2 years ago, 31 August, Princess Emilee came into the world ready to be herself. This is her life thus far in photographs.
Stay at Home Motherhood.
The year: 2014, and apparently not the right generation to stay home. Most people feel everyone must work, no work, no experience, no experience…well without painting this picture gray. Then there is the cliche’ of, “If you work, you have no time, if you don’t work then there is no money for necessities and/or frivolities.” An endless debatable topic of woe.
So this leads me to write out what I actually do. I work! I don’t earn a paycheck, unless you count my husbands. I do not get an allowance as I am not a child, even then I didn’t get an allowance. But I do work, and dose my work in tell me cleaning house daily? Washing linens weekly? Running after a toddler day -in and day -out? Taking care of a few pets? Grocery shopping, dog walking, playground watching, and list making diva?!? All of this and more.
My generation seems to fear the term stay at home mom. But in this unexpected twist in life events, SAHM is just what I turned out to be. Now I could bore readers with other titles as:… COO of Chez a la mom, President of Toddler inc., Manager at Mister and MRS Weekly Homes, or maybe even Customer Service Specialist at Randalls, Target, Costco, Hobby and more. But that would be adding it on thick. True but thick.
Such is the House wife, SAHM; my full time position happens to be taking care of a toddler, not shoving papers around all day and typing til my fingers bleed. I admire those that work and take care of home and family. But for now I do the working and taking care of home and family all within my home. No commute necessary.
I do not lounge around in my robe all day every day. Recently I got a project completed for our family vacay photos. Scrap booking is a wonderful hobby I love doing, odds are though if I worked 8-10 hrs a day outside the home, I would probably be done like this time next year?.?… Maybe!?!
So Time to do everything….sort of. Money to do with what I want, not really at all. A screaming woman that feels uncompleted in life? Not at all, for I have faith my ship in the working world will come in when time comes. I do job search regularly, if something happens it happens. I can not say I’ll be a bit stressed because I’m not working; for I know life plans are not of my own. As for my house, I will be a SAHM in the year 2014.
Arts & Crafts or What???????
Does your husband or significant other have a collection? Is the collection laying around not being seen?? Maybe it is time to try this…
The perfect idea, does not ruin the materials, keeps them safe and dust ~ free.
A craft so simple to do…all you will need is a refill cover for scrap book. 10X10 worked well for this project. Then pic out the same size of card stock pack (all can be found in the same aisle). Then make sure the tape you are using is photo safe. i.e. acid free.
If it feels as though the heavier items are not sticking to the backing, do not worry. The plastic covering will hold them in. Just remember do not make it too excessively heavy as they are to be hanging from a cork wall.
(If putting them in a scrap book album the weight is not too much of an issue)
Remember that this is for displaying all the hubby’s extras that are simply taking up room in boxes. This is also a great gift idea for any occasion.
Just as in scrap booking you can embellish the pages as you wish. I decided here to keep it simple, let the patches do the talking. A hint of sparkle here and there gives it an extra flare, but my advice is a little goes a long way.
This is how to do your very own arts & crafts that doesn’t take too long at all. Peace, Joy and Craft to you!!
The Year has begun…
The year had begun; that is in the journey that is Food & Wine cooking. My month for January has been planned out. So far so good, but looking at it all at once makes one exhausted.
Tagging my course
Somehow I’ll will get through this challenge. A list of what is to be expected this week coming up,
January 12) Roasted Beets Gingered Syrup
Over Mango Couscous Jan 13) Pan-Roasted Chicken
& Braised Carrots Jan 14) Family Lamb Stew
Jan 15) (Left over stew) Jan 16) Roasted *monk fish w/ Rosemary
Boiled Potatoes w/ garlic
Jan 17) Teriyaki Chicken w/ cashews
broccoli
p.85
Jan 18) Pan-Roasted Pork Chops w/ Hot & Spicy Cucumbers
Here is hoping all goes well. Now remember to check back on the following Monday for this weeks post on how it all turned out. Excitement and Exhaustion be with you!
Hello 2014…the Challenge begins!
I have read and heard amongst talk about people going on diets. To be exact remember the lady that ate/cooked nothing but Julia Child recipes? How about the lady whom recently came public about eating only Starbucks for a year??? Well here is another one leaping in.
Not to be another boring dieter; this is nothing cooky like eating only McDonald’s or something of the sorts. This is far more motivating and appeasing to say the least.
So here goes the next 365 days beginning as of tomorrow.
{6 January, 2014; Monday}
This is not only a journey to get deeply into this particular cookbook. As any one that has visited my home (or knows me) can attest to; I have quite a few cookbooks. This is more than a “Food & Wine” diet. This is also a battle on becoming more routine in the day to day life that is Amanda.
Again I promise these journals shall not be a bore. Maybe it might inspire a few of you reading these to go out on a limb. Get out of your comfort zone and live for today. This moment is all we have. Sometimes in this crazy world of ours we move along too fast to enjoy the simplest of things as food. We sometimes forget to cherish and be thankful for the ability to cook instead of relying on Hamburger Helper to do it for us.
So this year I challenge myself to step far away from the box and into the book. Yes it is true I try to never cook from a box. But my challenge is different.
CHALLENGE: For the next 365, cook a meal straight from Food & Wine. By doing so I hope to gain some sense of routine. Also I hope to succeed in stepping further outside of my comfort zone in the kitchen. By always trying something new instead of now and then going back to something I cooked 3 or 4 months ago. I challenge myself to take on the task of a new dish each day of these 365. I shall be blogging about this weekly. My journey has now begun. A Bientot, til next Sunday.
Chicken Salad A La Emilee
This was a dish done on a whim. I planned the dinner days prior to making it. I was watching my favorite show one nite and an ad came on showing baked chicken. So I asked my husband if he wanted baked chicken for the weekend. {Of course he said YES!}
So off to the market I went on Friday to buy some chicken breast then some other things needed like fresh parsley, carrots and celery. With the ingredients on my kitchen counter, sage, cracked black pepper and one can of chicken broth. I arranged my seasoned chicken + chopped carrots, celery, parsley in a pan; next I set my oven to 350 for 1 hour.
(COOK TIME: varies with quantity and oven)
I usually always make enough to have left overs, yet I usually don’t with chicken breast baked, since it is always dry as it sits in the fridge.
Now here is the idea…. I decided to make chicken salad out of the left overs.
All I did was basically cube the chicken straight from the fridge with my hands and tossed the pieces into my food processor.
{NOTE: if you do not have food processor, chopping with a butchers knife will suffice.}
Add the celery and carrots and chop. Then transfer to a bowl and add some of your favorite mustard {mine is Dijon} and approximately 2 TBLS. of mayo. Now because the chicken is already seasoned there is no need to add any seasonings except to taste. Next step; Enjoy!
This dish is kid approved, by Emilee herself.
Public Glorified
Midiatowne
In a moment everything changes
to become another sensation,
A spotlight of frenzy, chaotic deception,
Fame is like shame, a lagoon
filled in sulfur granite.
A mystery not quite unfolding,
A tale, and devices exploding,
revealing not much,
Questions loom in minds, a sphere
in seen until the end.
Still today we are who we are,
And yet tomorrows sudden, impact
event we are now a pariah,
In the cameras, lights
shining of the who what when where why and how.
Moving Space II
Confusion- Excitement!
Where does this go?
No matter really,
the same place it will arrive.
Anticipation- Planning!
How, where do I start?
Just begin,
they will arrive the same place same time.
Lifting- Taping!
This must be stored now.
I need this,
maybe next weekend.
Finding- Tossing!
How long has this been…Toss!
I am going to use this or that,
pack it over there.
Research- Planning!
Here is an idea.
Not one to your liking?
Maybe this shall do.
Phone- Order!
Price of this truck, need it by this date.
Leaving on the road,
The cats will fare well in your lap.
Climbing- still lifting!
Are we there yet?
Is that the statement to hear,
or we will be there when we get there!
Alright- Moving.
State to State
not
Town to Town!
Moving!!!
Moving Space
A box here and there,
Many seas of plastic wraps
amongst a chaotic path in between,
Lone possessions to get us
by in this life,
Or lone possessions to build memories.
Lost in this crowd
can’t ask what is or where,
Markings to place,
It really doesn’t matter once
we arrive;
This box and that cramped in one space.
DIY From Mothers Attic to Daughter’s Room
A simple project I did with things I had around the home.Also I added flare and uniqueness to this idea by adding ribbon for my young daughter to place pics and such on as she gets older.
This is the before……
Now this is something I found and been wanting to do something with.
You wouldn’t need to do the same, all is needed:…..
1} canvas painted white (or any color you wish) once
2} Wooden letters bought at craft store
(or if you have a band saw and are extra exceptional, buy a long piece of wood and trace the letters yourself as is what I and my husband did)
Paint the letters the same color as canvas
3} Use E6000 glue to stick the letters to the board
4} any ribbon you chose Diagonal three times one way then cross three time opposite way.
i.e. 
5} Once ribbon is on, stapled to the back along the frame, then glue your letters and Voila!
A fun project for the week end!!!!
Inspiration is life 