A Welcome Sign of Spring

I was reminded last night that spring training for the Detroit Tigers starts February 15.  This is their year, man.   I can feel it.  I guess I'll be starting my own little mini countdown in my head for this date. 

Knitting Frenzy

 Winter is a really good time to curl up on the couch and knit.  So here's what I've been working on this weekend.

Its a simple 1 X 1 knit, purl ribbing using 2 skeins of Bernat Mosaic yarn.  The yarn on the right is called Psychedelic and its been really fun to use because the color is constantly changing.  The other is called Waterfall and it too changes color but the change is so subtle that its harder to detect.  I saw this combination on a new website my daughter found called Ravelry.  A community-based website, this has searchable patterns, some of which are free.  If they're not free, they give you a link to the original website so you can buy the pattern.  Being the frugalista I am, I tend not to buy patterns because there are so many wonderful free ones to use. 

Another nice feature of this website is that you can search for a pattern based on the yarn you own.  If, like me, you go to the store and buy yarn just because it looks pretty but then you get it home and have no idea what to do with it, this is a good resource to have.  As it happens, while at JoAnn's buying the yarn in the picture, I also picked up some sock yarn in a really pretty shade of purple.  This yarn will probably become mittens. 

Baking is another good thing to do in the Winter.  Friday night I added some ingredients to my bread recipe to make a rich egg dough for cinnamon rolls.  Now, no one in my house needs a cinnamon roll, but it sure was good warm from the oven with the cream cheese frosting melting down the sides!

It was worth every calorie!

Goals

A little late to the party here, but I've got some goals.  Like my niece Nancy, I'm not going to call them resolutions because those never last. 

• I'm setting a weekly weight loss goal because some weeks will be more stressful than others, and frankly, there's no point in trying to lose weight the week of Thanksgiving, say.  So in my head (you didn't think I'd put them down for all the world to see did you???) I'll come up with a number for that week.  Believe me, you'll know if I've met  them or not. 
• Try and develop some semblance of organization in my household. 
• Exercise on a routine basis.  I'm still undecided as to whether I should get up at 4:30 and get it over with, because typically if left until the end of the day, I'm just too tired or lazy to do it then.  But I know me, and I don't get up that easily.  I'm a hit- the- snooze -button- 4- times kind of girl. 
• I am very fortunate that I have a job and that my physical needs are met.  I'd like to make more of an effort to help those less fortunate than me.  I'm not quite sure yet how that will happen, but at the very least, I will be donating to the local Rescue Mission as they are always in need of groceries for needy families.  Our church also has a pantry that is stocked for families in need so I can donate stuff to that as well.  I'm sure if I look hard enough, I'll find many people that can use some help.  
• I really enjoy making cards and I have an extensive supply of stuff that I can use to do this.  I just don't take the time.  So I'm going to make more of an effort to get downstairs into my scrapbooking area to make more cards.  
• I'd also like to do more knitting.  We just donated a trash bag full of yarn to one of the local nursing homes for their residents to use, so now I can restock with better yarn.  I've made tons of stuff in the past and was on a felted purse kick for a while (made about 5 of them and never used one) but now I'm thinking scarves and mittens.  If I'm successful with this one, I'll post pictures.  
•  I get so caught up in my own little world that I tend to neglect tried and true friends.  Really, friends and family are the most valuable resources any of us have, and I'm going to take more time appreciating them.  I know!  I'll send them homemade cards and knit them a scarf!

By the way...

My oldest daughter got engaged on Christmas Day!  She's been dating her boyfriend for the past 6 years and they decided to make it official.  There's no immediate plan for a wedding as she'd like to finish college first (which she says will be in 4 years).  My daughter Molly is one of the smartest people I know... lots of common sense and a really good head on her shoulders.  I'm so proud of the young woman she's become, and how she conducts her life.  I'm not sure I have anything to do with that but I sure did get lucky when it comes to my kids! 

I'll Have a Really Big Salad

As a general rule, I don't like salads.  Oh wait.  Let me qualify that...I don't like salads that I make at home.  I love those fancy schmancy ones you get in restaurants; the ones with dried cherries and some kind of nut or other doo dad in them, but I'm not a fan of the bag-o-salad you can buy in the store.  I'm not above buying them and using them when I need a really quick salad fix, but I'm not happy about it when I do it.  I feel like I'm cheating or something.  Anyway...  I'm giving you a recipe that is really well-liked by everybody that tries it.  Its my mom's recipe so that means its good (because my mom is the world's best cook.  Seriously. )

And like Elaine from Seinfeld, sometimes I just want a really big salad, and I could eat this whole thing by myself. 

Spinach Salad (I never  hardly ever use spinach, actually)

1 lb spinach
1 head Boston Bibb
1 c. sliced celery
1/2 c. sliced green onions.

Right here I need to stop and tell you that I'm giving you my mom's recipe word for word, but I don't make it this way.  I usually use Romaine, or any other salad green thats on sale.  Today, I used 2 heads of Romaine, and thats all.  No onions or celery.  Still quite wonderful.

Mix above and add:
15 oz. mandarin oranges, or a bunch of sliced fresh strawberries   - Actually, any fruit will work here.  I've used apples, pears, and peaches, whatever is in season.
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

And now, I'm going to give you the secret ingredient.  This technique alone will make any salad that much better.  Honest. To. God. 

Saute 2 T sugar and 1/2 cup slivered almonds.  Stir often until brown and the sugar is all melty.  Spread this out to cool on aluminum foil.   This works with just about any nut - I usually use whatever I have in the pantry.  Pecans are also quite delightful. 

Dressing:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
5 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

mix above and gradually add 1 cup of oil. 

You can also add 1 and a half teaspoons of grated onion and 1 and a half teaspoons of poppy seeds if you don't mind picking them out of your teeth for the rest of the day.  (can you tell what I usually leave out? )

This is, by far, my favorite salad.  I make it whenever I'm asked to bring a salad somewhere  - its easy to double the size of this and it usually goes pretty quickly. 

The end. Amen.

Its the last day of 2010 and its time to get those resolutions going. I always struggle with making resolutions because we all know 99% of resolutions aren't kept, but still, with the new year starting it doesn't hurt to make them...I guess.  Last year I read a blog about making lists, (of all things), and according to the author, a good list has no more than 6 items on it.  Whatever.  So here's my list:

• I'm not really making a list.

Sorry.  That was anticlimactic wasn't it?  I do have plans - the usual - eat better, lose weight, exercise, that sort of thing.  But for this first week of the New Year, I'm going to say that I'm going to avoid white foods.  Because I'm so addicted to sugar and carbs, I'm hoping that avoiding white foods (white flour, potatoes, rice, etc.) will get me over that habit of rummaging through the cupboards looking for something sweet.  Besides, as my coworker Barb says, "You do realize that carbs are mostly grains, and grains are what they give cattle to fatten them up."  That was like a light bulb moment for me.  Next week's menu is going to have a lot of veggies and fruits on it, just not white ones.  : )

And now for something completely different:

There are very few blogs I read on a daily basis.  I do read the ones that are listed over to the right quite regularly, but there are a few others that I go to a lot too.  You'll probably like them.

Need a good laugh?  Go check out Ugly Christmas Lights.  Lots of pictures of hideous Christmas lights that make you feel good about your own display of holiday splendor.  Or perhaps, they'll look similar to your own display.  Gasp!

I used to love going through open houses on Sundays just to see what other people's houses look like.  I also like movies (as you've probably detected) so imagine my elation at discovering Hooked on Houses! This woman has posts about  homes that are used in movies with a lot of backstory and bits of trivia as well.  One of my favorite posts there is about the movie White Christmas.  Go check it out.  Don't forget to check the section of Bad MLS photos.  These are pictures that realtors take of houses that are for sale. Funny stuff. 

More funny stuff.  Cake Wrecks, which I've mentioned before.  Professional cakes gone wrong - some of those are so hysterical that you have to wonder if people are really that stupid.  And yes, people really ARE that stupid. 

Here's a site to help with some of those resolutions everyone makes.  Sparkpeople, which is mostly for weight loss and exercise also has a section for helping with your budget.  The weight loss and exercise component is a lot like Weight Watchers only its free.  The budget section looks interesting and I may be exploring that in the next week or so.  Speaking of Weight Watchers, apparently they've changed up their program.  Again.  I've always spoken highly of WW as it doesn't tell you what to eat, and it teaches you how to eat a good, basic, healthy diet.  Some of their changes mean that foods, which have a point value according to their fiber, fat and calorie content, have changed in point value.  One good change:  fruit is now considered a free food, meaning there are no points.  An apple used to be 1 to 2 points depending on its size.  Anway, I don't know much more about it because I don't go there anymore.  But if you want to lose weight, WW is a really good program.  Go check it out if you need that weekly accountability.  Otherwise check out Sparkpeople. 

Whatever your plans are for ringing in the New Year, please be careful.  May 2011 bring lots of happiness and good health to you!

Distressed

Well, it has happened.  Its the end of the year and once again, I'm realizing that my New Years Resolutions from last year didn't happen.  Again.  I will be a glutton for punishment here and tell you what I didn't accomplish:

• I didn't run a 5k
• I didn't pay off all those bills

And there, that's about it, because that's the only resolutions I made.  So I had a 100% failure rate.  yay me. 

So why do I feel it necessary to make new resolutions for this next year?  Because its what we do. 

I stepped on the scale this morning and to my dismay, I discovered that I've gained 6 lbs.  (6 lbs!!!) in one week.  Yes, one week.  I must be stopped.  I'm so angry with myself because lets face it; no one forces me to eat, or to sit on the couch rather than exercise.  So I guess desperate times call for desperate measures, and I have to take action.  (literally and figuratively)  At this point it sounds like I'm overreacting to 6 lbs, but its those 6 lbs added on to the 15 that I've gained over the year that are really pissing me off. 

And once again, I'm going to be public about this in the hopes that it'll force me to be accountable.  Although, it didn't work all that well with the previous year's resolutions, I'll just be the eternal optimist and hope that this time, it does. 

In the next week or so, I'm going to come up with measurable, attainable goals that will give me something to shoot for. In the meantime, I HAVE to get moving.  Yada, yada yada.  Same old song, new verse. 

What's the dealio?

While doing my online Christmas shopping, I discovered a website that was new to me.  It's called Dealio.  It compares online prices of whatever you're looking for, and lists those deals with links to the websites.  Very handy.  Maybe you'll find it helpful too.