The Chick-Fil-A Way

I must confess: I'm a sucker for good manners. To me 'please' and 'thank you' go a looonnnngggg way. But it seems like no one knows that anymore. I was recently at a store and after checking out, I was not thanked for shopping at XYZ. So I said to her, 'thanks for letting me shop here'. She looked perplexed as if to say 'um ok'. I was floored. Really, I can't even get a 'thanks' even if it is forced? It got me thinking about how manners really have gone to the wayside.

A few years ago, my husband and I went to an out of state wedding. Because we were traveling, I ordered a gift from the happy couples registry on line and had it sent directly to their home. Approximately one month after the wedding we received a picture card in the mail. You know the kind that people send out at Christmas, the whole family dressed alike and it says 'Happy Holidays from the Johnson's!' This picture card had a picture of the happy couple at the alter and on the side it said, 'thank you from the happy couple'. I was FLOORED. Thank you for what? Our travel to get the wedding and all the other expenses that go with it? For our gift, which was delivered to your doorstep and to this day I still have know idea if you received?

I was appalled.  And Miss Manners would be too.

What happened to hand writing out a personalized thank you to EVERYONE who came to your wedding? I did, I had wrote hundreds of thank you cards after my wedding. And since I have been married previously. I've done it twice! My mother would have been HORRIFIED and EMBARRASED if I did any thing less. I was raised better than that! Apparently the happy couple, was not.

So are we raising a generation of people who cannot say things like please and thank you? Geez, I hope not. Over the last year or so I've been working on my own manners which I'm sure, at times, are just as atrocious. We tend to take for granted the people we see every day and say thank you. But I'm working on that. And I learned it from a fast food restaurant. Every time I go to Chick-Fil-A, I am so impressed by the manners of their employees, whether they are teenagers or adults. They always say 'my pleasure'. It pleases me that it's their pleasure to serve me a chicken biscuit. Crazy, right?! So I adopted the Chick-Fil-A way of manners. In the last year or so, I've started saying 'my pleasure' as well. If someone thanks me for holding a door open for them, I respond with 'my pleasure'. And you know what, it really is my pleasure. It is really so hard to show my fellow humans a little common courtesy? No it really isn't. I just hope that my kindness and expression of manners will start a chain reaction of others showing a little kindness and manners to others and that somehow it will make it's way back to me. Is that too much to ask? I think not.

Thank you for reading! I really do appreciate it!

Wendy

Easy Sticky Buns!

I must confess: my husband loves sticky buns, ok, I do too. When I came across this super easy recipe for sticky buns, I had to try it out! Now they are a Sunday morning staple in my house. A great way to start the day and impress any house guests! Here is the link to the website:

http://all-things-delicious.blogspot.com/2011/03/sticky-bun-breakfast-ring.html

and a picture of one of the many I have made in the last few months!

Happy Baking!

Wendy

Bar Keepers Friend, is my new BFF!

I must confess: I love my white dishes. It gives me the opportunity to change my decor in my kitchen when ever I want. They go with everything. Unfortunately my white dishes have scratches on them. You know the kind, when your eating with your everyday flatware and it scratches it all up. All of my plates and bowls are scratched up. I definitely don't want to have to buy new dishes because my husband and I took months to find our first set of dishes almost 10 years ago. He had an opinion on everything! Seriously, it turned into the Great Dish Debate of 2003. It was so crazy! What guy cares about dishes?! I figured he'd only care about what goes on the dish, not what it looked like! Anyway, I came across a tip online and thought I'd give it a try because lets face it what's the worst that could happen. I was shocked that it worked so well! Bar Keepers Friend is my new bestie! I took pictures of a plate and bowl that I worked on. The pictures aren't so great, but you can sort of tell. Now it didn't take out all of the scratches, but they look ten times better! YAY!!!

Plate before

I use a wet sponge and sprinkle on my new bestie and start scrubbing.

Plate after

Bowl before

Bowl after

And for good measure I run them through the dishwasher.

Pretty cool, right?! 

Happy Cleaning! 

Wendy

Chicken-Schmicken

I must confess: we eat a lot of chicken. It's good for you and easy. But lets face it, chicken gets boring really fast and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare it. My brother told me to try Funyuns as a coating. I thought he was crazy, until I ran out of ideas. So I tried it, really what did I have to lose?

Well I'll be damned if it isn't really good and the husband loves it! So I'm going to share with you what I do to make it.

Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, 1 bag (snack size) of Funyuns and 2 eggs.

First I flatten my chicken with my meat tenderizer. 

Then I put all the Funyuns in a quart size back and use the meat tenderizer again to crush them up really fine. 

 

Beat the eggs and for fun I added a teaspoon or so of garlic. (you really could add almost anything for variety!)

The I dip the chicken in the egg mixture and coat with Funyuns. Pan fry over medium heat until cooked through.

It kind of looks like fried chicken but with out all the oil!

Happy Cooking!

Wendy

The War on Women rages on...

I must confess: WTF is going on?

• Rush Limbaugh called a Georgetown law student, Sandra Fluke, a slut and a prostitute because she testified 'in favor of women having access to birth control.' We all saw that on the news.  He apologized, but its too little too late if you ask me.
  

• In Wisconsin, Assemblyman Don Pridemore thinks that women should stay in abusive marriages. And that instead of leaving an abusive marriage that they should 'try to remember the things they love about their husbands'. Personally, as someone who was previously in an abusive relationship, I am appalled! Was I just supposed to wait until I was beaten to a bloody pulp or worse, died, before I could get out of the relationship? Fuck that! I am all for counseling, and trying to make things work, definitely, but if it doesn't help, you have to get out and save yourself and any children involved. NO government should have the right to decide that you HAVE to stay in a marriage! http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/wisconsin-lawmaker-says-women-stay-abusive-marriages-232700220.html

• In Wisconsin, again, Senator Glenn Grothman, (who isn't married and has no children, by the way) moves to amend existing state law by 'requiring the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to emphasize non-marital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.' I know plenty of single parents. And they are doing just fine, thankyouverymuch! Child abuse? Are they serious! http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/wisconsin-bill-claims-single-moms-cause-child-abuse-011200419.html;_ylt=Au_xT.YI097KZ2LHo8SCT0d.bqU5;_ylu=X3oDMTFrNnJydmMxBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzcEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlUZW1wQXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTMxN203NXZnBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYjhjNTFmZjctMTljZi0zZmE3LThhMzAtN2MyZjVmNDc3M2U4BHBzdGNhdANsb3ZlK3NleARwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2UEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

• In Georgia, state Rep. Bobby Franklin introduced legislation to change the legal term for victims of rape, stalking, and domestic violence to 'accuser.' But victims of other less gendered crimes, like burglary, would remain 'victims.' http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/04/georgia-lawmaker-redefine-rape-victims-accusers_n_818718.html

• 
  Congress just voted for a Republican amendment to cut all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, one of the most trusted providers of basic health care and family planning in our country.  As a former patient of Planned Parenthood, I'm disappointed.  I was 18 years old and a freshmen in college when I decided to take my future in my own hands.  I wasn't ready to be a parent. I was going to be one of the first in my family to get a college degree!  But lets face it, I was sexually active and poor.  Planned Parenthood gave me the opportunity to be in charge of my own health.  It wasn't anything we talked about in my house. Ever. They gave me the option to prevent pregnancy, because seriously, condoms are only so effective. Planned Parenthood isn't just about abortions, it's about a woman having the right to take care of her own health.  http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/statement-cecile-richards-president-planned-parenthood-federation-america-passage-pence-bill-el-36226.htm

So, IS this a war against women, a war on funding, a war on our rights? Are we going to lose the right to vote and drive as well? I don't think that women wanting the right to make our own choices is too demanding. Hopefully, it will be the women in politics who stand up for those who don't have a big enough voice. Cause this shit is ridiculous.

Wendy

Best day of the week? Why Saturday of course!

I must confess: I think Saturday is the best day of the week. Not just because it's the first day off after a work week, but because of the possibilities! The possibility of accomplishing things that need to be done, the possibility of creating new memories with friends and family, the possibility to explore new places and learn new things. It just makes me happy! Now what could be better than that?

Have a great Saturday! 

Wendy

Let the Hunger Games begin!

I must confess: I'm so EXCITED for the Hunger Games movie to start tomorrow!!!!!!!!

I didn't even know about the Hunger Games trilogy until about 5 weeks ago, when I was out to lunch with some friends and that's all they talked about! Wait, WHAT AM I MISSING OUT ON!!!! So they told me I MUST read these books, and that I'd love them, then we can talk about them. Kind of like an unofficial book club. So I immediately caved to peer pressure and bought all three books and devoured them in 5 days. Yes, all three 5 days. I was so glad to be let in on the secret! And if I wouldn't get strange looks, I would totally rock the Capitol-esque fashions around my suburban town!!!! I think that is what I'm looking forward to the most, how they translate the fashions from the book to the big screen!

Husband said 'aren't those books for teenagers?' I said 'aren't the Twilight movies for teenagers, yet you make me go to all of them!' Enough said.

So now that the movie is coming out TOMORROW! A bunch of us are going to see it together. I can't remember the last time I went to the movies with friends instead of the husband. I'm so excited about a night out with friends! Pretty sad uh? Don't care, because I'm going to the movies with friends to see the anticipated Hunger Games!

Did you enjoy the books? Are you going to see the movie?

Team Gale or Team Peeta?

I don't care either way, I'm team Hunger Games!

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Wendy

I am the (Mac and Cheese) Queen!

I must confess: I make the BEST mac and cheese in the world. Yes, I do. It's a recipe handed down from my great grandmother. And because she was a Yankee, it's a little less fattening than a southern version, which is usually made with eggs and heavy cream. I think that the cheese is the most important part. I cannot stand the boxed versions of mac and cheese made with orange cheese. That's just gross. It's even worse when you go to a restaurant and get mac and orange cheese. I always think the same thing: what you couldn't splurge on the good cheese only the cheap cheese? Anyway, I want to share the recipe with you and let me know what you think.

Great Grandma's Mac and Cheese

8oz macaroni

1 10oz block of extra sharp white cheddar

1 cup milk

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook macaroni. Macaroni doesn't have to be cooked all the way.

In microwave melt butter or margarine. I do this in the actual dish I'm going to be baking the mac and cheese in. Makes for less clean up and is so much easier!

Add flour and milk and microwave for 2 minutes or until it thickens (this will depend on your microwave). 

While this is happening, start cutting up cheese, I usually just cut into strips.

Add cheese and microwave for about 2-3 minutes until it is melted and thick and saucy.

Sauce should look like this:

Add macaroni and mix to cover all pasta with cheese.

Cut onion into quarters and add to dish.

Bake, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes or until bubbly.

This can be easily doubled, add veggies, other cheeses, meats, etc.  

ENJOY!!!!

(Not an) Extreme Couponer or Couponing for Good

I must confess: I am a couponaholic. 'Hello my name is Wendy and I'm a couponaholic'. 'Hiiiiii Wendyyyyy' Seriously, I've been cutting coupons since college. Back then I lived on campus and had a dining pass. But I cut coupons for the things I kept my dorm room, chips, yogurt, soda, etc. and since then, I've blossomed into what a lot of people are now calling Extreme Couponers. I watch the show and as a couponer, I'm embarrassed by what they do. Clearing a shelf of 110 bottles of mustard is just ridiculous. The problem with the extreme couponing show is this, the stores these people are shopping in are breaking their own coupon policies, just for the advertising. That's why its call Extreme. I coupon because it can save me hundreds on my grocery bill. By saving money, I can afford to stay home. By staying home I can pick and chose the contract jobs that I want to work when I want to work them. Do I go the store and buy $850 worth of groceries for only $15, absolutely not. But if you do it right you can save 50% on your groceries without tying up 8 shopping carts, spending 10 hours at the grocery store and renting a u haul to take it all home. If my local grocery store is having a BOGO on pasta sauce and I have coupons, you bet I'm going to stock up. But my family of two is not going to consume all of it. Half of it goes to one of two places: my friends and/or family members who are struggling to make ends meet or my local food bank which provides food for over 2000 families per month in my county. That's 2000 families, not 2000 people so I can only imagine how many people that really is. Couponing does not have to be difficult. If you can get organized, and save some money, why not?! I've gone from an envelope of coupons to a small file folder of coupons to a binder of coupons (pictures of my binder below). Each week I sit down and go through the fliers, see what is a good deal and make a list. Each store has it's own envelope. I put a sticky note of what I'm going buy on the envelope and put the coupons inside. I always bring my binder when I go to the store for unexpected, unadvertised specials. But this way, I'm ready and can just pull out the envelope, hand over my coupons and it's done.

You ask: 'but Wendy, I have 3 kids, a husband, a full time job and a house to take care of, how could I possibly find time to coupon?' That's really easy. If you live in the South check out www.southernsavers.com, she does ALL the work for you. Except cutting the coupons, you still have to do that part. If you live in other parts of the country, check out www.couponmom.com. It's a start! So go get those savings!!

My pretty coupon book, I have a lot of scrapbook paper, so I use it when I can! 

 My coupon dividers, can be found at any office supply store!

 

I have my coupons divided up even further in each section. I use trading card sheets, they can be found at any office supply store as well. 

The envelopes I use for when I go shopping.  Makes it easier to have them all together before I get to the check out!

Below is a list of suggested coupon categories: 

Baby

Baking

Beverages/Snacks

Bread/Breakfast Cereal

Canned

Cleaning Supplies

Condiments/Dressings/Marinades

Cough & Cold

Dairy

Frozen

Meat

Misc

Paper/Plastic

Pasta/Rice/Sauces

Personal Care

Pet Care

Some people prefer to organize by aisle of their favorite grocery store. Find what works for you!

HAPPY COUPONING!!!!

Wendy

Recipe Organization

I must confess: I love recipes. I rip them out of magazines, print them from websites, collect them from friends and family; even taken pictures of them from magazines in waiting rooms (it would be rude to rip it out, right?) So over the many years I have collected hundreds of recipes and just threw them in a box for future use. Sounds great right?! Wrong, I have never gone through that box to look for something new. Recently I filled the box up and could not fit any more. It was time to do something about it. So I purchased a binder, some pretty file folders, some 8.5x11 in scrapbook paper and some heavy duty sheet protectors and come up with this, and I LOVE IT! Now I just reference my binder and try something new! Sometimes they work out, and I keep the recipe. Sometimes they don't and I either tweak it to our taste or ditch it. No more recipe clutter! YAY!

Here are the categories (in no particular order) that I have for my recipe book, use them all or only the ones that pertain to you!

Crock pot – I use my crock pot at least 3-4 times a week. I love that thing!

Beverages

Breakfast

Appetizers

Salads

Sides

Soups

Beef

Poultry

Pork

Seafood

Pasta

Vegetarian

Sauces and Dressings

Breads

Desserts

Misc – I use this for conversion charts, freezing tips, substitution guides, grilling tips, etc.

Below are the results from my efforts, that I'm really proud of, yay organization!

 I used an extra file folder to go all crazy and make my book cover pretty.  

I cut the file folders basically in half, used a 3 hole punch and reinforcement circles to make the tabs. Using my label maker to make the, well, labels.

I used heavy duty sheet protectors (not the non-glare kind) and scrap book paper to make each page.  I did not glue or tape down the recipes in case I end up not liking it, its easy to get rid of and it makes it easier to rearrange the recipes since they are cut from magazines, they are all different sizes.

N.G.W! (nails gone wild)

I must confess: I LOVE nail polish. Can't resist buying it. To look at my rainbow collection of nail polishes just makes me giddy! I'm really digging this color right now, it's from OPI's Holland collection, 'I don't give a Rotterdam'. Sometimes I think I buy a polish because of the name, CrAzY right? My next color will be from China Glaze's Hunger Games collection!

Wendy

Losing my blog-ginity....

I must confess: I never thought about writing my own blog.  I'm not a writer, so there's that, but I've just gotten bored with all the 'I love being a mommy' blogs. I'm not a mom so, no, I can't relate to all these wonderful things that these women are doing to raise the future generation. So I wondered are there any blogs out there where women are just writing about everything else not related to children? Sure there are, but not all the things I want to talk about in one place. So that's what I'm aiming to do. Talk about everything and share the things I've learned about everything along they way. Am I going to please everyone, nope, not even going to try. Gave that up years ago. Am I going to offend people, maybe, but not on purpose. But I like learning and sharing new things and letting it all hang out, so to speak. So hang out if you like or not, it's your choice.

 

Wendy