15:00.002-05:002009-11-03T15:41:53.058-05:00Once a month cooking?<a href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com/">MoneySavingMom</a> & <a href="http://www.lifeasmom.com/">FishMama</a> are hosting a live once a month baking/cooking event that starts today. Once a month cooking... an interesting concept, but I am not quite sure I'm ready to jump in with both feet. There are only two people in my house (myself & the roomie) and our schedules vary, so we don't always eat at the same time, we eat out sometimes, and sometimes we just snack. However, I can say that the concept of having some meals on hand so that my kitchen can stay cleaner...well I can buy into that... so I'm dabbling with this notion of cooking/baking ahead... though I must say I cheated a tad, I roasted a turkey breast yesterday and have the deconstructed results already packaged and in my fridge, but I was really wanting some turkey and knew that would occupy my oven for much of the time, so I decided to get a jumpstart on it. So what else am I up to... well it's midday here and so far in addition to the turkey I roasted yesterday I have already made:<br /><br />Baked Pasta - No recipe here, I just pick a pasta, this time I chose a whole wheate penne, cook as directed, drain, stir in grated parm cheese, saute up any veggies you have on hand, add in pasta sauce ( I had some jarred variety) and mix it up. I go ahead and portion it out in 2 serving portions and freeze. Then, just pop out of the freezer and into the oven... I usually top it off with cheese when baking (you can also stir in some cheese when you're making it up) and it's pasta for dinner without having to wait for water to boil, etc...<br /><br />Stuffed Mushrooms - Again, no recipe, I'm really more of a method cooker. Start with stuffer mushrooms, remove stems and reserve... gently clean your mushrooms with a lightly dampened paper towel. Finely chop your mushrooms. In a skillet melt about a tablespoon of butter (or you can use an oil, I happened to have small piece of butter left over from some other recipes), as it melts, sprinkle in a tiny pince of red pepper flakes, lightly sautee a minced clove of garlic and a few tablespoons of chopped onions (I made veggie dogs last night, so I had some leftover onion... chop it once, store it in the fridge and add to dishes during the week!), stir in your mushrooms, and add some crumbled precooked meat (I actually used some Boca soy crumbles, work just as well, taste the same and you don't have to precook!). Season with whatever you have on hand, I used a bit of poultry seasoning, which is a fun little mix to cook with. Cook until onions are soft and then stir in some grated parm cheese. I then let the mixture cool... then just stuff about a tsp of the mixture into your reserved mushroom caps. Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer into another freezer safe storage option. You'll probably have some left over stuffing, just pop it into a freezer bag and toss in the freezer too, it's a great addition to pasta sauces! When ready to use, just pop them out and lightly spray or brush the caps with a little olive oil and bake at about 350 for about 15 minutes or until heated through. Oh, and sprinkle on some cheese!!<br /><br />Next up - I have some<a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Everyday-Bread-French-Bread-Abm-Bread-Machine-210212"> yummy homemade bread </a>that is rising and will be going into the oven shortly.<br /><br />And I just pulled some yummy <a href="http://tammysrecipes.com/french_breakfast_puffs">French Puff Muffins </a>out of the oven and am getting ready to top them now.<br /><br />I am also planning on whipping up some peanut butter fudge and then I'm probably going to call it a day for today... but that will definitely stock me up on some quick dinner options, breakfast options and a sweet treat... Also have to get some homework done and then I might regroup and see what I want to work with tomorrow!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-9053321035872151422009-10-20T13:36:00.002-04:002009-10-20T13:49:53.301-04:00Spicing it up affordably<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/St34MYCphmI/AAAAAAAAARc/7lEiD8HqmE8/s1600-h/spices.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394740820155401826" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/St34MYCphmI/AAAAAAAAARc/7lEiD8HqmE8/s320/spices.jpg" /></a><br /><div>My kitchen is full of spices, I don't know that I could even rattle off the assortment of spices and herbs that I have on hand. The great thing about having a variety of spices is the ability to change things up when you get bored with a particular dish. That being said, spices can be expensive. I don't mind spending a little money on quality spices however sometimes I run into a recipe that calls for a spice that I don't have on hand and don't frequently use. Obviously, depending on what it is, I can always substitute, but sometimes I like to give it a whirl. What I don't like to do however is spend $6-$10 on a spice that I may not use very often, especially if I'm unfamiliar with the spice. So what's a girl to do?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Check out your local health food store or the bulk food section of your local grocery store. Up until recently, when I needed a random spice that was a bit pricey, I headed to Whole Foods, but now, I can actually take advantage of the updated bulk food section at my local Kroger. There you will most likely find a bulk spice section. Now don't let the prices on the bins scare you... it's not oncommon to see prices like $17 or $29, this is however the price for a pound of the spice! You can simply get as much or as little as you like. Last week, I was trying a recipe that called for coriander, which I didn't have any of. Now a jar of coriander was around the $4 mark, but I wasn't sure that I would use it frequently enough to pick it up, and I was sticking with a budget... so instead, I just went over to the bulk section and dispensed out what I needed for my recipe - the cost was around 14 cents! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I really recommend this method if you're trying a new spice or if you are trying to stay within a weekly budget and don't have much wiggle room that particular week!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Be sure and check out Tammy's Recipes for more <a href="http://tammysrecipes.com/node/3576#comments">Kitchen Tip Tuesday Tips</a>!</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-31522342753175948422009-09-21T19:51:00.004-04:002009-09-21T20:33:30.126-04:00It was 1980 something...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SrgZ8upqp7I/AAAAAAAAARU/U0lzBv5BZUY/s1600-h/5609_124046912887_613672887_2358178_3899865_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384081885627066290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SrgZ8upqp7I/AAAAAAAAARU/U0lzBv5BZUY/s320/5609_124046912887_613672887_2358178_3899865_n.jpg" /></a><br /><div>It was 1980 something... the four little munchkins you see are 3 of my cousins and me. I'm the blonde one on the right, with the giant bear and the dirty white socks. We were thick as thieves. My cousin Rhonda, (second in from the left, the giant of the group) was like a big sister to me at that age. We lived across the street from each other from as early as I can remember. We shared toys, we shared secrets, we even shared clothes (I always got her hand me downs). One time, she even shared the chicken pox with me, though managed to avoid them herself... yeah, that was one she could have kept to herself. The little dark haired girl on the end, that is my cousin Shelly, and the tiny little boy next to me, her brother Kevin. They lived about an hour away, but visited quite often. I was born between them, Shelly being about a year older than me, and Kevin being almost a year younger. Sleepovers with Shelly meant late night gigglefests, with parents threatening to separate us if we didn't quiet down. And Kevin, being the only boy in the crew, was of course often teased mercilessly, but still a part of all the important playtimes. We all spent birthdays and holidays together. We played nice and we played not so nice, sometimes being cranky and taking it out on each other. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Through the modern marvels of Facebook, our family has been sharing lots of old photos, and we've had so much fun, laughing and teasing each other about old hairstyles and fashion sense as well as that lack of self conciousness that little kids seem to have when letting their parents take pictures of them doing silly things.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This picture really is a snapshot of a moment in time, back when we were young and idealistic. Back before life had reared it's head and exposed us to some of the less pleasant aspects. In that moment, our biggest concern was most likely if we would be able to get back out to play some more before our parents started hosing us down and getting us ready for bed. This was before three of us would learn the word divorce. Before one of us would welcome the birth of a second child while still reeling from the loss of a mother. Before one, at the tender age of eight would be able to establish the timeline of "before my dad died" and "after my dad died." These children aren't yet preparing to say goodbye to a grandma, the matriach that held their large family together. The innocence on their faces doesn't reveal that one will hear the word "cancer" not once, but twice as a young adult. That one will make some bad choices and go through some difficult teenage years. They will experience their share of loss, of illnesses (both their and loved ones), trials and tribulations, though it won't all be bad. They will also experience great joys, in marriages, and births; in graduations and promotions. In the time between then and now they will have felt both joy and sorrow, happiness and fear.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, if I could go blink my eyes, and go back to that moment. Would I step out of the shadows and warn these children of what lies ahead? Would I advise them of what to watch out for and who to hug one more time? No, I think that if I could transport myself back there, I would just want to stay there in the shadows and soak in the pure, unadultered bliss that is the naiveity of that moment. I sit here now, knowing that they each come through it all, a bit wiser, a bit stronger. Each event has shaped those little faces into the adults that we are today; and we are the better for them. So I look into each of those smiling faces and revel in the innocent happiness of their gaze, and I am reminded that we were blessed with that moment, when all was right in the world.</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-70705618461780137252009-08-19T13:06:00.004-04:002009-08-19T13:32:58.564-04:00Making Facebook Work For You - Part 2If this is your first time joining me on the joys of FB, you'll want to start <a href="http://itsnotoverafter30.blogspot.com/2009/08/making-facebook-work-for-you-part-1.html">here</a> in order to be completely in the loop.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So, now that you've mastered "Hiding..." Lets take a minute and talk about "Requests." What are "Requests" in FB? Well, they can be anything from a friend request, to a gift for your favorite farming application, to an invitation to play the newest farming game, to a virtual hug. FB has thousands of applications, enough to interest everyone, though most of us are usually only entertained with a handful of them, and sometimes lose interest in an application after a couple of uses. When I first started using FB, I would get so annoyed by the growing number of requests I received. They multipled like rabbits (and I couldn't sell their fur, because they weren't farming rabbits!) Sometimes I would get annoyed and just delete all of them. That only worked for awhile though, because, like dandelions, when you get rid of one, five more come back to taunt you. On top of that, some of the requests were useful. What's a girl to do?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Well, the answer really is simple, and it's very similiar to the "hiding" feature. When you click on your requests from your homepage (not the "See All" but rather a specific type that is listed) you're going to see something similiar to this:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 546px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371726005720557378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/Sow0V3Gzp0I/AAAAAAAAARM/oS8Jh2omPY0/s320/fb.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><br />I've blocked out names & pictures, to respect the privacy of my friends, but you should get the general idea of what the screen looks like.<br /><br />Generally, you'll see who the request is from, if it is from an application, you'll see the name of the application and then you'll see some blue buttons that give you options (options are nice!)<br /><br />The first option is generally an option to accept, which is what you'll click if you want to comply with the request. You will also have either one or two more buttons that give you the option of passing on the request. Generally you can click "No Thanks" or "Ignore" and get the same result, the request goes away. This is possibly what you typically do. It works, the request leaves... the problem is... if this is something you have no particular interest in... you've just created a dandelion... the request can come back, maybe from the same person, maybe not... but mark my words... it will be back...<br /><br />That's why I like to use the two link options below the buttons. The first one is my favorite. "Block This Application." You simply click it, and you will be blocking all future requests from that application. This is particularly handy for some quizzes and if you're not into hugs, flowers, etc.<br /><br />The second option, I rarely use. It's "Ignore all invites from this friend" Technically, if you have a friend who loves to invite you to everything under the sun, you can click this, and you won't get anymore invites from them, ever... the only problem, you may want to get something from them later. If you have a friends who is constantly bombarding you with new requests for different applications and you're tired of blocking them all, this would be an option... then again, you may just want to tell your friend to lay off the invites... Invites / Requests are kind of like the FB equivalent of an email forward. We should all be responsible and only forward ones we actually enjoy and choose the most appropriate audience for each one, unfortunately there's always one person out there who Spams us with everything... If you don't want the confrontation of telling them to knock it off, perhaps "Ignore all..." is your friend.<br /><br />That's all for now. Next time, I'll be focusing more on what you can do to limit what others see you doing (Big Brother's watching, lol)<br /><br />Be sure and check back for other posts on even more options to Make Facebook Work For You!<br /><br />Gotta go, my farm is calling, need to harvest my crops before the Mobsters take them all and I have to call my Sorority Sisters in for backup because then the Vampires might get testy, and then who will there be left to Farkle with?!?!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-11829044048950722202009-08-19T12:26:00.001-04:002009-08-19T13:05:53.024-04:00Making Facebook Work For You - Part 1Judging by my current friend count, I know that I'm not the only Facebook (FB for short) user out there. Actually according to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics">FB's press releases</a>, there are more than 250 million active users, 120+ million of those access their accounts daily. It seems like I am constantly finding old friends, coworkers, acquaintances, classmates, etc... Many of my family, from my mom, to aunts, uncles, cousins, etc... are now on FB and I communicate regularly with them through FB. According to <a href="http://www.istrategylabs.com/2009-facebook-demographics-and-statistics-report-276-growth-in-35-54-year-old-users/">Istrategylab.com</a>, in 2009 there was a 276% growth in FB users, age 35-54, and 55+ has increased by 194%, not to mention younger demographics which grow exponentially.<br /><br />Ok, so why am I boring you with statistics? Well I guess that's stemming from my recent back to school mode, I'm used to having to provide supporting details and references, lol... But seriously, the truth is, there are plenty of FB users out there. If you are using FB regularly (or even semi-regularly) you're bound to notice that your friend count creeps up... and with that increased friend count, comes more & more information thrown at you. I enjoy reading my friends updates, and often times I also enjoy seeing the results of their quizzes, etc... but sometimes, I think it can be overkill... I don't particularly enjoy going to my newsfeed and having to scroll down through 30 different quiz results to get to anything real or interesting. And as the number of friends I have has increased, along with the time that I can set aside to use FB decreasing, I have began to use options that make using FB work better for me.<br /><br />So that's what I've decided to share with you today. There are actually several things you can do to enhance your FB experience, and if I were to put them all in one blog... you might be finished reading it by next week, so I'm going to break it up over a few blogs, for your reading pleasure.<br /><br />The first focus... your view... literally, what you see from other people when you log into FB. The quickest and simplest option for eliminating clutter in your Newsfeed (the main part of your homepage, that streams your friends updates) is to use the "Hide" feature. Let's say for example that one of your friends is a "Farming" fanatic, however you aren't interested in farming, or in seeing updates from your friend (or friends...there are lots of us farmers!) about their farm. All you need to do is, the next time you see a post from your friend that is one of the "Farm" posts, hover your mouse in the upper right hand corner of that post (Just below the separator line). When you do this, the word "Hide" will appear. When you click on the word "Hide" you should be given a couple of options, either to hide your friend entirely (this means you won't see anything from that friend in your newsfeed, and I don't recommend this option for someone you regularly talk to) or the option of "hiding" that particular application. Once you click to hide the application, it will take away ALL posts from ALL friends pertaining to that application... and presto... no more farming nonsense for you! This is also a handy feature when your friends start a quiz that you have no interest in... you know, one of those quizzes that everyone takes, you can simply "hide" the quiz. I use this all the time for random applications, like "drinks, hugs, kisses, etc" It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but honestly, FB has thousands and thousands of applications, and various friends have their favorites... if I didn't hide some, I'd drown in drinks, hugs and flowers!<br /><br />Be sure and check back for other posts on even more options to Make Facebook Work For You!<br /><br />Gotta go, my farm is calling, need to harvest my crops before the Mobsters take them all and I have to call my Sorority Sisters in for backup because then the Vampires might get testy, and then who will there be left to Farkle with?!?!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-60943941539707289062009-08-07T02:27:00.002-04:002009-08-07T02:59:12.075-04:00Getting the most out of college text booksHigher education can have a lofty price tag these days. Not just the usual suspects like tuition or room & board. When I went back to school last spring, I spent alot of money on books. In fact my book expenses were almost 40% of the amount that I paid in tuition! Imagine that, paying tuition, then spending somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of that on book... Why I haven't went into the college text book business is a mystery to me.<br /><br />Depending on the class a text book might cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 - $150... sometimes less, sometimes more... You can save a few dollars by buying the used books at the bookstore, IF you beat the rush, used books are limited quantities...<br /><br />Of course college bookstores will also buy your books back at the end of the semester, however you might be sad to find out that a book that you spent $100 on will be purchased back for around $20... I've been in the bookstore picking up books and saw a student turn in a stack of books and only get back about $40... And of course, used books, while less than new, still go for a pretty penny. If a book is $100 new, you can probably get a used copy at the bookstore for $80... that's quite a profit for the bookstore... you'd definitely get more dollars if you could cut out that middle man... but how do you do that? Well, you could try standing outside the bookstore and asking each student what they were looking to buy, but chances are that isn't the best use of your time... Which brings me to...<br /><br />The wonderous invention we call the internet. Everyone knows you can buy practically anything online. Most of us are familiar with EBay or similiar sites that allow us to buy & sell at better prices than we might otherwise find. What you may not know is that EBay has a branch of their company called Half.com. So what is Half.com? It is similiar to EBay, but instead of bidding, you just list your price for books, cd's, games, and gaming systems. If you're familiar with the "Buy it Now" feature of EBay, that would be an easy comparison, all of the listings are simply at a "Buy it Now" price.<br /><br />The great thing about Half.com is that you don't have to pay a listing fee (as you do on EBay). Half.com collects a small commission on all final sales, so if an item doesn't sell, you're not out any money. The trade-off is that unlike EBay, where the buyer pays you directly (through paypal, checks, etc) they submit payment directly to Half.com. The website pays you (via paypal) 2 times a month, so you won't get your payment right away.<br /><br />So why am I talking about Half.com? Well they happen to be a big draw for college text books. People all over the country list their books online & sell to other people all over the country. I recommend if you are purchasing books to check out their website and compare the pricing to that of the local campus bookstore. Depending on the book, it might or might not give you some significant savings. And once the semester is over, a few weeks before classes resume, you can list your textbooks on the website for sale.<br /><br />Just this week, I listed 5 textbooks of mine & my roomies on Half.com and in 3 days, I had sold all the books. The combined profit? About $350 - if we would have returned these books to the school bookstore, we probably would have recieved about $60.<br /><br />Now I know that many of my readers may not be in school themselves, but many of you probably know people going to school, or kids getting ready to start college, etc - So pass this helpful information along to them. College is expensive enough, it's great when you can actually save a few dollars!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-37808138909990166712009-08-05T12:19:00.002-04:002009-08-05T12:31:11.137-04:00Slowly but surelySo week 2 came & went, I weighed in this past Sunday... after having dropped 10 lbs the first week, I was expecting some resistance... While I didn't make double digits again, I did lose a respectable 3 lbs... So I'm at 13 lbs lost for the month.<br /><br />This "monitoring your sodium" diet is tricky, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. It seems easy at first, you just cut back on salt... then you start reading labels...and well... you realize just how tricky that can be. Nutritionists recommend that a person should eat no more than 2,400 mg of sodium per day. That is roughly the equivalent of 1 tsp of salt... And you may be thinking, I don't eat a tsp of salt a day... but you might be surprised to find that many people consume more than that, alot more than that...<br /><br />Since starting this plan, I've targeted the "2400" rule... and when I go grocery shopping I'm amazed... Pasta sauce - 400 to 700 mg of sodium per serving, my favorite french bread pizza... a whopping 1100mg of sodium... even juice isn't safe... a serving of juice can have upwards of 90mg of sodium per serving... Does that mean you shouldn't drink it? Well, no... just that you may want to look for the best options out there, practice moderation, and take a realistic look at what you're consuming. I think that's important with anybody, whether or not you're trying to cutback on anything...<br /><br />Even water that's not filtered to remove it has sodium in it... not that sodium is bad, your body does need about 500mg a day... it's just fascinating... Right now I'm starting the search for sodium free/reduced baking soda/powder (Baking Soda has a ridiculous amount of sodium in it!) But the stores around here don't seem to carry it, so I guess I'm going to order it online.<br /><br />Ok, rant about sodium is over.... it just happens to be a forethought for me these days. I will be posting a couple more blogs this week, I've got a yummy recipe to share (that's low sodium, hehehe) and I'll discuss how to save & make money with college text books!MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-65776838917740970902009-07-27T15:01:00.002-04:002009-07-27T15:21:59.692-04:00Off to a good start<div>In keeping with the concept that "It's not over after 30" I've embarked on a sort of "upgrade" for myself. Nothing drastic like botox (luckily I'm not in need of that yet) or plastic surgery. More of a do-it-yourself project, on myself.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The first thing I've tackled... Vitamins... I admit, I'm horrible about remembering to take them, but I'm working on it. I've also started back up on my iron supplements (I tend to be anemic) in an effor to bring myself some more energy.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've also modified my diet. Again, nothing radical like "No-Carb", "Low-Carb", or "Cardboard Only" I'm just focusing on moderation and cutting out processed food where I can. The biggest change being sodium content. I'm trying to stick with the recommended Sodium allowance. I've never really had problems with my blood pressure, and I've never been one who was heavy handed with the salt shaker, but when I started looking at sodium content of items, I was shocked at how much sodium I was seeing. I've not outlawed anything completely, just keeping in mind the best ways to serve them. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've actually came up with some great recipes that are healthy, low cal, and low sodium... oh and most importantly... TASTY... that I'll start sharing periodically on here. For those of you who see me chattering on about something on FB, just ask if I mention a recipe that I haven't shared and I'll be happy to pass it along.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The one item I have pretty much eliminated from my diet... Soda... It's really more of breaking a habit... But it's a great way to cut out carbonation (which excess can make you feel bloated) cut out sodium, caffeine, sugar (or sugar substitutes...which still make you crave sweets). I went an entire week without drinking any. I really wanted the "cola" taste, and had been trying to find a 20 oz Diet RC or Diet Rite (since they have no sodium, blah, blah, blah) but hadn't had any luck, so I did go yesterday and pick up a 6 pack of bottles at the grocery store... However, I only had one yesterday (and split that w/ the roomie) It was tasty, and I think it satisfied the craving... so I'm going to see if I can stretch those and only drink one per week. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I also need to get my Wii hooked back up (I took it to a friends awhile back, and haven't gotten around to setting it back up) so that I can hook up my Wii Fit and see how that works now that the monster lives here... Should prove to be interesting...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, each week, I am weighing myself. And when I weighed in this week... I discovered that I had lost 10lbs! Now, I'm not crazy enough to believe that I'll lose that much every week... I know that because I cut my sodium down to a more sensible amount, I've definitely shed some water weight, so we'll see what this week holds for me.</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363222094735656898" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/Sm3-FGA-x8I/AAAAAAAAARE/I__ip1U0BkM/s320/stockphotopro_05222032WCE_no_title.jpg" /><br /><div>That's all for now!</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-43924722389030291242009-06-29T19:40:00.003-04:002009-06-30T13:50:30.592-04:00A great weekend<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SkpQSpDjMvI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/h_KtxF9S5hI/s1600-h/133.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353179388271866610" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SkpQSpDjMvI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/h_KtxF9S5hI/s320/133.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Well, I really have been MIA on the blogosphere lately huh? It's been a pretty crazy several weeks. After I wrapped up spring classes, I thought I'd have a bit more time, unfortunately that wasn't the case. Life happens. My summer class was VERY involved, my mom had a health scare, and life just seemed chaotic... I am glad to say I came through the other side unscathed (AND my Mom did too!!!!)</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So, while I've had tons of ideas for blogging topics, I just haven't been able to manage to park myself down and start writing. Hopefully, I've turned the tide on that... I'm slowly trying to work my way back into the blogosphere...</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>My first blog back... is about my fabulous weekend trip to the 'Nati (Cincinnati) to see NKOTB (New Kids On the Block).</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So, a few months ago, my best friend, being the great and wonderful person that he is, suprised me with an early birthday present of tickets to NKOTB... I cannot tell you how thrilled I was! I was a HUGE fan of NKOTB as a tween... you have know idea... I mean, my mom was pregant during this phase, and when I found it was supposed to be a boy, I begged my mom to name him Jordan Nathaniel Marcel (Jordan Knight's full name). I didn't manage to get the whole name to stick, but mom liked Nathaniel... </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, the concert was this past weekend. We decided to drive up a little early and stop and grab dinner first, at La Rosa's, yummy!!! Of course the fun part was getting from La Rosa's to the concert... See we had GPS'd ourselves to the restaurant. The plan was to then GPS from the restaurant to the concert. HA! When we got back into the car, even though the GPS had just sent us to this place, it now couldn't locate us. We thought maybe if we drove a little further back up our route, away from the trees, we'd have better luck... we were wrong... It was almost comical, we drove around Newport, and crossed over into Ohio before GPS found us. Luckily, we had managed to figure out on our own the direction to head, and we were headed the right way. Which is really a good thing, because GPS lost our signal again along the way.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We finally made it to Riverbend and parked. Then we completed what seemed like a 2 mile trek to get to the actual gates. Once we got inside the gates, we decided to go ahead and check out the concert merchandise and get something to drink before we headed to the seats. It was still rather humid out and pretty sunny... so in standing in line for both, the sun was beating down... and everyone standing around, including ourselves were sweating horribly. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The concert itself was great. The Jabbawokeez were the first opening act, they were suprisingly entertaining. Jesse McCartney was the second act. Then my boys were on. It was a great show, with alot of their old stuff mixed in with some new stuff. I got some great pics and had a blast. Of course by the time we drove home, I was more than ready to hop in a shower and get rid of the funk! </div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-29234149644404506142009-06-10T15:28:00.002-04:002009-06-10T16:03:35.752-04:00Crazy 8'sNatalie over at <a href="http://kyrepomanager.blogspot.com/">A Little of This, A Little of That</a> tagged me for this meme.<br /><br />THE RULES: Mention who tagged you. (check!)<br /><br />Complete the list of 8’s.<br /><br />Tag 8 other people.<br /><br />8 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:<br />(1) Public Speaking Class being over<br />(2) Vegas in October<br />(3) NKOTB concert in a few weeks<br />(4) Did I mention Public Speaking Class being over soon?<br />(5) Transferring to NKU in the Spring<br />(6) Kevin getting home to assist in monster watch<br />(7) Retirement (I've still got awhile)<br />(8) Oh yeah, Public Speaking Class ending... (lol)<br /><br />8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:<br />(1) Bought a very expensive pair of black pants<br />(2) Bought a very awesome pair of black pants<br />(3) Contemplated whether the awesomeness outweighed the price of the black pants<br />(4) Took a bath while the monster spied on me<br />(5) Went to my FAVORITE class<br />(6) Gave a speech in my FAVORITE class<br />(7) Decided to grab dinner from a restaurant, because it was late and I was tired<br />(8) Ended the day with a good book and a hot bath<br /><br />8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO:<br />(1) Not go back to work until I finish school<br />(2) Find a job that paid me to stay home and go to school<br />(3) Retire at 31<br />(4) Figure out how to trap the house elves here to keep my place clean<br />(5) Catch up on sleep<br />(6) Remember to take my vitamins<br />(7) Eat Spaghetti<br />(8) Invent something that would make me millions of dollars<br /><br />8 SHOWS I WATCH: ( I am going with what's on right now, everything it seems is in reruns)<br />(1) RW/RR Challenges (guilty pleasure)<br />(2) I'm a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here (Junkfood for the brain)<br />(3) The Goode Family<br />(4) Little House on the Prairie (yes, I've seen them before, I still watch 'em... I actually RECORD them to watch!)<br />(5) Jon & Kate, plus 8 (yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah... those little kidlets are cute... leave me alone!)<br />(6) Rachael Ray Show<br />(7) Raising the Bar<br />(8) In Plain Sight<br /><br />8 FAVORITE FOODS:<br />(1) Pizza<br />(2) Peanut Butter<br />(3) Ice Cream<br />(4) Croutons<br />(5) Turkey<br />(6) Chicken Fingers (though I've never seen one on a chicken)<br />(7) Bread<br />(8) French Fries<br /><br />8 PLACES I’D LIKE TO TRAVEL:<br />(1) NYC at Christmas<br />(2) England<br />(3) Tuscany<br />(4) Lithuania<br />(5) Alaska (via a cruise)<br />(6) Australia<br />(7) Ireland<br />(8) France<br /><br />8 PEOPLE I’VE TAGGED:<br />Ok, so several people I would have tagged have already been tagged, so I'm only tagging a couple, however anyone who wants to... feel free to join in!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.owlhaven.net/">Mary</a> at Owlhaven<br /><a href="http://newlyweds.wordpress.com/">My favorite Newlywed</a>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-13554088479615856522009-06-02T09:26:00.003-04:002009-06-02T09:52:32.175-04:00Secret to great cupcakes & cakes<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SiUubqqb1VI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/f1ZUx2mvU_w/s1600-h/001.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342727585788581202" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SiUubqqb1VI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/f1ZUx2mvU_w/s400/001.JPG" /></a> <div><div>Good Morning folks! It's Tuesday... and one heck of a Tuesday it's been already! You know it's going to be a great day when you have an icepack on your arm before 9 am!</div><div></div><br /><div>However, I'm pushing through. I've been absent from the blogworld, because lots of school stuff going on in a small amount of time (that's what happens when you cram a semester class into a 6 week summer session)</div><br /><div></div><div>It's time for <a href="http://tammysrecipes.com/node/3407">Kitchen Tip Tuesdays</a> over at <a href="http://www,tammysrecipes.com/">Tammy's Recipes</a>. I thought of this tip last week when I was baking up some Vanilla Zucchini cupcakes. It's a tip that I use most every time I bake any kind of cupcake or cake. I discovered it by accident. Once, while baking a set of cupcakes, I didn't have enough batter to fill all of the wells. I poured some water into the empty ones to prevent the pan from warping. I noticed that when I was finished baking, those cupcakes seemed moister. So I experimented... now when baking any cakes, I put another pan on the rack below, partially filled with water. The water in the pan creates some steam & moisture which helps offset the drying effect of the oven. Every time I use this method, I get a much moister cupcake, that stays fresh much longer!<br /></div><div>Hope you find this helpful, and don't forget to head over to Tammy's site to check out more tips!</div></div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-26729539921545005362009-05-21T00:21:00.002-04:002009-05-21T00:25:56.839-04:00Murphy's law at it's bestToday was one of those meltdown days:<br /><br />Overslept<br />Went to the grocery store & was ready to check out... no $$$<br />Lost car in grocery store parking lot... TWICE<br />Almost got hit by Graeter's Ice Cream Van<br />Bread that was purchased somehow opened, dumping into carseat<br />Dog broke tooth (her's, not mine)MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-62487797718774524202009-05-21T00:05:00.002-04:002009-05-21T00:18:05.879-04:00Purple & Orange Cauliflower, Oh My!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShTV7bVzDpI/AAAAAAAAAQk/EW8pdW_IUz8/s1600-h/purplecauliflower.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338126675269062290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShTV7bVzDpI/AAAAAAAAAQk/EW8pdW_IUz8/s320/purplecauliflower.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I stopped in at Kroger today & they have a great little sale. You can buy a head of Purple or Orange Cauliflower for just .99 each! White cauliflower is still about 2.50, and these were normally almost $4, so I grabbed a couple (plus they are just so darned cute!)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Once you bring the cauliflower home, you might be looking for a good recipe. Here's a good one to try. I wish I had a pic of it, but it was gone before I blinked! Maybe next time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>One head of cauliflower - chopped into bite size pieces.</div><br /><div>Olive Oil - about a 1/4 cup</div><br /><div>Salt & Pepper (I never measure these when I'm just cooking, I just sprinkle)</div><br /><div>Garlic Cloves - Anywhere from 10-20 (sounds like alot, but it's worth it)</div><br /><div>Italian Seasoning - about a teaspoon</div><br /><div>Red Pepper Flakes - just a pinch</div><br /><div>Shredded Parmesean Cheese</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Place your cauliflower in a casserole dish. Peel & slightly crack your garlic cloves, throw them in whole. Drizzle the veggies w/ your olive oil. Season w/ salt, pepper, Italian seasoning & red pepper flakes. Toss to coat evenly. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven. After 15 minutes, stir the veggies & sprinkle with the shredded parmesean cheese. Bake another 10 minutes. Check to see if the veggies are tender. You may need another 5 minutes or so (stir again if you do)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Remove & Serve immediately.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I really believe that in most cooking, (not baking which requires some degree of measurement) it should be about just getting in there and having fun. Feel free to swap out some ingredients if you want. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I suggest:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Can swap broccoli for cauliflower (or use both!)</div><br /><div>Don't swap the garlic - It gets really tender & sweet, and is great smushed into the cauliflower as you eat (or on a hunk of bread)</div><br /><div>Use whatever seasonings you want, experiment!</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-46910268844258665252009-05-20T00:18:00.004-04:002009-05-20T00:54:17.201-04:00A real sinker<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShOMpae1WLI/AAAAAAAAAQc/LrqFfxOeLNA/s1600-h/12097883008VO998.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337764626475342002" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShOMpae1WLI/AAAAAAAAAQc/LrqFfxOeLNA/s320/12097883008VO998.jpg" /></a><br /><div>More & more often, our cell phones go lots of places with us. And it is inevitable, that at some point, many people find their cell phone taking a swan dive into the nearest body of water... When this happens, you might think it's money & contact info down the drain... but this may not be the case.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A few years ago, I worked briefly as a customer service rep for a cellular company, as well as spent a couple years in other capacities for the company. The knowledge I gained there has been pretty helpful, I'm an expert at troubleshooting my own phone. One great tip that I picked up while there was how to handle a wet cell phone. I've shared it with a few people, most recently with one today, and decided it might make a good blog post, in an attempt to get the info out to lots of people faster. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, if you find yourself in a situation where your phone is in the water, the first step is pretty simple:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>GET IT OUT! The longer the phone is in the water, the less likely you might be to restore it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The next step is very critical... DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, attempt to turn the phone back on to see if it still works! The truth is, often times a phone can survive being dropped in water, as in most occasions, the phone powers itself off when it hits the water. When you try to turn the phone on, because there is water inside the phone, you then short the phone out, frying it, so to speak... Water + Electricity = BAD</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, quickly remove the back of the phone and get the battery out. This is really important if your phone by chance didn't power off, because you need to temporarily "kill" the phone. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Grab a towel, and dry your phone. Dry all the visible places... inside where your battery case is, around the hinges, open the little covers that hide the charger openings (you can use a Q-tip to try to soak up some moisture there) If your phone flips or slides or anything, open that too. The key is to expose as much as possible of your phone to air.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Next place your phone on a clean dry towel.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now walk away, that's right... just leave it... you've done all you can do, and now you must leave your phone to the elements... Depending on how long your phone was in the water (say I dropped it into the sink and immediately grabbed it back out, versus I went into the pool and forgot I had it on me) You'll want to let your phone dry out for anywhere from 24 - 48 hours. If you have a small fan, it wouldn't hurt to set it near the phone to provide some air circulation.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>After 24-48 hours, come back and reassemble your phone. Attempt to power it on. If the cellular gods are smiling on you, your phone should power back on. If it doesn't at first, you may want to try plugging it in and charging it, some batteries lose their charge quickly when wet.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've had personal experience, and my phone came through just fine. I've also heard some really weird stories of things people have suggested that ended disasterously, such as:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Freezing your phone: BAD IDEA... water expands when it's frozen... you could really do more harm than good, plus you're going to be allowing more moisture into the phone.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Baking your phone: You would have to be VERY careful and I would NOT recommend baking the battery. Even without the battery, the LCD screen can be very tempermental when exposed to heat.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Of course the best plan is prevention... but we know that it's not always possible.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>*On a side note, I imagine you could use the same process for other small handheld electronics, like Ipods, etc... but I've never had personal experience with 'em</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-91128248302655728302009-05-19T01:24:00.003-04:002009-05-19T01:36:07.154-04:00Staleness be gone - Kitchen Tip Tuesday<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShJFPcU5B-I/AAAAAAAAAQU/rvw8cJj-ses/s1600-h/kitchentiptuesdaysasourceofjoy1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337404639991629794" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShJFPcU5B-I/AAAAAAAAAQU/rvw8cJj-ses/s320/kitchentiptuesdaysasourceofjoy1.jpg" /></a><br /><div>It's <a href="http://tammysrecipes.com/node/3376">Kitchen Tip Tuesday</a> over at <a href="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/">Tammy's Recipes</a>. Be sure and check out her site for a variety of tips! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Ever reach into a sleeve of crackers only to realize they're stale? or perhaps a bag of chips that someone left the clip off of? Maybe in your morning fog you didn't close up your Cheerios... While I'm a huge proponent of repackaging items, using clips, etc to keep out the air... inevitably something is going to get stale. And nowadays, everyone is looking for ways to make their money go further...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So the next time you find yourself with some stale chips, crackers, or cereal... try one of these two ideas:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>#1 - Microwave - Use the microwave, on high, at about 30 second intervals until the item is thoroughly heated (it will vary depending on your microwave & the amount of food you're working with). Just spread the stale chips, etc out on a paper towel & microwave. Afterwards let the food cool down, and you'll find they've crisped back up.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>#2 - Toaster Oven/Oven - Spread out the stale cereal, etc on a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes in a 300 degree oven until nice and toasty. Once cooled, you'll find they taste fresh again.</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-34433780339972026412009-05-17T12:16:00.002-04:002009-05-17T12:37:39.697-04:00Breakfast Pizza<div>Like most of my recipes, this is more of a method, you can embellish as you see fit to suit your tastes.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Ingredients:</div><br /><div>1 small/med onion</div><br /><div>2 T butter</div><br /><div>Salt & Pepper</div><br /><div>Small can of refridgerated biscuit dough (6 biscuits)</div><br /><div>2-4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese</div><br /><div>1/4 lb breakfast sausage</div><br /><div>3 eggs</div><br /><div>1/2 cup milk</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Start by cutting onion in half, and then slice fairly thin. Place onions in pan with butter. Season with salt & pepper. Start on Med/High for about a minute, then reduce down to Med/Low and continue to cook until the onions become soft and caramelized to your liking (depends on how much time I have) stirring periodically to prevent burning.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Brown & crumble the breakfast sausage (you could do this with the onions if you like, but if you want to cut down on excess grease, cook separately) then drain. This is where I took a short cut. I used precooked fake sausage crumbles because my roomie doesn't eat meat.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Roll out each biscuit individually until about 1/8 inch thin. It's easiest if it's done between two layers of waxed paper. Overlap the biscuits in an 8" or 9" pan/pie plate. I used a can of 6 biscuits, but these were fairly small biscuits, if your biscuits are bigger, you could probably get away with 4.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When the onions are done, spoon them onto the biscuits. Add the sausage as well. Sprinkle with cheese (you can use any kind of cheese, and more or less to your liking)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Whisk together the eggs & milk. Pour this mixture over the topped biscuits. Bake in a preheated oven (375) for about 20-25 minutes (until center is set). Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serve.</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336832617469855314" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/ShA8_WYCRlI/AAAAAAAAAQM/QaKKdPSrVhk/s320/003.JPG" />I forgot to take a picture until part of it had been served :)<br /><div></div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-52630734171330640832009-05-12T23:17:00.005-04:002009-05-13T12:06:31.689-04:00Baked Asparagus<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SgpAlg8ugoI/AAAAAAAAAQE/-a3clc2X-7E/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335147721817752194" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SgpAlg8ugoI/AAAAAAAAAQE/-a3clc2X-7E/s320/004.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Over at <a href="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/">Tammy's Recipes</a>, it's time for <a href="http://tammysrecipes.com/node/3367">In Season Recipe Swap</a>. I really like the idea of this recipe exchange, because it's all about using what's in abundance. This week's theme: Asparagus.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've tried a few asparagus recipes. One of the new favorites in my house is one from Tammy's site, <a href="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/creamed_asparagus_over_pasta">Creamed Asparagus Over Pasta</a>. I only make 2 small changes to the recipe. (1) I go ahead and combine everything (the sauce, pasta & alfredo) in a casserole dish & bake it for a few minutes. (2) I add a pinch of nutmeg to the cream sauce. I like to add nutmeg to most cream sauces.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hands down the favorite asparagus recipe in my house, and actually it's the easiest... is Baked Asparagus. It's more of a method than a recipe.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Start with the asparagus. You can use as few or as many stalks as will serve your family.</div><br /><div>Snap or trim off the tough ends. </div><br /><div>Lay the asparagus in a single layer in a baking pan.</div><br /><div>Drizzle the asparagus with your favorite olive oil. (<a href="http://www.olivabella.com/">This is my favorite brand</a>) </div><br /><div>Toss the asparagus in the oil, so to coat them </div><br /><div>Sprinkle with salt & pepper</div><br /><div>I also sprinkle with shredded parmesean cheese sometimes</div><br /><div>Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes</div><br /><div>Serve warm</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I like this recipe because it's so easy, I don't dirty any dishes except for my pan and it's done in less than 20 minutes without having to fuss over them, giving me time for whatever else I need to prepare. None of the ingredients are exact, just to your liking. I would guess it's about a tablespoon of olive oil, for an average bunch of asparagus. I just turn the bottle up and make one pass over the asparagus. I use a couple small pinches of salt & just a couple quick shakes of pepper. As for the cheese, I use it when I think to, but it's just as tasty without. You could substitute any hard cheese.</div><div></div><div>Make sure you go check out everyone else's recipes. I have a fridge drawer full of asparagus, so I'm excited to see some new recipe ideas.</div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-26907731191745834862009-05-08T15:56:00.004-04:002009-05-08T16:08:51.269-04:00Viva Las Vegas<div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333547151507796034" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SgSQ4D5rMEI/AAAAAAAAAP0/IgPbWwOJA38/s320/LasVegasSign.jpg" /><br /><br /><div>It gives me GREAT pleasure to say that I'm heading back to Vegas this fall!!! The first weekend of October to be more specific. This is a rather recent development, it was only decided YESTERDAY. My roomie & I visited Vegas in December of '07 for an awesome concert (Spice Girls) and yet another concert is bringing us back there this year. </div><br /><br /><div>Still looking at vacation packages, we just purchased our concert tickets yesterday. So who are we off to see? Kylie Minogue! This is her first U.S. tour... Ever... My roomie is a huge fan, and I like her music myself. She finally announced a small tour (only 7 shows at this time) for North America. We actually barely got the tickets, they had a presale yesterday that started at 1PM, and both my roomie & I were online, and had to keep refreshing for about 5 minutes before someone's tickets must have gotten released, and we managed to score a pair!</div><br /><br /><div>If you have any bargains you've heard about in Vegas, be sure and let me know. Last time we were there, we managed to score a few, but always up for suggestions.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 316px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333547245481638306" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SgSQ9h-yOaI/AAAAAAAAAP8/RAUAmp0idPs/s320/1760790-2.jpg" /><br /><div></div></div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2994344184425978825.post-66110155185815352272009-05-01T01:09:00.002-04:002009-05-01T01:29:44.817-04:00Schoolin' and Such<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SfqIl5jXuxI/AAAAAAAAAPs/_busVrnV8Ik/s1600-h/2JGAJ019.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330723293632117522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GxAujmY-IZ8/SfqIl5jXuxI/AAAAAAAAAPs/_busVrnV8Ik/s320/2JGAJ019.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well, back in January, <a href="http://itsnotoverafter30.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-my-way-back-into-my-blog.html">I blogged that I had started my classes</a>. I am happy to report that I am now going into my finals for each class. WooHoo! This semester has actually went by rather quick. I have just one final assigment/exam for each of my classes. And then...no break for me, beginning the week of May 10th, I will be starting summer school! Summer school will be 1 part catch up and one part get ahead.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I previously blogged that I was taking 3 classes & a lab (which is basically a 4th class) this semester. Unfortunately, I decided to withdraw from one of my classes. I was taking Comparative Religion and while the class itself had so much potential, and in the time that I was taking it, I discovered so many interesting tidbits, in the end, the class lacked the instructor input that I felt was needed in order to be successful. Each week we simply read a chapter and then posted our thoughts on a discussion board. We were graded on our posts, but our professor was very unclear about how he would grade the posts. We would only get one grade for all the posting for the entire semester and he provided practically no feedback on our comments. Additionally the few assignments were very vague. My biggest fear after being in the class for a month and a half was that when finals rolled around, I would have a final on unknown material. There just didn't seem to be a good compass for the class. So I withdrew, while I could still do so without it impacting my GPA. I will be replacing this class with a Women's Studies class in the fall.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My biology lab actually turned out to be very fun! Because the class was online, we had to purchase lab kits. We got to perform experiments at home! Some of it was challenging, because this was a new kit that they had not used previously, so adjustments in instruction had to be made, but I liked the class overall. And I now know how to extract DNA with everyday household ingredients!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Unless something goes terribly wrong, I should have an A in all 3 of the classes from this spring!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, as for my summer classes. When I decided to drop my religion class, I knew that I needed to take at least one class during the summer to keep my fall schedule manageable. The first class I will be taking is public speaking. I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE THIS CLASS. Why? Well, the first reason being that while it is sometimes offered online, and I was holding out to see if it would be in the fall... they didn't... so I actually have to go to school (which means if I start working before the class ends, scheduling) and second, because I don't think I'll get the same benefit from the class. It's a requirement for the program I'm transferring into, and while I completely get why it's important for students... Having worked in professional settings, in management capacities, public speaking is something I've grown quite used to... but at least I was able to pick it up as an evening class for the summer... Just 3 evenings a week, for about 6 weeks... and my roomie also needs the class for his degree... so we're taking it together!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm also electing to take an additional economics class this summer. It's being offered by the same professor I have this semester. Since I'm familiar with his teaching style, I feel comfortable taking the class in an accelerated format (AND IT'S ONLINE). It will be picking up right around the time that my first summer class ends. This also means that I will only have to carry 7 hours (3 classes) in the fall to meet all my requirements for my transfer!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16294332728839376837noreply@blogger.com1