Oatmeal Queen & Something Green

My original goal for March is to make a duvet cover, which I very well still intend to do. The duvet cover may end up being plain white though, because I really like the look of our clean white comforter with color from the pillows and quilt. So that being said, the project won't be very eventful or difficult. So in order to add a little spice to the month I have added two small tasks that I am going to complete each day of March.

1. Eat Oatmeal Everyday: Every morning I am going to make a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I have been reading and learning a lot about nutrition and healthy eating and one of the biggest things I have taken away is that FIBER is very important to eating healthy and losing/maintaining weight. Fiber helps you to feel full and when you feel full you are less likely to overeat or eat what you shouldn't. I really do like oatmeal (Josh doesn't see how I can eat that stuff:) So I am going to eat a new recipe of oatmeal each morning so that I can expand my bowl beyond just brown sugar or apples and cinnamon (one of my current favorites).

So each day I will make one serving (1/2 c dry oats) of an oatmeal recipe that I either throw together or read online. I will have to make up names for any recipes I make up for later reference. I like to use quick oats (still 100% whole grain) and heat them in the microwave because it is quick and easy, which are my two favorite words when it comes to making food. I will also be sweetening with Splenda to keep the calories and sugar content down.

(Disclaimer: I don't claim to be a Queen in any sense related to food, knowledge of food or ability to make food. I used the word "Queen" because it was all I could think of that rhymed with "Green" to make a snappy title that made sense for the March postings)

2. Something Green: I enjoy holidays because I can decorate or wear something to celebrate the day just because it is fun. So with St. Patrick's day being in March I am going to take a photo of something GREEN (specifically the color not the environmentally friendly term) each day relating to something I did or saw that day. Think of it as a daily journal of sorts. On Wednesdays each week I am going to try to take one of the pictures close up so that you have to guess what the green item is:)

Join me tomorrow for Day 1 of Oatmeal Queen & Something Green!

February Goal & Locks of Love

February's goal was to give Josh a foot massage every weekend this month. I am proud (and Josh is very happy) to say that I successfully completed this goal. I know that Josh wishes this goal would go on much longer. I'm sure that I can still rub his feet for him occasionally, but I'll save the foot soak, pedicure like experience and massage for special occasions. The little yellow thing is a Pluto shaped massager (like the plastic four prong ones you can buy at Bath & Body Works). I bought it for Josh at Disney World when we were in college. Who knew that Pluto would save the day for me now when Josh wants a massage. He loves his feet and back rubbed, but sometimes my hands just can't do it...but thanks to Pluto I just use his paws and nose to roll over Josh's feet and back and it does the job:) I also like how one of Josh's textbooks made it in to the picture. He has been studding while I give him his foot massage. I don't know how he does it, I would fall asleep!

In addition to my February goal I also accomplished something that I have been wanting to do for awhile, but I had to wait until I had at least 10" of hair to do it. I got a hair cut and donated it to Locks of Love!!!

This is the third time that I have been able to donate hair. I have been blessed with hair that grows like crazy so I figure I should bless others with it. Locks of Love makes hair pieces for children with diseases that cause hair loss. I have never lost my hair, but I imagine that it is a difficult and humbling experience. I can only hope that if someone has the option to wear a wig, they would want it to look as real as possible. So they could get the 10" needed I got an angled cut with a bit of a wedge in the back. Ended up a bit shorter than I had thought it would be, but very well worth it:) For more information visit http://www.locksoflove.org/



The Domes

I visited The Domes in Milwaukee for the first time today with my parents (Don't let the outside of The Domes fool ya, see pics below). They were able to visit this weekend and we were wanting to find something new to do in the area. Going to the Domes was a great way to spend the first part of our Saturday. Especially on a cold winter day:) For those of you not from the area The Domes = Mitchell Park Conservatory. It is called the Domes because it consists of three large domes that each exhibit a different type of environment - Tropical, Desert and the Show Dome (mostly flowers and model trains running through the dome). We really enjoyed learning new plant names and seeing some really unique looking plants. I took a lot of pictures because...well...I like taking pictures especially of God's awesome creation! Enjoy the pics, I hope maybe you feel like you walked the domes with us:)

THE SHOW DOME

The Show Dome has small displays of different fairy tale mixed in around the model trains. I took picture of a few that our nieces and nephews might think are fun:)

Sleeping Beauty

Snow White

Cinderella

Winnie the Pooh

THE DESERT DOME

I liked the GIANT Yucca plant (the spiky dome one below). My junior high school was Yucca Jr. High:)

THE TROPICAL DOME

  Sausage Tree (can you see the giant sausage like pods hanging?)



I enjoyed learning the names of plants and trees that sounded like something I would like to eat:)

GREAT DAY AT THE DOMES!!!
I'd like to check it out some time when they have the live music and light show:)



Valentine's Day Creativity

This month has been especially good for me because I have had the opportunity on three occasions now to be creative while celebrating Josh for the week of his birthday, supporting his interests by turning our apartment into A Steelers Nation worthy atmosphere and today creating a private dining experience to show my love for him. I Thank God for my husband daily and I love him so much. I also thank God for the passions he has given me. Two of which are crafts and creativity.  With Josh's busy schedule, it made sense to make dinner here at home, so why not have the ambiance of a special restaurant with a personal touch. Thanks hun for taking time from your studies to share a wonderful and cherished dinner with me:) Thanks also for the thoughtful journal you gave me so I don't have to use a plain ole school notebook. What a great prayer journal it will make!

This post shares one of our favorite recipes, easy valentine's decorations and a fun way to create ambient lighting.


CRANBERRY CHICKEN: (super easy crock pot recipe)
- Mix 1 can whole cranberry sauce, half of a regular sized French dressing bottle & 1 dry onion soup packet
- Pour over chicken breasts (4-6 pieces) in crock pot
- Cook on low for 6 hours and then serve over rice


EASY VALENTINE DECORATIONS:

Candy Votives -Chose candy you enjoy and fill glass containers with candy and a votive. Glass containers with only candy in them can be used as decoration as well not just for snacking:)

Hanging Heart Cones - Start with a square piece of and fold diagonally one way and then unfold and fold diagonally the other way.  Following the beginning directions for a Water Bomb (seen below) until you have formed the water bomb base.  Then kind of like cutting a snowflake cut the opened end corners off in the shape of two mounds like the top of a heart. Punch hole through the inner folds that touch each other. A cone shape should be created because of your fold lines. Add ribbon to hang and then fill with candy. (Caution: Add a little candy to each side switching back and forth or you may topple over. Same with removing candy, eat evening from both sides:)

Decorated Candles - Any touch of ribbon, stickers, paper can make a plain candle more festive. For this candle I just taped three pieces of ribbon around the candle and then added some sparkly heart foam stickers from the craft store. And I can take it all off to decorate for another holiday.

Water Bomb String Lights - I was inspired from another one of my favorite blogs for this lighting. One I wanted to have a special ambiance for our dinner (which I thought about trying on the back porch, but decided against since it's winter:) I also wanted to attempt to camouflage the hideous fan in our dining room. I'm not sure if that worked, but the ambiance was GREAT!

Josh and I folded enough water bombs for each bulb on the string. Follow the instructions for folding the Water Bomb below. Then I hung up the lights the way that I wanted them to hang and sway. Then I attached the water bombs just by covering each bulb. Some of the holes in the top of my water bomb were a tad big and would fall off the bulb. I just played around with the angle of the water bomb and how the bulb was hanging. We managed to make it through dinner with no falling bombs...haha.

Super-Birthday-Bowl

This year I really enjoyed celebrating Josh's birthday.  Not because of a spectacular, grandiose gift or whisking him away somewhere.  I enjoyed it because I remember the "little" ways that he brings me joy in life! Each morning last week he woke up to a small note and a practical gift. The dining room table was dedicated to "Celebrating 7 Days of You" (Josh that is). On his actual birthday I decorated the apartment with streamers, balloons and a Happy Birthday sign.  Unfortunately, he got home a bit earlier from class than I expected and he caught me standing on a chair putting up the last of the streamers. I wish I had taken a picture of his face when he saw the decorations. It doesn't matter how old you are...streamers in your honor makes you smile:)

Josh enjoying a break from schoolwork and enjoying his BirthDAY under his streamers!

Josh lighting his own candles so I could take pictures...haha

 Make a wish!!!

 Happy Birthday to my patient, practical, handsome, dedicated, joy inspiring, comforting, and cherished husband!:)

A BONUS this year was that the Steelers made it to the Super Bowl! (Setting all results aside) It was fun getting ready for the game and hanging out with Mike (Happy Birthday to Mike too!) I had to be creative with the decorations to keep costs down. So Josh's birthday streamers were gold, blue and red like the Steelers logo. I only made half of his birthday cake in the pics above and used the other half for cupcakes for the Superbowl. I bought two bags of M&M's and seperated out the gold, blue and red ones (WAY cheaper than ordering them by specific color). I used some T-Shirts as part of the table covering along with hats, homemade decals and frames to make the food table look festive. 

Spinning our Terrible Towels while the game was good!

In the end it was a sad game...

...but overall it was a good day. I can't complain when I have a reason to decorate with a theme, be creative, and hang out with family.  Next years boys, next year.