Sneaky way to get a WonderKid to eat veggies: sandwich sushi. Pretty simple to do, if you know how to make sushi rolls already. Use white bread (it is gummier and will stick together better) and flatten it with a rolling pin. Put on your mayo like you would your rice, and the veggies in a line in the middle. We used lettuce, carrot, cheese and sone crumbly bacon. Then roll as normal, squishing as you go and the end should stick together. Then cut and eat with chopstcks. It was mostly an excuse for me to eat up the bacon.

GPOYW - the coat that goes with everything. It has to, because it’s $&@?! 10 degrees outside.

HP Ink Costs More Than Human Blood

(via myserendipities )

THE musak

After Christmas I don’t have too much time to get the winter doldrums because the next thing comes up in mid-january - my wedding anniversary.  And I have that silly habit of making a video of the year with pictures and music and junk.  I’m not fantastic at it, but it makes me all happy and focused so I don’t notice it’s all gloomy out.  At least until mid January, and then I have to drag myself twards Valentine’s Day.  Dang I hate the winter.

Anywho, one important part of the project is finding the perfect song(s) that represent the year.  Our first was “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds - maybe because we were blasted lucky to survive our first year of marriage.  I’m still crazy proud of the second year’s selections - “The Adventure” by Angels and Airways and “Here Comes The Sun” by the Beatles - so apt, what with moving to Brasil and giving birth to our sunshine girl there.  Dang that was an awesome selection.  Then the next year, I found one of Husband’s favorite Brasilian ska tunes, “Te Ver” by Skank.  I’m such a good wife.  Then last year was such a happy-go-lucky year, “My Best Friend” by Weezer was a upbeat pick. 

Now this year I’m kind of in a quandry.  It was another insane year like year 2, what with the pregnant and then laid off and then selling our house and moving and giving birth and all that…  what song fits?  Or more than one?  Husband suggested Funky Town, since we’d rather be anywhere but here (did I mention we hate winter?).

Internets, do you have any ideas?

formspring.me

Is there a clothing brand you would NEVER ever wear?

I’m no fan of wearing a brand sprawled across my chest. If I’m gonna advertise for a brand, I better be getting paid. And after yesterday and reading up on that stupid Delilah chick, I think the only brand I’d have an issue with is hers. The self-righteous wannabe celeb has a line called “Hoochie Mama.” Yeah. How uplifting. But the second her kid’s school uses a curriculum that teaches kids to be good citizens and was in part developed by someone who happens to be Mormon - AAAAAAAKKKK!! Still annoyed by that, by the way.

How was your Christmas??

Super super super awesome. A quiet Christmas Eve with an amazing dinner by the hubby, some music and scriptures with the missionaries, and then Christmas morning Husband actually was the one who woke me up too excited to wait to open presents. Then, off to a waterpark resort for the night where I played in my swimsuit 4 ft. from snowdrifts up to my ankles…. nice.

Oh! And I got the best present of all - a new sister!! My mother in law had the snazzy idea that her daughter’s college roomate would be perfect for my brother, and it just so happens that once they met they thought the exact same thing! He proposed Christmas day! My younger brother is just about one of the best people on the planet, and his bride-to-be is so sweet and kind and organized and lovely - all the things he wanted and deserves. Oh, and she’s so beautiful too. I love that I got to help God play cupid in a small way, and that he’s so darn happy. That makes me so happy, I couldn’t even sleep that night I was so excited, dreaming about a summer wedding and all my family together and a happy bro. Huzzah!

Ask me anything

formspring.me

What is your favorite word and your least favorite word?

I don’t think I’ve ever decided on a specific loved/hated words, so don’t take too much stock in this. I don’t like the word “moist.” And I’ve been trying to get “heckerdoodles” to catch on… hasn’t… wonder why?

What’s for dinner? What should I make for dinner? I’m running out of ideas.

I only make food with one or two steps. It might be laziness, but the more steps, the more chances I have to screw it up. We had Cobb salads for dinner - husband rocks those. He kind of rocks food, so I don’t know why it’s still officially my job. Watching him and WonderGirl trying to choke down my food is kind of demoralizing.

BUT! What I suggest as my favorite fallback is tacos, ala the Deceptively Delicious book (LOOOVE that) - you cook the lb. of meat with the taco seasoning, but then add a can of crushed tomatoes and a 1/2 cup of pureed carrot (I have a few frozen bags on hand at all times). It makes the meat sooo much more flavorful, and expands the meal size. Then with the leftovers, we take a tube of refrigerated biscuits, flatten one out and put a bit of meat in the center with a few bits of corn and cheese, fold it over and pinch the ends together, repeat, and cook ‘em. We call them “taco pockets” though it works with leftover sloppy joes too.

Ooo, lookit me being all domestic!! Don’t ask me for another meal idea. I think I just blew a head gasket coming up with that much.

Ask me anything

Radio Host Delilah Pulls Kids from Crosspoint Academy, Claiming School Teaches Veiled Mormonism

Radio Host Delilah Pulls Kids from Crosspoint Academy, Claiming School Teaches Veiled Mormonism

I’m so offended by this story I can’t even see straight.  How on earth can people still have the prejudice to say we are not Christians?!  Is a philosophy only acceptable if it is by a Baptist, a Methodist, a Lutheran - but even though we share the same strong core belief in Christ, heck, we share the same scripture, the Bible! - but if someone writes a successful book and happens to be Mormon, it automatically is propaganda instead of a simply a book a good person wrote???

Yo Delilah:  I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Yes, that’s a Mormon.  I have read and learned from great thinkers of all religions - I DON’T DISCRIMINATE.  My daughter attends a daycare at a Lutheran church and I love and respect their commitment to Christ, same as me.  They teach my daughter Lutheran hymns, she teaches them ours.  We believe in Jesus Christ.  My religion is not a dirty word. 

I don’t care what religion you are, or aren’t.  I don’t care if you believe in Christ or not, that’s your call.  That’s why we’re here, to figure it all out.  Just do your thing, find your path.  Don’t stop to try and tear others down along the way.  Whoever you think is out there - that’s not part of His plan.  I promise you.

formspring.me

You only get the best clothes for the rest of your life, or the best hair. The other one is doomed to perpetual frump gathering. Which do you choose?

THE HAIR. I would hate looking like a doofus, but my awesome haircut right now gives me so much joy I actually have nightmares that it grows out too fast. I wake up sweating and near tears, honestly. Isn’t it awesome that that is as bad as my nightmares get lately??

Ask me anything

formspring.me

If you had access to a time machine, where and when would be the first place you travel to?

May 1997, Golden, Colorado to stop that unfortunate perm the day before graduation. What kind of future would I have had without that unfortunate perm phase?

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Chicken feet.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

How did you ever get so lucky as to get such an amazing brother-in-law?

Hrm, lessee.. when a mommy-in-law and a daddy-in-law love each other very much they have a son - and when that first son doesn’t completely turn them off to having more children, they have some more. And that’s how you happened. Dude, you have 3 kids, you should be well schooled on this one already ;)

What are your top 5 best days ever?

I don’t know if I can think of the 5 BEST, that’s a lot of brain work. I can think of 5 awesome ones though (whew,that’s some pressure off)

in no particular order:

Mom’s SUPER SURPRISE 60th birthday party last year.

The day after the last day of classes each sememster of my undergrad. I actually enjoyed Denton for a brief moment then.

The day I finally smooched Husband. And it didn’t even happen until late that night, the whole day started with awesome when he woke me up by jamming a toothbrush in my mouth. Awesome every single second.

5 days after Dude was born when I fit into that pretty cool shirt that didn’t make me look still pregnant and went Circus World with my family. A big accomplishment, being out and about and sane AND hawt, especially considering the horrific 2 days prior.

Once, maybe 10 years ago, my superawesome Aunt Sanny gave my superawesome brother Dallin and I tickets to Disneyland and we went by ourselves, on all our favorite rides and to all our favorite places, just the two of us, and then my superawesome cousins with superawesome annual passes stopped by to play for a while. There’s just something cool about being without a chaperone and doing something with a sibling like you’re all grown up or something, quite the rush. Oh, and Disneyland is cool.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

How many songs mention Baraboo in them? I know of 1 by Johnny Cash. Can you find it or any others?

Dude, Johnny Cash knew Baraboo existed?? Consider my Braun totally rocked. The only other song I know with Baraboo in it is this one I just made up, and the chorus goes like this:

baraboo!! You don’t smell like poo! Except for by the 6,749 dairy farms! Oooo!

Little known fact - the town I reside in currently is The Butter Capital Of The World.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

Ask me anything, anonymously. The weirder the better, distract me from the white tomb the snow has created outside.

GPOYW - as merry as my immune system will allow. Happy Christmas!

see more Lol Celebs

Disagree.  That episode was AWESOME. 

This will be the first Christmas I will not spend with either my family or my inlaws.  Due to a ticking deadline at work, we have to stay here.  Husband is a smart one and knew it would be hard on the WonderGirl and I so he already booked us a night at a resort/waterpark up in the Dells, about 20 minutes away.  His job was to distract us and it’s a fantastic one, so guess it’s my job to keep happy so we can have a happy Christmas.  I mean, if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

I’m trying to keep busy so I won’t get too lonely.  It doesn’t help that WG misses her friends and family she spontaneously bursts into tears every day.  Yesterday she begged me to take her back to our “real house by Nana.”  And mentioned a few friends and places back in Atlanta she missed… holy break your heart, Batman.  She wakes up crying in the middle of the night every few days.  I lay with her a few times a day and tell her just how much she is loved, but there’s a hole there I can’t fill.  I won’t stop trying though.

(via cjanerun)

Amen to each and every one.  Including Starbucks - even this Mormon girl loves a mean hot chocolate from there.  The closest being over 20 miles away.  I’m pretty sure I live in Siberia.

applearts:Glenn Jones / Glennz | Only Creative

GPOYW, one day late edition. Too busy having in-laws over to post. Or to remember to post. Today’s theme revolves around my crappy cooking skills. I followed the directions for my mom’s yummy candy cane cookies, and though they taste delicious, they are unrecognizable. I’m still eating them dang it.

It’s not denial. I’m just very selective about the reality I accept.

It’s not denial. I’m just very selective about the reality I accept.
Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes)  (via hunsonisgroovy)

soul mix

I feel like posting, I so do.  But I’m about to get a violin student up in here and I should really try and put my baby in his crib.

Can’t put into words how I’m feeling.  It’s a mix, really.  Part elated. I had a dress rehearsal last night for a Haydn Mass I’m performing with the local college choir - and there’s only 4 string players, one on each part.  So I was VERY exposed.  I’d never played with the group before.  And I BROUGHT.  IT.  This is not a common thing for me - I have epically failed many times in my life, wrong notes, wrong rhythms, looked like a moron, so I know what a fail looks like.  This was not it.  And it felt really, really good.

Part stir-crazy.  I tried driving to a toy store today and had to turn back because I just can’t drive in this snow, the roads are awful (not enough money in the town budget to plow, good golly) and I slid all over the road.  I can’t go anywhere when the weather is like this.  AK.

Part thankful - for Lilya.  For her having an awesome haircut, then being willing to wake up early a few weeks ago and go with me (and Lola) to the salon so I could show the stylist Lilya’s head and de,and she do the same to me - but blonde.  Every morning I dry my hair, I do a happy dance that this cut is SO amazing and looks to good.  It’s a double edged sword, though - last night I had a nightmare I cut my hair and dyed it black and I cried.  Because I’m in love with this haircut.  IN. LOVE.

Part thankful for the internet.  I am so not alone.  And I am so on a search for some new pants.  More on this as it develops.

And thankful for my little life.  I routinely wish myself dead - it’s a funny quirk of mine, but in the moments I’m not overwhelmed and feeling crazed, I know I’m loved.  Sometimes.  And I’m warm.  Sometimes.  And I got to live out my dreams for a few years.  Not everyone gets to say that.

I know you probably have read the AZCentral article on Nie, but if you haven’t, get a hanky and start here.  It’s an amazing story. 

I love women, but I feel like you can’t trust some of them. Some of them are liars, you know? Like I was in the park and I met this girl, she was cute and she had a dog. And I went up to her, we started talking. She told me her dog’s name. Then Í said, “Does he bite?”. She said “No.” And I said, “Oh yeah? Then how does he eat? … Liar.

I love women, but I feel like you can’t trust some of them. Some of them are liars, you know? Like I was in the park and I met this girl, she was cute and she had a dog. And I went up to her, we started talking. She told me her dog’s name. Then Í said, “Does he bite?”. She said “No.” And I said, “Oh yeah? Then how does he eat? … Liar.
Demitri Martin (via wonderwall-)

Guess who rolled over for the first time today? Go Dude!

(via PROBABLY BAD NEWS)

AT&T may have to limit iPhone users

AT&T may have to limit iPhone users

Just for you, ooliquidnightoo.  I’m so mad I could freak.  Well, the snow isn’t helping, but since I live in the Middle Of Nowhere, we’re not even ALLOWED to use our data plans (charging us up the ying yang if we do).  Stupid AT&T!!  If only I wasn’t so completely and utterly in love with this magical, best friend of a phone.  Jerks.  I’m like an iPhone junkie. 

GPOYW

The high tomorrow is 8. I don’t think I’m ever leaving this house again.

This is the front yard, the back yard is even higher. You can tell how we feel about this. Husband is stuck in New Jersey, trying to get back to Madison but he’s already had a cancellation today just trying to get to Detroit. Although I’d rather he not come in for a few days than try driving home in this &^$% and get in an accident. Still mad at the snow. What else do I blame? But on the positive, one of Husband’s coworkers kindly plowed our driveway this morning so we could get out if there’s an emergency. Lovely people here. Too bad this place is evil and cursed. DEMON SNOW!!!!!!!

fluffy evil&^$#%^&&^*

There are currently 976 unread items in my RSS reader.  If I haven’t commented on your blog recently, it is only because I haven’t had the chance to even read it and I am going out of my mind missing it.  I’m going to try and read it now.  Really.  I ought to, seeing as I’m snowed in.

I actually had a rehearsal for a gig tonight - just a local choir that needed an “orchestra” (I am one of 2 violins), but using that master’s degree seems prudent seeing as I’m still &^%$ paying for it.  No gigs since I moved here last summer, and the ONE night I have the only rehearsal for the concert - massive blizzard and Husband is in New Jersey.  Oh Murphy, you are a cruel, cruel law.

So now I’m home alone with 2 kids and watching the snow drifts pile up. I’m not annoyed to be here in the house, I do NOT want to go out in that blizzard.  I told Husband to find me a new car to drive in the snow.  Not that there’s anything wrong with mine, but I’ll need a new one after I accidentally plow it into a parked car trying to drive on this *&%$# white evilness.  (what’s with my language today??  pardon!)  And did I mention the battery died on my car today while we were at the library (the brake lights didn’t turn off)??  In the snow??  I only have one person from our burough of Iceburg in my phone, and she thankfully was willing to pile her kids in the car and give me a jump.  I did realize that we need an emergency kit for the car and it needs to include muzzles and granola bars.

You know what is awesome in crummy weather?  The Wii.  Yes, I did tell Husband he couldn’t buy one because the first time I tried one my cousin beat me and I’m a sore loser, but he went ahead and used the “Buy Whatever You Want” coupon I made for his birthday last year.  I highly suggest that coupon when you have a spouse that goes ahead and buys himself whatever weird thing he wants off Cragslist.  Takes the migraine out of gift giving.  Anywho, WG and I are settling in our jammies to play some Wii Music and Wi Fit.  I highly recommend them for your genius toddler who needs an outlet right when mommy needs an Asprin.

So, in between all that bonding with the kids I’m going to get back in there and read my blogs, dagnabit.  And no mocking me in the comments if you think I’m a weather pansy.  I KNOW I’m a weather pansy.  Heck, I got annoyed when it got 60 degrees in Arizona in January. 

i've picked my friends well.

Its been over a year, but I’m back to posting at MissCheapskate.  1. Because I’m a compulsive deal-sharer, and 2. because I live in the Middle Of Nowhere and have no place to shop.  The intraweb is my only solace for the love of mine that is paying 90% off and getting free shipping.  Dang, those two words get me all hot and bothered.

it snowed.

It snowed it snowed it snowed.  I already skidded in the car this morning and hit a curb while trying to park. It snowed and it’s not going to stop until April.  It’s like a white, freeeezing tomb. Fluffy little pieces of evil are everywhere. 

It’s the apocalypse.  Seriously.  Ice age, end of days, all in one frosty package.

No, I’m not exaggerating.

Funny Moments with President Monson (via SethAdamSmith,rjwalker) I’ve adored President Monson since I was a little girl. A spiritual giant that always had something to say to the little ones. Excuse the cheesy piano music and enjoy :)

“This is my Great-Aunt, who went to my cousin’s wedding in that pastel track suit with the purse around her neck. This picture was taken right after she was told she could take home the champagne glasses. She fit as many as she could in her hands, but made sure she had room for the leftover champagne.”

(submitted by Jen) (via http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com)

Doesn’t it look like someone responsible and grown up lives there? Psyche. Husband hasn’t gotten to the lights yet, but I figured what with it snowing here finally (the slow descent to madness begins) I should get what paltry decorations I can muster up and out there. It’s small, but for decor-challenged moi, it’s kind of big. I still feel like I’m playing house and at some point a grown-up will come and take charge for me.

GPOYW - The “ohmyheck we’re in the theater waiting for New Moon to start!!” edition, starring yours truly and Liliya.  And to all you self-righteous haters out there, I was thoroughly entertained for 2 hours, so booya!!  I think they made them take acting lessons since the first film…

Charlotte Russe is having a deal a day - today all their slippers and booties are $10.  I’m so tempted it’s insane.  Maybe you are weaker willed than I and will spring for them.  We shall see.

Okay, we all know I’m kind of addicted to deal hunting, and this holiday season I’m going a little giddy over all the sales and those 2 little words that drive me absolutely WILD - Free Shipping.  *swoon!!*  I can’t keep them all to myself so when I hit a good one, I just HAVE to share.

Modbe is going out of business and is liquidating everything.  I suggest the swimsuits - going fast, but best to stock up now before the spring and suits everywhere are $40.  Enjoy!