Washing with Oils

I read a while ago that it can be good for your skin to wash it with oils instead of soap. The science behind it, allegedly, is that oil dissolves oil, so you can cleanse your skin without stripping it like soap does.

The hippy in me just had to try it! I've been using it for a few weeks now, and I have to say, I really have noticed a difference in my skin! While my breakouts have been about the same (which has more to do with my diet than anything else), my skin has been less irritated, and I don't have to worry about excess oil anymore.

I have been using a blend of two parts castor oil, one part olive oil, and a few drops of tee tree oil. The castor oil goes deep into the pores to cleanse the skin, the olive oil moisturizes, and the tee tree oil helps clear blemishes. If your skin is more dry than oily, you would want to use more olive oil than castor oil, and if you don't have breakouts then skip the tea tree oil altogether. I mixed it together in a $.99 travel bottle from Wal Mart. I squeeze about a quarter amount onto my hands, then rub it into my skin for a minute or two. It feels weird at first to be putting oil on your face, but you get used to it. Then put a really warm (but not hot) wet washcloth on your face and let it steam for a bit, maybe a minute or so. Rinse out the washcloth and wipe your face well.

The first few days, your skin will probably freak out because it's used to producing oil to make up for what the soap is taking out of it. But after a few days, it should even out.

Cheap, effective and natural. Who could ask for more??

One More Thing...

Thanks to Pintrest, I now have one more thing to add to my ever growing list of New Year's Resolutions. Add cleaning and de-cluttering to the list! Not that I have THAT much stuff. I'm a serial thrower away-er after all, but living a more minimalist lifestyle has been appealing to me more and more lately.

I went to a baby shower last week (it was super fun, great food and no one made me smell chocolate in a diaper!) and I was so overwhelmed with the amount of STUFF that you get when you are having a baby... As if adding another person to your family wasn't enough, now you 'need' 20 bibs with coordinating socks and enough bedding to last the child through his college years. Then I watched the documentary Babies, and it showed that kids that grow up without all the 'stimulating toys' that we think are so important, develop at almost exactly the same pace! So, once again - our stuff basically means nothing.

So the point of that little rant is, I am thinking of becoming a minimalist. Because I'm tired of the stuff.

I still have no idea what I would like to focus on in 2012, and only one more week to figure it out. Is it possible to focus on 20 things at the same time?? That way I won't have to choose!

Christmas at the Mall

I went to the mall twice in the last two weeks. Both times I went to buy a jacket (it was an epic battle between my desire to be cheap, and my desire to be warm). I rarely went to the mall this year, since I couldn't buy anything there anyway, and when I did go, it was usually to go to a specific store (hello Sephora!!) and then go home.

Both times I went, I was struck with just how much STUFF there is. Stuff that we are told that we need. Especially for Christmas. While I am in the stores, I think, if only I had the money to buy all these fancy things. Think how nice m life would be! If I could get an expensive hair cut, have a designer purse, and the cutest boots, I would be so happy.

Of course, that isn't true. Nothing that can be bought can decide if I am happy or not. Only I can decide that. But the advertising is strong. The people who make commercials and set up stores know what they are doing, and they do it well!

I made it out with a jacket (both warm AND cheap AND cute) so I felt like it was a win, but it was an eye opening experience for me. I will be able to shop at mall stores in less than two weeks, and I hope I remember that buying things there won't really change my life!

Someday I Will...

...Wrap presents in eco friendly recycled gift wrap with cute decorations.
...Bake Christmas cookies to give to all my friends and coworkers.
...Put up all of the Christmas decorations sitting in boxes.
...Do all the ideas I have pinned on my Pintrest Christmas board.
...Make homemade stockings to hang.
...Invite people over for a lovely Christmas party.

But not today. Today I am going to go to bed on time. There's always next year, right?

A New Diet

My doctor suggested that I go on a low carb diet as part of the treatment for PCOS. After obsessing over every bite for a few days, and freaking out because I didn't know what to eat, I decided that I needed more guidance. So I chose the South Beach Diet. It emphasizes eating whole foods, with lots of whole grains and not a lot of sugar, which is how I want to eat anyway. For the first two weeks, you can't have... well, anything really. No sugar, no wheat, no fruit, no happiness. Ok, you can still have happiness, but only in moderation. :)

The worst part about being on a diet is that everyone assumes that I am doing it because I am unhappy with my body. 'How much weight have you lost?' they ask. Which always makes me think- Do I look that chubby that everyone automatically thinks I want to lose weight? Is it bad that I'm generally happy with how my body looks? Am I a huge jiggly blob that walks, and I just haven't noticed yet??  I'm not going to lie, losing weight is a perk, and it is nice to see the scale moving down instead of up, but seriously, if I were doing it for the weight loss, I would have quit on the first day. A Bethany with no cookies is not a Bethany at all...

I just have to keep reminding myself that it will be worth it.  And on Monday, I get to add whole wheat and fruit back in. I have never been more excited for a piece of toast in my life!

What the What??

I can't believe that its already the middle of December... Seriously, where did 2011 go?? I still have to catch myself from saying 2010 (I think that is one of the downsides to no longer writing checks, I don't have a reminder about what year it is!) and here it is, almost 2012!!

Looking back on this past year, it really seems like a big blur. so much happened, and we were so busy! I learned so much, and I feel like I am a better person than I was 12 months ago.

For the first time... well... ever, I guess, I completed BOTH of my New Year's Resolutions!

My first resolution was to only buy clothes at thrift stores all year. This was harder, and easier, than I thought it would be. I did slip a few times- I bought a pair of jeans (mega on sale, they were $12 from Eddie Bauer! Great jeans! What was I doing in an Eddie Bauer, you ask? Well, I am quite the outdoorsman, you know...) and a few tank tops from Old Navy (they were $2 each! And I needed new tank tops! And you can't buy those at a thrift store!) and I also got a pair of grey tights from Banana Republic, for $1.89. Seriously. I also got some stuff from J Crew, but I had a gift card from work, and I only spent like $6 of my own money, so I don't think it counts! I probably shouldn't officially cross this off the list, since I still have two and a half weeks to go, and I'm going shopping tomorrow for a winter coat (crossing my fingers that the thrift store has a good one, otherwise I will crack. It's cold!!), but really, I have done much better than I thought I would!

My second resolution was to run a 5k. Done and done!! I actually ran two this year! My first one was in November, and I ran it in 40:30. My second one was at Sea World last week, and I ran it in 39:47. I know, with a time like that, its basically like I was walking fast, but believe me, it felt like running... I actually enjoy running now, and I'm planning on doing another race on the coast in March.

I'm still crafting my resolutions for next year, I have a few really good ideas. I think the reason I was so successful this year is I had something really specific that I could actually cross off. You can't really measure 'being nicer' or 'being healthier' but I can specifically tell you that I did, in fact, run 3.1 miles (twice!), and I did (for the most part) only buy clothes at thrift stores. So I'm keeping that in mind for next year. Some things on the possible list:

• Become an extreme couponer
• Run 520 miles (over the year, not all at once!)
• Do one thing from Pintrest a month
• Have a baby (just kidding... sort of)
• Bake 12 new kinds of bread
• Run a 5k in under 30:00
• Write a mission statement (a la 7 Habits)
• Pay off my student loan

Four Day Win, part 1

I decided to focus on each of my goals for one week. Since there are roughly four weeks in a month, it should work out well!

My first goal was to improve my relationship with God. I like to think that I have a very personal relationship with my Father in Heaven. I have had many prayers answered, and I try to listen to the promptings I get from Him. But I know I can do much, much better. I am too quick to forget my dependance on Him when things are going well, and only remember to really pray when I need something.  For this week, my four day win will be to read my scriptures each morning for 15 minutes.  I know it sounds simple, but that's the point!

To make this happen, I will need to do a little bit of preparation at night (I could get up earlier, but I don't want to!). I need to get out my clothes, make our lunches and pack my gym bag so I have the extra time to add one more step to my routine in the mornings.

Next week I will be focusing on my health and fitness!

Cool-Whip, Continued

I posted last week that I wanted to start looking at how I was spending my time. I have been thinking a lot about how I spend my time, and I have decided that I need to be much more intentional. The conference talk A Time to Prepare really drove this idea home for me.  The whole talk is amazing, but I especially liked the end:

Time marches swiftly forward to the tick of the clock. Today would be a good day, while the clock of mortality ticks, to review what we are doing to prepare to meet God.

After thinking about how I spend my time, and think about what I actually want to accomplish, I found three main areas in my life that I feel need more focused, intentional attention:

1. My relationship with God.
2. My health and physical fitness.
3. My relationship with others.
4. My home.

My inclination is to rush into all of these things, set lofty goals, work furiously toward them for about a week, burn out, and then watch TV for three straight days. So I decided this time to set small, achievable goals, modeled after Martha Beck's Four Day Win.

I'm going to write a separate post for each goal, so stay tuned!

If you're interested in learning more about designing a life with intention, try reading the very inspirational blog Make Under My Life (there's a link over on the right).

You can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path.

-Steve Jobs, 1995-2011

I Tried it Tuesday- Dry Shampoo

I've mentioned before that I'm trying to grow my hair out. One of the ways I'm trying to keep my hair healthier is to not wash it as often. My hair is pretty fine, but thick, which means that when it gets dirty, it is not easy to hide! I've used baby powder before to absorb some of the grease, and it worked, but it took a lot of work to make my hair not look white, and it also got baby powder all over the bathroom! I've been meaning to try dry shampoo for a while, but I couldn't justify the cost when the problem could be solved by just taking a shower! So when I saw that Suave had a dry shampoo for $3, I had to try it!

My review:

Awesome! It comes out of the bottle COLD (refreshing on summer day, not sure how I'll feel in the winter! Oh, what am I saying, I live in Texas...) and a little powdery, then you rub it in with your hands. It has a nice, kinda peachy smell and made my hair look much fresher. It also makes my hair a lot thicker and coarser. I wouldn't wear it down like this, but it was great for putting my hair in a style that it wouldn't usually hold. It doesn't make my hair as good as if it were freshly washed, but it does get me through one more day of dirty hair with no problem! 

I Tried it Tuesday- Sephora Primer

I love Sephora. With my whole heart. One of my favorite things about shopping there are the free samples. The last time I was in, I got a makeup primer sample. I had heard that primer helps makeup go on smoother, and keeps it on longer.

I wore it a few days, and I couldn't really tell a difference. So I decided to put it on half my face. Don't worry, it was a day I didn't do much, so no one could make fun of me!

My review:

Eh. My foundation did go on smoother, but not so much that it was noticeable. And by the end of the day, I couldn't tell a difference at all. And I'm pretty sure it made me break out. Not recommended...

Cool-Whip

I've been thinking a lot lately about my life, and the way I spend my time. So this came at a perfect time for me. It's long, I know but the end is totally worth it:



When I was little, I used to sneak into the fridge and get a huge spoonful of Cool Whip, and then another, and then another, so I can totally relate to this!!

It made me think about the 'Cool Whip' in my life:

1. TV- I watch way too much, and get nothing back in return, except maybe some excess fat...
2. Blogs- I follow seriously 50 or more blogs. Some of them add to my life, but most of them don't.
3. Reading- I don't think reading is a bad thing, but sometimes I read instead of doing other, more important things. Also, the quality of the books I read is not always the best.
4. Internet- I can spend HOURS online, looking at everything and nothing. Only occasionally will I see something that inspires me to DO. Don't even get me started on the time suck that is Facebook...

I wanted to challenge myself to get rid of the Cool Whip and start doing all the things I have been putting off, but I honestly couldn't think of anything. Which is scary. So this week, I plan to make a list of things to replace the Cool Whip, and next week- DO SOMETHING!!

Join me?

Feel Like Crying Today?

Try this.


Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

I Tried it Tuesday- DIY Mask

***This post is dedicated to my cousin Ashley, who was always my mask parter in crime!***


This horrible summer weather has been taking a toll on my skin. It has been dry, flaky, and tired looking. While I really believe that how my skin looks depends more on what I put in my mouth more than what I put on my face, but no amount of water, fresh fruit or multivitamins were helping! I remembered a DIY face mask that I read about a few weeks ago, and decided to give it a try.

The recipe:
1 T olive oil
1 T honey
1 t lemon juice (I used the kind in the little plastic lemon, fresh would probably be better)

Mix all ingredients. If it's not mixing well warm the olive oil up a bit (not too much, it has to go on your face!). Put it all on your face. Wait 10 minutes, then rinse it off.

My review:
It was a lot less messy than you would think, but I did get some olive oil splatters in the bathroom sink that were difficult to clean up (hint: try a kitchen cleaner, cuts through the grease better than bathroom cleaner!) but once it was on my face, it didn't run or drip at all. It also took some serious scrubbing to get it off, I had to wash my face three times! I recommend washing it off in the shower, it would take FOREVER in the sink, and I wouldn't really want to get olive oil on a washcloth. But it WORKED. All of my flaky skin was gone, and I had a nice glowy look for a few days. And it was super cheap! So if you don't mind a little mess, and have a few ingredients to spare, I do recommend it!

PS, I Love You

I have been trying to be more consistent about posting the last few weeks, and the best way for me to do that is to write a bunch of posts when I have the time/have a few ideas/feel like writing and then schedule them to post later.

Usually I only write a day or two in advance, but I was thinking today, what if I got really ambitious and wrote thousands of posts and schedule them months in the future. And then someday I die in some freak accident and then my posts will speak from the dead.

It would be PS I Love You all over again! Except I wouldn't be giving Steve tasks to complete. And he hopefully wouldn't go back to my hometown in Ireland and fall in love with my best friend...

PS This is not a death wish. I hope to live a long long time and have my posts speak from the living not the dead!

Oh, and PS-I Love You ;)

Stealth Veggies

I have a love/hate relationship with stealth vegetables. You know the kind, where you're having a delicious meal and then the cook casually mentions that she put 13 heads of lettuce in the main dish and you had no idea.

On one had, I love it. Eating more vegetables is a good thing! And getting picky eaters (children or husbands!) to eat them can sometimes be difficult. And I would love to feel like I was getting something good for me when I eat a whole pan of brownies by myself (not that I have ever done that...).

But on the other hand, do you really need to trick people into eating something good for them? There are tons of studies out there showing that people tend to like the food they are exposed to. So, if we give kids/husbands broccoli, the first second or third time they might only have a bite or two, but the fourth, fifth, or 100th time they will dig right in (this of course is not true for every food. I grew up hating hot corn meal cereal, no matter how many times my mom made it!). And wouldn't it be better to teach someone to like a real veggie then to trick them into thinking that brownies are good for them? What happens when you are not there to stuff a vegetable into everything?

I am (obviously) conflicted about this, so while I make up my mind, try out this recipe for stuffed meatloaf. Tons of good for you spinach, but you can totally see it, so it's only semi stealth! Also, a great way to use up spinach that's a little too wilty to put in a salad but still good enough to eat.

Spinach and Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

1 pound ground turkey
2 egg whites (or one whole egg)
1/2 cup oatmeal (you can also use bread crumbs)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz shredded mozzarella
2 cups fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the turkey, egg whites, oatmeal, onion, 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce, and spices in a large bowl. Spread half of the turkey mixture in a bread pan. Layer cheese and spinach on top (trust me, put the spinach on after the cheese, it's much easier to spread the rest of the meat on!). Layer the remaining meat on top of the cheese and spinach. Cover with remaining BBQ sauce. Bake for 1 hour. Cut into 6 slices, and enjoy!

Nutrition: Calories: 262, Fat: 12g, Total Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 28g

I Tried it Tuesday- Almond Milk

Let me start this post by saying I love all things dairy. A PB&J just isn't complete without a cold glass of milk, I could have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I never met a cheese I didn't like. So I never felt the need to try any milk alternative products, since the real stuff was obviously amazing. But when I got hit by a nasty bug at the end of May, I had to lay off the dairy products until it cleared up. And when it finally did clear up, I was out of the habit of drinking milk. After pouring yet another sour half gallon of milk down the sink, I decided it was time to try something new that didn't go bad quite as quickly. Enter almond milk.

I bought the unsweetened unflavored store brand almond milk, nothing fancy. It was about the same price as a half gallon of milk.

My review:

Good and bad.

Good: Almond milk is great for putting on cereal. It has a really nice almond-y aftertaste, but other than that, I couldn't tell a difference. It is also good to bake with if you are using it as a moistener and not a thickener (muffins are a big yes!). It has less calories, but the about the same amount of protein as milk. Lasts longer than regular milk.

Bad: It is NOT good to drink all by itself. A little chocolate syrup will fix it right up though. It also is not good to use as a thickener in place of milk because, well, it doesn't thicken! It also is not good to use in savory foods, since it does have kind of a sweet flavor.

Garden Update

Bad news. It turns out that going on vacation for a week and half without getting someone to water your plants will kill them. Who knew?? So my first gardening experiment has come to an end. We did get about 5 tomatoes, and tons of fresh basil and rosemary. We also learned that when cilantro flowers, pinch the flowers off or it will die.

We have more potting soil, so I am getting ready to try again. I am thinking about growing the plants from seeds this time instead of buying seedlings.

How to Save on Your Grocery Bill (Without becoming Crazy Coupon Lady)

If you have read/listened to/watched the news lately, it's obvious our economy is not in the best shape. The stock market is up, no wait, it's down, it's a double dip recession, no, it's a recovery. It all makes me want to hide under the covers!!

So I don't go crazy, I am trying instead to save money where ever I can. You can't really control the cost of rent, and hello it's 104 degrees outside so I am keeping my thermostat right where it is, thankyouverymuch, so I see the grocery bill as the easiest place to cut costs without cutting the quality of my life.

While I am super interested in the whole couponing craze that is going around, who has time to do that?? And who really wants to be the crazy lady who hoards toothbrushes just because they were free?? Not I!! I also don't think that couponing lets you eat the best foods. I have never seen a coupon for lettuce or apples!!

So if you are, like me, trying to save money on groceries without eating a steady diet of chips and Oreos, or without becoming the crazy coupon lady, these tips might help!

1. Make a list of meals that you eat often. Try to come up with 15 or so. It can be hard just to sit down and list out 15 meals, so think of what you have eaten in the past week. If you still can't think of anything, open a cookbook or google some recipes that you would like to try. Come up with a list of the main ingredients for all the recipes.

2. Each week, look at the sale papers for all the stores in your area. That means the hippie shop down the street, the Mexican market across town, the Super Target where everything is twice as much, or anywhere else that you have access to. If the sale ads don't come in the mail, look them up online. Most places will send you a weekly email if you sign up, which will save time. It sounds like it takes a long time, but it doesn't once you learn where to find everything. Make a note if there is anything for sale that is on your list of ingredients. If you see a great deal on canned tomatoes, or BBQ sauce, or anything else that you know you will use, put it on the list!

3. Make a menu of the things you are going to eat that week. Write it down on a calendar, put it in your phone, or tape it on the side of the fridge. Just don't lose it!! Try to plan your menu around the sales that week, especially for fresh produce.

4. Go shopping. Go to all the little stores that have the great sales on one or two things and DON'T BUY ANYTHING ELSE THERE but DO STOCK UP on what you will use. Get as many cans of crushed tomatoes for $.45 as they will let you have! Yes, it will take more time to shop in four different stores, but when you are only getting 1-2 things there, you wont be there long. And most likely, you wont go to each store every week. If all the stores in your area have that great of sales, please tell me where you live. I want to move there! Yes, you can go to Wal Mart and they will price match, but I try to stay out of Wal Mart as much as possible since it kills my soul to go there. Also, don't you want to support local business?

5. Go to your regular grocery store and get everything else you will need for that week that wasn't on sale.

As you continue to do this, you will start to find that your weekly list at your regular grocery store gets smaller and smaller. Pretty soon, all you will be buying is produce and the occasional special ingredient along with all your sale items. For example, there is a store in town where antibiotic and hormone free chicken breast go on sale for $1.77 a pound! Every time I see that in the add, I go and buy 8-10 pounds. Steve packages it up into one pound portions and we freeze it until we want to use it.

If you still feel like you are spending too much, here are a few additional tips:

1. Pack your lunch. I know this is so obvious, but it still is a mystery to me how people I work with can complain about not having enough money and then go spend $8 on lunch. Hello! That's $40 a week! $160 a month!! For a not so good lunch from Subway!!

2. Eat less meat. I know. I live in Texas where meat is the main dish, side dish and sometimes dessert. But trust me, you will not die if you do not eat meat one or two days a week. If this is hard for you, try starting with Mexican food. Somehow a bean burrito or cheese enchiladas seems less 'meatless' than veggie lasagna or bean soup. Or maybe that's just me...

3. Make it yourself. Instead of buying bread, make a loaf! Instead of buying cookies, make a batch! It's a lot cheaper (I figured once that it cost me less than $1.00 to make a loaf of whole wheat bread) and it's also better for you.  It wont take as much time as you think it will, I promise.

I Tried it Tuesday- Deep Conditioning

Every time I watch Tangled I get the urge to grow my hair out. Sadly, summertime has not been kind to my hair, and my first thought is to chop it all off!! So when I heard that Fantastic Sams had deep conditioning for $10, and used Redkin products, I knew I had to try it! I went to the nearest salon, where they sat me in a chair, washed my hair and then put a mixture of deep conditioners in it. I sat under a dryer for 15 minutes, and then it was rinsed out.

My review: The salon was not fancy AT ALL. If you like full service, this is not the place for you. I left the salon with dripping wet hair! But it was only $10, after all. While the service wasn't the best, the product was great. My hair was (and still is) silky smooth and much more manageable, and I think I extended the time between haircuts at least a month, maybe two. If you want a good, cheap deep conditioner, and don't mind a bare bones salon experience, I highly recommend it!

Turning 'Have To' Into 'Want To'

I have been in a bit of a slump lately. I don't want to get out of bed in the morning, I don't want to cook, I don't want to do laundry. I just want to lay in bed! As nice as that sounds, my job would stop paying me if I stopped working (they are SO picky about stuff like that!!), and I would run out of things to eat and clean clothes to wear, and let's face it, it would get very boring!

But thinking about all the things I 'have' to do was overwhelming and depressing. In the spirit of trying to change my poor attitude, I decided to think about the benefits of the work instead of the work itself. And right away, everything turned into a 'want' to!

I do not HAVE to do my laundry. I WANT to have clean clothes to wear.
I do not HAVE to go to work every day. I WANT to earn a paycheck.
I do not HAVE to cook dinner. I WANT to save money and eat more healthily.
I do not HAVE to read my scriptures or say my prayers. I WANT a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father.
I do not HAVE to do the dishes. I WANT to have a clean house.
I do not HAVE to practice piano. I WANT to improve my talents.

Just a small change in my thinking has already made a huge difference!

I Tried it Tuesday- Heatless Curls

I love the idea of having curly hair for every day wear. Unfortunately, I have very straight hair, and the humidity is usually somewhere between 98% and 150% (seriously, I could swim to work if I wanted to), there just isn't enough time (or hair products) available to make that work. Also, it has been about 300 degrees every day, and the thought of using a blow dryer or curling iron seems crazy. So, curly hair is just for special occasions. So when I read about No Heat Hair, I knew I had to give it a shot!! Watch this video to see how it is done:

Isn't her accent cute??

My review: AWESOME. It really is as easy as the video makes it look. And the curls lasted two whole days! I put a little mousse in my hair and let it air dry almost all the way before I put it up. I slept with the headband in, and took it out the next morning. 

This is a really bad picture, but just trust me, my hair looks very nice and wavy. Not bad for 10 minutes of effort!!

News Flash- New Car!

This last weekend was an exciting one at the Ratliff's! I kicked it off on Friday by my making my own laundry soap, we got a new car on Saturday, and Sunday our toilet exploded (I don't think I've ever been happier we rented!! We called the emergency maintenance, sat tight, and they came and fixed it!).

I used to drive a 2002 Sebring. Her name was Lola (L-O-L-A Lola, Lo-lo-lo-lo Lola) I loved that car, it was so fun to drive, and was a symbol of my independence. It was the most expensive thing I had ever bought, and I was so proud that paid for it with my own money! There was just one problem: it was a girl car. Poor Steve hated getting in and out of it, and having a two door car just wasn't working for us anymore. 

We had been saving for a few months, and decided that this was the weekend! We did a lot of research before and decided that a Ford Fusion would be the best decision for us, then we found three dealerships that had car that met our needs. I was really nervous to go to a car dealership, I wanted to make a good, sensible decision and not fall in love with the first shiny thing I saw. We only ended up going to two places, the first place offered us a really good deal, but we still wanted to see what else was out there. As soon as I got into the second car, I knew I wanted it. It had all the features I wanted, plus a lot more. But it was just out of our price range. Luckily Steve was a champ at bargaining, and he got them to give us $2800 for my car (we were only expecting $1500)! With that and our down payment, we only had to finance about a third of the car's worth.

I thought I would feel a little sad driving away from good ol' Lola, but I wasn't at all. That new car smell wiped away any sadness I might have felt. I am so fickle!! 

I'm still figuring out how to use all the features, but I am loving it! We haven't decided on a name, so if you have a suggestion, let me know!

Our, as yet, unnamed 2010 Ford Fusion- if you enlarge this picture, you can see Steve making a funny face in the drivers seat. He is such a ham!!

I Tried it Tuesday- Laundry Soap

I was talking to a friend from church, and she mentioned that she made her own laundry soap. She was kind enough to teach me how!

You will need:
2 cups of Borax
2 cups of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)
1 bar of Zote or Fels-Naptha or Dr. Bronner's Soap bar (these are all concentrated bars of cleaning soap, I found Zote at the local Mexican grocery)

Directions:
 1. Take the bar of soap and grate it all up using a cheese grater. The finer you grate it the quicker it will melt. It will look like coconut, but resist the urge to eat it!!

2. Place it in a large sauce pan and add 4 cups of water. Cook on medium heat until it melts. This was the longest part of the process, it took about 20 minutes.

 3. Put the Borax and Washing Soda in a big plastic tote or 5 gallon bucket. Mix with 2 gallons of HOT water (just hot from the tap, it doesn't need to be boiling). DO NOT use cold water, it will make the Borax hard as a rock!

4. Stir until dissolved. You can use an electric mixer to do this, but we just used wire whisks. It only took about 5 minutes with the two of us mixing.

 5. Add the melted soap to the bucket. Stir until it becomes a thick jelly.

6. Add 1 1/2 gallons of more water to the mixture, and mix it again until it is fully blended. You can add essential oils at this point, if you wanted your soap to be scented. I don't really care, so I skipped this step.

7. Pour into plastic bottles. It makes about 4-5 gallons. I put mine in a big tupperware, and have a special measuring cup to scoop it out with. My friend put hers into empty milk jugs, which I think would make it a lot easier to store and to pour out.

It's a pretty strong soap, (my hands were very dry after mixing and pouring it) so you don't need to use a lot. I use 1/4 cup for regular loads, and 1/2 cup for heavy loads. I have done three loads with it (one white, one colored, and one towels) and I can't tell a difference between that and the store bought stuff.

The cost:
Borax: $2.50- will make three batches, so $0.83 per batch
Washing soda- $2.50- also makes three batches, $0.83 again
Zote- $1.00

Total Cost: $2.66, and if I'm figuring correctly, it should last over six months! I did make the initial investment of buying the tupperware ($9.00) but that was a one time cost.

Saves money, doesn't take very long, and helps us be more self reliant! What's not to love??

Keeping It Real

I've read a few articles recently about Facebook depression, a new condition that is affecting many people, mostly teens. Basically, people are looking at other's on Facebook, and seeing all the awesome things that everyone else is doing, feeling that they are not measuring up, and then getting depressed about it. The problem is, people usually post only positive things that are happening. No one posts a picture of the week long flu they had or how they sit at home on weeknights wishing they had someone to talk to (of course, there are people who do that, but they usually make me feel uncomfortable and I de-friend them) or how they feel trapped by the ever mounting pile of laundry.

I also think that's easy to do with blogs. I read approximately 1,437,821 blogs every day, and usually people post great things that happen to them, pictures of their adorable house/child/cupcake/outfits. Which is the point of a blog, really, to share awesomeness. But it's so easy to compare the best of someone else's life (and probably photo-shopped pictures!) with the worst (un-photo-shopped picture) of your own, you know??

Not that I would advocate looking for the bad in anyone, but it is important to remember that no one is perfect, and that everyone has something that they would like to change. So really, the best policy is to not compare yourself at all, to find the best in everyone, including yourself, and take what you can from everyone. Don't forget to count your blessings!!

(Thanks to Abby from My Yellow Sandbox for this reminder. Also, an awesome place to get hair tutorials!!)

I Tried It Tuesday- Requests and Dedications

I would love to say I tried something new this week, but the truth is, I spent all week watching tv and downing drugs. The totally legal drugstore kind, of course!! Although, I might have had a little too much Nyquil one night... So the only thing I tried were Halls cough drops that have little pep talks on the wrapper. They are super annoying when you're not feeling well, and totally not exciting enough to write a post about.

So I decided to ask you-any requests? Is there anything you've been wanting to try but are too busy/scared/resourceless to do it? Let me know!

PS- If you'd like to make a dedication, that's cool too. I spent too much time listening to late night radio as a child (my parents had a strict 8:00 bedtime for me, and my alarm had a radio. Ah, the good old days!!), so now I can't hear 'requests' without mentally adding 'and dedications'.

Links I Love: Scarf Obsession

Last week I got a scarf in the mail from my sister. I wore it twice that week, and would have worn it more if I could have! I have decided to add to my (small and pathetic) scarf collection since then. But I only know of two ways to wear a scarf: wrapped around my neck, and as a belt. So, as I always do when I lack knowledge, I went to the Google! 

The ultimate scarf tying guide! Lots of great ideas, and you can even download the PDF!

If you like it vintage, try this site. 

If you need videos (always helpful for more complicated ties!), click here. This site also has some awesome headscarfs that I might even be able to pull off!

Now all I need is to find about 1,000,000 more scarfs!!

I Tried It Tuesday- Whole Wheat Brownies

I thought take a bite before taking the picture would make it look more artistic and delicious. 

I was wrong, it just looks chomped on and kinda gross. Sorry!

The Cub Scout value for the month of May is Health and Fitness, so last week we talked about the food pyramid and what foods were good to eat. They pyramid has totally changed since I was in school, and one thing they push now is 'making half of your grains whole'. Ever since I took a nutrition class in college, I have tried to incorporate as many whole grains as possible into my diet, so I love the idea of cooking with whole wheat flour, it is SO much healthier, but sometimes the results can be dry and mealy. So when I saw a Whole Grain Baking cookbook at the library, I checked it out! I might have to buy this cookbook, it has so many great ideas!! And all the recipes have been tested several times, so you know they are good ones!

I tried the brownie recipe first:

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Heat the mixture briefly until it's hot and starting to bubble. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Stir in the cocoa, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Cool the mixture until you can text it with your finger, it should feel like comfortably hot bath water. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs but not raw batter (about 30 minutes). The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center.

Let sit overnight before serving; this gives the bran a chance to soften, giving the brownies a more pleasing texture.

Nutrition information: (if you cut it into 24 pieces) 252 cal, 13g fat, 3g protein, 8g complex carbohydrates, 25g sugar, 2g fiber, 125mg sodium, 216g potassium, 76RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 46mg calcium, 100mg phosphorus, 15mg caffeine

For lower fat brownies: substitute 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce for 1/2 cup of butter. Add applesauce after the vanilla.

My review: These brownies are REALLY good, but they have no instant gratification! Smelling the brownies cooking, and then having to wait until the next day to eat them was not my idea of fun. I tried one the night I made them, and they were good, but they were better the next day, like the recipe said. I also didn't read the recipe all that well, and I really should have halved it! That's A LOT of brownies for two people!

While I wouldn't call them a health food, if you are looking for a slightly healthier brownie, this would be a good bet!

News Flash

I'm blond again!!

I went to a salon in a bowling alley, which was totally random, but I got these highlights and a trim for... wait for it... $40!!! The lady was so sweet, when she told me the price, my jaw dropped and she said "I bet that's about half of what you're used to paying". Um, ya, try a third!! So I gave her a 50% tip. I'm a pretty happy camper!

Preperation

While I am enjoying my life now as a DINK (double income, no kids) at some point, I do want to have babies. (Calm down Mom, I said AT SOME POINT) Along with thoughts of children comes thoughts of Oh My Gosh Am I Ready For This?? And of course, the answer is no. How can you actually be ready?? But I do think there are some things you can do to be more prepared.

I still need:

• A really nice camera. It seems like every mom has one of these, and posts adorable pictures online of her adorable children. I guess taking pictures with my phone just isn't going to cut it once I have a baby...
• A hobby. It seems every mom is into something these days. Scrapbooking, crafting, refinishing furniture, sewing. I have no hobby. Unless you count thrifting!
• An at-home business. Why do I get the feeling all the moms are trying to sell me something?? Oh right, they are. I need to start a candle/housewares/refinished furniture/scrapbooking business to help subsidize my thrifting, right??
• Friends- Ya, I know, I probably need those now, but I'm not very good at making them! It's hard! But what is staying home all day if I don't meet up with some gal pals for gossip and play dates? (Why yes, I am imagining my life will be just like Desperate Housewives, without the psycho drama and divorces. Just kidding!!)
• An adorable nickname for my children, so no blog wierdos can stalk them. I'm leaning toward 'the kidlet'. It's cute, easy to remember, and works for a boy or a girl!

Before you lose hope that I will ever be prepared enough to have children, here is what I already have:

• A blog. But I will probably have to change the name to something like 'Mothering and Loving It' or something cheesy like that.
• A spare room. Because the kidlet has to go somewhere!

Of course, I'm totally kidding about this list. What other things do you think I'll 'need'?

I Tried it Tuesday- White Vinegar

San Antonio has very hard water, and one consequence of this is the film that gathers over all the dishes in the dishwasher. A small helping on Jet Dry solves this problem, but it's kind of expensive, has a lot of chemicals in it, and forces you to use the heated dry setting (I hate this because it wastes electricity and if there is any leftover gunk on a dish, it gets baked on). I had heard that white vinegar can do the job just as well, but I hadn't got around to trying it quite yet. So this week I finally did. I filled the little rinse aid full of vinegar every time I washed a new load. I know there might be some down inside that little guy, but you can't see it, so I wasn't sure.

My review- AMAZING. Our dishes have never looked shinier! Everything looks better, not just the glassware. And it is cheap! A huge thing of vinegar is like $3.00, compared to a tiny thing of Jet Dry which is like $7.00. I did a little bit of research, and it turns out there is nothing vinegar can't do! Click here to get some great ideas!

Gardening Update

You know how they say that you should get a plant, and if you keep that alive, then get a pet, and if you keep that alive, then you are ready to have children? Well, if that's true... Our children are going to end up withering on our porch until Steve comes home from work...

I'm not going to lie. the garden would be dead if Steve hadn't remembered to water it every day this week! But thanks to him, our little plants are alive and well! We even had our first harvest!

 Two tomatoes! Don't they look yummy??

 The cilantro isn't doing so well, we're thinking it might need to come inside soon.

 There are a few more tomatoes on the plant!

 Did I mention we got basil? It's not taking the heat too well either. It will be inside soon.

 Rosemary is still going strong. You seriously can't kill that stuff! 

This last picture isn't from the garden, but I wanted to prove that I am not a horrible human being that kills innocent plants for fun. This plant was given to me by a good friend I used to work with. She had an amazing green thumb, and made me promise I would not kill it! Well, here is living proof, over a year later, and it is still alive! It even has some new growth. 

Christmas in May!

Today was pretty exciting, and not just because it was scout night. We had two very exciting packages! One big one and one little one. The big one had a Dyson!! I have wanted a Dyson since I saw a commercial my freshmen year of college. And then Steve bought me one! Here he is putting it together! 

 And look at all of the boxes it came in!

 I bet you're dying to know what was in the second package! It was a scarf from my sister Jalenna! She got it in New York this weekend! So here I am vacuuming while wearing my new scarf! Is this the best day ever or what??

Not bad for only getting 2 hours of sleep last night :)

Lids Down, I Count Sheep, I Count Heartbeats

I can't sleep. Not even a little bit. I slept from about 11:00 to 12:30, but I've been up since then, counting down the hours of sleep I could get. Which reminded me of this clip.

It's almost 4 AM, and I've pretty much given up on sleep. I just hope that I don't end up agreeing to move to Tulsa today...

I Tried It Tuesday- Shoe Stretcher

I went thrifting this weekend, and as usual, found a bunch of awesome stuff! I promise a full post on all the stuff I got will come later, but I did want to talk about this awesome shoe trick.

I found these beauties for $1.25!! I knew they had to be mine! I tried them on in the store, but when I got home, they were a little tight. I remembered a segment I saw on the Rachel Ray show once in the gym (her talk show, not the cooking show, is that still even on?) when I lived in Phoenix. I had never tried it, but I had remembered it all these years! What you do it put rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball, rub it on the inside of the shoes, and then wear them for half an hour. Something about the alcohol makes the leather conform to your foot, and then the shoes fit like a glove! (This only works on leather shoes, btw. If you are against wearing shoes that are all leather because they are expensive, call me. I'll tell you about the magical stretching powers of leather and how the shoe repair guy can fix them like 100 times and they still look good as new. Worth every penny! Also, if you need a shoe repair guy, I have an excellent one!) 

My review: Works like a charm! After I got over my feet being pinched a little when I walked around, they stretched out nicely. You have to get the cotton ball pretty soaked with the alcohol, and you really do have to wear them for a while. But if you have any (leather) shoes laying around that aren't being worn because they are a bit too small, try this! 

30 for 30- Recap

Well, I pretty much failed at taking pictures and posting them last week! And I meant to do this recap on Sunday. Fail again... But I did finish the challenge!

I learned:

1) I didn't mind wearing the same clothes over and over, what I really missed was shoe options! If I had to do it again, I would choose more shoes and less clothes.
2) What was I thinking putting it two pairs of jeans AND a jean skirt?? I never wear jeans! My dark wash jeans didn't get worn once!
3) I need more accessories. I have almost none!
4) My black skirt is the workhorse in my wardrobe. Just goes to show that a high quality, well made piece is SO worth the price!

It was a great challenge for me, it made me realize that I wear the same 'outfits' over and over, the same pants with the same shirts and the same shoes. Being forced to remix was really fun, and I came up with combinations that I wouldn't have!

It also made me realize that I never want to post on my blog every day! It went from being something fun I do, to something I hated!! (Hence the no posting all week...) But I do have some fun posts coming up. We have added to our garden, and harvested our first tomato yesterday!! I'm also planning on doing some serious thrift shopping this weekend, and a pedicure may or may not be involved!

Day 25

Today I took my picture after dinner, instead of before breakfast like I usually do. So this is a picture of me trying to not show all of the ham and mashed potatoes in my tummy. Gotta love Easter leftovers :)

Today was the first day that I was SO tired of all my clothes. Only five more days until I get to wear other clothes! 

Day 23 and 24

So... I forgot to take a picture yesterday, and I wasn't feeling well today (still in my pj's) so no pictures for now!

I got a new workout shirt for $5 the other day, I threw it on today, and it is so comfy I may never take it off again! Maybe it will even motivate me to work out more :)

Day 22

Only one week left. Can you believe it? I know I can't, April has gone so fast!

There's nothing special about todays outfit, except the hair. I realized it was a super boring outfit, so I rummaged through my bin of scarves and things to see if there was anything to dress it up. I found this little number, which is actually the best to a pair of shorts I bought years ago. The shorts are long gone, but the belt remains! I tied it around my head twice, added a few bobby pins, and voila! 

Day 21

I kept thinking today was Friday. Which means tomorrow is going to be a total drag!! I wore my hair in a ponytail today, and then, like magic, there was a post about how to dress up a pony here. If only I had read it this morning... 

I hate wearing a plain white top with a plain black bottom, I always feel like a waitress or something, but this top has enough detail with the tie to get it out of that 'uniform' look. I was going to wear it with the grey pants, but when I put them on, they were too low waisted to go with this shirt...

Only 9 more days to go!

Day 17 and Day 20

Since I missed day 17, I wore the same outfit again. So just look at this picture twice, and there you go! 

I remembered on my way to work that I could have worn jeans and my Spurs shirt, since the Spurs play today! (Go Spurs Go!) I almost turned around to go home to change, but since they are playing again on Monday, and I only have one Spurs shirt in my 30 for 30, I'll just wear it then!

And as a special treat, here I am in my scout uniform! I wear it every Wednesday night and try to keep 6 boys sitting in chairs and not killing each other! It's pretty fun. Except for the uniform. It makes me look like a man. And not even an attractive man...

When Steve takes my picture, I always have to take the phone away from him to get him to stop. Here is today's shot he got while I was trying to grab the phone. Why yes, I do floss almost every day!

Day 19

If you are missing days 17 and 18, well... I forgot to take a picture. Sorry! 

But let's move on, shall we? Only 11 more days! This is one more time where I feel like I actually remixed an outfit. Before this challenge I only ever wore this dress one way, but so far I have tried two new things! Success! I looked at this picture on my way to work, and I realized that the sweater was a little baggy, so I ended up butting two buttons. I think it looked much better.

I also have a special treat for you, to make up for missing three days worth of outfits!

 This is Steve sewing patches onto my scout uniform. Isn't he cute??

Day 16

We are out of town this weekend, and I forgot to take a picture of my oufit. Imagine me in the denim skirt with the white shirt with flowers on it. Then imagine that I remembered to take the picture in the cute little town where we stopped for lunch, which just happens to be the BBQ capital of Texas!

And PS- If you ever find yourself in Lockhart, TX, I recommend Kruetz Market for some amazing food!!

Thrifting Finds!

I had an awesome thrifting trip about a month ago, but I haven't taken the time to take pictures of everything to post! I finally go most of them together, so here it is!

I like having my makeup out where I can see it, but it starts to take over the counter! I never want to stuff it all back in the bag, and then have to search for what I need. This is a real silver tray, and it has a great design on the bottom, which you cannot see because my makeup is on it! I love this tray, it makes me feel like a lady, and my bathroom stays 50% cleaner!

Cost: $3.50

 Denim jacket. I love these jackets so much with the one button and flared fit!

Cost: $4.98

I call this a lampshade skirt, the pleats remind me of a lampshade. I have wanted one of these FOREVER, but I never found one in good condition, or for a price I liked. 

Cost: $4.98

This is part of my 30 for 30, and I mentioned there how much I love this dress.  Let me say it again: I LOVE THIS DRESS!!! It's from Talbots, and looks brand new!

Cost: $6.98

I love Ann Taylor clothes. I do not love paying for them. So finding this skirt at a thrift store: Awesome!

Cost: $4.98

Another great Ann Taylor find! And you can't beat the price!!

Cost: $2.50 (I know!!!)

 I got one more blazer, it's cream and light gold zebra stripes. I can't get a good picture of it though! So imagine what it would be like, ok? 

Cost: $6.98

Day 15

Half way done!

I love this outfit. I really want to be the girl that can wear scarfs and look cute, but I just never seem to be able to pull them off! So here is my first try. I was also inspired to roll up my jeans by Jalenna's outfit a few days ago.

I worked from home today, but I forgot to bring the charger for my laptop home, so I only got four hours of work in. I could have gone in to work, but why would I do that? I took the rest of the day off! I went and had lunch with Steve, and then went grocery shopping. I thought the stores would be empty, but I forgot that today was Battle of the Flowers, a city holiday, so lots of people would be out of work. Plus the grocery store was having a 72 hour sale. And a bus showed up with about 50 senior citizens. So the shopping trip was less than pleasant. But I did get chicken and pork chops for $1.88 a pound!

Day 14

I tried the skirt again, but this time, instead of trying to play off the blue pattern, I wore it with black to match the background. I think it was a success!

I had the worst hair day today! I tried to do a french braid headband, but my bangs kept poking out, so I finally gave up, but had tons of product in my hair. I actually re did it after this picture into a messy side bun, which was ok, but every time I looked in the mirror I wanted to go home and wash my hair!!

Day 13

Can you believe the 30 for 30 challenge is already a teenager?? We're almost halfway done! 

There are three things I love about this dress:

1) Its an all in one outfit, no undershirt, cardi, etc needed!

2) It has pockets (as displayed below)

 and...

3) the skirt is really flowy, so I can do this:

I walked across the street from work today to pick a prescription from Walgreens, and I remembered that the flowy skirt is not so good in the wind... But since I almost never wear it outside, I still feel good about it!

Day 12

Remember the time (yesterday) when I said I needed to take this skirt to the cleaners? Well I really wanted to wear it this morning. So I did. I'll take it to the cleaners before I wear it again, I promise!

I got this sweater ages ago, when I worked at the Grand Canyon. That was six years ago! Time flies... I think I love it more than I did six years ago. Talk about a good buy!!

Days 9, 10, and 11!

So, it turns out I suck at posting on the weekends... This weekend was jam packed full of activities, plus the kick off to Fiesta (for all you non-San Antonians, Fiesta is held every year to commemorate the battle of the Alamo, the city (basically) shuts down for a week and a half and we have parades (both river and on ground), carnivals, and eat things on sticks, like chicken, steak, pork, fried cheesecake, cookies, etc. It's really fun, and you get to see lots of drunk people everywhere!) so I was barely home long enough to get dressed, much less blog about it!  But here are my outfits for each day:

Day 9:

I love this shirt with all my heart. I got it at Target last year, but two people have asked if it is from J Crew. These shorts are awesome too! But I shouldn't have worn them that day. We volunteered at the Oyster Bake (the kick off to Fiesta) making funnel cakes, and by the end of the day they had powdered sugar ALL over them! 

Day 10:

I love this skirt. It actually is from J Crew! It's the perfect length, and is a wool blend, which means it will last FOREVER. That also means that it is dry clean only, and I got something on it at church, so you wont be seeing it for a while until I remember to drop it off at the cleaners.

I also wanted proof that my hair looked this hot for a moment in time. With the 80% humidity, it was practically straight by the time I got to church, but here is photographic proof that my hair has the (short lived) ability to curl!

Day 11:

This morning, a time warp occurred in our house. My alarm went off at 6 AM, like it always does, and then all of the sudden, it was 6:39. Not sure how that happened... But Steve was in the shower when I left for work, so you'll have to deal with an awkward mirror picture. And please try not to look at my unmade bed behind me! I promise, I'll make it before I get in it tonight!!

Well, I'm not sure about all of you, but I feel much better with that out of the way! Can you believe in a few more days the challenge will be half way over??

Day 8

I threw this shirt in at the last minute, when I remembered that the NBA regular season ends in April and the chances of me wanting to wear this shirt would be high! And I was right! The Spurs are now the Western Conference leaders! I also did something today that I have not done in a long time. I let my hair air dry and did not style it at all. I even went outside with it like that, and no one chased me with a pitchfork or kicked me out of the grocery store, so I'm calling it a success.  Not that I would wear it like this every day. You can't tell from the picture, but there is a massive amount of frizz going on!!

Day 7

Yesterday was so crazy, by the time I got home I just wanted to go to bed! So today you get two outfit posts. Aren't you excited??

I was tired of my bangs, so I decided to go with an updo. I really like how the back turned out! It only took 3 bobby pins, and it stayed in until the end of the work day!

This last picture is a special Friday treat just for you! I was feeling a little goofy when we were taking pictures yesterday!