NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS: 2010 Edition

BLAH BLAH BLAH. NYR's suck like a monkey.
But ever year I sit down and I make a list of things I would like to work on.
Within two months I have broken every single one of them and curse the list as I pass by it, mocking me from its perch on the Fridge.
This year WILL be different (just like I said it would be last year). I think my goals were too lofty last year. I had WAAAAAAAYYYY too many specifics and really set myself up for a fall.

This year is the year of ME.  I am not going to take too much on.  If I cant handle it, I will say NO.  I will not over extend myself or spread myself to thin by committing to way too much. That is a HUGE part of my goals this year.
I will be the REAL me. No more fake me, doing and saying what I think people want me to. No more of that BS, at all.

So without Further ado, here are a few more of my goals:

1. Curb the potty mouth. I write this down every single year. And every year my kids do something to piss me off so badly that before I can stop myself I erupt and spew forth a seething torrent of ugliness and profanity. My bad language really irritates my husband, and I know that half the time I do it just to tick him off.  So I will work on controlling my temper and bad language. It will make me a better person and make my kids better people as well. I dont want them growing up spouting off all sorts of imaginative profanities.(Which I have caught them doing once or twice)

2. Be Healthier.  No more POP. AT ALL!!  So far I have gone 17 days and have no urge for it anymore. I know that if I were to drink some I would be afflicted with the worst case of diarrhea in history. So I have ni desire to even SIP any.
Eat more vegetables. Cut down on my sweets.  eat healthier and smarter. Dont go out to eat so often. EXERCISE.   I just want to be healthier and happier.

3. Do a better job with my kids in reading the scriptures and learning bible stories.  Help them gain a personal testimony of Jesus Christ. But not pressure them, and let them know how important it is to be a GOOD person. Just because you go to church and read scriptures and can recite them from memory does NOT mean you are necessarily a good person.  I want them to be kind, considerate and loving. I want them to want to do good.

4. Build a booming business at the salon. I want to have a full book by the end of the year. I want to be earning beaucoup bucks. I want to be able to bring home the bacon so my husband can go BACK to school (AGAIN). So come see me at The Beauty Bungalow in Charlotte, NC.


so this is the year for me. Wish me luck and resolve and strength!!

Dear Blogger...

Hello, friend.  are you happy to see me?  Have you missed me?  Have you thought about our times together?
Are you wishing things could go back the way they were?
Yeah, me too.
Oh Blogger, how I have missed THIS.

So B, I have to say what an exciting and super crazy year I have had.
I graduated from Empire(woo hoo, Now I can do hair LEGALLY and not feel like a criminal), I went on a cruise to the Caribbean with the love of my life and his entire family, I made and broke New Year Resolutions, I found a job in a salon, I reconnected with old friends, I was a bridesmaid at my dear friends wedding, my van engine went ka-put forever, and I neither gained weight(nor lost the 40 pounds I wanted to).

School was really hard. Drama. Drama. Drama. I was so tired and ready to be done with it. I needed 1530 hours to graduate.  Once I hit 1200, I felt like I had hit this WALL. I was unmotivated and tired and grouchy and ugly. I didnt want to deal with clients, I didnt want to do ANYTHING. I felt like I was STUCK for weeks.  But I finally did it. And now I have a diploma, have taken and passed my written, have my practical scheduled and am currently working in a salon with my temp license.

The Cruise was Amazing. Charles parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and they went on a cruise with all 10 of their kids and their spouses and a grand-daughter and a few close friends. We went to Grand Cayman, Honduras, Belize and Mexico.  I got to swim with giant Sting Rays, snorkel to my hearts content, climb on ancient Mayan ruins, and get called "Hey Pretty Lady" by every vendor in Cozumel.
I got sunburnt, lost too much money in the casino, and thought I brought home a special 9 month souvienir.(Thank Goodness it was just a false alarm)

I made several GREAT  New Year Resolutions and promptly broke them all within a matter of 2 months.

I went to a wedding in chicago, where I was a Bridesmaid and the Brides hair Dresser. I had such a great time being there and seeing old friends and making new ones. I loved going back and having fun and partying with the gang. This Old Bird has still got it.

so all in all 2009 was wonderful. But I suspect 2010 will be AMAZING

Make your house smell great for the winter

I was just messing around today. Cleaning my kitchen, cleaning out the spice cabinets etc.  I also cleaned out my microwave.  I take a large pyrex measuring cup and fill it with water.  I slice up half an orange and place the slices in the pyrex.  I put the entire thing in the microwave and zap it for 10 minutes.  I then let it sit for another 10 minutes to steam.  When you take it out, the dirt, gunk, food etc has loosened up from the steam and orange oils. Wipe out and voila, a clean microwave.  Well I was left with this pyrex container of leftover water logged slices and water. I set it aside, knowing I could find something to do with it.

I came across a bag of Mulling Spices from Cider Mate. These are the special spices you add to apple juice or cider to make a nice warm spiced apple drink or wassail. It had to be 2 years old, never opened.  I purchased it at the local health food store in bulk, thinking I would use it. (yet another thing I did not get around to).

I have been in a cleaning mood recently, and although I cant deny I love the smell of bleach and pinesol, I didnt want something in my house that would make it smell like chemicals. Bleach and pine-sol are great, but sometimes you just want a warm, spicy, holiday smelling home. Kind of like a live christmas tree instead of the fakers.

So I pulled out a little saucepan and poured my orange water into the pan and sliced the rest of my orange into the pan with the water.  I added a fistful of these mulling spices and set it to simmer. I then pulled out my stash of dried herbs and added a Tablespoon of dried Chamomile..  I stirred the entire thing and let it go on my stove.

My house is now a heavenly fall harvest and spicy wonderland.  Super easy and delicious.

The spices in my Cider Mate were: Nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, Star Anise, and dried orange and lemon peels.

Try it. Your whole house will smell wonderful and spicy and homey and comfy.

Day 8 Holiday Baking: Mormon Chocolate Chip Cookies (MONSTERS)

These cookies are MONSTERS. And they are delicious. My dad got this recipe years ago from a woman he worked with and she called them Mormon Chocolate Chip Monster Cookies. She was a Mormon as well, and said she made them for every Youth conference and Stake Activity. My dad tried one at a work function and said he was walking away from the potluck table with like 6 cookies in his pocket.

CREAM TOGETHER:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 sticks pre softened butter
1 TBSP Vanilla
2 eggs

In a separate bowl, combine the following:
3 cups flour
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Add this dry mixture to the creamed butter little by little.
Dough will be HEAVY.

Add :

3 cups Chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Drop Large scoops onto greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until done.

these need a large, COLD glass of Milk.  And when I say they need milk, I mean like 2%. Skim milk wont cut through these babies!!
Santa will really appreciate a nice hearty chocolate chip cookie like this one!!

Day 7 Holiday Recipes: CAKE MIX COOKIES

3 ingredients. Thats it.  You choose your flavor, you choose your toppings. These are so easy, yet delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box of cake mix. (You choose flavor.  White, Yellow, chocolate, they all work)
• 4oz Cool Whip
• 1 egg.

Mix everything together until it forms a ball of sticky dough.
Using powdered sugar on your hands, roll dough into balls and then roll them in the topping of your choice.(powdered sugar, chopped nuts, coconut, cinnamon sugar, sprinkles etc). Or you dont even need to roll them, they are good plain as well.
Bake at 350 on a greased baking sheet.  10 to 12 minutes.
Cookies will look soft, they will continue baking off the sheet. Cookies are chewy.

Great combinations:  Chocolate cake mix rolled in chopped pecans
                                 yellow cake mix rolled in powdered sugar
                                 strawberry cake mix in powdered sugar
                                 chocolate cake mix rolled in coconut and pecans
                                 White cake mix rolled in Andes peppermint crunch baking pieces
                                 carrot cake mix rolled in white sugar
                                

                                

Day 6 Holiday Recipes: BEST EVER BROWNIES

This recipe is courtesy of my sophomore year at USU. We were looking for some brownies and kind of followed a recipe on the back of a generic chocolate chip package. It was good, but after a little tweaking, this is what we came up with. YUM!

Semi Sweet chips work best, but you certainly can substitute the milk chocolate if you choose.


INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips, melted
1 cup chocolate chips, whole.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In mixing bowl beat together softened butter,  and sugars. Mix until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beating well.
Add melted chocolate and mix. Gradually add flour mixture. When all flour is incorporated add the whole chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until edges have set and knife test comes out clean.

Dust with powdered sugar.

HOLIDAY VARIATION:  A great Holiday variation is to stir in 1/2 cup  whole chocolate chips and 1/2 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips.  It gives it a nice minty zing to it. Or you can do 3/4 cup of the Andes pepperming baking chips only.

Day 5 Holiday Recipes: Peanut Butter blossoms with hershy Kisses

This is a recipe that everyone knows and loves. These are the Thumbprint Peanut Blossoms with Hershey Kisses. These are my brothers favorites. My mom makes them just for him every year and gives him the Lions share of them.

These are pretty simple, the unwrapping of the kisses is the hardest part of the whole process.
Actually the hardest part is keeping my kids form eating the unwrapped kisses before I even get started baking.



INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

You will also need a small dish set aside with a few TBSP of granulated sugar in it AND a bag of Hershey Kisses, unwrapped and ready to go.

Beat together shortening and peanut butter until well mixed and smooth. Add the sugars, beat until likght and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla, beating well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt, gradually add to the Peanut Butter mixture. When all the flour is incorporated, roll the dough into 1" balls, and roll in the white sugar you had set aside.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  you want the edges to be golden brown. Immediately upon removal from the oven, press an unwrapped Hersheys Kiss into the center of the cookie.  The edges will swell up around the kiss slightly and crack.

Cool Completely.

ENJOY!