Chicken Fried Rice

I have to admit I have a problem when it comes to eating out. I love going to the restaurants because someone comes to wait on me and I don't have to do dishes! But, that kills the budget. I decided yesterday I really wanted some fried rice. We had chicken in the house because hubs made some cutlets for work the other day so I was using it up. So, without further adieu here's the recipe. It's pretty close to takeout. Hubs even enjoyed it as leftovers for lunch. And it would be 4 servings if you actually remember to eat during the day and maybe serving some spring rolls on the side. I had two huge bowls because it was all I ate.

Chicken fried rice.

2 chicken breasts pounded, sliced into strips then cut into pieces

Jasmine rice 2 cups dry rice cooked in 3 cups water and a little salt. (extra was for the kids)

Cook these ahead of time then stick in the fridge to cool until dinner time. I used my cast iron skillet to pound out the chicken because Daredevil ran off with the mallet and it's currently in an undisclosed location. I put a piece of saran wrap over it before I pounded it. Then when it was all ready to cook I seasoned it with more salt and some fresh cracked black pepper. And usually when I talk about salt it's kosher. It adds a nice flavor in the cooking. The Morton's just sits in a shaker on the table for anyone wanting more salt on their dish.

When it's time for dinner have ready:

1/2 sliced onion
4 oz. sliced mushrooms (more if you're in the mood)
Green onions sliced
1 cup of peas and carrots (I used frozen)
Chilled rice
Chilled chicken
Several handfuls of bean sprouts washed and drained
3 eggs ready to scramble

In the wok:
lightly spray the very bottom to scramble up the eggs. When they are scrambled and starting to turn golden brown take them out and set aside.

Then add sesame oil. I also added a little canola just to help with the temperature because I'm getting used to the new stove. Probably 1 heaping tablespoon of sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil. Let it get nice and hot. It should smell like nirvana in your kitchen.

When the oil is heated add the onions and mushrooms and start cooking them. Add some more salt and pepper. When they start cooking about 2 minutes then add the chicken. Another 2 minutes, add the peas and carrots, green onions and sprouts. Let it all cook for another 2 minutes or so when things just start to wilt nicely. Then add the egg and rice back in. At this point you'll also start adding soy sauce in. I eyeballed it so I can't tell you how much I added. Probably a tablespoon or two. Add another little bit of salt and black pepper if it's not the level you're looking for (TASTE IT!). If it's good slap that on a plate and call it good. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to cook. Add another drizzle of the sesame oil and let everyone add their own extra soy sauce. And I'm probably making this again this week as a flat out vegetable one and going hog wild with the mushrooms, onions and sprouts. Enjoy everyone! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

The weather is getting cooler

Which means nights filled with knitting! I cannot wait to finish up a couple pair of longies for Daredevil. Her pairs from last year still fit because she's a peanut. But, I'm thinking she needs a black pair this year. And I am thinking I'd like to work on a cloak for myself.

Things are a little hectic here. We've moved into a new place. It's bigger and the kids certainly have room to roam now. And that means I am able to work on some nifty projects for them soon. At least, that's what I'm hoping. I'm headed to Goodwill this week to see what I can repurpose to help give the kids a little more creativity without drawing directly on the walls...or the floors. We shall see what I come up with! Off to drop Tot to preschool.

School is in session!

I have some updating to do. Daredevil and I are fighting nasty colds so a little at a time here. Wanted to share our monster stuffed shells that I've recently made for Tot. He's gotten very picky because he needs some dental work done. And Tot has taken to calling himself Monster Turtle over the summer.

1 small container ricotta cheese (12 or 16 oz I can't remember)
1 8 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese (or buy bulk and shred your own)
1 egg
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
3 oz. Pureed garbanzo beans ( I already had them in the freezer frozen into ice cubes which is about 1 oz)
Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups spinach put through the food processor until blended nicely
1-2 tbsp olive oil for flavor

Package of cooked large shells. I only cooked them most of the way about 10 minutes. Put some olive oil over them after drained so they're easier to get apart.
Mix the filling together and stuff the shells with the fling. You'll have shells leftover so you might want to double the filling or make half the shells. I got 15 but I stuffed generously. Cook for about 40 minutes in sauce at 350-375 depending on your oven. Tot enjoys them with extra Parmesan on top and he's none the wiser that I made them nutrient packed for him.

So, I've been MIA

I've had a lot going on. I'll elaborate later, but I'm not ready right now. I am enjoying time with the family. Daredevil has taken on the task of climbing...and falling. Tot has finished school for the summer. His speech has come so far in the past six months. It's amazing and I couldn't be happier. It's just a quick hello for now. Off to wrangle kids.

Officially crazy

I started to make a quilt for Tot a couple weeks ago. The quilt top is done and it is cute. I need time to sandwich it up and finish it. And once I got to working on that I decided to peg Hubs down to help pick out fabrics for a quilt for our bed. So, yes I am crazy. I'm making a KING size quilt for our bed. When I was out picking out fabrics I also found some other cute fabrics to make a couple dresses for Daredevil. I buy the fabric but I need the time to actually make this stuff! I plan on making the time in the next couple weeks though so that Daredevil will have a couple new dresses to get through the upcoming summer. And I also have a couple patterns for Tot too. One of them I couldn't pass up because it was just so cute. I feel like I've really opened up a new thing in my life. I've always loved fashion even though I am not a fashion plate. But, I spent many hours doodling up new ideas. How's that work? Love criminal justice, cooking and fashion with an interest in psychology. There's no denying I'm confused. I'll post the fabrics I picked out another day but for now I have to get going. Daredevil is about ready to nurse and take a little snooze. Have a good day all. Hopefully someone can keep me motivated or talk some sense into me. ;-)

Hello there...

We've been enjoying some family time while the Hubs was on vacation for the past two weeks. He goes back tomorrow and that means that I deal with the crazy hectic schedules again. It's been fairly relaxing though and I've enjoyed it. It allowed Hubs to really see everything Daredevil has been up to and has caught him up on Tot's speech progress. Tot is doing fantastic at his school and I am just absolutely amazed at how far his speech has come in just a couple short months. Daredevil is trying more foods, but we are still dealing with sensitivity issues. But, I'm happy to see that she's definitely willing to try different foods. As a result Tot is now trying more foods as well and re-trying some foods that he used to eat when he was just a bit older than she is now. I'm hoping her positive influence along with his school will encourage him to try more of the foods we are having at home.

I managed to strain my knee last week when pushing too hard on a walk/jog. I actually landed poorly at the end of my session on some soft-packed sand and got the injury that way. So, I'm still healing. As soon as everything is good I can't wait to get back out and put my new sneakers through a good test. They feel great to be honest. I could go for very long stretches in them which is how great they feel on. And I'm notorious for hating to wear shoes even though I used to own a very large number of them. And I have to cut this short as Daredevil is pulling on my shirt. I think it's time for a new diaper and some nursing time.

Oh what did I get myself into?

I went out for a half hour today sans children and Hubs. They started along with me as far as Tot could walk comfortably. I was itching though to go at my own pace because we were going at a snails pace. I'm not much faster, but I at least wanted to try today just for kicks and giggles. I stuffed myself in my one running bra that I could find easily enough. And stuffed is definitely the operative word. I should get the custom done but I want to wait a month before I do it. I actually did a walk today and I managed to test myself with a little light jogging as far as I could for parts of it. I kept tugging at my shorts and I hated my shoes which provide very little support for even walking. I felt good though mentally afterwards. We went out today and I got a brand new pair of properly fitting running shoes (stability with cushioning!) and a running skort. I can't believe how excited I am over this. Hubs is going to start distracting the kids a couple times a week so I can get out. Excited.That's.Me! As for my one hour at a time, we've had a very celebratory weekend so I am up .4 pounds. But, that will go back down since we're done the celebrating now. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

I need to brag a little bit

I did a handmade Christmas for the kids and I never posted the things I made.

I made a pair of upcycled longies for Daredevil, a fitted diaper, some toy balls, reusable snack bags, toy bears, and a baby doll sling. I made duplicates for both kids for a couple things and I made a couple extra for another friends' children. It was a lot of fun. A lot of stress because I procrastinated a little bit on some of the stuff. But, both kids have been hard to manage some days along with trying to get everything else done that needs getting done.

Today I finally just finished up another ball. These things are actually fun to make. I want to try one that's a little more involved but that'll have to wait awhile since the kids don't allow that much time to cut fabric. Anyway, speaking of time someone needs another treatment.

Week 1

I was doing great this week until Friday and Saturday hit. I completely pigged out those two days because of stress. Tot developed bronchitis (and has probably infected one of his teachers which I didn't know at the time but still feel really bad about) and as a result of running around on Friday my day did not go as planned. I was planning on the sitter coming and splurging only on a hot drink of some sort at the bookstore. That however did not happen. I had to go to two different places to get a nebulizer pump and the second place was already closed for the weekend. I called their 800 number and went through a hassle to get to talk to them and the prescription sent over and then for insurance to cover things. The company though was fantastic and kept me in the loop through the entire process.

They sent someone out late Friday night to deliver the pump to us and showed me how to use this one with the tubing provided and the tubing I received at the doctor's office. I had to make a mad rush to our Target Pharmacy because I was getting towards their closing time. I actually got home 2 minutes before the pump was dropped off to the house. So, Friday night was a huge bust. Then yesterday dealing with Tot who was not feeling well at all was crazy. I felt stir crazy. I really did. I still feel that way but on top of the stir crazy I am exhausted. And I think Daredevil is now coming down with something because she coughed a little bit last night. But, I not really sure if it's bronchitis for her yet. I'm so torn as to what to do. I know I'll probably wind up taking her to the doctor tomorrow. But, the wait is driving me batty.

So this week was a bust to me in terms of the diet. But, not a complete one. With all the binging the past two days I did manage to lose 2 pounds this week which is fantastic. And when I went to bed last night I actually felt sick to my stomach from being overfull. So, no more of that! I think I've learned my lesson. My milk supply is going strong. I even managed to pump 4 oz at the end of Friday night after a feeding. Daredevil is definitely getting milk but I'm doing my best to stay hydrated as well and remembering to take my vitamins. I have some plans for this week. I have some sewing that really needs to get done. My table is overflowing with projects actually. I really need some time to tend to them. I'm hoping to get some time over the next couple weeks to clean out those projects so I can start on some new ones.

Oh I enjoy the laziness

I'm finishing up the last of my crockpot oatmeal. I put everything together in tupperwares in the fridge and I've been able to grab it out and add in my oat milk and reheat. It's fabulous. Daredevil enjoys it because she gets to share the oatmeal with me. And she stands there and pulls on my shirt until I blow off the steam and feed it to her. I'm trying to decide if I want to put dates in next week or go for raisins. But, this really took now work. Put it in the crockpot and let it cook while I sleep. Get up and spoon up a bowl. Love it! I need more lazy meals like this. And the best part is that I'm sure there's no dairy or soy in this which makes it great for Daredevil since I'm really trying to make sure that she doesn't have those with her sensitivities. Now if I could get Tot to enjoy some we'd really be on a roll. Off to knit and watch Tot paint. Good night!

Welcome!

I decided to switch and make a couple things a little more streamlined for myself. I'll still be talking about my different various adventures. But, at the root of everything I am still trying to do my part to be environmentally conscious so that I leave something for future generations to enjoy. I hope you enjoy the new resting place of what was (and currently still is) The Unsucessful Wife/Blog. There shouldn't be any big changes like this in the future. I think I finally found something that I like in terms of names and it feels like home. I hope you'll enjoy the journey with me.

It's time to move over

I've been debating on this for awhile. I've come to the conclusion that I'm streamlining things to make it easier on myself. I was never fully in love with the name for this blog or my etsy. I knew I wanted to share my thoughts as random as they are and I wanted to be able to sell some things in my shop and sew as rare as that is. So, I've decided to take everything down to One Green Mama across the board for myself. I hope that you'll continue to follow along with me. I'm keeping this available for a little longer before I take it down. But please come join me at One Green Mama. I look forward to sharing more with you in the future.

Day 3

Ok, so today was the big splurge. I finally met up with a friend whom I haven't seen in a couple years. We went to lunch and it was really nice. She got to meet Daredevil and saw how big Tot has grown. And I have to admit while I still am not a fan of dieting it's getting slightly easier. I saved all of my points for the day for lunch. By time I got to lunch I really was starving and feeling not so great so I won't do that too frequently but where we were going to lunch has so many options that it's hard to limit. So, I feel like I got to pig out today. I didn't have a soda which was a huge surprise to me. I'm also on Day 3 of no soda. Go me! So far, my saving grace is my "bedtime" snack before the kids get settled for bed. I'm having carrots and hummus and sometimes some fruit. I'm finding that little bit of flavor and fat is really helping me not cave after the kids are asleep and reach for Tot's little stockpile of candy he got for Valentine's Day. So, it's nice his Smarties are still all accounted for and he can have them as I ration them out to him. I still need to get better and really hit a solid 5 servings a day of fruits and veggies but for now I'm not doing so bad. Oh, and my energy level was better today than it's been in a while. I didn't feel the need to nap with Daredevil today with her evening nap which is the first time since she was born! Hooray! Alright, time to get the kids off to bed. Tot is still running a fever and a little rammy as a result. I'm thinking we need to have another dyeing project so he can get some messy creativity out. Good night!

A little bit on Day 2

I think I've found my new comfort food. Seriously, I'm in love. I was going to put some black eyed peas in it but didn't think ahead with the cooking so I left them out. I made some brown rice though. And as the main part I carmelized up half an onion in a little olive oil and I sliced up 3 small Portobello mushrooms into thick slices. I seasoned the mushroom and onions with some garlic powder, a little garlic salt, fresh cracked pepper and a little paprika. Put the mixture over the cooked rice and eat. Delicious! For the meat eaters this would probably go well with a steak? Ok, off to tend to a feverish Tot. He's not been feeling well the past couple days. Hoping he's feeling well enough for school tomorrow.

Day 1, Hours....all of them

It went ok. I was ready to eat my kitchen chairs by dinner time but I stuck to it. Dinner wasn't anything earth shattering. I decided that I had to have baked beans and pasta. I was so intent on the baked beans though that I completely forgot to put the garlic on my pasta. Gasp! Did you hear that? I know I sure did. I didn't dig into my weekly point allowance. We're having company today and tomorrow and I suspect that I'll be using those up in that time frame.

Dinner for anyone wondering was sweetened baked beans with real maple syrup. A single serving of pasta with some vegan "butter" which I'm getting used to. I can only imagine how I'm going to react to real butter once I'm done nursing. Maybe I should learn to do a cartwheel? I also sprinkled some nutritional yeast flakes on top of the pasta to act as my cheese. That stuff is pretty good for anyone wondering. And if you're dairy free or just looking for a boost nutritionally to your diet that stuff packs a punch for just a little bit.

Because I wasn't full from the pasta and beans I also ate two kiwis and a pear. By time I ate that I was at least comfortable. For the snack before Tot saying he wanted to go to bed during what would be Prime Time hours (if we had television service) I had some blackberries, carrots and some hummus. And I drank three liters of water yesterday. I've been really bad about drinking water lately so I've got to get better about that. Daredevil I think enjoyed all the water I was drinking yesterday because she had a very heavy diaper this morning. Anyway, off to start our regularly scheduled week. Onto hour 3.

One hour at a time

I love food! And I love it so much that coupled with my constant hunger as a lactating/breastfeeding mother, and bouts of depression throughout my adult life (where I'd eat often only meal a day because all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock) I'm overweight. And I need to do something about it. For me. For Hubs. And for Tot and Daredevil. But, really for me. I'm tired of avoiding mirrors. Although I've never really liked what I saw in them anyway and that comes from 30+ years of being told/eavesdropping (yep, I've done my fair share of that and I'll admit it. It's amazing what you hear when people think you aren't listening!) I was ugly/fat/not good enough/never amount to anything/blah blah blah. Fill in the blank. Needless to say my self worth some days are shot. And it shouldn't be.

So, I'm working to maybe change that a little bit. I want to get healthy again and shed a few of the pounds I've picked up in the past ten years. I signed up for Weight Watchers at home. I tried originally signing up for the online stuff but got screwed on that one because it's all online and I didn't realize that one. So, that was a whole lot of wasted money. I found the at home one and bought that but dang it I want my money back from the online program that I NEVER used. Who has more than a few minutes a day to sit at a computer and look all that crap up?! Not me. Daredevil throws a fit if I even look at my computer. And the reason she's not throwing one right now is because she is conveniently occupied cleaning the floor with one of the napkins I made for the kids. It has minkee on it. And if she's not trying to wipe up the dust bunnies she's chasing Tot. So, they're both occupied for five whole minutes. It's a win-win situation in my book. Anyway, back to topic. With my love of food I've decided that I need to take this diet thing one hour at a time. I can't commit to more than that. I just can't. It's not in me so don't even tell me that I can do it for longer than an hour. I'll roll my eyes at you and visualize me shoving a bunch of marbles in your mouth. So 1 hour. That's it! I've asked one of my friends whose also doing the online program to help me kinda stay on track. Some accountability and a buddy will be good.

This morning is the first day of it all. My goals for the week are no fast food and no soda. The no fast food is hard because I haven't felt like cooking with only the little electric burner. And the soda is really hard because I now have no means of even just a little bit of caffeine to get through the bad days. And I'm not drinking coffee black. And I only have herbal teas in the house which are lovely but they are no sugary soft drink. I'll have to switch over to the teas though for my non-water beverage of choice.

So, let's get to hour 1 which is breakfast.
I had oatmeal! I put some steel cut oats in the crock pot last night because I wanted to try that and see how it was. I didn't put enough water in because it burned a little on the top. I'm an idiot and wasted something really good. But, the oatmeal that didn't become a nasty hard crust was really nice looking. So, I'll be doing that more often I think. And I have enough leftover for at least two more breakfasts. Here's what my bowl looked like after it was doctored up....

I had Daredevil try a little bit before I added the nuts in and she kept coming back to taste it so that was pretty cool. One of my kids likes oatmeal. Yay! I actually like oatmeal and will have it for dinner on occasion.

Fruit and Nut Oatmeal (for a whopping 17 points for anyone counting)

1/2 cup cooked steel cut oatmeal

2 TBSP ground flaxseed meal

1/4 c. dried cherries

1 oz. walnuts

1/3 c. oat milk unsweetened (we're on the dairy free bandwagon again)

1 TBSP. sugar

This was honestly very good. I've already drank a liter of water though and am still hungry. But, this recipe for breakfast is definitely a keeper since it tasted good. And I like that the oat milk just kind of blended in with the flavor and that I was able to help keep the oatmeal from being dried out nastiness. I'm going to package up the rest of the oatmeal so it's ready to grab and heat. I'm leaving out the nuts though so that Daredevil can try it before I add them in. I'd like to keep her liking oatmeal. The sugar is a lot but again I just want food that tastes good. With that Daredevil is pulling on my shirt so it's time to go. Wish me luck!

Remember me being a smurf?

I never said what I did with the Easter Egg Dyed yarn. Well, I stared at that skein for a while. And the more I stared at it the more I hated the pink color because it was so bright. Hello 80's! I have no desire to revisit you...ever. So, I let it sit. And then I finally decided to do something with it because it was taking up space in my drawer. I turned it into two dryer balls because I needed more anyway. And then I crocheted a cover over the dryer balls for two reasons...1) I didn't felt them because when I felt them they fall apart and then it's a waste of good wool and 2) the cover prevents unravelling at a later date even with successful  felting. I think that they actually turned out really cute. And I can't mistake them in the clothing pile when I'm folding laundry. My other two are brown and they kind of get lost in the crowd. These have been used already for a little over a month and I love them! I have enough of that dyed wool left to make probably one more small dryer ball. Or that's my hope anyway. ;-)

More lazy enchiladas

Remember my previous crockpot enchiladas? Well, I made them again because I need some comfort food. It was a particularly rough week in my little world as I've been a bundle of nerves as well as tired as well as caring for two children who've been sick. So, enough was enough and I decided that with my fall again off the dairy free bandwagon that I was going to have one last bender for a while with that which I love so much. And that I am doing. I have enough leftovers for 4 more meals I think. And this is crazy-lactating-woman-I'll-stab-your-hand-with-a-fork-if-you-even-look-at-my-plate size meals. There's no pic because I just didn't think to take one while I was in comfort food bliss last night.

Here's the second version (which could feed a house full of perpetually starving teenagers)
The shopping list is:
2 lbs ground beef (or chicken or whatever it is that's on sale that you want)
2 ginormous sweet onions (I'm talking about those suckers that are almost as big as your head. They're sweet and mild but add a great flavor and texture)
4 cans enchilada sauce
3 cans of tomatoes with chilis or fire roasted with garlic
1 small bag of frozen corn
1 small bag of frozen black eyed peas
1 lb bag of shredded cheese or the brick if it's cheaper and shred it yourself
Sour cream for garnish
Olives for garnish (optional)

To make:

Cook the meat and diced up onions together until the meat is barely pink and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

Spray your 6 qt crock well so you don't burn anything. Burned enchiladas would be a sad waste of food.

Then layer in the crock:
corn tortillas. (I put 4 on each "layer")
a couple TBSP enchilada sauce
2-3 big cooking spoons of the meat mixture from above
2-3 TBSP fire roasted tomatoes with garlic or ro-tel (I used both)
a couple TBSP enchilada sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 frozen black eyed peas
couple handfuls of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (from a 1 lb bag).
Repeat this 2-3 more times. Put on a final layer of tortillas and the rest of the cheese from the bag which should be about two cups and the rest of the can of enchilada sauce. (I think I had half a can at the end).

Set on high and let it cook 3-4 hours. Garnish and chow down.

Now, you may notice when it comes out of the crock it's a little runny. If it's too runny for you put a couple tortillas on the plate before you serve. There's a reason for this madness.... In the event you should have leftovers, which I'm lucky enough to have for the next couple days, the enchiladas are reheating perfectly because I put enough liquid in this time. Last time I didn't feel I had enough. For the reheat I put two extra tortillas in my bowl and scooped the enchiladas on top and got it hot that way. I put my sour cream and olives on top and I am in heaven. I only spent $6 in ingredients because most of it I had already in my pantry/freezer. My mom bought me the meat before she left because she was afraid I was going to starve if I was going through a week of no cooking. I'm not starving. For a little effort there's a lot of bang for the buck.  So, there you have it. Oh, and this easy makes twice what my first efforts made. So, for normal non-lactating folks this would easily feed at least 8-10 people. If you added some beans on the side you could make this stretch very easily to feed your own mini-army. Enjoy!

Wool obsession

I didn't put Tot in much wool because I really didn't understand it. And Hubs was worried about how he was going to be able to handle it. When Daredevil came along I had two pieces because I was learning to knit (and I still am) and I figured I'd give it a try. What's the worst that could happen? Really it's just pee. Well, the worst thing that could happen is that you fall in love with it and become obsessed on obtaining more! Since that's not a financially feasible thing to buy here I'm doing the next best thing. I'm making it myself. There are some adorable wool diapering garments out there but many of them are well out of my price range at $50 on up. With a little patience so far I've made several soakers and a couple pairs of longies just scouring the internet for free patterns and also doing a little trial and error as I go. I'm currently working on a project that is for Daredevil and it will be of the cover function but for now that one's under wraps because I'm messing around with it a little bit to see fully what I come up with.

What's so great about wool you ask? Well, it provides breathability. A lot of it. And for babes with sensitive skin like mine they get a lot of benefit from having air able to get at their skin. Doesn't it get soaked? Well, yes and no. Wool when properly cared for has this wonderful ability to retain it's weight (and then a little more) when wet. So, if I put on a diaper that's reasonably stuffed for Daredevil's peeing abilities for overnight with a wool cover I can be guaranteed that I wake up with a dry bed. And the lanolin acts as a scrubber to neutralize the urine. They can be worn several times (often a couple weeks) before needing to be washed again. Once it starts smelling like urine is when it's time to wash it. Now if you're using it during the newborn stage you're going to get poop on it because let's face it...poop happens. Just wash and lightly lanolize. Or don't even bother lanolizing because it's going to get washed again the next time it's worn right? And if you're doing frequent changes compression leaks from the baby sitting on the floor playing or even in the carseat don't really happen. If you notice that the wool is starting to feel damp it's definitely time for a diaper change.

Wool is fantastic though. With Daredevil I currently have two pairs of longies that I put on her on the cold or windy days here. They keep her warm and dry. And because the wool is breathable it would work to also keep her cool if wearing them on the warm days. She's not overheating, I promise. And the other great thing about wool is that you can really find a lot to match your personality or tastes depending on what you're buying. If you have even basic knitting or crocheting skills and a little time you can make them yourself. There are lots of options out there. And you can always have that secret wishlist of what you'd like to try. On mine I have an interlock pair either by Sbish or a custom by Once Upon A Baby on etsy. I borrowed a soaker from a friend who had one made by the latter and I loved it. Daredevil was incredibly comfortable and it was great for a marathon of errands.

Isn't it hard to care for? Nope. I have a little tub that I use to care for mine. I got it in the kitchen department. It's used for washing dishes. I put in my wool wash and run some very warm water and swish it around. And I add some liquid lanolin or some solid like Lansinoh used for breastfeeding. About the size of a dime and I put my piece(s) in and swirl them around briefly to get wet and capture the lanolin droplets floating in the water. I let it sit for about a half hour. Then I gently wring out excess water. I put the piece in a towel and roll it up to get more water out and then I line dry it. It dries for me in a day here because there's no humidity to really speak of. In the colder climates though it did take about two days to dry unless I put it in a sunny spot near (but not on) a heater. I currently have 8 pieces in rotation and I'm working on more. A couple are crocheted soakers (underwear style) that were felted (put in the washer on hot until they shrunk to where I wanted them and then dried). Two pairs of longies (pants) and a pair of shorties (shorts). I also have a pair of longies for Daredevil to wear next year. They were for Tot but he refused to wear them so they have to sit for another year until she's ready to wear them. Give it a try. I assume no responsibility for the obsession that follows.

Crockpot Meatloaf

I had some ladies over the other night and I made a meatloaf in the crockpot. It actually turned out pretty good. The whole meal actually worked out because I only used the crockpot or the microwave for the entire thing. Now, I'm not a fan of beef much anymore but I really wasn't sure of what to make that would be pleasing because these were new friends that I had met and I didn't know what their food style was. I figured a meatloaf was going to be pretty easy and the least offensive. It was. Let's start with dessert though....

I made an almond poundcake in the crockpot the night before. I had a mix from Tastefully Simple lying around and I wanted to use it up. I also did it using what I had on hand. Since I'm supposed to be dairy free I didn't have much real butter in the house. I had 4 tablespoons left in the fridge from when my mom was visiting over the winter break. So that along with my vegan butter is what I used for the required butter component of the mix. Also, you need to spray the heck out of the stone. I only half-assed it because I wasn't fully paying attention since Tot was hanging around. So, when I say spray it I mean it. Don't miss an inch. Mix the batter according to package directions and then put it in the stone on low for about 4 hours or until the toothpick comes out of the center clean. I did this the night before when I was frantically cleaning off my kitchen table of all the craft projects and hidden poptart crumbs Tot left behind.

The meatloaf:
1 lb ground beef
1 packet of onion soup mix
1/2 onion diced very fine (With my love of garlic what's not to like about onions, they're relatives.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
3/4 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c warm water
3/4 c barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Spicy Original)

Mix it all together. Shape it into one of them mini loaf pans. Mine was frozen when I went to put it in the crock so it would hold together better. I was also able to just run the loaf pan under warm water to get the pan off so I could stick the brick of meat in the crock. I cooked it on high for six hours with some carrots in there and a topping of sauce. And serve on the side was extra sauce warmed up for anyone that wanted it. I threw some squash in the microwave and the meal was done. Very easy and the best part was that it was very lazy. ;-)

There aren't any pics because I didn't think of it. And Daredevil has been a little under the weather all week so she grabs anything that looks shiny and tries to shove it in her mouth. Teething is such a bugger.

Changes. Changes. And more changes.

So, I'm still going through one of my moods. I think I want to change the name of my etsy shop but I have no clue on a name. I will entertain possibilities though. If I get enough options to choose from I may also hold a giveaway or do a discount. I'm not sure, but it'll be something.

I'm also trying to decide if I want to reside here at this address or if I'd like to move over to an address that says theunsuccessfulwife dot whatever. Seems more suitable since that's really what this is about. I already know I'm dreadful at blogging. :-P

And I'm also trying to compile my knitting list for the year for the kiddos. It takes so long to knit one item for them but I enjoy it. And Daredevil needs more wool because that's what works the best for her I'm finding. And seeing her in wool that I spent three weeks making for her makes me happy. I'm a sap. What can I say? That's what I've got going on right now. And I'm actually making my way through my pantry. It's in small steps but it's happening. Seems like all that's needed is a brief moment of inspiration.

Crockpot Salmon. Yep, you read that right

So I ran out of propane over the weekend. And when I went to go setup an account to have more propane delivered I found out that they want to do a leak check on top of the very nice and high costs of the propane with delivery. Let's face it a 75 gallon propane tank is not going to fit in my tiny little hybrid. And this stove is probably not going to pass a leak check. So, that got me to thinking and panicking. How am I going to cook? Especially how am I going to make pasta for Tot? So I went out and bought one of those dual burner hot plates. It's going to sit on the stovetop. And I can utilize my two crockpots for the rest of the cooking. I'm lazy enough that I can handle everything being in one pot, right? Well, the first dish was salmon. I made stuffing and squash to go along with it in the microwave. Told you I was lazy!

Awesome Salmon:
1-1.5 lb salmon filet. (I left the skin on)

Sauce/glaze:
1 TBSP. Spicy Brown mustard (I used grey poupon with the onions in it)
1 tsp. honey
3 heaping TBSP. coarse ground country mustard (I used the grey poupon on this one too)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I eyeballed it.  There was probably a little more than that.)

Mix these 4 ingredients together until they are nicely incorporated and almost runny.

Put the salmon in a very well greased/sprayed crock pot skin side down. Dump the sauce over the salmon and make sure to spread it on as much of the fish as possible. Set the cooker on low for 2.5 hours. Then enjoy!

This was really good. The babysitter liked it. Tot at least looked at it but he wasn't in any mood to try anything last night. I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to take a picture of my plate so I took one of Tot's and trust me when I say that the picture does the meal no justice. And I actually spooned the sauce from the crockpot over my squash because I ate that last and the sauce started thicken up in there a little as it cooled down. So, this is a keeper!

The Joys of Sleeping With A 3 Year Old

Tot has been sleeping with me for the past couple weeks because my mom was visiting and then after she left he still had a yeast infection. The infection was waking him up because his diaper had exploded a couple times each night requiring changing of all sorts. He's in disposables for just a couple more days and then I can get him back in cloth which my sanity and wallet will greatly appreciate. He's not willing to learn how to use any size potty so I need to look into my future cloth options with him. That's a tangent for another day though. Tot let me sleep in. I should have known that something was up though when he got out of bed and I heard a shaking noise. He was bored waiting for me and Baby to wake up which is what led to this....

And me having to do this....

With the final result of salvaging....

He had stuffed his amber necklace into Baby's new toy. Thankfully I managed to save it without it breaking. I'd like for Baby to be able to size up into it since Tot doesn't wear it that often. She leaves hers alone since she's used to it being there. I didn't get Tot one early enough so he likes to treat it like a toy when he tires of wearing it. I keep telling him when he's done he needs to give it to me to put it in a safe place. I think I'll keep repeating that mantra for the days he's wearing it.

Onto the food!

We have a constant power struggle in the house over food.  Tot only eats certain things.  There are things I don't like or can't eat.  So, I'm about to get started on that pesky New Years list involving food.  I want to start working on clearing some things out of the pantry so I can really start with a really fresh, and hopefully healthy, pantry by mid year.  That means I also want to get together a list of things that should be canned this year so we always have something we can grab and eat of out there for quick dinners and more specifically quick lunches.  There are a number of things on my plate for today since Tot goes back to school tomorrow.  But, the biggest thing is to take stock of what's in my pantry and then come up with some great recipes so we'll have some good things to eat.  I'll post a list later of what I have in there so I can reference it later.  Right now, time to get dressed and hang a blanket out on the line.  It had been sitting waiting to be washed since the summer and I just was too lazy to throw it in.  Well, now it's clean so I gotta get it dry so I can put it on the bed tonight.

It's a new year...already?

Where did last year go?  I had a baby.  Tot is getting bigger and finally starting to talk a little more.  He starts back up at preschool again next week so we'll see what his speech therapy does for him in the following months.  Hubs is still training at the moment for the job.  He just had a minor injury and is worried how that will affect his final and graduation which is soon.  So, I've got my fingers crossed because I don't know how much more roller coaster riding I can do without needing a trip to the cardiologist.  Baby, aka Daredevil, aka The Destroyer, is really getting that walking thing down.  She's becoming independent of sorts.  She still comes to me for loving with every fall unless Tot gets to her first to kiss her boomers away.  So, really where did this past year go?

Well, like I said there the arrival of Baby.  She is as breath-taking today as she was almost a year ago.  Her first birthday is arriving soon.  I can't believe it.  Hubs finally got into the field and job he'd been waiting on for almost two years.  This meant that we got to finally move out of the living with family situation that had been taking place for two and a half years too long.  Thank you to our family that put up with us because I know it was hard on everyone involved.  And Tot...well, we're still working to help Tot with things.  But, he is fabulous.  There are days he makes me want to pull out every single hair on my body with a pair of tweezers and there are days that he make my heart melt in a big pile of mush.  And I am just taking it all as it comes.

I have some plans for myself this year:

I plan on doing some sort of couch to 5K thing whether it's walking or running.  It will most likely be walking because until I'm done nursing I don't have a sports bra strong enough to provide the support I need not to be knocked out by the artillery while running.  I have visions of that though in the future.  The running, not being knocked out by artillery.

I plan on using up everything in my pantry by mid-year and making a few dietary changes to be healthier.  This includes doing more meal planning especially since there are just so many fantastic recipes out there to try.

I plan on starting a garden and growing some of my own favorite veggies to eat and can.  Which means I plan on having a pressure canner this year.  The water bath is fun but there are lots of things I'd love to just be able to grab from the pantry and eat rather than buying prepackaged.

I plan on doing a few sewing and knitting projects for myself.  I do them for the kids and Hubs already.  It's about time I do something for me as well.

And I plan on deciding my next course of action for finishing up that pesky Bachelor's degree that I always keep meaning to finish.  My biggest problem with that is that it's just a piece of paper.  And if I get that then I know I'll want to go onto get a Master's which means I generally have to decide what I want to major in.  My problem all along really.  I want to do something that I'll enjoy if/when I ever go back out into the 9-5 world instead of being only a 24/7 (Stay at home wife/mother for those not in the know).  As it stands I still don't know what that would be.  And I still couldn't tell you what I'm good at or what I'd excel in and feel fulfilled.  I did the 9-5 thing before and I worked where I was incredibly unhappy and plain angry.  The paycheck provided a roof over my head and food on the table but I was miserable.  I want more than a paycheck the next time.

So, there it is.  My list for the next year.  Not much.  Not impressive compared to anyone elses, but it's my list and that suits me just fine.  And since it's taken me the better part of the day to get this written I need to go finish supervising dinner and what's being eaten.  Tot still has half a plate and is off playing with the laundry to go in the washer.  And Baby Daredevil is well... just that.  Being a daredevil and giving the cutest smiles she can muster because she knows she's doing things she shouldn't be doing like pulling all the diapers off the changing table.  And she brought one out to me and is chewing on the tag.  Good thing Bum Genius doesn't void warranty for tag chewing.   Off to mind the zoo.  Happy New Year all!