Catch Them Doing Something Good!

I didn't come up with this...it came from "The One Minute Manager"(an excellent book for the workplace)...I read it several years ago, but it is working for me with my toddler and my husband.

Catch them doing something wrong...how many times a day do I see and lament the things that they have done wrong?  ALL DAY LONG!  Whether it is coloring on the walls or not taking out the trash...they are after all human!

I do this little mind game with myself to help stay positive...catch them doing something good...My husband goes to work everyday and works a long day/week so I don't have to...GOOD!  My son puts something in the trash that belongs there (not his socks or my scrap of paper with important phone #s) GOOD!  They actually do many of these things a day...yeah!

I take it one step further and thank them...this solidifies it in my mind as well as provides positive reinforcement for them.  For my son, I ooze with "good job" and "thank-you so much"...for my husband just a quick "thanks" does the trick...try it and let me know how it goes?

What Are You Worth?

Here is an empowering exercise in futility...

I don't like to admit it, but I get a lot of my empowerment, self worth from my caree/job.  Now that I am a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) how much am I worth?

Here is what I am worth (according to indeed.com):

Personal Assistant to my husband:  $50K a year
Maid:  $28K
Chef:  $60K
Nutritionist:  $71K
Nanny:  $27K
Interior Designer:  $75K
Writer:  $74K
Seamstress/Quiltmaker:  $31K

Now, obviously in order to do all these things, I cannot do them all full time...so there are approx. 168hrs in a week...I sleep at least 6-8hrs a day - so that leaves about 119hrs to do other stuff...I spend about 3-5hrs a day eating and attending to personal needs...so that leaves about 91 hours to work...I probably work at least 80hrs a week. 

If I add all the above together it equals:  $416,000a year, divided by the number of jobs gives me an average annual worth of:  $52,000 a year...divided by the number of weeks in a year:  $1000 a week, divided by the number of hrs I work a week:  $12.5hr...interesting huh? 

To me this is VERY interesting because I think that I am worth more than that...but it is comforting to know that I am not worth $0 just because I don't get a pay check!

What's for Dinner - Leftovers...whooo hooo!

When I was growing up I HATED leftovers!  Now, I LOVE them...not so much to eat, but no cooking tonight whooo hooo!!!

We have some leftover chuck roast and pizza in the fridge - with noodles, mashed pots, asparagas, carrots and pears...so all I have to do is nuke it in the microwave.  Especially helpful because I am going to my quilt guild meeting tonight...we are playing quilt square Bingo...I'll let ya know how it goes!

So, if ya are looking for something to cook - reference my other recipes in the blog or check out my "Cook Anything" spot under my profile and let me know how it works!

Can You See the Diamonds?

This is my latest project...not sewn together yet...what do ya think?  This is for my bedroom - for summer - keep ya posted on how it turns out.

Yummy Snacks!

Here are some of my favorite yummy snacks!!!

Triscuits (or any other salty cracker - watch out for sweet crackers like Wheat Thins and Ritz...doesn't quite taste right), cream cheese and sliced manzanilla olives.  This makes a GREAT appetizer - but make lots they go fast!

The second yummy snack is soft homemade oat pretzels. 

The recipe is as follows:

3 3 1/2 cups wheat flour (you can use all purpose too)

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (can use either old fashioned or quick)

2 tbsp sugar

1 pkg rapid rising yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup water

2 tbsp margarine

1 egg lightly beaten

1.  Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 1/4 cups oat, sugar, yeast and salt in large mixing bowl, mix well. 

2.  Heat milk and water in small saucepan to 120degrees F to 130degrees F (this goes quickly especially if you have a gas stove).  Add margarine to water/milk stir until melted.  Add to flour mixture.

3.  Blend with electric mixer on low speed until moist, then beat on med speed for 3min.  By hand stir in flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.

4.  Turn it out onto a floured surface.  Knead 5-8min until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour if sticky.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap on floured surface and let rest for 10min.

5.  Heat oven to 350degrees F.  Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper (make sure it doesn't go over edges or might catch on fire) or you can lightly spray with cooking spray. 

6.  Divide dough into 24 equal parts.  Roll each part into a 12" long rope and shape into pretzel.  Place on baking sheet and let rest for 10min or until slightly risen.

7.  Brush tops with slightly beaten egg and sprinkle 1/4 cup oats on top.

8.  Bake 15 - 18min or until golden brown. (if baking two sheets at once rotate from top to bottom once during baking)  Remove baking sheets from oven and remove pretzels to wire baking rack (this is where the parchment paper comes in handy - not to mention the help in clean up. 

9.  Store in tightly covered at room temperature.

These are VERY yummy.  I think next time I will try putting cinnamon in them or maybe onions & garlic.  I also think these will be yummy with jelly/jam or honey mustard salad dressing etc.

What's for Dinner? Chuck Roast Leftovers, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagas, Carrots & Pears

Well the title pretty much sums it up...  Any questions?

We Sell Ourselves Short...

In our society today...I think we sell ourselves short.  We are afraid of looking foolish or saying something wrong and we hold it all in.  We don't realize our worth and the contribution that we can make.

I recently got an e-mail from my Aunt, she likes my blog (yeah!) and says "wow, you have a lot to say".  Do I?  I could be wrong...but I think we all have a lot to say.  I am not saying that everything is blog worthy - I have read some really crazy blogs and said "WTH" too, but I say kudos to the author! 

I have been writing for as long as I can remember...always wanted to be a journalist, but never pursued it...So, writing/journalism is my thing.  However, I think we all have a thing - some people it is raising their kids, some it might be their job, politics etc.  Writing is cathartic for me...it is a way for me to be creative and to let go of stress etc.  

We all have stuff do everyday (some more crappier than others), but none the less we HAVE to do it.  If there isn't at least one thing on your list of things to do that is just for you...you need a new list!  This goes the other way too...if you look at your list and it is ALL for you - then you need to do something for others...volunteer, help your grandparents etc. 

I think it is important for us to discover our "things"!  We should know why we do what we do everyday and really strive to include the things that make us happy/peaceful/content etc.  I think we should all dive head first into our things!  You know "just do it", "dance like no one is watching", "do your do" etc.  So, (as if you needed my permission) - go forth and do your THING!!!