Cooking Tips and Tricks

So as we go along in life we almost inevitably get recipes, cooking tips and "secrets" from family and friends. I've had many from my mother but I was very surprised when my friend who doesn't cook much handed me the greatest helpful hint since sliced bread.

I had cooked up my batch of usual mashed potatoes with milk and butter and served them up for supper. When I complained to my friend about their lumpiness and lack of fluffiness. She said two words: cream cheese. I've heard it before and it just sounded odd to me. Call me traditional but milk or cream and butter were the only things dairy wise that went into my mashed potatoes. Long story short, I made mashed potatoes yesterday night and had cream cheese on hand so I said, "sure, why not?" I tried making a small sample with the cream cheese and I was pleasantly surprised. Apparently it's as my friend told me. Cream cheese has the perfect balance of dairy and fat. Spoon liberally into mashed potatoes and beat with electric mixer. The mixer is my tool for making the potatoes light and fluffy, it puts air into them and beats hand mixing, hands down. I have to say that I'll probably make my mashed potatoes this way here on out. Considering the ease of it I really don't see a reason not to!

New Appliances!

I'm very excited for today! Today the appliances that we ordered are finally being delivered to the new house! Granted, they were supposed to be delivered three weeks ago but apparently it took them that long to get the microwave in that was on back order. It's a bit fishy sounding but it gave the builder time to finish all of the tile and hardwood flooring so I'm not horribly concerned. That being said, Monday is going to be a very busy day for our builder. He'll have the plumber there to re-install the bathroom fixtures (they had to be removed to tile the floor) and appliances, the kitchen counter tops are being installed, the carpet guys are going to be there to install the carpet in the remainder of the house and more carpenters are going to be outside finishing the deck. It's a race to the finish since the home inspection is on Wednesday. I hope I don't have to push it back. *Sigh*  I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Keeping Tidy

So today my hubby and I did some packing. Quite a bit of packing actually. Our son was at his Pepe's (read grandpa's) house and so we took the opportunity to get some stuff put away. Our new house is coming along great and carpet is going to be installed next Monday. We may actually end up signing before September 30th which would be awesome. Unfortunately we still have a lot of packing to do.

While packing was the primary goal today I also got around to making a chore list. I thought, "Well it'll be easier to pack if we keep the clutter down and get into the habit of weekly chores. I've tried a number of things including the popular Fly Lady website and nothing worked. Today I think I found a solution. If you're in the same predicament check out Chore Buster. It's a neat little website done for free that helps you get all your chores out onto a chore sheet, weight them by undesirability and difficulty and voilà. That's all you have to do. Each chore can be tailored, for instance who should not do a particular chore and how often it needs to be done. Pop in your family's names and the chores will be divided equally so that everyone does a fair amount of work. best of all no one gets stuck with the same chore or combination of chores day after day, week after week. As a bonus me, the mom, doesn't have to think too hard! Double bonus: they will email you and your family members weekly and daily, if you choose, to remind you of your chores for the week and day. I'm really excited to give this one a spin! Has anyone else tried it? What did you think?

House Progress & Camping Trip

We've purchased the appliances for our new house! The best part is that we did it during a tax-free weekend and saved 300$ in taxes. Also we saved a bunch more because we ended up going to smaller local store. It's a mom and pop shop that's been there for ages and, while it was overwhelming with tv's, microwaves and dozens of other small appliances stacked to the ceiling, the youngish man that helped us really knew his stuff and was able to provide us with lots of useful information. We were able to get all of our appliances (fridge, range, microwave, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer) and a grill for under 5K. Not to mention we were able to upgrade our range and fridge and still stay under budget of 5K. Overall we saved 800$ on the list prices of our appliances and that's not counting the rebates that we have to send in after we receive them. That was the last of the big item shopping, thank God.

Shopping for large items like that is stressful. All of my friends were like, "oh, that will be so fun!" and we were like, "you have no idea." It was a lot fun looking at stuff but looking, knowing that you have to buy something that will last 15-20 years (you hope) is a major decision. I think if we had to shop for a replacement it wouldn't have been so bad because you get to focus on one thing and research that one thing. Having to buy all your appliances at once is overwhelming. You have to research everything, decide if you're going to sick with one brand or choose the best of each. It's a lot to handle. Thankfully we had a few Consumer Reports magazines that dealt with appliances and gave ratings for efficacy, energy savings, ease of use and brand reliability. If you are building a house and have to buy appliances, decide on flooring or anything like that I would highly recommend getting a subscription to Consumer Reports. It is so incredibly handy and informative.

On to other things....We are packing and getting prepared to go camping! Wuss camping in my opinon but camping nonetheless. The tents are on platforms, they come and make your bed and serve you three meals a day. We are going with my in-laws and we'll be around thirteen people or so. I'm looking forward to it but packing is a pain. our son will need 14 days of clothes though we'll only be gone for half the time since he's bound to get messy. Layers are going to be necessary since we'll be in northern Vermont and that inevitably means bulky. Also we'll be miles from the nearest clothing or baby-supply store so forgetting anything would be a pain. The best thing I can do for myself and what I think any parent can do is make a list then bounce it off another parent. Two brains are better than one! Well back to packing! Have a good week everyone!

Beautiful Weather

I just returned home from visiting my mother with our sixteen month old son. We were there for just under a week and except for the last two days we had rain. I managed to get burnt in the process of cleaning my tent but the tent is clean and mildew free and that's what matters! I just had to post because I'm so excited about today's weather! It's seventy three degrees today and beautiful! I'm taking JM out to the little park across the street later and for the first time in a while I've had the windows open and no need for the air conditioner. I'm even wearing pants! WOO!

Everything Comes in Threes?

Last Wednesday we had a homeowner's headache. The washing machine decided to go bonkers and when I researched the symptoms they said that it was a whole washer replacement. Later that night my hubby found out that the kitchen sink faucet was leaking under the counter. Fabulous. After hauling all of the crap that the average person keeps under the kitchen sink and checking the closet on the back of the same wall we found out that it was the faucet not a pipe in the wall. Thank God. Something inside of our Moen faucet broke. Whatever it was that broke it was causing corrosion on the inner parts. As a result we were losing water pressure in the faucet and water was leaking onto the counter.

Thursday I had the plumber and the appliance repair man in. The guy from the appliance repair store told me that the control chip was probably going and he would have to come back with another man to take the stacked dryer off and access the panel in the rear of the washer. He then proceeded to unplug it and plug it back in (which I had don the day before trying to troubleshoot on my own) and the washing machine suddenly cam back. Mike (the appliance guy) said that he wouldn't trust it but we've decided to go with it and see how long it lasts. When it goes we'll replace it then but since it's still working we'll leave it alone...

As for the faucet the plumber (Andy) came by and confirmed our suspicions. He tinkered around a bit and informed me that the cost of parts and labor to fix our corroded fixture would be more than a new faucet. He had brought a Kohler faucet similar to ours and I gave him the go ahead to install it. New faucet in place I was able to wash dishes and it was then that I noticed just how much the corrosion had affected the water pressure. It's amazing. Not only that but Andy informed me that Kohler faucets have a lifetime warranty. If corrosion hits I get a replacement! I like that!

Shopping and Moving!

While on vacation last week my husband and I found out that our bid was accepted on a newly built house! Our new house is on a quiet numbered route that only locals use and overlooks hills of conservation land. It's by far a better buy than the first home we offered on. We are now in the process of shopping. While our new home is mostly finished we get to choose flooring, formica for kitchen counter tops, light fixtures, and appliances. Now the down side with this is that the allowances for all these things are only token amounts. For kitchen appliances we're looking at spending about $3,000-$4,000. A front loading washer and dryer adds an additional three grand. Our flooring allowance includes installation so any dreams of all hardwood floors and tile are busted.

On the upside we get to choose everything so we get to customize our look....the downside is that movers are completely out of the question. Out of the movers I've priced the lowest was $2,200 with the highest being at $2,600. All of that to move out of a 750 square foot condo. That's with us packing and taking all of our furniture apart. That's money that we have decided that we'd rather put towards appliances, lighting, etc. Well more on that later!

Try #2

So I didn't post this last week but my husband and I put an offer on a house. Sadly there was a previous offer that was accepted over ours. We were naturally bummed but we have found another house that is actually located in the same neighborhood and are planning to place an offer on it tonight. A little smaller but better landscaped and larger yard and located on a cul-du-sac which I think is better for kids.

I've been so stressed out searching for a home. It's natural but it doesn't make it any easier. There is a fear that sits on you. Is this the house? Should you make an offer? If you don't make an offer now will the house still be available later? House buying can be really stressful. I have found a few things to ease my own stress.

1. Make lists. They are your friends. We made a list of our minimum requirements, would likes, and ideal house attributes. The candidates with the most checks wins.
2. Don't deny your instinct. If you walk into a house and something just doesn't sit well then most likely that's not the house for you.
3. If you're unsure or if your spouse or you have to talk your partner into a house...it's not likely to be the house for you. 
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY! DON'T SETTLE! A home is long term investment and with any luck you'll be living there for at least 5-10 years. Make sure that it's a home that you are happy with, not settling for!

Vacations & Kisses

YAY! My son came back from his week long vacation with his grandmother and grandfather (on my side) and I'm so happy to have him home again! It was the first time since his birth (he's 15 months now) that he's been away from me for more than a couple of nights. My hubby and my friends have kept me busy during the write-in for my writing group, walks in the park (yep, I'm serious about that), redoing my business website and house hunting. Thank God for all of that or I may have cried myself to sleep every night, I missed him so much! I did get a much needed rest though and my hubby and I got some quality time together to be a couple which we haven't really had since our son was born.

When my mom brought him home yesterday she told me about all his adventures and showed me pictures of him petting a frog and riding in the hay wagon with grandma. He also learned to give kisses while he was away and I can't get enough of them! He give little open-mouthed kisses without any sound. He is so adorable! Tomorrow we're going to my in-law's annual 4th of July BBQ and I hope that he'll be willing to give kisses to his other grandparents too!

First Steps!

My son took his first official steps today! It was with my hubby and since I have experienced so many of his firsts I certainly don't begrudge him this. Apparently my hubby placed our son on the floor and held his hand only four or five inches away and our son proceeded to take three or four steps all on his own to reach his daddy. I'm so excited and proud. Now I just have to grab the video camera and see if he'll do a repeat performance tomorrow!

Changing The Routine & Stopping Excuses

My husband and I have been on Weight Watchers since New Year's and we have done well for ourselves on. We have lost some forty-five pound between the two of us since the first of January and fell good about ourselves. Unfortunately at this point we have "stalled out" for lack of a better term. Our recent excuse for not doing more excersize (walking for us) has been time and, oddly enough, our son.

Usually my husband will stop at the grocery store on his way home and then by the time he gets home we end up deciding that it's too late to go out since our son will need to be in bed in forty five minutes. It's stupid and a small change in routine is all we need to get our walking time in but small changes can be so hard! Tonight we are trying something new. My hubby will meet our son and I at the park where we walk after work then he'll take him home and I'll go grocery shopping. I'm hoping that our supper won't be much later than usual which is around eight and really there is no reason for it to be since we end up waiting for our son to be in bed before eating supper ourselves. Tonight's test run of this should prove to be very beneficial and hopefully put an end to our silly excuses!

Back Home

Memorial weekend has been eventful for me and mine. An  eight hour trip up to Montreal followed by a family birthday supper/dinner party for my sister's twenty-fifth birthday, followed by two late evenings filled with friends and family and capped by another eight hour drive home. It's been a whirlwind weekend and this coming weekend promises to be more of the same.

This weekend my hubby and his brother are surprising my father-in-law for his birthday. It means we will probably be heading out to Sturbridge on Friday after my hubby gets out of work and won't be back again until Sunday night since my youngest brother-in-law is graduating high school on Sunday and there's his graduation party to go to.

I'm usually a very sociable person but I have to admit that I am glad after these long weekends when Monday rolls around and I get back into my usual routine and I have the house to myself. It's kind of the time that I use to get my sanity back. My routine and the solitude (or semi solitude) that I spend with my son help me find my center and let me de-stress.  I am glad to be a stay at home mom or SAH as some call it or I would not have the time and I really think that my stress would not help me or my family.

YAY! The Tomboy Gets Pretty!

So after my friend showed me her new manicure and how bulletproof it is, I decided to try it for myself. The new manicure is Shellac and I have to say that it is as bulletproof as my friend told me. I have tried standard nail poilsh with no success since I can't stand to keep my hands still. Now more than ever with a thirteen month old running around. This manicure was ready and done by the end of my appointment and I have not chipped, smudged or imprinted anything in the last 4 hours while doing all kinds of housework and baby care. I feel quite girly and lovely on the down note my supper hasn't arrived yet and they said delivery time was 30 minutes.......grrr

So much to do, so little time...

So now that the show is over I can no longer ignore the growing to-do list that has been siting on my table. While most of it is everyday stuff like laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning. There are other things on the list that are more stressful and time consuming that I've been trying to avoid. Not very good of me, I know.

Some of the tings pertain to the wedding ceremony that my hubby and I have been planning. We have finally set a date and gotten a venue and now the actual planning has to start. Some of the more stressful things on my list are choosing wedding invitations, menu and the million and one other things that go along with a wedding. On top of that the smaller more tedious chores of sorting though my son's clothing to see which he's out grown, sorting though kitchen things to see which to put in storage and general de-cluttering and reorganization, there's a lot to so and not much time or extra hands to do it in. Having my hubby home almost two hours earlier everyday because of his earlier work schedule is great but we're still not used to it and trying to find your groove with a new schedule can take time. I still have to make supper and the rest of the housework has to be done but there are things like walks that would like to incorporate into our daily routine.

So I suppose rather than sit on my butt and write a longer post I ought to get back to doing a few of those things on the to-do list I have...

Sanity Returns

Since January I've been working on a show and it has finally ended the weekend before last. At the same time my husband has finished his online classes and is taking a six month break from his MBA work. YAY!

My sanity has officially returned. My hubby got earlier work hours and now gets home at 5PM instead of 6:30PM. More time with me, more time with baby. It's a good thing. I went home and spent time with my mom for Easter and she even hosted a small birthday party for our little man for his one year birthday. Naturally gifts were involved and so far the Leap Frog activity table has been a favorite. Cake was also involved and it came in a carrot cake cupcake format frosted with cream cheese frosting. There is no question that he is our son, he didn't think twice about what to do with that cake! All in all it's been a good week though  my son has decided that waking up at 2AM and staying up for an hour is the cool thing to do. Not so cool for mom and pops let me tell you. I'm hoping that being back home will even out his schedule.

Baby's Superbowl

Yesterday's Superbowl part at my father-in-law's was a fun time for all of us, my son included. My sisters-in-law were there as well as my two nephews. My then month old son and our seven month nephew were a little confused by each other. There was some ear grabbing and jealousy over the excersaucer (which my little man has grown out of) but all things considered not bad. They played nicely with foam blocks and my little one mostly practiced his crawling and sitting techniques.

As far as the game was concerned we had great fun watching the game. The younger boys though were scared a little at all of the rejoicing that went on after a touchdown. Though part of that may have been due to being overtired, my little man went without his customary nap which made him more than a little cranky. It seems to me that he had a good time though and while getting him to go to sleep for this morning's nap was a bit of an adventure I would count yesterday a success.

Two Posts in One Day / Juvenile Solutions Thermobaby Bath Ring

So I know that two posts from me in one day is an oddity however after giving my nine month old his bath I had to post about the nifty bath ring that holds him in place.

At eight months old it was clearly obvious that my son was growing out of his infant tub rather rapidly. Like any good parent I began scouring the web for the best next step in support for my son in the tub. He was a sitter but when he got over excited he would topple over. I found my solution int the Juvenile Solutions Thermobaby Bath Ring. There are no moving parts other than the three small turning toys on the belly bar. My little one sits comfortably with nothing to scratch him while being supported on all sides. The four suction cups on the bottom work very well and the hole ting is made of sturdy, easy to clean plastic.

Washing my son in this handy gadget is far easier since I have two free hands. Accessing his bum and front parts is no trickier than washing him in an infant tub. I feel safe enough to let him play in the tub while sitting in the bath ring while I brush my teeth. I still keep an eye on him but I don't have to hold him all the time and he has fun with his freedom in the tub. He loves to splash and play with his rubber ducky and toy boat and this bath ring allows him to do that with out mommy's pesky hands getting in the way!

YAY! Washer Fixed!

So for the past month or so our washer has been acting up. We have a whirlpool front loader that's smaller than 4.2 cubic feet in size which is small. To put it into perspective to keep up with my small family's laundry including towels and sheets I have to do at least three loads of laundry a day. A load consists of three full sized towels or two bath sheets. The clothing equivalent is two pairs of jeans and three shirts. Anymore and it won't wash or rinse properly. So when I can only do a load of laundry a day dirty clothes start to pile up.

It all started with the door not unlocking at the end of a cycle. Then it decided that it wouldn't complete the spin cycle. Last Wednesday it decided to not complete the rinse cycle. Enough is enough and I had to call in the appliance repair man. At the cost of $134.00 for minimum appointment time and labor they showed me the issue which was the filter on the washing machine and cleaned it out for me. The thing looks like a fat plastic popsicle base which is located in a little compartment in the lower right front corner of the machine. The little popsicle thing is riddled with hole to catch large pieces of lint but let water go though. Washing machines are smart. The door wasn't unlocking because the water wasn't draining properly. It's a safety precaution so you don't open the door and get a bunch of water on your floor.It's the same reason the spin cycle wasn't working or the rinse. It couldn't get rid of the water.

I learned something new today and next time I won't have to spend the hundred plus dollars to fix it! YAY!

The After Holiday Thaw

So the holidays are over and my brain has thawed and the stress has lessened somewhat. The new toys for my son have been well tested and new baby-proofing measures have been implemented.

My son has reached his ninth month and hasn't progressed passed the army crawl but has decided that pulling himself up to standing using his new play-pen gate is a great idea. The new play pen (a
North States Superyard 3 in 1 Metal Gate) is terrifically sturdy and very versatile. My husband and I chose this gate over a plastic version because of its versatility and sturdiness. This gate can be used closed in a playpen format, mounted to the wall to close off wood stoves or stairs and it can also be a free standing unit. Not to mention one panel has a swinging door that locks like many of the plain touchless gates. The one downside is that because it is metal it is a bit heavier than its plastic counterpart. To us the sturdiness far outweighs the weight issues.

That's it for now. This post is short and sweet since I need to get back to making baby food. More to come soon!