Merry making… and Meri making a list

Quick as a wink, it’s Monday again! Round these parts, that means its time to make my list for the week:

Without further ado (can’t waste time on a short week!) my to-do list:

  1. Get tire patched. The jerks at Tires Plus sent me home tonight because they had too long of a wait. The reason they are jerks is that the way they tried to get rid of me is to tell me my “tire was fine,” before backpedaling and admitting they didn’t have time. Ethics anyone?
  2. Put up tree! We bought this pre-lit beauty at Menards tonight 
  3. Niece’s birthday party!
  4. Finish Advent Calendar (it is soooo close)
  5. Make dish for Thanksgiving (Green bean-whitebean-sundried tomato and almond salad)
  6. Cheer on the Wild– now #1 in the league!
  7. Continue frantic crafting as often as possible… here’s another hint… 
  8. Replace furnace filter– done! I’ll be breathing easier tonight!
  9. Search frantically for festive envelopes or stamps for our holiday cards
  10. Enjoy Thanksgiving with my dear family!

What are you all up to this week? How will you be spending Thanksgiving? Do you have to work at all over the holiday?

Meri

Posted in crafts, family, Make my list Monday, parties | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments

You’re cut off!

Hola people! What a whirlwind of a weekend, I can’t believe it’s Sunday night already! Just yesterday morning, I was getting ready for a birthday party, and I hit my oh so common dilemma, “WHAT THE DICKENS SHOULD I WEAR.”

Now, I have to preface this by saying that I’m not a clothes horse or a fashionista. I just happen to find it frustrating that ONE day clothes will fit fine, the next day something janky seems to be going on. Yesterday, I was finding that one of my comfortable dresses that I just bought back in August, did not fit on top whatsoever. Did my shoulders shrink? What the deuce?

Running out of time to be continuously pacing our house in my tights and man-go-round looking frighteningly close to being ready, I looked once again at the dress I had on. Why, was that an elastic waistband on the skirt?

before... still a dress...

Then I got a DANGEROUS idea. I grabbed my scissors, and ran downstairs. Yep, I was running with scissors people Literally, and for realzies. What did my very bad self do?

...and after- a skirt!

Yea! Now it is wearable again! and I can wear ANY top underneath it! Plus, the top can still be a strange midriff/scar baring pajama top. Bonus!

What do you think of my DIY skirt hack job? Do you ever take matters into your own scissored hands when clothes don’t fit? Have you ever altered clothes without  a game plan?

Meri

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Once-ler upon a time

That’s right. It’s Feature Friday, people, and tonight I’m featuring one of my favorite childrens’ stories.

Yes, Dr. Seuss’ beloved The Lorax. Now, if it’s one of my favorite stories, you might wonder what prompted me to get this copy from the library. Well, the answer for why I don’t own it is that as much as I love to read, I actually don’t like to own a lot of books (gasp!). What prompted me to pick it up, though, was something that happened a few nights ago.

As I sat watching TV with man-go-round, a trailer came on the screen for the new movie “remix” of The Lorax. Now, if you’re like me you remember the beloved cartoon film, and read this book like it was going out of style. Man-go-round saw my eyes glued suddenly to the television (unlike my usual staring at my computer and forgetting to watch the television), and said, “we’ll have to go to that!” and then added, “I don’t know the story.”

All of a sudden, I was determined to bring The Lorax to a new set of eyes. I was a bit stunned to find that he had never read the story, or even seen the cartoon. Man-go-round comes from quite “green” people, and so it seemed like something he would have eaten up as a kid. Obviously, I darted out to the library and picked it up. Whew!

Now, why do I love The Lorax? Let me make a list! It has been… four days… since my last list, after all!

I Speak for the Lorax: Why this book is special

  1. Dr. Seuss is pretty unique in general. Of all of his garble, though, this is one of his rare books that has a pretty important message.
  2. The Lorax is a pretty neat creature. Part groundhog, part curmudgeon. I think I would like him as a pet!
  3. The “don’t exploit the trees and pollute the earth” message sunk through my stupid, self-centered undeveloped child brain, and the colors and rhymes of the book caught my attention and taught me about sustainability much earlier than would have happened without this confection of a book.
  4. I have spent my adult life curious of what on earth a “Once-ler” is. I may never know.
  5. When I was younger I dreamed of living in a field of Truffula Trees

 Now, don’t you want to save the Truffula’s and the environment they live in and support, too? Don’t you want to bring back the Bar-ba-loots? They have crummies in their tummies, for crying out loud!

Okay, so I’m a big bad consumer a lot of the time. I try to be as green as I can, but I fail miserably much of the time. Despite our imperfections, what do you do to try to save our earth? Do you love The Lorax as much as me? Are you skeptical of the new movie too?

Meri

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“packing” in one last thing…

Hello Folks. It’s Travelin’ Thursday, one of my favorite days of the week! Today, I thought I’d share with you a hoppin’ little spot that man-go-round and I stumbled upon while driving around before our flight home from LA.

We had been staying in Venice, and all over Hollywood, Malibu, and Santa Monica for the last 4 days or so. After we checked out of our little inn on the beach, we packed up our lime green fiesta for a little more exploring before it was time to go to the airport. Since LAX is south of the city, we thought we’d drive down the coast a bit and see what beaches we hit.

Where did we end up? Manhattan Beach.

As we strolled down the pier, along the beach, and around the shops for coffees, we soaked in a wee bit of last minute sunshine and fresh beach air before we returned to the subzero January Minnesota winter. After we couldn’t wait any longer, we packed it back in the rental car and left the beach behind.

So I want to know- on your last day of a trip, do you make the most of your time and do some extra exploring or activities? Or do you mail it in and spend most of your time packing and traveling to the airport?

Meri

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Baby you can drive my car…

Today is usually Wordy Wednesday. Today, I thought I’d share a little photo collection of mine. I am pretty sure I have more somewhere in my iphoto archives, but I’m going to share just a few, and bear with me with the cell phone pictures. I’ll share the others (or new ones) another day, when I’m willing to delve into my files (we’re talking thousands and thousands of photos, people…)

Now, something to get over the hump today: Art Cars!

So, I love Art Cars. What a cool way to inject a little color and spirit into the world, right? One day, I might have my own. Once a year, there is an art car parade in Uptown Minneapolis, and I love to see what people do with their vehicles. It’s even more fun to see them around town though!

Are there a lot of art cars where you live? Would you ever bedazzle your car this way? What do you do to jazz up your vehicle? (car, bike, etc.)

Meri

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Pro(teins) and Cons part 2

Hi there pals and gals. It’s Tasty Tuesday again. (My how quickly that seems to happen each week!) I hope you have something tasty in store for yourselves this evening! I appreciate everyone’s input about my sweet potato/apple vs. parmesan cauliflower vs. green bean debate yesterday. There was a lot of interest in the sweet potato/ apple casserole but also surprising love for the cauliflower, which made me oh so very happy as I luuurrrve the cauli!

As I sit here, I’m bulking up by enjoying one of my favorite protein packed snacks. I may have posted about these guys before, but today I thought I’d do another battle much like my protein powder face off last month.

This time around? It’s battle of the veggie protein snacks.

In one corner, we have the above mentioned snack: Primal Spirit Foods Meatless Vegan Seitan Jerky:

tonight's variety: Mesquite Lime
and my favorite flavor: Thai Peanut

Pros: Very convenient and portable (individually wrapped), decent protein (10 grams per packet/ serving), great flavor and texture ( I love the chewiness of it, and the sauce its covered in). Vegan, all natural, no preservatives. The Thai Peanut flavor is excellent.

Cons: A little high in sodium (347 mg per serving/ packet), the Hickory smoked and Texas BBQ flavors are not my thing… Can be a bit pricy.

Now, in corner two… we have one of my favorite meatless protein discoveries: Dominex Vegetarian Eggplant Meatballs

in da box...
and on da plate!

Pros: Great texture (I’ve never had a real meatball, but this chews like food, not like tofu…), incredible smell (just ask my family), versatility (plain as a snack, or in pasta or veggie dishes. You could even make a meatball sandwich), high protein (5 “meat”balls have 9 grams of protein. Good source of fiber. Low fat. The kicker? I cannot get enough of the flavor of these.

Cons: Can be pricy, can be hard to find (although getting easier and easier to find around here. I used to only find them in Arizona when I visited my folks, now the tiny coop down the street has them). Sometimes they can get a bit freezer burned because of the packaging.

Who wins? Um…. the eggplant meatballs, just by a tiny bit. Despite the convenience of the jerky, these eggplant balls are delicious, and one of my favorite discoveries. Go try them!

 What’s your favorite vegetarian protein? Tempeh? Tofu? Seitan? Soy proteins or whey protein powders? I’m obviously skipping over obvious more “natural” sources such as beans, nuts eggs, milk products… just to keep things on topic… What should I try?

Meri

Posted in food, Tasty Tuesday, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

the most wonderful time of the year…

… is fast approaching. After a miniature mind melt this afternoon, I cancelled my planned birthday/ holiday party with the stress of all of the other activities going on. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy the hype, I just like to keep things in the realm of control.

One way to do that? Tackle as much of the holidays as I can as soon as possible. Thus, my Make My List Monday list this week is pretty holiday-centered again. Here goes!

Holiday Listmania… week 2

  1. Buy tree- probably artificial and pre-lit. Possibly real (and if so I will not be doing it this week. That’s too early even for me). Depends on what I can get man-go-round to do most easily MUAH HA HA
  2. Continue work on homemade Advent Calendar. Progress thus far: 
  3. Look up tasty new Christmas cookie/ Birthday cake recipes! (Hint: Both are likely to be gingerbread inspired…)
  4. Continue top-secret-holiday craft projects (yes, I have about 4 going, and no, none of them are knitting. Here’s a hint though. Looks like knitting, but its NOT!)
  5. Keep looking for Thanksgiving side dish contenders Here are a few on my mind:

-Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole:  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/printRecipe.jsp?recipeId=R141573&adCategory=&format=4×6

-Garlicky Green Beans: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/garlicky_green_beans.html

-Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower:  http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/balsamic_parmesan_roasted_cauliflower.html

 What’s on your pre-holiday to-do list? Do you have holiday traditions (like advent calendars and baking days)? Which of those Thanksgiving recipes looks the best to you?

Meri

Posted in crafts, family, holidays, lists, Make my list Monday, recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 33 Comments

Just my luck

Last night, I was driving home. Despite the light of the just past full moon, it was quite dark out. As I drove over an overpass, a black cat darted across the road. It crossed my path.

I had a few fleeting thoughts about bad luck, and then I shook myself back to my senses. I don’t believe in bad luck, and I’m not superstitious. When there are pennies on the ground, I rarely pick them up whether heads or tails is showing. I have broken mirrors before, accidentally. And last night’s black cat was not the first to have crossed my path.

To be honest, I’m more of a “make your own luck” kind of gal. If I want something, I try to get it, and if I’m having a bad day, I do something to change it, try to put a bit of positivity and optimism into it.

Wine with a happy face and very merry glasses? I think the universe got my message that I’m not willing to let a superstition get in my way.

Are you superstitious? Do you believe in good luck charms, bad omens, or fate? Or do you believe you can make your own luck and change your fate?

Meri

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This same sky

Back as a semi-emo, poetry writing tween/teen, I received a book with this title as a gift. It was poetry written by writers all over the world, and there were some pretty beautiful lines in there.

When I think of sunsets, sometimes I think that I have to go somewhere special to see the really good ones. I picture Hawaii, California, Polynesia, or even Arizona:

Sky in Phoenix, 2008

However, on this Travelin’ Thursday, I thought I’d share a colorful sky from my homeland. It’s different than the hundreds of sunsets I’ve seen while traveling, but every bit as beautiful and unique.

Minnesota sky, 2011

In this case, a picture might be worth a thousand words, but I think it would be worth it to try to describe some of the skies I have seen in order to bask in their beauty. I know its cliched as hell, but I can’t seem to get sick of gazing at sunsets, any time of year. One tiny positive of the horrific winter weather we get in Minnesota is that the cold winter skies are some of the most beautiful morning skies of the whole year. It’s almost worth getting out from under the covers for…

My favorite sunsets are the bright pale yellow and blue ones. What is your favorite sunset color or color combo?

Meri

Posted in books, sunsets, Travelin' Thursday | Tagged , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Keep it Clean

Today I met with one of my kids who is a bit older. We were discussing things we have to do versus things we want to do, and how to get the motivation to do the things we can’t stand.

One thing both he and I had in common?

Yep, that’s right. Cleaning. I hate to clean. I like to keep things minimalist and uncluttered, but BOY do I hate to clean.

In the interest of being a good role model, I first admitted to my client how much I detest cleaning, and then gave him some reasons for why I make sure to get it done anyway.

“If I don’t dust, my allergies get even WORSE” I emphasized, remembering that his parent had mentioned allergy shot appointments earlier on.

“If I don’t put my keys and wallet in the same place, I can’t find them, and then I might end up being late for something I WANT to do,” I continued. Always remind them of the things they  might miss out on.

Finally, the closer: “If I don’t do my laundry and put my clothes away to keep them from getting wrinkled, I will have a harder time looking professional and getting a job.” I know this kid values independence and being a grown up above all.

I had successfully convinced him for the day. But had I convinced myself? Lord knows I try to keep things as neat and tidy on a daily basis so I don’t have to break my back when I clean the kitchen or the shower. But what do I hate the most? Well, why not a list?

The Hierarchy of Hateful Chores: Best to Worst

10. Laundry. I actually kind of love to do laundry. The warmth, the fresh scent of the dryer sheet. Soft clean dry laundry… what’s not to like?

9. Organizing/ putting things away. It can be time consuming, but deep down I feel best when everything is out of sight and I have a blank environment to look at.

8. Sweeping. Usually I can feel the difference on our floors after I sweep, and I like that. Plus, you can use the broom handle as a dancing partner!

7. Vacuuming. This would have beat sweeping except the noise is so HIGHly irritating.

6. Dishes. It’s a quick task, and I always feel accomplished after all of the dishes are done for the day. But I don’t love it, and it dries out my hands.

5. Wiping down counters/ cleaning sinks/ cleaning the shower. Not my favorite. I hate the toxic smells, I don’t like getting chemicals on my hands (or breathing them if I use gloves), and it feels thankless because I know it will be messy in like a minute.

4. Cleaning toilets. I have a routine, and its weird. It involves multiple flushes, swirling the toilet brush around with my eyes shut facing away from it, and cleaning the brush with the chemically treated water before I’m done. Don’t judge.

3. Dusting. Who doesn’t hate dusting? It makes me gasp and gag for air every time. And it collects almost immediately.

2. Mopping. I don’t know if its the sticky socks I always end up with, the gross dirty water that’s left when you’re done, or what. But boy do I hate mopping. Almost as much as…

drumroll please…

1. IRONING. Yes, that is my most hateful chore. I hate ironing. I’m bad at it, I burn myself, my clothes never get unwrinkled, and its stupid. I haven’t ironed in years, and I don’t intend to any time soon. Deal with it.

What are your most hated chores or cleaning tasks? Which ones do you secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy? How do you motivate yourself to get it all done?

Meri

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