Happy Earth Day

"Going Green" has become mainstream over the years and doesn't seem to be fading away anytime soon...especially if you live in a urban or suburban area, like we do.

In honor of Earth Day today, I thought I would share our household methods for contributing in a positive way to our environment. Perhaps your house might adopt an idea below...

• Dishcloths | To cut down on using sponges {and the germs that reside on sponges}

• Cloth Grocery Bags | Created this habit out of survival while living downtown Chicago and walking 4 blocks home with enough groceries for our entire building

• Homemade Cleaning Products | An effort to use less chemicals on the items Miss L loves to teeth on - counters and table tops...among many other "non-toy-toy" surfaces. Prior to the plethora of homemade cleaning products on Pinterest, I started seeking out ways to clean green! 

Granite Counter Cleaner Recipe

General All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe


Easy Breezy Toilet Bowl Cleaner  - Sprinkle Baking Soda in the toilet bowl, splash white vinegar atop for some cleaning bubbles...let sit 5 minutes, and then brush away!

• Cloth Napkins | I asked for these for Christmas...since I do soo much laundry these days, I thought why not use cloth napkins and cut down on the volume of paper ones
  
• Reusable Water Bottle | Clear and Simple...less plastic {using a BPA-free bottle}

• Recycle | Our trash drawer pulls out and has a trash can and a blue recycle can which we fill frequently
• Bar Soap | This may just be the frugalista in me...but we have drifted away from the bottles of liquid shower/body soap
• Unplugging unused electronics | I hate to admit that this household has 5 TV sets {yes, for 2 adults}...but we do keep 2 of them unplugged 99% of the time, saving on our electricity demands
• Homemade Baby Food | 80% of what Miss L eats is homemade...saving us money and saving on those glass or plastic containers

I hope you can "go green" today, and everyday!

Making Strawberry Lemonade

I know Easter was soo 2 weeks ago...but, April is just flying by and I am having a blogathon to make up for lost time!

I'm wondering if I'm the only one that does this with their annual batch of jelly beans...specifically Starburst Original Jelly beans...

Do you strategically pop certain color combinations in my mouth to "make" concoctions?
For example, I eat the yellow {lemon} and green {lime} together to make my own version of 7-Up!
Yellow {lemon} and pink {strawberry} = strawberry lemonade

Lastly, my favorite grouping is the red {cherry} + orange {orange} + pink {strawberry} = A Perfect Fruity Burst in my Mouth! YummO!

The adorable Easter card is from her Grandpa D...one of the many packages Miss L received Easter week...more to come on that topic.

My New Addiction

I've always been envious of my friends who have an appreciation for coffee. There is a certain level of sophistication and maturity that I percieve as I admire coffee drinks at the local coffee shop. I'm sure this appreciation is not without countless trips to Starbucks to obtain a cup of caffiene that costs more than a tank of gas!

The envy really grows every fall, when Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte becomes ever so popular. Being the aggressive pumpkin lover that I am, I try to acqure a taste for this every.single.fall...and never seem to grow fond of the taste. Instead, I settle for trying to create a pumpkin hot chocolate from home.

Aside from my perception of drinking coffee, I just need a kick of energy some days. My friend, Cori, is always amazed that I operate on virtually zero caffiene (no pop, coffee, etc.)

Well, while visiting friends in Indy last week...I ran into a local coffee shop to grab Cori a coffee and muffin...and the shop had some sort of Snickerdoodle-flavored coffee. The barista gave me a little sample of this dessert-like beverage...and now it is all I can think about! It gave me hope. Maybe I can still acquire a taste for coffee-flavored drinks afterall!

This morning on my way to work, I decided I needed a little "pick-me-up," so I stopped at my local Caribou. I ordered the least-coffee sounding drink on the menu...a Caramel Mocha High Rise, with extra sweet stuff mixed-in.

Within an hour, I noticed just how 180 mg of caffiene would affect my body. Albeit a little jittery at lunch time, I admit I really enjoyed the boost of energy. I can imagine how helpful this jolt of energy would have been after I had Miss L and was being weaned from steroids.  

I am now on a mission to seek out the best-tasting, least-coffee-esque, caffienated beverage. Any suggestions for me?

{New} Meals This Week

While eating a fabulous new recipe for dinner last night, Jeremy said, "I like you trying all of these new recipes." I noted that it is fun to not have the same ol' rotation of meals, and he said, "I can't even recall what our usual rotation used to be!" Ahh...the sweet smell of success AND pizza stuffed chicken!

Monday - Pizza Stuffed Chicken {photo & recipe borrowed from the Dashing Dish blog}



This was super easy...

• I tenderized a couple of chicken breasts, marinated them in Italian dressing for an hour
• Then, mixed together pizza sauce with some Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper
• I added a 1/4 cup of the sauce mixture on the chicken, followed by a few pepperonis and some shredded mozzo cheese
• I rolled up the chicken and secured it together with a toothpick
• I topped the rolled up breast with more sauce and a few more pepperonis

Bake 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees! The smell of this dish is intoxicating and the taste is delicious! This new recipe is a keeper!

{Note: this could easily be a gluten free dish, a low-carb dish and/or a low-fat dish with simple modifications}

On the side, we enjoyed steamed bag of California blend veggies, topped with some EVOO and Mrs. Dash Table Blend; as well as, some slices of leftover French-Sourdough Bread from the weekend {perfect bread for us - I love French, J is a BIG Sourdough fan, thank you Target!}

Tuesday - TGI Friday's Steak Fajitas, we'll add some black beans as a side and enjoy Chips & Salsa

Wednesday  - Bourbon Chicken - a copycat recipe of the usual Chinese take-out staple...I found this on my favorite recipe app - BigOven 



Thursday - Salad Night - Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese for J; a little Grilled Chicken and veggie for me!

Friday - Fasting...Good Friday

My new favorite breakfast

I love PB&J sandwiches. I find them to be a great meal, while juggling Miss L and working from home. My mom even said she ate a lot of PBJs when we were younger, also! So I decided to make a healthier spin on it for my breakfast {or lunch}...or both!

I slightly toast a whole wheat tortilla in our toaster oven and then spread some crunchy peanut butter on it, then top it with sliced fresh strawberries. It's kind of a Peanut Butter & Berry Taco! I love the protein of peanut butter, the "sweetness" of strawberries and the convenience of making this creation in less than 5 minutes!

On the side, I made a smoothie from frozen strawberries (from our personal strawberry patch!), fresh kiwi and some orange juice.

YummO!

Forward it Friday

Today, I am sharing something worthy of forwarding and sharing with your friends.

I am excited that I came across this unique chart of "What Breast Cancer Looks Like" by using fruit to describe things to look and feel for while performing your monthly check.

The reason I found this is less than exciting. You see, my cousin Mandi (jewelry designer, at the blog Rustic Charms and Flower Farms ), has a dear friend Angela (she met through the moms of multiples group), who was diagnosed with breast cancer, last year at the age of 32. Angela blogs about her experience as a young person and young mom battling cancer at It is What It Is.

Her experience with cancer really hits close to home for me, as cancer is so rampant in our families. The thought of cancer is scary to me...it makes me eat right {but yet not deprive myself of things I love}, it motivates me to exercise {forgeting what the scale says}, and it reminds me to live every day like it is my last.

Plus, the aforementioned cancer fighter, Angela, lives here in the Twin Cities...so it really is close to home.

Below is a chart {click on it to enlarge} Angela shared on her blog, I hope you will consider a self-exam on your breasts and always keep this photo handy as a reminder.

Wordless Wednesday {yet again}

These pics are sure to put a smile on your face. Happy Hump Day!


Love our legwarmers!



A little alien robe! Thank you C!

That "Maui" shirt was purchased just 1 year ago, as we awaited her arrival,
not yet knowing if Baby L was a boy or girl!

She was literally sleeping in this position!

Let's Go Red Wings! They needed help tonight. :(

Houston...we have a problem!

This is the sad, little crybaby of mine while taking her first ride in a convertible, last Friday evening! Yet another example that I clearly brought the wrong child home from daycare last week!
How can my child not like riding in convertibles? There must be some mistake.

You see, her daddy brought home a 2012 red Chevy Camaro SS Convertible {with only 5 miles on it!} for us girls to have some fun in this wonderfully warm weekend. Prior to the car being started or moving from the driveway and as soon as we put her car seat on the back seat...she began her cry fest...which lasted the entire 2.5 miles to the restaurant. ...and then an hour later...cried the 2.5 miles all of the way home.

We thought we would try again on Saturday, and the weather was oh-so-nice at 75 & sunny; however, our schedule didn't permit time for a joy ride and we had to take momma's RX to Home Depot in search for a fire pit for our backyard.

Perhaps the lack of a roof startled her...I don't know. Regardless, I'm certain I will get her acclimated to convertible-bliss in due time. Afterall, my first day driving my own Sebring Convertible, at the age of 18, I was blaring Sheryl Crow's "I wanna soak up the sun" thanks to my mom! I am certain Miss L will be a convertible-loving, sun-worshipping, flip flop-wearing girlie!

Monday Meal Plan

This week is a bit unorthodox, with respect to meals, as we are hosting a dear friend of ours from Indy at our home for most of the week.

Monday: I was a sucker for March's Frozen Food Month sales and cashed in a $1 coupon {which was doubled on Saturday!} for a Bertolli frozen meal - Shrimp Scampi Linguine.
I added some easy Grands biscuits and tried a new recipe of Roasted Cauliflower

Easy & Delicious

Tuesday: Quesadilla Explosion Salad - assembling fresh greens, fajita-seasoned and grilled chicken, charred corn, black beans, tomato, crushed tortilla chips; and a light dressing. A side of jalapeno corn bread {newest fave: chopped jalapeno added to Jiffy Muffin Mix, with a tad bit of honey!}

Wednesday: Dine out, as we are heading out with our friend

Thursday: Burgers on the grill

Friday: Spring "Thyme" Salmon, with a side of spinach-parmesan orzo
Spring Thyme Salmon

Sweets...oh how I miss you!

We are well past the half-way point of our Lenten season, which means sweets are on the horizon for our household.

This unseasonably warm weather makes us both want to visit the local ice cream shop. But more so, I just want one of my favorite little Reese's peanut butter eggs. I love all things peanut butter and chocolate and Reese's definitely has perfected the peanut butter:chocolate ratio in their egg, pumpkin and tree-shaped versions of the all mightly cup! Of course, I will snag some in the grocery cart this week as they sell out nearly every year.

While reading one of my favorite blogs - The Domestic Wannabe - Ashley made a perfectly-Lorryn-treat - Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bread. Hello? I think this may be on our meal plan for Easter Sunday! It sounds and looks heavenly.

Sweets have been difficult, but a little more tolerable since my sweetie gave it all up with me! I am a little excited for April 8th to arrive.

{Food For Thought} 

According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, subjects who ate candy or chocolate cake were found tro be more agreeable and helpful after snacking than those who munched on a salty cracker. The recent study suggests that people with a sweet tooth have nicer dispositions.

As read in the April issue of All You, {one of my favorite, quick-read, recipe-providing, coupon-oriented magazines}.

I believe I have a nice disposition and of course I love sweets! I can think of some "salty-snack-lovers" and their less-than warm personalities. Come to think of it...my boss loves to snack on Saltine crackers...hmmm.

Puttin' on the Ritz

I don't know about you, but I love staying in hotels. In fact, I think I'm the only person in this household who actually loved it when we relo'd to Indy, and "lived" in the Residence Inn downtown on the canal for just over 3 months. Honestly, who wouldn't love a housekeeper to make your bed daily, load/unload the dishwasher and a huge breakfast assortment to pick from every day.

With every hotel stay, we usually bring home the sample-sized goodies from the room. Then, we have them displayed in a basket for our guests that come to stay with us. We love having housesguests, so I guess you could call it part of our Irish hospitality we offer here at "the L."

Besides...some hotels provide really nice smelling sets of products [specifically Tahiti Village in Vegas...and the Ritz Kapalua, Maui}, and why should these barely used bath products be left behind for the housekeeper to toss!

Well, earlier this month, Jeremy took this habit into nth degree - basically bringing home a weeks worth of hotel suite products - or perhaps he robbed the housekeeping cart at the Ritz Orlando! In Jeremy fashion, he assembled the products below and THEN showed me...which made me laugh outloud for quite some time!! :)

You see the triangle-shaped tall boxes on the left - coffee creamer/sugar kits...behind that - about 5 things of coffee, in front of that - a nice assortment of teas. This is awesome, since we are not coffee drinkers, I can brew just what we need for a houseguest!

Yes, that is shoe horn!! And a nice cloth for shining your shoes...and mints, chocolates, shower caps and more!

I think we have about 4-5 of each shampoo, conditoner, body soap, lotions, mouthwash, etc.

Quite the assortment...thanks babe! Maybe my "frugalista" actions are wearing off on him! :)