I am on a frugality/simplicity kick these days which has caused me to rethink my beauty routine. When my Clinique soap ran out, I broke open a bar of plain Dove. My usual salon visits for haircuts and highlights were recently replaced with a darned fabulous $10 cut from my friend Nicole who is a professional stylist staying home with her kids, cutting hair on the side. I didn't even get highlights this time because am looking for the best lemon juice application method--lemon juice is supposed to naturally enhance those golden strands.
Last night I hit the frugality jackpot! I went to an activity, sponsored by the women's group at my church, which offered classes devoted to five topics. (To get all Mormon on you, this was old school Homemaking night--back in the day, it was all about mini-classes! I loved the classic feel of the evening.) One class taught by a thirty year old woman with impossibly gorgeous curly hair and glowing skin offered tips on delaying our youthful complextion's decline into the world of deep wrinkles and age spots.
She opened herself up for questions--I raised my hand, "What is the best, cheap night cream for people of my age who are begining to wrinkle?" After the 45+ crowd stopped laughing (they know we will look back on our thirtysomething skin with fondness), she unloaded the secret of all secrets----OLIVE OIL!!! Or coconut oil but I already have extra virgin olive oil on hand so I rushed home to try it out. After cleansing with dove, I dabbed on a little olive oil and massaged it in. My skin felt as soft and smooth as when I use the $75 Clinique cream! The instructor suggested using the oil only at night and I agree. The moisture lasted 24 hours without feeling oily. I did a little reasearch on homemade skin treatments and the reason olive oil is so great is that the molecules perfectly fit skins moisture holding pores--or something like that.
It is also, apparently, good to exfoliate on a regular basis (the one time I had a facial the esthetist suggested regular exfoliation after she removed layers of sediment from my dull skin). I found a recipe for homemade exfoliants online: For normal skin (mine is on the oily side but I can usually get away with treating it like normal skin) a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of baking soda should work wonders. I tried it and it did. Again, I am walking around with baby's butt skin on my face! These miracle concoctions were hanging out in my pantry just waiting for me to unleash their potential. Now, if I could only find a cheap food item that would make my eyelashes thick and lush!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Roasted Rooster Hotel
Our house guests are gone. For one week we hosted Jake's brother, sister-in-law and three daughters, ages 9, 6 and 5. The girls had a fun time staying at our hotel--apparently the combination of being on vacation and staying in such small quarters made the girls think our place was a hotel. I learned a few things spending so much time with the three balls of energy:
1. Whatever you have is not nearly as good as what your sister has.
2. A 5 year old who is as small as a 3 year old will act like a tough 13 year old to get by.
3. 9 year olds are actually quite pleasant to talk to.
4. When you weigh under 45 lbs. you can sleep on any surface, in any position and in any type of clothing.
5. Clever 5 year olds can effortlessly and within seconds figure out how to turn things on that have been very carefully booby trapped.
6. Aunts and uncles are infinitely cooler than moms and dads.
7. Spongebob Squarepants can be found on at least one channel at any time of the day or night.
8. Office supplies are better than any toy.
9. 6 year olds hit a wall after about 4 days of amusement park-going and their cute little voice turns into a constant whine.
10. It isn't necessary to bribe the children with candy to get big hugs.
Even though our little home was bursting for a week, I was sad to see them go. I am going to miss those mysterious smudges on every surface of my apartment.
1. Whatever you have is not nearly as good as what your sister has.
2. A 5 year old who is as small as a 3 year old will act like a tough 13 year old to get by.
3. 9 year olds are actually quite pleasant to talk to.
4. When you weigh under 45 lbs. you can sleep on any surface, in any position and in any type of clothing.
5. Clever 5 year olds can effortlessly and within seconds figure out how to turn things on that have been very carefully booby trapped.
6. Aunts and uncles are infinitely cooler than moms and dads.
7. Spongebob Squarepants can be found on at least one channel at any time of the day or night.
8. Office supplies are better than any toy.
9. 6 year olds hit a wall after about 4 days of amusement park-going and their cute little voice turns into a constant whine.
10. It isn't necessary to bribe the children with candy to get big hugs.
Even though our little home was bursting for a week, I was sad to see them go. I am going to miss those mysterious smudges on every surface of my apartment.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Home Invasion
This was my first blog post on Myspace. I am coming up with some new stuff but this story makes me laugh so much that I want to share it...
Since my life is so uneventful, I have to write about my friend's excitement. Let me tell you about Anna:
Anna has two "pet" skunks. These are not your typical pet skunks. They are not the whimpy sort who have had their anal glands removed...these skunks are wild. Last night while Anna was doing the dishes, she saw out of the corner of her eye the stinky pair waddle in the back door. Every time the skunks sneak in, Anna tells herself she needs to repair the broken latch on the screen door that has allowed her odiferous friends to enter more than once in the past. That's right, they have wandered in before. They usually saunter in with that skunk smugness--kind of like they are over compensating for their obvious odor problem--look Anna up and down, grab a snack from the fridge, and leave--well, they would if they had opposable thumbs.
This appearance was different. One skunk headed for the office, probably to check his email, and the other slipped into the bedroom. Anna had never seen such audacity in her skunks! And, what does one do when skunks have come to visit? She thought about calling me because I live nearby, but quickly reasoned that I have even less skunk herding experience than she.
Her next thought was to cover up in a robe, rubber gloves and a motorcycle helmet in order to shoo the intruders out the door, anticipating their fright induced spray. She knew the stench could be removed by bathing in tomato juice but remembered that skunks, like squirrels, can carry rabies and little be-clawed/be-fanged critters tend to scratch and bite when faced with a threat.
If only she had a gullible minion who would unwittingly risk his personal body odor to scare the skunks out. Right then her kitty Frank strolled through the door ready for a scratch fest. Before he knew what happened, Frank was face to face with one of the stinkers. They high fived each other and talked about the Dodgers for five minutes.
With so many failed extradition attempts, Anna was faced with the reality that her visitors might very possibly never leave and she would be forced to move back to her mother's house or turn to a life on the streets.
Suddenly, all her years of cartoon watching paid off. The skunks had originally started hanging around her house when they were kits and her cats were kittens (hence, the skunks/cats playing poker scene) with the main draw being FOOD. Like Tom setting a trap for Jerry, Anna grabbed a handful of dry cat food and created a tempting trail leading out the door.
And she waited.
Skunks are like college guys, never turning down a chance to eat, so her skunk removal plan succeeded! Both black and white striped fellows grazed their way to the back yard.
She still hasn't fixed the latch on her screen door.
Since my life is so uneventful, I have to write about my friend's excitement. Let me tell you about Anna:
Anna has two "pet" skunks. These are not your typical pet skunks. They are not the whimpy sort who have had their anal glands removed...these skunks are wild. Last night while Anna was doing the dishes, she saw out of the corner of her eye the stinky pair waddle in the back door. Every time the skunks sneak in, Anna tells herself she needs to repair the broken latch on the screen door that has allowed her odiferous friends to enter more than once in the past. That's right, they have wandered in before. They usually saunter in with that skunk smugness--kind of like they are over compensating for their obvious odor problem--look Anna up and down, grab a snack from the fridge, and leave--well, they would if they had opposable thumbs.
This appearance was different. One skunk headed for the office, probably to check his email, and the other slipped into the bedroom. Anna had never seen such audacity in her skunks! And, what does one do when skunks have come to visit? She thought about calling me because I live nearby, but quickly reasoned that I have even less skunk herding experience than she.
Her next thought was to cover up in a robe, rubber gloves and a motorcycle helmet in order to shoo the intruders out the door, anticipating their fright induced spray. She knew the stench could be removed by bathing in tomato juice but remembered that skunks, like squirrels, can carry rabies and little be-clawed/be-fanged critters tend to scratch and bite when faced with a threat.
If only she had a gullible minion who would unwittingly risk his personal body odor to scare the skunks out. Right then her kitty Frank strolled through the door ready for a scratch fest. Before he knew what happened, Frank was face to face with one of the stinkers. They high fived each other and talked about the Dodgers for five minutes.
With so many failed extradition attempts, Anna was faced with the reality that her visitors might very possibly never leave and she would be forced to move back to her mother's house or turn to a life on the streets.
Suddenly, all her years of cartoon watching paid off. The skunks had originally started hanging around her house when they were kits and her cats were kittens (hence, the skunks/cats playing poker scene) with the main draw being FOOD. Like Tom setting a trap for Jerry, Anna grabbed a handful of dry cat food and created a tempting trail leading out the door.
And she waited.
Skunks are like college guys, never turning down a chance to eat, so her skunk removal plan succeeded! Both black and white striped fellows grazed their way to the back yard.
She still hasn't fixed the latch on her screen door.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Vegetarian Delights
After going vegetarian a few years ago I quickly learned that it is very easy to eat unhealthy vegetarian foods. Fried mozzarella, anyone? I have learned a thing or two in my weight loss journey and I would like to share a couple--Tofu and Eggplant Parmesan
I was not a fan of tofu because it always seemed so bland and mushy. I found that restaurants did a better job preparing it than I did but that it often involved breading and/or frying. I found a method online for dry frying tofu:
http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros
All you need is a teflon pan and a spatula--not oil!
The first time I tried this a couple of weeks ago was a life changing exerience for me! I finally used the bok choy and fresh ginger that came in my organic produce delivery (it's cheap and conveinient and it forces me to eat a variety of veggies--a slight splurge but for all the right reasons). I dry fried the tofu then marinated it in low sodium soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, a tiny bit of sugar and some fresh grated ginger. I stir fried bok choy, shitake mushrooms and scallions and added the tofu near the end. Delicious!
Today I dry fried a whole bunch of tofu on the electric griddle and froze them in individual portioned ziploc bags. This way I can whip up some tofu without going through the whole dry fry process every time.
My latest creation happened today. I love eggplant parmesan but really good EP requires frying in hot oil. I tried a baked version--my very own creation!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
I peeled the medium eggplant and sliced it 1/4-1/3 inches thick. Sprinkled with salt and let stand for about 20 minutes. Rinsed the eggplant and patted dry. I put about 1/4 cup all purpose flour in a ziploc bag and shook the slices up in there.
Beat an egg with a little water. Dipped the slices in that and then dredged in the breadcrumb mixture:
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (crushed finer than the larger bits they came in but any breadcrumbs will do)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
dried parsley
Trader Joe's pasta seasoning (it has onion and garlic powder with some other italian seasonings)
Here was the trick. I sprayed a cookie sheet lined with foil with olive oil cooking spray--Trader Joe's brand but I am sure Pam makes something similar. I placed the slices on there and then sprayed the slices again. I baked them in a hot oven (450 degrees) for 15 minutes, turned them and baked them another 15. They came out nice and crispy without the oil! Even my carnivorous hubby liked them!
To make it a baked eggpland dish I layered marinara sauce with slices of eggplant, topping each with a slice of fresh mozzarella. This is where I more than made up for the frying. I didn't used a ton of cheese and could have put on even less but this was our Sunday dinner. I didn't drown the eggplant in sauce either. They stayed nice and firm after about 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven-just enough to get the cheese nice and melty. Served with spaghetti in pink sauce (half alfredo/half marinara sauce) and steamed green beans.
Why am I not taking picutures of these creations?
I was not a fan of tofu because it always seemed so bland and mushy. I found that restaurants did a better job preparing it than I did but that it often involved breading and/or frying. I found a method online for dry frying tofu:
http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros
All you need is a teflon pan and a spatula--not oil!
The first time I tried this a couple of weeks ago was a life changing exerience for me! I finally used the bok choy and fresh ginger that came in my organic produce delivery (it's cheap and conveinient and it forces me to eat a variety of veggies--a slight splurge but for all the right reasons). I dry fried the tofu then marinated it in low sodium soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, a tiny bit of sugar and some fresh grated ginger. I stir fried bok choy, shitake mushrooms and scallions and added the tofu near the end. Delicious!
Today I dry fried a whole bunch of tofu on the electric griddle and froze them in individual portioned ziploc bags. This way I can whip up some tofu without going through the whole dry fry process every time.
My latest creation happened today. I love eggplant parmesan but really good EP requires frying in hot oil. I tried a baked version--my very own creation!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
I peeled the medium eggplant and sliced it 1/4-1/3 inches thick. Sprinkled with salt and let stand for about 20 minutes. Rinsed the eggplant and patted dry. I put about 1/4 cup all purpose flour in a ziploc bag and shook the slices up in there.
Beat an egg with a little water. Dipped the slices in that and then dredged in the breadcrumb mixture:
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (crushed finer than the larger bits they came in but any breadcrumbs will do)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
dried parsley
Trader Joe's pasta seasoning (it has onion and garlic powder with some other italian seasonings)
Here was the trick. I sprayed a cookie sheet lined with foil with olive oil cooking spray--Trader Joe's brand but I am sure Pam makes something similar. I placed the slices on there and then sprayed the slices again. I baked them in a hot oven (450 degrees) for 15 minutes, turned them and baked them another 15. They came out nice and crispy without the oil! Even my carnivorous hubby liked them!
To make it a baked eggpland dish I layered marinara sauce with slices of eggplant, topping each with a slice of fresh mozzarella. This is where I more than made up for the frying. I didn't used a ton of cheese and could have put on even less but this was our Sunday dinner. I didn't drown the eggplant in sauce either. They stayed nice and firm after about 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven-just enough to get the cheese nice and melty. Served with spaghetti in pink sauce (half alfredo/half marinara sauce) and steamed green beans.
Why am I not taking picutures of these creations?
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Starting Again
I have been lightly blogging at MySpace.com and I want to switch to here. This might not be a good idea because, as it is, I can't log in to MySpace at work (blocked somehow) so I am not tempted to blog when I should be doing stuff I am paid to do (I am eating lunch at my desk right now on a slow day so this doesn't count). Not only is this helpful in keeping my job, it also helps me filter. Since I can only blog from home I am less likely to post my every thought and have to stick with the best stuff. Great, if that blog represents my best, I am a sorry case for a writer.
The major reason I want to start blogging here is that there are some exciting times in my future--I can feel it. I turned 35 in December and I feel like this is going to be my best year yet. I am the healthiest I have ever been after losing 100lbs and becoming addicted to running, I am ready to make some changes in my career as is my adorable husband. And, this might be the year we actually increase our family. We bought the car now we need the carseat and someone to fill it.
And, this is a good way to keep in touch with my far flung friends who also blog here.
There, I have justified my new blog---let's see if I can deliver!
The major reason I want to start blogging here is that there are some exciting times in my future--I can feel it. I turned 35 in December and I feel like this is going to be my best year yet. I am the healthiest I have ever been after losing 100lbs and becoming addicted to running, I am ready to make some changes in my career as is my adorable husband. And, this might be the year we actually increase our family. We bought the car now we need the carseat and someone to fill it.
And, this is a good way to keep in touch with my far flung friends who also blog here.
There, I have justified my new blog---let's see if I can deliver!
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