What's Cookin'?

 So, I recently discovered something amazing. Maybe I should start with a confession. I'm not a very good cook. I don't like cooking and so I am not very adventurous or willing to experiment. I cling to recipes like Linus does to his blankie. That being said, when I try something new in the kitchen it is a big deal to me. When I try something from my own imagination is an even bigger deal. So, this may seem like a "duh" moment for some of you, but if there is even one person who will benefit from this post then I will be happy.

I like to make pot roast in the crock pot at least once a month. It is a very traditional Sunday dinner that Chance and I both love. However, since it is just the two of us, we never eat it all in one meal.

I needed to find a way to efficiently use the leftovers, but by the next day the roast was SO dry. Just, ugh.
So, I threw a bunch of leftover roast in a pan and dumped in a can of beef broth. I let it simmer for a few minutes to absorb some of the moisture. Then, I moved all the beef to one side of the pan and sprinkled Wondra (ultra-fine flour for gravy and sauce) into the broth and stirred it continuously with my whisk. In about five minutes I had delicious roast with gravy. I was SO proud of myself. Chance was pretty darned impressed too. He even came into the kitchen a took a picture of my attempt at throwing caution to the wind!!

From now on I will also be contributing to a recipe blog with some of my friends. Check us out at The Kitchen Diaries. 

Valentine's Decor Rewind

Well, friends. I didn't craft any new Valentine's Day decor this year. I live in an apartment and we have run out of space to a) decorate and b) store stuff. So here is a reminder of what I have gracing the walls and flat surfaces in my home.

My Valentine's Day Blocks.

Even though I didn't craft anything new my amazing SIL, Chelsea, made us a great little sign. We intended to put it on our door but we like it so much we decided to keep in inside and hang it on the wall. Thanks Chels!!

Emergency Preparedness: Make A Car Kit

A couple of years ago Costco sold some 72 hour kits. I bought 2, along with a first aid kit, that we always keep in the trunk. The first aid kit has come in handy more than once. We weren't on the road per se: the first time we were at the beach and the second time was at one of Chance's softball games.

Here is a picture of the contents of the survival kit.

I also assembled a kit for emergency car repairs.  We have jumper cables, a ratchet set, fuses, a couple of tools, a tire repair kit, and a flash light. (Not pictured: a delightful fleece blanket.)

Here is the little, out of the way, pocket where the kits normally reside.

Emergency Preparedness: Making an Office Kit

Having an emergency supply kit is essential to making it through a disaster safely. You can either buy pre-assembled kits or create them for yourself.

According to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management you should have these essential items in your kit.

Today I spent over an hour at Wal-Mart assembling the items for Chance's office bag. I also took a couple of minutes and got some pictures of the kits in our car (that will be in the next post).


I used the contents of this kit, plus this list, and a conversation with my man to help me decide what should go in the bag.

I took pictures of the items in groups.
Here we have a first aid kit $4.97
Rain poncho $2.88
Hand warmer $1.97
Ice pack. The ice pack was purchased as a two pack to replace the one from our car ice pack.  I estimate that it cost me about $1 each.
So these four items total: $10.82.  

I went crazy in the camping department and found:
a four pack of waterproof matches $1.88
a two pack of luminescent sticks $2.26
reflective stickers $2.88
Water purification tablets $5.88
and a sweet wind-up flashlight that is also an AM/FM radio and it has a siren! It came in at $19.88.
These five items total: $32.78. The matches were a four pack so the rest are going into our home kit.

Next, Chance wanted his to be in a small backpack, but it also needed to be small enough to fin unobtrusively under his desk.
The backpack in an easy to spot red color was $7.00,
a small sewing kit $1.47,
a five pack of dust masks (the other four are going in the home kit) $1.00,
Powder, in case his feet get drenched or something, $.97
an emergency whistle that is also, get this: a compass, magnifier, and thermometer $3.88
Last but not least, I found a Hobo Tool. It has a fork, knife, spoon, cork screw, an awl, a bottle opener, and can opener for $3.88!!
Total cost: $18.20

Food! All of the food and drink except the jerky and trail mix had left overs.
Boxed juice: $2.78
Water: $2.00
Trail mix: $1.94
Cheese and Crackers: $2.68
Beef Jerky: $2.98
Sweet and Salty Granola Bars: $2.98
Total: $15.36

 In this photo you'll see Chance's spare glasses, hand sanitizer, lip balm, lotion, and sunglasses. We already owned all of this. Free!

Finally, Chance wanted a change of clothes and a spare pair of tennis shoes. We discussed retiring his current pair of shoes but they're still too new. Yada yada yada, I bought him an inexpensive new outfit and tennis shoes specifically for the pack.

The Braves beanie was already ours.
The gloves are $7.00
The shoes were $14.97
I bought him a red t shirt for $3.25
Jeans for $9.96
I bought a six pack of socks and put one into the pack. At $5.50 for a six pack it means we spent $.91.
Total: $36.09

Grand total: $113.25

You may not have noticed but I deliberately bought a red shirt, red rain poncho, and red backpack. I want my man to be easy to spot. :)

So here's the thing. The pre-made kit I wanted to buy was only $45. However, it didn't have any of the clothing items, the food cannot have possible been as delicious, and there was no Hobo Tool set!! It's a HOBO TOOL set. Sounds awesome.

Anyway, I realize that this is a lot of money to spend on something you hope you'll never use. I hope my little kit making journey helps you figure out if you should compile your own kit or buy one. Either way, having a kit will give you peace of mind and may end up  making all the difference some day.

Emergency Preparedness: Getting Started

Step 1: Find out what disaster risks are in your area
Go here for a list of state/local FEMA offices.

• Learn what types of disasters are likely to happen and how to prepare for each.
• Identify what your community’s warning signals sound like and what to do if you hear them.

Step 2: Create a Family Emergency Plan
I found a great plan generator here.
Virginia also has an online form to help you generate a plan. Check it out here.
Basically, you need to consider what you would do in the event of an emergency. 

• Discuss with your family the types of hazards and threats in your area and what to do in each case.
• Make a list of important contact information and keep it with you at all times.
• Decide on a meeting place in case you cannot return to your home, and know where you would go if you had to evacuate your area.
• Collect information about the locations where your family members spend the most time (work, school, etc).
• Record any medications your family members take on a daily basis.
• Collect information for others you might need to contact in an emergency. ( For example, doctor, pharmacist, insurance.)

Step 3: Assemble an Emergency Supply Kit
Chance and I are creating one for the car, one for our home, and one for him to take to the office.
Virginia has a list of recommended items for such a kit here.
The third post in this series will focus on creating your kits. Stay tuned.

Links:
*I started my research using my local church's website BlessFamily.com
*This pdf helped me get the ball rolling. I also used a lot of the information from it in this post.

Emergency Preparedness: Why?

Since living in Virginia Chance and I have had some serious adventures.

1. Snowmageddon (aka Snowpocalypse)

My honey trudging through the snow

We were blissfully trapped in our apartment for a week. Thankfully, we had plenty of food and water. We have multiple friends in our apartment complex so we were all able to get out of the house for a while and share supplies if necessary. 

2. The Earthquake of 2011
I don't have any pictures because our apartment was unharmed by the quake. I was driving to Wal-Mart and didn't even feel it, but in the District it was a pretty big pain. Allow me to soap box for a moment.

Westerners (especially Californians) have given us some flack about our reaction to the quake. After having lived in California, Washington, Idaho, Kansas, Georgia, and Virginia I have had occasion to experience most of the types of extreme weather. I lived through earthquakes and flash floods in California. I survived a tornado in Kansas that destroyed most of the town I lived in. In Idaho we know how to drive in the snow; in Georgia they don't, and they shouldn't be expected to. Roads in Idaho are straight and flat. Makes snow removal a ton easier. In Georgia roads are hilly and windy. That makes driving in it way more dangerous and snow removal heinous. Earthquakes are so common in California that they build roads and buildings to handle it. After experiencing extreme weather, however minor, people learn how to prepare and behave. If we were to have a tornado drill right now I would know exactly what to do. Would you?

I guess my point is, let's be nice to each other. The earthquake was a big deal here. The National Cathedral, LDS Temple, and Washington Monument all sustained damage. The Monument is still closed. Buildings, roads, and people out here just aren't built to weather earthquakes the way they are out west.

End soap box. Thank you.

3. Hurricane Irene
Again, we didn't personally have any problems due to Irene (except our flight to St. Thomas getting delayed.)
We did, however, have friends who were without power. Also, people went nuts at the grocery store in preparation for the weather. You couldn't find anything, bread, milk, water. It was crazy.

So, during two of these instances Chance and I had time to prepare. We were at home during the worst of the weather and we didn't have any real problems. During the earthquake I was in the car and Chance was at work. We had no warning. When it initially hit one of Chance's colleagues pondered aloud, "I wonder which building was bombed." That possibility is frighteningly real for us. Because of all these experiences I have decided to start researching Emergency Preparedness.

If Music Be the Food of Love, Play on!

As promised, I am researching Emergency Preparedness today. As I do that, I am listening to a playlist that I created. I sort of felt like sharing it. Here are a couple of my current play lists:

What I am listening to right now! Literally.

My trusty iPod. 

Coldplaylist: (Made up strictly of Coldplay, The Script, and One Republic)


Coldplay: 
Paradise (IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG!!! It's my anthem right now.)
The Scientist
Viva la Vida
Fix You

The Script:
The Man Who Can't Be Moved
Breakeven
Nothing

One Republic:
All This Time
Stop and Stare
Good Life
Secrets
Marchin' On
Passenger

I recently bought the entire One Republic album Waking Up. I love them!


Work Out: (Apparently I'm some sort of bad-a at the gym because some of these have questionable lyrics. I have weaned out the cussing though. Oh and Black Eyed Peas have tons of swearing if you can't find the radio edits!)

Wake Up Call- Maroon 5
California Gurls- Katy Perry (Hate the deliberate misspelling)
Let's Get it Started- Black Eyed Peas
Single- Natasha Bedingfield
If You're Gonna- Natasha Bedingfield
Made for You- One Republic
Cooler Than Me- Mike Posner
Party Rock Anthem-LMFAO
Millennium- Robbie Williams
Sexy Back- Justin Timberlake
Everybody Loves Me- One Republic
Animal- Neon Trees
Dynamite- Taio Cruz
Let It Rock- Kevin Rudolf (I got the clean version on iTunes)
Yeah!- Usher (Try to get radio edit without the Ludacris solo.)
Good Girls Go Bad- Cobra Starship
I Like It- Enrique Iglesias (I should hate this song...)
Won't Go Home Without You- Maroon 5

What are you listening to? Any good work out jams that I need?

A Fresh Start for 2012

Hi All!

So, here we are. It's 2012. I can't believe it. I graduated high school 10 years ago. Really? Sometimes I can't believe it has been that long other times, when I reflect on all that has changed in my life, I can't believe it has only been that long.

My BFF, Lindsey, and I at a football game Senior year

Anyway, next month will mark the one year anniversary of this blog. I'm trying to get excited about the milestone but I am still beating myself up over how neglected this blog was over the last six months. I have struggled with anxiety/depression for a number of years but never more so than the last couple of years. Watching my blogs (this one and my family blog) get completely ignored for six months was the first concrete reminder that my personal struggles with this demon aren't totally behind me.

However, with the dawn of the new year I feel a sense of new beginnings. I have a clean slate. I didn't really make any huge resolutions. You know, the kind that you will inevitably shirk off, struggle with, or fail at? I don't need to disappoint myself. I simply resolved to take care of myself.

For me, taking care of myself means doing things that make me feel good about myself and my life. In that spirit I:

• Started working out regularly again
• Went at got a hair cut and color that make me feel pretty. I didn't even wait for a groupon or go to the cheapest place!! I went someplace I really like! 
• I made another hair appointment for 8 weeks from now. 
• Didn't work out yesterday and I didn't beat myself up over it.
• Set a goal for crafting/blogging 

What is that goal you ask? Great question. 

I have complained to you all before, either on here or on our Facebook page, that sometimes I feel like stuff is taking over my apartment. Just stuff! It's everywhere! Obviously, my first instinct is to complain to Chance that we need a bigger apartment, which isn't a lie. However, I had another solution come to mind. 

I am going to make 2012 the year of finishing projects. My goal is to complete crafts, decor, blankets, gifts, etc all with supplies I already own. Clearly, the caveat being that I am allowed to buy various notions as the NEED arises. I hope you all don't judge me by all the crap I have accumulated. :) 

At any rate, I am so grateful that you are still here, still reading, still crafting with me. This world of craft blogs is a big one. I've been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ideas. (Thank goodness for Pinterest, am I right?) So thanks for choosing to share the journey with me. 

I have some fun stuff coming up.

Tomorrow I am researching Emergency Preparedness. I plan to drop some knowledge on you after that process completes.

Right now, I am logging off to go fabric shopping with a friend. She is pregnant and working to make a baby quilt. Beer me the strength not to buy anything! 

Five points if you get my TV reference. 

Christmas Gifts (for friends and neighbors)

I realize that I am a little late in sharing Christmas gift ideas, but I've been told it's "better late than never." So here goes!

This year, I used the power of the internet to make some simple, but yummy gifts for some of our friends and neighbors. 

I found this recipe at Me and My Pink Mixer for Cinnamon Honey Butter. 

I already owned the glass jars and I was lucky because butter went on sale at my local supermarket. 

My supplies: 

Small Glass Jars

Scrapbook paper

Ribbon

Card Stock

Cute little snowmen gift bags

I downloaded this adorable printable from the girls at eighteen25. I'll never be able to pay them back for all the amazing work they do. I also printed out a copy of the recipe that I glued to the back of the note. That way, the recipient a) knows what she is about to eat and b) can replicate it in the future. 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Wonderful New Year. Thank you for all of your support and kindness in 2011. I plan to be back in full blogging mode in 2012. (We may even be having a giveaway to celebrate 50 followers...)

Thanksgiving Decor

As I promised Chance, the Halloween decor was put away before he got home from work on November 1st. I have a stockpile of Thanksgiving stuff. I didn't need to make or buy anything.

I continued the use of my Toilet Paper Pumpkins. Though, if I don't make a trip to the store pretty soon one of them make get sent back to the bathroom. :)

You'll also notice the Pilgrims and Native American Indians that I have on either side of the entertainment center.

I have been searching for this lovely couple for YEARS!! Finally, in mid-September I found them waiting for me at HomeGoods. Aren't they beautiful?!

I got my amazing Pilgrims at THE Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. We went there for Thanksgiving in 2009. I loved it.

A couple of years ago I got to make this Give Thanks display at a church activity. I LOVE it.
I got the male N.A. Indian at HomeGoods in October of last year, but his wife was no where to be found. :( I waited too long.

I got the Harvest sign at (drum roll please) HomeGoods on clearance after Thanksgiving last year. The delightful Pilgrim couple was a gift from TMJ and Tervlon.