{merry christmas!}

from our happy family to yours, merry christmas!
we'll be reminiscing over the past year while putting together photo albums, 
 & teasing each other to open presents. 

Speaking of presents, quick story: 
About a month ago, I ordered all of my presents {thank you amazon prime!}. Within a few days, everyone had theirs. There was still one more present for my sweetheart that I was waiting on. Last Saturday, we decided to track the package. Tricky, because we use the same account to order presents. It said delivered to front door. But I didn't have the package...
For the past two weeks, our neighbors have had a package on the front porch. It had been raining for days.
As you may have guessed, it was his package.

Merry Christmas!

{fresh cuppa}

via a well traveled woman

My sweetheart and I bought a Keurig earlier this year, hoping that it would save money instead of paying $1.40 for coffee everyday. No that's not much, but it adds up to roughly $500 per year, and that's only if I don't get something fancy like a latte. Since I've worked in coffee for 6 or so years, I enjoy a well crafted latte.
Instead of buying a regular coffee maker, we decided to buy a more modern, versatile coffee maker. I like that I can make hot cocoa, tea, or any flavor of coffee. But since we've purchased this coffee maker, I haven't cleaned it.

I was a little intimidated to clean it. Cleaning an espresso machine? No problem. A Keurig? Seemed complex.

So here is how you clean a Keurig. It is far easier than I expected; just takes time. This is a slightly adapted version from the Keurig website.

1. Wipe down the outside. Clean the tray, the outside & the counter under the machine. Just soap & water.

2. Clean the K-Cup holder.
Remove the K-Cup assembly: To remove the assembly from the brewer, open the cover by lifting the handle. Grasp the top of the K-Cup Holder with one hand while pushing up on the bottom of the assembly from underneath with the other until it releases. The K-Cup Holder is dishwasher safe. {I just used soap and water.}

    ------> 

Clean the Funnel: The funnel can be removed from the K-Cup Holder by pulling on it until it snaps off. The funnel is dishwasher safe. To replace it just snap it back onto the K-Cup Holder.  

funnel is the bottom section

Clean the exit needle: The exit needle is located on the inside bottom. If coffee grounds or cocoa mix gets clogged in the exit needle, it can be cleaned using a paper clip or similar tool. Remove the funnel from the K-Cup Holder, insert the paper clip into the tube and move it around to loosen the clog and remove any debris. Please note, you cannot poke all the way through the needle as the opening of the needle is located on the side and not the top. {paper clip worked for me}

Install the K-Cup assembly into the brewer: After cleaning, align the K-Cup Holder tabs with the opening placing the two front tabs on the bottom and the single tab on top and snap it into place by pushing down on the top rim. Do not try to just close the lid, the pieces may not align correctly if you try to just close the lid.

3. Descaling your brewer: do this every 3-6 months.
Why? Scale is harmless, but it can hurt optimal brewer performance. Descaling regularly helps maintain the heating element, removable water reservoir and other parts of the brewer that come in contact with water. Better water quality and water heating means a better cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa or iced beverage. it is recommend you descale your brewer at least every 6 months (every 3 months if your water has a high mineral content).
How? Depends on your keurig type. For an Elite B40, Classic B44, Special Edition B60, or Platinum B70 do the following. Otherwise, look at their website.
 To start:
1. Empty the water in the Water Reservoir.
2. Disable “Auto Off” features. {I just set mine to shut off after 5 hours, and set a timer for 4 hours}
To fill & clean:
1. Pour approximately 48 ounces of the vinegar into the Water Reservoir.
2. Place a large mug on the Drip Tray Plate and run a brew cycle. DO NOT USE A K-CUP, just press the BREW Button. Pour the contents of the large mug into the sink.
3. Repeat the brew process without a K-Cup until “ADD WATER” is indicated.
4. Now let the Brewer stand for at least 4 hours while still on.
5. Discard any residual vinegar and rinse the Water Reservoir thoroughly.
Rinse.
1. Ensure the Water Reservoir is filled with fresh water.
2. Place a large mug on the Drip Tray Plate and water brew cycle. Pour the contents of the large mug into the sink.
3. Repeat brew process until “ADD WATER” is indicated.
4.  You may need to perform additional water brew cycles if you notice any residual taste.{you will know if vinegar is still in there if your milk curdles. I took me about 4 or 5 reservoir fills to flush it all out.}

{NOTE: If “DE-SCALE” is still displayed after completing the procedure, repeat the de-scaling procedure above.}

{small things}

perfect glass of sweet tea

Sometimes its the small things that make your day. 
I woke up with an idea this morning, and I'm not sure where it came from.
& I am so proud I thought of it!

There's nothing better than a chilled glass of sweet tea. Any time of the year. I've also started adding a 1/4 tsp, thanks to this southern gal. But nothing ruins a glass of sweet tea more than melted ice cubes.

Some ideas to fix this are sticking your glass in the freezer {which doesn't work for long} or just drinking it quickly {brain freeze}. My solution is to make some ice cubes out of sweet tea. All you need is sweet tea, and an ice cube tray.

I wonder what I'll think up next. Is an answer for world peace too much to hope for?

{checkin' the list & checkin' it twice}

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

Finals are over, the house is mostly decorated, and it's time to finish all my lists!

Since starting school, I've started to make lists of things I want to do in my free time. Well, now I have a few weeks of free time since school is out. So I've done the major stuff: all Christmas cards sent, all Christmas presents shipped, bought my travel ticket {I'm not telling you where I'm headed yet!} and started on my cooking list!

I have lots and lots of crafts and cooking in mind. As long as I don't spend too much time at work, I think I'll be able to get all of my cooking and crafting done. Hopefully my sweetheart will like them, and then I'll share them! They have to pass the sweetie test first.

Not to mention how long my Hulu queue list has gotten. Maybe a few Duck Dynasty marathons. Plus a few Christmas parties. I should probably work out..

It's a good thing we aren't going anywhere for Christmas.

{we the tiny house people..}

I was completely floored by this.
I love getting rid of stuff just as much as I love to finding new stuff.
These people probably hate the show Hoarders.
I'm just not sure I would do what they do. Even though there are many great points of why I might.
Would you?

{Drawer Party Finale!}

Last, but not least, CoverGirl's natureluxe mascara!! I stumbled on this in a drugstore a few months ago, and thought, "what the heck, can't hurt right?"

Well, good thinking self. I am impressed.

No clumping, its lightweight, no ridiculous synthetics, and it still looks natural. That's a quadruple threat.


What's in it? 

Water: self explanatory.

Beeswax: looks like it helps build a thicker, but smooth formula. From bees!

Cetearyl alcohol: helps keeps the formula thoroughly mixed. It is found in natural oils and fats, and helps soften thick formulas.

Carnuaba wax: is wax of the copernicia cerifera palms. This also keeps the formula from separating, and gives it a sticky quality.

Shellac: So this is kind of gross. It is a resinous material refined from the secretions from a lac bug. It keeps the ingredients of from separating into its oil and water-solubles and helps hair hold its style by inhibiting the hair’s ability to absorb moisture.

Cetereth-20: Helps ingredients dissolve, and helps retain moisture. I believe it is a mixture of alcohols.

Glycerin: is an ingredient that decreases how thick the final paste is. I don't know if this is vegetable based or animal. It can also found in deoderant.

Tapioca starch: is the starch from a cassava root. Yes, just like tapioca pudding or bobas in boba tea (pearl tapioca). I can't find much information about why this is used in mascara, but it is all natural.

Alcohol denat.: is the easy way of saying denatured alcohol. Alcohol is from fermented sugars, and "denatured" means it has been made unfit to drink. Seems like it's made unfit on purpose. In mascara, I think it is used to decrease the thickness.

Xanthan gum: can also found in deoderant! It is purified version of a bacterial coat of plant diseases. Sound ridiculous, but is an ingredient that keeps all of the product mixed thoroughly.

Ethylparaben: is a preservative. It is technically a paraben, which is a preservative. Parabens are often used for antibacterial and fungicidal properties. These can be found naturally, but I don't know if it is natural in this product or not. 

Sodium gluconate: is the sodium salt of gluconic acid. Gluconic acid is found naturally in fruit, honey, kombucha tea, and wine. In makeup it may be used to keep the ingredients from deteriorating, helps cleanse the skin,  prevent odor by slowing the growth of microorganisms, or as a lubricant. My guess is that it is being used as a lubricant here.

Iron oxides: are a compound of iron and oxygen, and there are a lot of different types. For example, rust is a type of iron oxide! It seems they are mostly used for their color. Their colors can range from red, yellow, to black.

Titanium dioxide: is an oxide of titanium, which is a silvery grey metal. Titanium dioxide has been processed to remove any impurities. It is often used in sunscreen. It seems to be added for its white color, and to make the formula opaque (not see through). Hey, at least your eyelashes won't get burned?


As always, not medical advice. A lot of my information came from cosmeticsinfo.org, a few science websites, and other sites that I found to be credible.

Those are the three new items in my makeup drawer, and my research! I feel a lot better knowing what goes on my skin, and hopefully you learned something too!

{More Drawer Party...}

uh, what's this?

For me, the next part of going all natural was with my deodorant. Deodorant is really personal, but this was the next step for me because of the potential link of aluminum based compounds to Alzheimer's and breast cancer. Although the American Cancer society has said there is no conclusive evidence that breast cancer is caused by antiperspirants. The claim that Alzheimer's is caused by antiperspirants has also not been proven true.

Either way, the idea aluminum blocking the armpit's natural ability to let go of toxins sounds wrong.
So, here is my experience. Since smelly armpits comes from bacteria mixing with natural sweat, the best solution is to just wash them. I am fine during a regular work day, since I don't do much physical activity. When I do work out, I do smell a little afterwards but I feel this is normal and acceptable. {I also usually workout by alone!} 

Since there are days where I am away from home for nearly 14 hours, I don't get the chance to just use some soap and water. My solution has been to either reapply, or use a small travel size of regular deodorant to avoid embarrassment. No one needs to feel like they are in middle school again.


On Tom's website, they state what the ingredients are, the purpose, and where the ingredient comes from! Fantastic! No more ridiculous modge podge research from me.

Other Ingredients

Name	Purpose	Source
Propylene glycol	Consistency	Natural gas from the earth
Water	Consistency	Maine aquifer
Sodium stearate	Consistency	Coconut (Cocos nucifera) and palm (Elaeis guineensis) oils
Cymbopogon flexuosus oil (Organic)	Deodorancy	Organic lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) plant
Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil (organic)	Consistency	Organic sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice (Organic)	Soothing feel	Organic aloe (Aloe barbadensis) plant
Glyceryl laurate	Deodorancy	Vegetable oils
Humulus lupulus (hops) [CO2] extract	Deodorancy	Hops (Humulus lupulus) cones
Ascorbic acid	Antioxidant	Corn (Zea mays)

This was a great choice for me, and I hope that one day I'll be able to make my own deodorant that I am happy with! I didn't have much choice in deodorant smells, but I have heard that the apricot version smells great.

{Drawer Party cont.}

First item I wanted to share....toothpaste!! This was my first step in going all-natural.

Originally, I tried to make my own toothpaste with baking soda, peppermint, and water. I checked with my dentist's office to see if this was an ok option, and they said that it's ok! But it left a gritty feeling in my mouth and my breathe wasn't fresh enough. {As my sweetheart emphatically pointed out, and I can't blame him.}

So here's my first tip, try all natural toothpaste! I chose Tom's of Maine sensitive winter mint version, because my teeth are pretty sensitive. 

Here's what is in Tom's toothpaste:

Sorbitol: is a type of sugar alcohol, found in fiber filled fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and prunes. As such, it may have a laxative effect. So don't eat it, just brush your teeth silly!

 

Water: is self explanatory. 

 

Hydrated Silicas: is a form of silicon dioxide. It's also known as silicic acid, which is an Opal when found naturally. It's grainy texture helps clean the surface of your teeth, particularly dental plaque.

 

Zylitol: is a type of alcohol sweetener. It has been shown to reduce tooth decay.

 

Glycerin:  is an ingredient that decreases how thick the final paste is. Tom's uses vegetable based, not animal. 

Organic Aloe leaf juice: as shared here, Aloe Vera helps freshen breathe.

Natural Flavors: are all natural! Such as herbs, fruits or flowers.

 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: is a type/derived from salt. It helps water and oil mix so they can be rinsed away. It works as a cleaning agent to clean bacteria and food off of teeth. However, it looks like cankers sores are more common with this ingredient.

 

Cocamidopropyl Betaine: is probably used for it's antiseptic properties. It is made from coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamin.  Dimethylaminopropylamin is used in most detergents and soaps, but that is all I know.

 

Xanthan gum: is purified version of a bacterial coat of plant diseases. Sound ridiculous, but is an ingredient that keeps all of the product mixed thoroughly.

 

Titanium Dioxide: {from what I have read} appears to be a natural mineral, used for it's white color probably.

 

Potassium nitrate: is the main desensitizing ingredient. The layer under the tooth, dentin, is usually the main cause of sensitivity and potassium nitrate helps calm the nerves and inhibits the activity of the nerve endings.

 

Also, I'm not using a fluoride toothpaste. Although fluoride is natural, it's found to be a toxin when ingested. I'd rather just avoid it. 

Hey, this isn't medical advice. Most of my information comes from LiveStrong.com and Tom of Maine's website, as well as other various sources. Maybe there is a better alternative, and I'd love to hear it!

{drawer party}

I mustache you a question...

What in the world is going on here?

Well, two things. I wanted to share a fun way to spice up your drawers and also a few other new items I've added to my drawer!

A week or so ago, my sweetheart noticed how much makeup residue and overall wear my makeup drawer was accumulating. Well, since we rent, that's a really bad combination. So, I decided I was going to put in a few drawer liners.
Only one problem: I don't have any drawer liners.

But I do have scrap book paper! So I took a few sheets from my college thesis {woops} and cut them down to size. Some people use modge podge to permanently fix the paper into the drawer. I didn't want something permanent, so I used double sided tape.

I also use a lot of bobby pins. {we often find them in the vacuum cleaner..} So in order to keep them all together, I took a free magnet that the bobby pins would stick to and used double sided tape to stick it to the side of my drawer. Plus, I want to keep the drawer clean so I can see the sparkly teal liner.

Two easy fixes, and one great result!

Now, to buy more pretty scrapbook paper or re-use my college thesis?

{Happy Turkey Day!}

I hope all of you get to spend time with the ones you love, and get to relax today! We'll be watching football, eating lots of food, and hanging out with friends and family. We couldn't ask for anything more!

So from our family to yours, 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

xx

{Flying to Texas}

{sweetheart's birthday flowers}

I love this time of year. Everyone talks about what they're grateful for. I'm glad that my list of things to be thankful for is pretty long. Most importantly I have my health, family, true love, career, and desire for knowledge.

Today, my sweetheart & I are flying to Texas today to visit my Mom & Dad. The four of us have only spent a few hours together during undergrad Graduation a year and a half ago. Needless to say, we've all been looking forward to this trip to hang out and eat some delicious food. 

My Mom has been cooking for days, my Dad has built a fire pit in their back yard, and we packed days ago! There's been a lot of excitement for the trip, but I think we're all looking forward to focusing on what really matters. Not school, not work, and nothing stressful. 

If every week was like Thanksgiving week, the world would be a much better place. 

{indoor apartment garden}

fresh celery!

That's right! I have found a way to keep a garden going, even during the winter. Gardening is one of my favorite stress relievers. Plucking Tom Mater {the 7 foot tall infamous tomato plant} and my two cucumber plants out of their pots this past weekend was so sad. I even left them there for a week or so {or two} after the frost had come, hoping that maybe they would spring back to life.

Believe it or not, Tom Mater had a giant 1/2-3/4 inch root that snuck through the drain holes my sweetheart and I had drilled. The root went deep into the ground, and I struggled to pull it out! It's incredible how resourceful plants can be. & sometimes I feel like I have to sit there and breathe one them just to get them to sprout. I can't wait until next spring!

In the meantime, I'm growing my own celery. It's really easy! Cut the celery so that an inch or so is left at the bottom of your celery stalk, and place it in water with the cut side up. Be sure to not cut the celery too short; you should be able to see some leaves in the middle. After a few days, leaves will start to sprout up. Like in the picture, except placed in water.

After the leaves have sprouted, place the whole thing in the dirt. Cover up the cut pieces, so that only the leaves show. {The picture was taken before I covered up the cut pieces. Also, the dirt was recycled, so there is a leaf in there. Woops!} The celery should grow, and I've read that I should be able to repeat the process with the same plant!

Inside apartment garden, here I come!!

{catch up & natural decorating}

candle light leaf display

I can't believe I haven't even been here since October. Time is just flying. School projects are wrapping up, a chill is in the air, and it's time for the holidays.
& best of all, happy birthday to my sweetheart! We celebrated quietly. We had a typical dinner of grilled chicken salad, I made some cupcakes, and we watched a movie {during which he fell asleep}. Perfecto.

I realized the other day that soon enough, all of the leaves will be brow instead of their gorgeous fall colors. Just like with the pine cones, I wandered around the nature trails at work during lunch and started to gather leaves. The trees were brilliant, so my pockets were pretty full. My intention? To create a gorgeous candle holder!

To press my leaves, I used an old accounting book. {thank you education!} I added some scraps of paper to place the leaves on to absorb any leaf moisture, so I wouldn't ruin our book. I left them for about a day, and they were ready to use.

drying after the glue

ingredients.
mason jar, or another glass jar
pressed leaves {light color leaves let light shine through, darker leaves are good for contrast}
modge podge {the liquid glue}
paint brush, or sponge brush
modge podge {the acrylic sealer, probably optional}

I

Coat the cleaned outside of the jar with the liquid glue. A thin layer. 

II

Press the leaves on, and start to coat with glue. This was the tricky part of me. The leaves have to get a little moist, so it takes a little time for them to really start to stick. Once they were mostly on, I just moved on and came back to re-visit a few times.

III

Let the jars start to dry. Re-visit the edges of the leaves, pushing them down as the glue dries and is still sticky. I took my sponge brush and just dabbed all over the glass to give it a more frosted look, and added glitter to a few of the leaves for a little glam.

IV

After the jars have fully dried, spray them with the acrylic sealer and let them dry again. 

V

Add a candle, and enjoy!

perfect evening ambiance!

{home & making scented wax}

It's so nice to be home. But I always feel a little sad when a much awaited trip is over. Thank goodness my sweetheart & I will be traveling to see my parents in Texas for Thanksgiving! I was even planning out our meals and day trips on the plane with my Mum, so it is a good thing it is only three weeks away.

I haven't even started to go through all of my pictures from New York. There are probably hundreds. The trees were gorgeous, and with the castle like walls of West Point, I felt like I was back in Europe. So I will have to share soon!

Anyway, the other day I was frustrated with a candle that would not light. The wick was buried in the wax. What are you supposed to do about that? Well, here's what I did to create some more wax for my scented wax burner.

Most tutorials try to use the stove to melt the wax and do this instead of buying the scented wax, but I think that's too complicated and buying the wax is sometimes best because the smell is stronger. But in this case, I just didn't want to waste. Who likes waste, anyway?? & it didn't seem like the wax could damage my wax burner.

ingredients.
a scented wax burner {flameless}
unused wax
container

I

First, scrape out the wax of the candle that you want to make into the wax bar.The blue wax in the lid of the container below is what I wanted to melt. I also emptied a container into a plastic bag {see next picture}, so that I could use the mold for the cooling wax. 

II

Put the wax into the burner. Let it melt all the way. {Patience...}

III

After the wax is completely melted, slowly pour it into the mold. Be sure the wax isn't ridiculously hot, or it might melt through the bottom of the container and leak everywhere. {nope, never happened to me...} I usually wait a few seconds before I start to slowly pour.

Tada!!

Please notice I'm not saying any specific brands. My favorite is Scentsy, though. They have some pretty bases. I have two, and love them! I'm hoping to buy more holiday scents, and maybe even lavender wax.This post is not meant to be a copy right infringement.

All thoughts & prayers to those in Hurricane Sandy's path! Please stay safe.

{pre-chaos sunday}

I absolutely love a productive Sunday. 
Chapters read, chapters re-read for tests, notes typed, projects started, notes written, plants pruned and loved...

I also love my teapot. A good friend of mine {the same one that found The Little Green Book of Health, 250 Tips for an ECO Lifestyle} gave it to me a few years ago for Christmas. The cuppa is on the bottom, and the cute little pot on top. Genius, I tell you. No excuses while studying, just pour another cup and I'm good to go. 

I can't wait to share all of my new ideas! But first, my family is headed to New York to celebrate my Dad's reunion at West Point, so I won't be able to share them soon. In the next few weeks, a bunch of school projects will be wrapped up, and I'll already be signing up for my next two classes next year. 

There's only a few months left of 2012! Better make the most of it! & just in time for the holiday season. 

{goin' to the movies}

I wonder if I may be watching too many movies lately. At least three in the past four weeks. It's hard to resist when they are free, though. Mostly, I should thank Redbox. With some googling skills, I found coupondad who showed me the light: now we have about three codes we can use per credit card! I've signed up to get free movies every first Monday too!

Basically, free movies are awesome. 

I also read on another blog about this hilarious little movie! I watched it last night as soon as I saw Mavis' post about it, and just cracked up! Some parts are a little serious, but most aren't.
It's definitely not a movie to make you feel like you should be a vegetarian. I was a vegetarian for several years, but stopped after I had to consult a doctor told me that I wasn't getting enough nutrients thanks to my many allergies. Let's just say that being really active with not enough protein can be a horrible combination!
There were parts of this movie that made me frown a little, but it was mostly just for giggles. I think one day, I will convince my sweetheart to let me have a few clucking hens. So, with Amazon Prime*, I watched it on my kindle fire (free too!) but here is the movie if you don't have a kindle!

The Natural History of Chickens

Hope you get a giggle to. Let me know what your favorite part was! I'm starting to think only my dad and my best friends read this.

*Amazon Prime is awesome-you can get some books for free, do a book swap, watch some movies and tv shows for free, and even get free shipping! For us, it actually saves us money. If you're a student too, you get an amazing discount! See for yourself.

{green life & organizing}

plenty to do...

I really love organization. It's one of the things I do when I'm stressed, if I'm not able to garden.

By the way, a good friend of mine gave me a cute little book called The Little Green Book of Health, 250 Tips for an ECO Lifestyle. She gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago, and I pull it out every once in a while for a few green lifestyle tips. It's a small book but I love having it in our collection of books. I've learned quite a bit from her, and I'm even interested in composting now. {Don't worry, I haven't even thought to try that in an apartment...}
Here are my top two favorites this time, and I included what I learned {again}:

15. Garden Away Stress. "There are even claims that a harmless bacteria normally found in dirt, Mycobacteriam vaccae, has been found to boost the production of a mood-regulating brain chemical."

35. Freshen Breath with Aloe Vera. "Daily gargling with Aloe Vera juice will help reduce toxins in the digestive system {that can lead to bad breath} as well as relieving any inflammation.  Look out for an organic variety, to ensure it is toxin-free & kind to the environment."

Just another reason why my dear friend Aloe Vera should stay alive! He is doing quite well, by the way. I guess my Ode to Aloe perked him up.

Onto organizing!! I saw this on one of my new favorite blogs and pinterest, and just had to share mine! I plan on changing the background to a pale photo as soon as I can. I also want to buy a few more markers, but I just happened to have one from back when my roommates and I would keep track of our "to do" stuff. At first I started reading this new blog just because of the name, but now I love it! http://montrealnest.blogspot.com/

how to make a dry erase board

If you make one, let me know how it worked out! 

{garden update}

It's starting to get colder here in NC! But the garden is still doing well. {by the way, so is the little aloe plant in the corner. apparently he doesn't like the outside world.}

 The watermelon was actually ripe, by the way! Super delicious. It probably could have been picked a little earlier, but anyone I've ever talked to always tells me their watermelons never turn out well.Well, guess my thumb just got a little greener!

So now that my cucumbers are doing well, I can tell you how it works. Unless you have bees {which I don't think visit my garden} you don't have to worry about pollinating the flowers. Since I do, I'll tell you how it's done. The picture below is a female cucumber flower. The male flowers are identical, except for the little cucumber before the flower. You remove the male flower's petals {sorry, poor guy} and stick the rest of the male stamen on the female stigma. {The stamen/stigma being the middle part that holds the pollen. Hope I got that right...} It is basically the same thing you have to do with watermelons.

Tada! Cucumbers! I've harvested two cucumbers so far, and have at least three more on the way. By the way, it's fine to pollinate the female and male flowers from the same plant. The only time it's not is if you're trying to save seeds. I planted two plants, and only one is doing very well, but I like the security of having two. & my dear sweetheart said the cucumbers were extra tasty.

female cucumber flower

Can you believe I actually grew a watermelon? I wonder if one day I'll actually be able to have a big garden and start a little bit of homesteading. I'm trying to grow some lettuce now, and it's obviously not going to work. Oh well!

I know, so excited!!

{I really dislike mosquitoes}

Mosquitoes love me. I average a mosquito bite per minute, just about anywhere I go. I will walk outside, and instantly panic a little if it is mosquito-loving weather. I am not a stranger to nearly 30 mosquito bites at one time. I would post a picture but it looks like a have a disease rather than mosquito bites. So here's my attempt to find a mosquito trap. The directions online aren't the greatest, so I'll tell you what we did. 

Also, I have to point out the beautiful flowers. I came home to those the other day, and my sweetheart had a beautiful card written too! Who doesn't love a beautiful bunch of flowers after a long day of work & school? It nearly makes it all worth it. 

ingredients.

1/3 c sugar

1 tbsp (or packet) of yeast

1 c warm water 

2 liter empty soda bottle

black paper 

I

Cut the soda bottle about 1/3 from the top. Where the curve starts to go straight into the sides. Invert the top of the soda bottle into the rest of the bottle, and tape them together. {better illustration from birds eye view below}

II

Mix the sugar, warm water, and yeast. Pour into the bottle.

III

Wrap the black paper around the bottle & tape it. {I only had black and white polka dots. The paper is supposed to make it a warm dark place for mosquitoes to be attracted to.} Place outside, and hope that they come to it! Change the mixture once every two weeks.

birds eye view

I've caught a few bugs so far! Can't really tell if they are mosquitoes are not because the mixture is hard to see through. It's also starting to get cooler. They aren't big fans for the cooler weather, BUT I AM. I can post more pictures of the instructions and finished trap if anyone wants. 

{pumpkin chocolate chip cookies}

what beautiful & delicious looks like

Well, I never! It is hard to believe I just had a teacher exclaim, about his class, in front of another student and I, "I have never had such asinine students!" 

I couldn't even think of what asinine meant. You know what it means? 

asinine

adjective: Extremely stupid or foolish

synonym: Foolish

WELL, WELL, WELL. & to think I was probably the only one who understood your convoluted ramblings. Buddy, just you wait until your semester end review. You can bet your derivative loving brain that you won't be getting a pat on the back from me.

However, I did get to come home to happy boyfriend and a tasty batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I started making these cookies when I lived up North. & by up North, I mean Maine. It doesn't really get much northern, unless you cross into the Great White North. My sweetheart had a few guys over Sunday, and one of them loved these so much he already asked for the recipe & made them. So yes, these are good. 

ingredients.

1 c. pumpkin {I used canned}
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil {I use olive oil}
1 egg
2 c. flour {I used whole wheat, but white flour makes it taste more like bread}
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts (optional)

I

Preheat oven to 375°F. Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside.

II

In a large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. 

III

Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. {Add nuts too if you want them.} Spoon by the tablespoon onto cookie sheet.

IV

Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

obviously delicious

At this point I can't remember where I got the original recipe, but it may have been off of cooks.com. 

{where is time going?}

It's hard to believe that a little over two weeks ago, my friend and I ate at The Dish and then went antique shopping. It's hard to keep up with time during Autumn, don't you think? I'm finally catching up with school, and it's just in time for my sweetheart to get more and more busy at work. Which really just means I will be able to stay on top of school even more...fingers crossed!

 I can't wait until Thanksgiving. By then, all of the projects and group work will be over and I'll only have a final left. I forgot how easy it is to wish away time when you're in school. Sounds like that's what my time is going; I'm wishing it away. For shame.

 Well, the other day I was really craving some of The Dish's sweet butter. My friend called it honey butter, I believe. So, with my amazing Google skills, I found a similar recipe. This recipe only makes 1/2 cup, because I knew we wouldn't use much.

I also made bisquick biscuits to go with the new honey butter. Of course, you know my admiration for bisquick. Perfect combination. Boyfriend approved. 

my biscuits are square

ingredients.
1/8 c honey
1/8 c powdered sugar
1/8c butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon

I

Warm butter until melted. Combine all other ingredients, and stir well. 

The butter will harden once in the fridge. I think this tastes very Autumn reminiscent.

{Mozzarella sticks}

It's official. Dear Wally the Watermelon has decided he doesn't want to stick around. I'm sure he will be much happier in the little wooded strip behind our house. I still have a watermelon the size of my head just sitting on my patio. Not sure what to do with it. I also have about three cucumbers on the way, and Tom Mater has gone completely wild again. I give up, there is no way to control that crazy Tom.

ooey & gooey

I know I promised to let y'all in on these delicious, hot and crispy mozzarella sticks. Even my sweetheart likes these! We make these whenever we buy the string cheese for the stuffed crust pizza. The part that takes the longest is freezing the cheese, and that's not even difficult! Here is my adapted version of the original weight watchers friendly version.

This makes 24 pieces, but I usually make a much smaller batch. Sorry about the blurry picture, someone isn't the best picture taker. Just kidding honey! {I wonder if he even reads this?} The full version filled the two of us up, so that we weren't hungry for dinner! Also, I know this takes a lot of bread crumbs, but they are also good for chicken parm!

ingredients.
12 sticks of string cheese (mozzarella, or really any other kind of cheese you prefer)
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp flour
5 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
5 tbsp panko crumbs
2 tsp Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried parsley
olive oil cooking spray

I

Cut cheese in half to give you 24 pieces. Place cheese in the freezer until cheese is frozen. {This usually takes me about two hours.}

II

In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Place the flour in another small dish. In  a sparate bowl, combine the bread crumbs, panko, Parmesan cheese, and dried parlsey. 

III

Here's the fun par! Dip the frozen sticks in flour, shaking off the excess, then into the egg, and then coat with crumbs. 

IV

Repeat this process with the remaining cheese placing them on a tray with wax paper, if you won't immediately cook them. Place the freeze back into the freezer until ready to bake if not immediately baking them. {Super important, because other wise they will melt before the crumbs get crispy.} 

V

Ready to bake? Pop them in a 400 degree preheated oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with oil. {I don't always use foil, oops.} Spray the tops of the sticks with a little bit more oil, and then bake in the bottom third of your oven until crisp, which is only about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes watching them closely so they don't melt!

Credit 

maybe stories are just data with a soul

I have to share a video I watched in my Organizational Behavior course last night. Brene Brown is funny {to me, probably because I think I'm a lot like her} but she also has a really good point. Her studies are based on our ability to empathize, belong, & love. Give the video about five minutes. My favorite part is at 11:25..and a minute later..but really just from there on. 

There's no right way to sum up this video, you just have to watch the whole thing. I've already watched it more than a couple times. Hopefully it doesn't have you running for a banana nut muffin at the end.

Struggling with vulnerability is hard, but there's a reason.

shake, shake, shake

shake me!

Check out these cuties! I traipsed around NoDa with a friend of mine yesterday. Before she got there, I found a little uncommon antique store called Fifteen Ten around the corner that we ended up going to after we ate. We ate at The Dish, and had I had the best chicken and dumplings I've had in a loooong time. 

So, I'm somewhat obsessed with chicken and dumplings. I used to eat the canned kind as a kid, and then last year I tried to make them myself. I don't recommend trying to cook it in your crock pot. My recipe called for Bisquick dumplings, and since I do like Bisquick,  I decided to give it a try. It turned into a flour soup. It was so thick, I could barely eat it. Thank goodness Mountain Man was able to stomach some of it. 

Anyway, the mac'n'cheese at The Dish was amazing too. Definitely the home made kind. They even had a deviled egg on each of our plates, which seems very odd to me. I think they served the biscuit with a honey butter drizzle on top too, which I've never had. Definitely want to make it in the future though! Clearly, I need to eat out more often...

I got these cute little salt and pepper shakers, and my friend got some that were sea green, ceramic, ball shaped with the little holes for shaking on the side and with a cork on top. Very different, and so cool.  The guy said that mine are probably replicas. If they are, they were poorly done. I think these might actually be authentic. There are some bubbles in the glass, and you can see that the salt doesn't sit flat at the base of the shaker. 

Authentic or not, how cute!! Just another piece to make our place feel like a home. 

stick around...

Dear Mister Aloe Plant,
I have read every blog and website about aloe plants. I don't understand why you are still turning brown. I put you outside for sunlight, and I'm sorry you got caught in a massive downpour. I hope you dry out soon. Please don't turn brown and wilt away, I want to create chapstick, shampoo, and aloe lotion with you. Don't rob us of our amazing creative potential.
Sincerely,
Becca Anne

{stuffed crust pizza}

I looooove stuffed crust pizza night! We had a huge event in town this week, so I didn't have class again and I've been trying to cook more. I could get used to having a week off about once a month. I may have signed up for an MBA, but all of this group work is a little much. Anyway, here is my adapted version of a recipe I found about a year ago. I can't remember where I got it, but the cheese sticks are great for another recipe that we also made this week. I'll be sure to post about it soon.  It's always exciting when Mr. Mountain Man asks for a recipe, and this pizza recipe is definitely one of our favorites. & yes, we do eat the entire thing between the two of us.

I'm not sure if Bisquick is cheating, but I tend to use it quite a bit. I also love to make cheddar garlic biscuits. Also there is an amazing pancake recipe on the box that uses vanilla extract, it's truly amazing. Even better than ihop if you ask me!

ingredients.

3 c Bisquick
2/3c very hot water
2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
4-5 sticks of mozzarella cheese string cut in half length wise { I even like mozz & cheddar string cheese}
Toppings to taste {we use Ragu sauce with tomato paste mixed for thickness, some pizza cheese and tomatoes}

 I

Mix the water, Bisquick, and oil til dough forms. Then beat vigorously for 20 strokes. 

Cover, let it stand for 8 minutes.

Put rack on the lowest position, and put the oven on 450 degrees. Spray the pan. 

II

Spread the dough out onto the pan. Then you'll lay the already cut cheese along the outside of the dough. Then fold the dough over the cheese, to create the cheesy crust. Pop it into the oven for 6-7 minutes. 

While that's in the oven, prepare your pizza sauce. We mix Ragu sauce with tomato paste until it reaches a good consistency. 

III

Put the sauce & toppings on, and then make for 11-14 minutes until your crust is golden brown. This time, we used our special sauce, some tomato slices, pizza cheese and a little bit of crushed, dried basil. We do something different every time!

Enjoy!!

I think Wally the watermelon has given up. I think he might have a fungus. Little brown and white spots all over his leaves. Does anyone know what that is? There are lots of green tomatoes ripening, too. The itty, bitty cucumber buds are looking good too. They seem to be slow growers, and we only have about 8 weeks left until our expected first frost. I'm already excited about planting next year! I've got to figure out what I'm going to plant. Any ideas??

{diy dish detergent}

Hopefully you are all having a beautiful Monday too! It's been really nice weather here, so hopefully we'll get to spend just a little bit more time left outside before the work week really begins. Thank goodness it will be a short week, for those that had today off! Sundays are usually our day off from any kind of work. They always seem extra special in the afternoon, because those are the last few hours to spend together before the work, school, whatever else, things to do come back.

Today I finally bought a box grater! I guess that's a step towards fancy kitchen tools. Or perhaps that's something basic I should already have? So, while grating some soap for our homemade laundry soap, I decided it's time to share our Dish Detergent recipe! So far, this site has been pretty helpful when trying to find new natural recipes for household things. For the purpose of this recipe, these are my understood main functions of the ingredients:

Citric Acid is an active ingredient in a lot of cleaners as well as a preservative in foods. It is naturally in many citric fruits. From what I gather, it helps to dissolve grime off of the dishes. Keeps away the cloudy look on glass.

Washing soda helps to deodorize, but fighting grease and is one of the the primary purposes.

Borax is an anti-fungal/anti-mold and all-around disinfectant. It's also good for hard water.

Kosher Salt is not absolutely necessary, but helps in softening hard water, helping prevent hard water spots on dishes, and also acts as a scouring agent for dirty dishes.

ingredients.
1 c borax
1 c washing soda
1/2 c citric acid {twice as much for hard water}
1/2 c kosher salt
A container you don't want to keep, that has a lid that can close
White Vinegar {rinse agent}

I

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the vinegar. 

II

  You only need 1 tbsp of this entire mixture per load. {I've attached an old tsp spoon, and marked 'x3' on the handle so my sweetie can't forget.} Use the vinegar as a rinse agent. 

Note:

These ingredients tend to clump, due to the citric acid. So either add a tablespoon of rice {which I do}, or shake the container a few times the first day or two. Or just add 1/2 tsp citric acid in separately. Also, we tend to rinse our dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. If you're allergic to anything in this {like with any} recipe, don't risk it. 

Happy Labor Day!!

{Cookies & Cream Cream Cheese Ice Cream}

I agree, that's a ridiculously long name. But the recipe is also ridiculously delicious! If you've ever had dirt cake, this is the frozen twin. I originally got the idea from one of my new favorite blogs. They post a lot. I mean, a lot.

The original recipe says to wait until the mix has spent 2-4 hours or overnight in the freezer, and then mix in your cookie dough. I wanted cookies and cream, and really like when my Oreos are dunked in milk. I can honestly eat an entire box of Oreos at once. Thankfully, I don't. Or I would have to workout a lot more..which is definitely on my to do list.

ingredients.
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c whole milk {I used 2% and it's still really good}
3/4 c sugar
pinch of salt
1-2c cookie dough  {I used Oreos, I love them!}

I

In a bowl, blend the cream cheese, milk, sugar and salt together. It's a good idea to blend {or hand mix, for those of us without fancy tools} the cream cheese on its own for a few. They say it's helpful in avoid big lumps, but the little lumps aren't bad. 

II

Add in the whipping cream, and stir until mixed. 

III

Crush up about a cup or so of Oreos, and mix in. After about an hour, I mixed it again to make sure the cookies were through out the whole batch. {& maybe licked the spoon}. Leave the mixture in the freezer for 2-4 hours, or overnight. 

I've realized most of my recipes haven't been the lean, healthy meals that we often try. I really love Tone It Up, but lately I've just been trying to make do with what we've got. It's amazing how different I feel when I'm not eating fruits and veggies regularly! I really crave them now. Any recipe suggestions would be lovely! Thankfully we've been doing a lot of long walks lately. We're both spending more time at work or at school, so it's nice to just get out & enjoy the end of summer! I can't wait for fall! I've been seeing all of the new fun fall stuff up on etsy, and I'm thinking of picking up knitting or crocheting again.

I hope all of you enjoy your Labor Day weekend!! Kick up your feet & relax!