Guest Posting Today

I am guest posting today over at My Favorite Finds. Carrie contacted me a couple of weeks ago to see if I would be interested in guest posting during her week long blog birthday celebration.  Of course, I said yes!  So go ahead and click over and tell Carrie Happy Blog Birthday!!!

 

Moving Back Home: First Round

We should be on our way home for Thanksmas when this post posts. We (and I use that term very loosely) spent Tuesday night loading up the UHaul with all our non-necessities.  Which of course, begs the question that if we've done without all these items for nearly two and a half years, do we really even need this stuff?  Well, some yes, some no.  Yes, because here we were living in quite a smaller space (read: 2 bedroom, just a living room in our rental, compared to our house, which has three bedrooms, a living and family room and dining room) so those items were simply being reserved for the time we get to move back into our house.  Some no--stuff in boxes that I can't even begin to tell you what it all is.  Some day I will get to sorting it all out.  In my defense though, about half of the stuff is Hubs, so I am not the only procrastinator when it comes to stuff. 

 
Our little Peanut though, has won the prize for accumulating the most since moving here.  When we moved here she had about 3 storage bins of clothes that no longer fit and one large box of toys she was no longer using.  Now?  Well, this is just the stuff that was being stored in her closet and under the bed, which does not even include the many things of hers that were down in the garage (mostly toys and larger items).

Hubs told me as he was huffing and puffing these items down two flights of stairs that next time, we better be praying for a girl, because this accumulation was just a little insane. 

I didn't want to rub on his good graces to remind him that he is the one that determines that.

Probably a good thing.  ;)  

 

Great Moving Idea!

With the days quickly dwindling as we get ready to move, I have been trying to get lots of stuff packed.  When we moved before, most of my packing material came from my mom and dad, as they subscribed to the local newspaper.  Most know that old newspapers, although inky, make great packing material.   And although we saved most of our boxes (knowing our situation was temporary), we didn't save any of the packing material--as we are pretty limited on storage space.   Plus, we don't subscribe to the newspaper here, so I didn't have any old newspapers laying around for this round of moving. 

 



I was about *this* close to buying a big roll of white butcher paper from Costco for around $40--I was desperate--and then in a rare moment of brilliance,  I decided to call our local newspaper to see if they had extra newspapers they recycle or get rid of for a discount.  Well, they did me one better.  While they don't have old newspapers, they DO sell the ends of the newspaper rolls that are used during the printing process.  Our local newspaper sells them for $2.00 a roll.  I was a little disappointed when Hubs went and picked up three of them, as they don't look like they have that much paper on them.  But there is WAY more paper on there than it looks like.  And there is no nasty ink which is 100 times better!

We have bought just three rolls and have done a ton of packing already and still have about a roll left.  I think we will need to go get a couple more rolls, but less than $10 for packing material more than works for me!  

For other great tips and ideas, visit We Are THAT Family. 


 

Big Changes

I've hinted once or twice in the last couple of weeks about some changes happening around here.  It will all be clear in the next few paragraphs as to why all the secrecy around my hints, but no saying of what was actually going on.  

Finally......the big secret?   We are moving back to Hometown!

Can I hear an AMEN?  

When we moved here almost two and half years ago, we knew it would be temporary.  In the fall of 2009, Hubs was going back to work for his former (at the time, but now current) employer, and we were only moving out of the area because SmallTown is where the closest open position was available at the time.  They asked him to make a commitment of two years.  This past spring (in early April) he made mention to his higher-ups of wanting to get back to our Hometown, preferably by the fall--before winter--because who wants to move in the winter?  They said sure, okay, BUT we need to find a replacement for you before we let you leave.  Um, okay.   (This was my response--not Hubs.  He is SO much more diplomatic than I.)  Needless to say I was less than thrilled.....I was ready to start packing right. then. and there.


So fast forward, six, agonizing months.  (No, honestly, it wasn't that bad.  I stopped thinking incessantly about moving sometime in the month of May.)  In October, we started to get hopeful once again.  A gal had interviewed for Hub's position and there was a possibility they would be offering her the position.  Then Hubs got a call from his regional manager asking him what his preferences were for a restaurant back in Hometown.  Unlike here in SmallTown, where this is the only location for hundreds of miles, in Hometown, there are over a dozen locations of the restaurant--obviously some being more preferable than others (distance from our home, etc.).  Hubs told him his preferences and the next day, Hubs was told he would be starting back in Hometown at the end of January.  That quick little turn around was far sooner than either of us had expected, as we thought we would wouldn't hear anything further for weeks and that it would be sometime in the spring that we could be potentially moving.  But of course, we jumped at the chance and started making mental plans of moving right away!

This was all at the beginning of November.  So why wait until now for the big reveal?  Well, because our landlord knows about my blog (although I have no idea if she reads it regularly or not!) and we hadn't given our official notice to her and her husband until this afternoon.  We wanted to give the new hire at Hubs' restaurant a chance to start training and make sure she was going to work out before we gave our official notice.  So finally, after much waiting, today was the day.

Why, no, patience is not something I came across easily.  Why do you ask?

 It is actually starting to feel real now.  We are going down to Hometown next week (for our second annual Thanksmas celebration) and we are going to be bringing a moving truck with us with all of our stuff in our garage.  Remember our two moving trucks last time?  This is all to help in lightening the load next month for the final move. 

My Dad, as well as Hubs' mom and brother will be flying up in January to help us load up and make the big caravan home once again.  What a blessing!

 
As far as the logistics~we will be moving in with my parents temporarily.  We have current renters in our home and their lease isn't up until the end of March.  Legally, (I *think*) we could give them notice to vacate, however we don't really feel that is fair.  We have asked them to make a 12 month commitment to us, so the least we could do is honor the same thing from our end.  We will have a better idea in January as to what their plans are (when they signed the lease, they had mentioned moving south to where her parents are) and God willing, we hope to be living in our house once again by the end of this spring!






























We are so, so, so excited!  God is faithful and we are excited for this transition back to our Hometown where we will live close to family once again.  I look forward to Peanut being able to play with my parent's neighbors little ones and my friend's little ones who are about the same age.  I also look forward to Peanut having a big ol' yard to play in (at least at my parents)--rather than having to pack up and go to the park several times a week, we will just be able to drive over to Grandma and Grandpa's instead, which will be just 10 minutes away!  Finally, I look forward to living in our home once again, the one that Hubs and I purchased together the first year we were married.  The home that we Hubs (as well as my Dad) put lots of work into, making our humble little house a home we were proud of. 

And who am I kidding?  Hubs and I are both excited to be able to have a date night once and a while every week! Hopefully Grandma and Grandpa (as well as aunties, uncles, and cousins) will be willing to oblige!

We humbly ask for your prayers during this transition that is both exciting and uncertain (in some ways) for our little family.



Blessings to each of you during this Christmas season,  

A Die Hard I Am Not

Um, yeah.

Thought I would attempt to go to the WalMart Black Friday sale, which started at 10 pm tonight.  I am SO not the early riser, so I thought this would be ideal for someone who just doesn't. do. mornings.

Apparently, so did everyone else in SmallTown.

And I do mean EVERYONE ELSE.  

As in, the WalMart parking lot was FULL, the sides streets were FULL, and the adjacent Home Depot parking was FULL and crowds were trucking across the street from the Home Depot towards the WalMart. 

Me?  I kept on driving.

They had some good deals and all (obviously good enough to get me out) but not enough for me to walk five blocks, in the cold, by myself, in the dead of night to attain them.

As I was driving home, I was thinking about years past and my previous Black Friday excursions.  First off, this is the first year I've ever been out this "early."  The earliest I've ever been in years past was about 6 AM.  Second, I forget that this is the only WalMart for like a hundred mile radius (you think I'm kidding!).  Back in HomeTown, there are dozens of stores in the metropolitan area for the crazies to choose from.  Third, in my years past when I have gone, I've never got out of my car and waited in line.  All the other people didn't either, they all waited in their cars where it was warm and then, when the employee unlocking the doors, you got out of your car and walked calmly inside.  Not here, apparently.  You bring lawn chairs and ear muffs and look every bit the part of a nut. 

And I was more than a little disappointed to come home empty handed.  I had high hopes of getting the Peanut a sweet little bike that will be under the tree for her on Christmas morning.  And with my savings, I would have been able to squeeze in a few other treats for her.

I keep on thinking I will try again later this weekend.....

But if tonight was any indication of what the rest of the weekend will be like, perhaps not! 

Menu Plan Monday

Is Thanksgiving week here already?  How can that be?   Wasn't summer just ending?  No?  Well, I guess you're right.  I mean, we did already have our first snow.  We did also have a sweet little surprise late last week too.  My husband's extended-extended family (as in his uncle's extended family who are actually no blood relation to Hubs--who happen to live here in SmallTown as well) called to invite us to join their Thanksgiving dinner this week.  Isn't that just the sweetest thing?

We are most definitely blessed. 

Sunday-Spanakopizza

Monday-Swedish Meatballs, steamed veggies

Tuesday-Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans

Wednesday-Lasagna (with this little tip!), steamed veggies

Thursday-Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday-Leftovers

Saturday-Leftovers

For other great menu ideas, visit the Organizing Junkie. 

But It's a DRY Cold

That was said in the same tone as "Oh, but it's a dry heat."  I used to think that was so silly.  You know those people that said 120 degree summer days were fine because it's a "dry heat."

Really?  'Cause I just don't buy it. 

Then we moved here to SmallTown.  Although it's not quite the dessert, it might as well be, considering where we moved from.  We went from 50-60 inches annual rainfall to like 10.  Yes, it's much drier here in SmallTown.

And that dryness?

Makes all the difference when it comes to being cold.  

It gets cold here in SmallTown.  Like really cold.  We will go for weeks at a time without getting above freezing.  And it's that way for a greater part of the winter here.

Now in Hometown?  Not so much.  It's a much milder winter.  Snow it a treat there--depending on how you look at it of course!  It's certainly not an every week occurrence like it is here.
 

But it's wet.  It's rainy.  It's gray and cloudy and damp.   

A lot.

But that's what makes the Pacific Northwest famous for being so pretty and picturesque and green. 

It never occurred to me (or Hubs for that matter) that the dampness was the major reason why I was so cold all the time in HomeTown.

Until we went home for our first visit after we moved here in late 2009.

This was the extent of the snow packing capabilities....it was super dry snow. 

 
During our visit, I remember laying in bed one night and I could. not. get. warm.  My feet were like ice cubes.  Hubs and I were discussing it later on our long drive home.  I made the comment that in SmallTown, it is oftentimes 20-30 degrees colder than in HomeTown, but it doesn't ever feel that cold.

That's when it hit us.  It's because the dampness makes it feel colder.  It's not damp in SmallTown, so it doesn't ever feel that cold.  And don't get me wrong--it is cold here, but it's rarely that take your breath away cold like it is HomeTown.  

Now that I've lived in a place where humidity {read dampness} is not a major factor?  I am a *little* more understanding when they say it's a dry heat {or cold}.   

And Peanut?  She is loving all that white stuff we've had this week--whether snowballs can be made or not!

Tried It & Loved It: On Hiatus

Well, my Tried It & Loved It posts have been sporadic (at best) lately, haven't they?  I do apologize for the inconsistency over the last several weeks.  No recipe one week, a new recipe the next, no picture the week after that.....  Although I truly hoped to make it a full year (which would be in January) of doing these posts week after week, I just don't think I can make that happen right now.

We have lots of exciting changes with our family in these next few months (which I promise to elaborate more on in the next few weeks) and I am very preoccupied with all those details.  Throw in a rambunctious three old (and soccer class and tumbling class), a few (big!) holidays, and a trip back to HomeTown next month..... and well, that's just a whole lot to juggle.

To put it simply: My family has to come first.

Phew......I feel so much better getting that off my chest!

Now, I hope to continue to post new Tried It & Loved It recipes starting up again after the new year, but they probably won't occur each and every week.

But they still will occur on Saturdays.....so nice of me to leave one thing the same, right?

I know, I know, the things I do....

Anywho, I just didn't want to leave the handful of you out there who impatiently waited week after week for my Tried It & Loved It posts.   

Snicker, snicker. 

Hopefully this will provide that much needed closure. 

Oh, how I kid....

Okay, I promise I'll stop.

Really.

Right now. 

For reals, this time. 


 

First Snow

I always forget here in Smalltown, that when the forecast calls for snow--it snows.

I guess it's time to put the studded tires on.  

The One Where I Talk About Perspiration

These are seriously some great tips I am about to share with you.

And this first one?  About the greatest thing I have ever come across.  However, let me start at the beginning, because as always, there is a story behind this.

My husband works as a manager in a restaurant.  He's busy.  It's fast paced.  He even sweats from time to time.  I do prefer the term perspiration, however if for some strange reason the Man Police read this and see that I said Hubs perspires, they may come and take his Man Card away.

He always wears a white undershirt under his button down work shirts.  His undershirts HAVE to come from JC Penney because it's the only store he's ever found under shirts that come in talls, 'cause he's a tall guy and if he doesn't get the talls, the undershirt comes untucked and it's just all irritating.  At least from what I understand....but I totally get that.  I do. 

And for the record, I have Hubs full permission to post this.  I asked him if I could and he asked why I was even asking.  I said, well you know, it's a little personal and I thought maybe you might care if I shared your sweaty shirt story with the world.  His response?  "I am guy.  I sweat. Who cares?"

Alrighty then.

So combine the sweat with the deodorant and the day after day wear of his undershirts and over time, they start to get this nasty, yucky, yellow buildup in the armpit area of the shirt.  I've tried bleach, soaking the shirts, scrubbing the stained armpits of the shirts with crushed aspirin, the list goes on and on.....but nothing ever seemed to get rid of that build up. 

So our solution before was just to buy new undershirts when the old ones got gross enough.  Yuck, right?  But I didn't see any other solution.  Fast forward several years later and living on one income.  Dropping $60-$75 on a new undershirt rotation just wasn't in the cards like it used to be.

However, just a few months ago I came across a trick and thought, heck why not?  It's certainly worth a try and it's cheaper than getting new shirts.

The trick?  Baking soda.  Good ol' standard, been around since practically the beginning of time, baking soda. 

It totally works like no other.

And it's cheap.  

I seriously wish I would have found this YEARS ago, because whenever we got new shirts for Hubs, the old shirts were never really worn out, they just had nasty, stained armpits.  The condition of the shirt was always just fine. 

Now, this definitely takes more time in my washing routine, but Hubs has nice clean shirts to wear and I feel like I am taking care of him that much better.  (That probably sounds really dumb and archaic, but it's the truth.  I like being a "homemaker" and knowing I do the best I can running our home.  Hubs does his part in working 60+ hours a week and I do my part in taking care of our Peanut and all things home related.)

So how do I do it?   First, let me say that I started this process well after his shirts were all stained, so I am kind of playing catch up.  For us, the yellow color has not gone away completely, but the nasty gunkiness of the (deodorant?) build up has gone away completely.

Oh, and for the record, I usually work at the kitchen sink during the process.

I turn the shirts inside out first.  Second, I mix a solution of baking soda and warm water to a thickness of about pancake batter.  Then with each shirt, I run the armpit portion of the shirt under hot water to get the area wet and then I spoon about a soup spoon portion of the baking soda mixture onto the shirt.  I scrub it into the shirt and repeat the process on the other armpit.  Make sure to sort of wrap the shirt in on its self because the baking soda will sort of cake and fall off otherwise and you want the mixture to sit on the fiber as best you can.  Repeat the process with all shirts.  Then, I let the shirts sit for a couple of hours before putting them in the wash.  After a couple of hours have passed, I run the cycle with HOT water and set it to soak prior to letting the load actually start the wash cycle.  I also throw another cup of baking soda in with the detergent during the soak cycle.  Then, once the clothes have sat in the hot water for an hour or two, I start the load as normal.

The shirts look cleaner, feel cleaner, and smell cleaner.  I am just so happy I found this little trick, I wanted to share it with the world.  And it's so stinking cheap!  (FYI--Costco has a 13+ pound bag of baking soda for like $5!!!) 

Second sweat tip.  I know.  Two tips, right?

I love all those cute ballet flats that are so fashionable right now.  They are cute, comfy, and they look more dressy than the "non-athletic sneaker" I had become so fond of.  And they don't have heals.....'cause let's be realistic here people, heals and toddlers don't mix.  At least in my world they don't.

But what I don't love about the ballet flat?  Is that most ballet flats are meant to be worn with no socks.  And my feet sweat perspire from time to time.  I cannot stand it when my feet feel like they were wrapped in wet plastic wrap.  SO gross, right?

And for the record, I know I am not the only one that feels this way.  Before I quit work at the bank, one of the gals that worked for us at our branch always wore super cut high heels--almost always without stockings.  She always looked so put together--you know the type--you want to look like that when you grow up....even if that person is ten years younger than you?  Anyhow, I finally asked her one day, "Don't your feet get hot and sweaty without stockings?"  Why yes, as a matter of fact, they did--she's the one that described it feeling like wet plastic {saran} wrap.

So glad I am not the only one. 

Anyhow, just a few weeks ago, it hit me.  Those little insole inserts should work perfect.  And they do!  I picked up several sets (they were like $1 each) and put them in all of my (three pairs) ballet flats.  NO more wet feet!  Don't you just love it?!?!?! 


These little lovely tips definitely work for me!  For other Works For Me Wednesday tips, visit We Are THAT Family. 








cleaning sweat stains, t-shirt stains, getting sweat stains out of shirts, underarm stains in shirts,