Where I Mess with My OCD Son. Because I Can.

So, my son is a bit OCD. His room can be a total mess, but by heaven the lid on the dish soap bottle in the kitchen must be CLOSED. He's reprimanded me several times because I don't care- I leave the flip top open and go about my business.

So, one day I thought, Hmmm....I could totally mess with him and see what he does....

So this is what *I* did...

I cut the flip top lid off the dish soap.... (language alert below the fold)

Getting Techy

Yeah, that's me. I'm getting techy. I just started a Google blog thingy (yup, that's the technical term) because I wanted to upload a zipped file to one of my popular posts, but couldn't. Blogger doesn't allow me to do that. So I opened a google blog thingy and uploaded the file there, then linked it to my post on here and vice versa.

See. No problem!

Espresso Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I got this recipe from The Monday Box and I am so glad I did!
These are wonderful. Not sweet, not not sweet. Ya know? Perfect with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

I used 85% Dark Chocolate instead of the toffee or semisweet chocolate bar the recipe calls for. I'm sure if you use the recipe as posted, it would be sweeter. I like mine not that sweet, so the dark chocolate worked out perfectly for me!

Spicy Chicken Caesar Wrap

Oh, how I love chicken. I really, really do. It's one of the few foods that takes on the flavors of whatever you cook it with. Seriously. Unlike beef which must assert its dominance over the dish and can only be coated with flavor, chicken is a wonderous protein that chooses to play well with others.

Stop Wasting Money on Storage Labels!

I've been doing this for some time. It works great, and occasionally takes a bit of elbow grease, but it sure is a heck of a lot cheaper than purchasing those storage labels.

Where I Come From

Yes, I'm an Okie. And proud of it.
No, I wasn't born there. But Oklahomans don't expect you to be born there. They adopt you. It gets in your blood. It's something you are, and then because of Oklahoma you become something more.

I lived in Oklahoma since the 9th grade. I moved away when I was 21. Moved to many other cities as well. But I went back in 1993 and stayed. It is my home. It is my love.

Switching the Swiffer Scent

I am a rag mop girl. Really. I prefer the old time rag mops to anything on the market today. I just feel they do a better job. Yes, you get your hands wet. It's not the end of the world. But ever since moving into a new place,  I've struggled with keeping the 'engineered wood flooring' clean without stripping it of its protective surface.

I broke down the other day and bought a knock-off Swiffer and wet mopping floor cloths. For two reasons- 1) my kitchen is small and 2) the rag mop doesn't get into the corners well without me having to rag-in- hand-and-knee them clean. Pain in the arse. Or lower back. You choose.

Health through Tinctures

I've always considered myself a naturalist. I prefer woods, fires, water and earth to anything man-made. The earth was made to provide everything we need in which to survive. Yes, even the animals for food. I could never be a vegetarian. Not because I disagree with them, but because I really prefer meat to veggies. Nothing beats a good piece of bacon!
However, when it comes to my health, I try to be as natural and earthy as possible.
I much prefer eating pineapple to soothe my tummy than taking a slimy pink muck that tastes like chalk.

Chamomile and Peppermint tinctures

Pina Ranchera- Home style!

A friend of mine went to a cozy Mexican restaurant near where she lives and told me about this dish. I've never tried it, nor have I been to that particular establishment. But the dish sounded intriguing.

I asked her to send me the pictures she took, and anything she could remember about the dish.

Chicken Parmesan Stromboli

I came across a recipe for stromboli many, many years ago. Me being me, I had to alter the recipe because well, there were things in it I just didn't like.  What you find below is my wonderful concoction.

I used to make my version of Stromboli at least once a week. The kids loved it, and if their friends knew I was making it, they were there, too! It's a big hit with everyone. It's like having chicken parmesan and garlic bread all rolled into one. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan Stromboli

I love this recipe. It is so easy and delicious. Of course, it is a special dinner for us now, since we cut carbs almost totally out of our diet.
But please, try it. Make it your own.

Tracking Children

Have you heard about the Common Core  problem? Basically,  it's an initiative between the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers meant to 'prepare our children for college and the workforce'. Sounds great, right?  Not so fast.
Apparently, this Common Core Initiative has circumvented the Legislature Branch and comes straight from the Executive Branch (funded by Obama's Stimulus package) to bribe states into constructing 'longitudinal data systems (LDS) to collect data on public-school students." Common Core's technological project is "merely one part of a much broader plan by the federal government to track individuals from birth through their participation in the workforce."

Figure it out yet?

What they are doing is tracking your child.

Health care history. Income information. Religious affiliation. Nicknames. Bus stop times. Disciplinary history Voting status. Blood type. And whether or not your child finished their homework.

Maybe It's Not

I haven't gone anywhere. I'm still here. I know you've been wondering lately if I've fallen off a cliff or something, right?
Well, I am still here. All the standards still apply- I've been busy. School is taking up a lot of my time. yadda yadda yadda.

I could tell you about the yummy salsa I canned today. Oh so delicious and easy! Or maybe about the 1950's style corn relish I canned? Bright and sweet and tangy!
Or I could tell you about my fabulous slow-cooked Apricot Mustard Ham I have in the oven?
Maybe I've just been lazy?

Maybe it's not that at all.

Photo by Jennifer Moore 

Basically, I find it hard to keep up with the blog. I'm not sure whether I am losing interest, or just going through a down cycle concerning the blog. I don't know.

Who knows. Maybe I'll start another blog with a totally different theme to invigorate my brain and capture my attention?
Maybe I won't.

It's all still up in the air right now.
How are YOU doing?

Strawberry- Oh, Lovely Strawberry!

Okay- so if you've seen one chocolate covered strawberry, you've seen them all, right? Not so! Some have dark chocolate. Some have white chocolate. Some have drizzles of both. And what a decadent treat, right? The tangy sweetness of fresh, ripe strawberries with the creamy warmth of smooth chocolate....
ah, the cravings are getting to me already. How about you? Okay- go...get your strawberries. I'll wait.

waiting.............

waiting...........

Got them? Okay. Now. I'm going to tell you something that will change your life forever. Are you ready for it? Here it comes-

Strawberry S'mores.

February, Already?

It seems like January just flew by, didn't it? I mean, it came out of nowhere, side-swiped everyone and took off! Didn't even leave a number. Wow.
Well, besides starting back to school, I did manage to make a cute Valentine's Day decoration. Grau and I don't celebrate VD because well, it's crap. Always has been. Some made-up holiday to get people to buy chocolate (who needs a reason??) and sappy love cards. Eww and ick. To us, if you love your partner, you show them every day. You don't need a day of the year dedicated to your love. The whole year is about each other. Crafting for the holiday is something else altogether! I love a good craft!

Balls. I've Got Them

Dryer balls, that is.  I came across this little gem at One Good Thing by Jillee last week and thought, I can do that!
So I went out in search of 100% wool yarn.

That was no easy task, let me tell you!

New Year: Rocks, Pebbles and Sand

I read this story many years ago. I loved it then. I love it now. It really does signify how I like to live my life. Of course, no one is perfect and even now I make a lot of mistakes. I've made a lot of mistakes in the past. But I like to look upon them as lessons. It's only a mistake if you don't learn from it.

So, Happy New Year (it is year and not years...unless you're special and several years attack you at once), take care of the big rocks first, pebbles when you can, and forget the sand.
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A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full?