Give-a-ways at the Dress-up Drawer

Hallie at Our Broken Road introduced me to The Dress-up Drawer, a blog that has hoards of give-a-ways this week!  Don't miss it.

Jaime, mastermind behind The Dress-up Drawer, is giving away a customized children's cape.  I'm thinking a green one with my kiddo's first initial on it.  Sign up to win here.

Little Gumdrops has adorable baby blankets and baby hats.  Who doesn't love a hat with pom-pom.  Sign up here.

MaKC Creations has some unique items, like a take-a-long high chair (cloth and light, unlike a bulky booster).  The car seat covers and dry bags are also very cool.  Sign up here.

Picnic Basket Crafts offers scrubs (I love scrubs!) and lotions, as well as reusable clothes and more.  Sign up here.

And Jane has beautiful party hats!  I can just imagine one in red, white, and blue for my little guy's birthday.  Very cute bows and barrettes for girls too!  Sign up here.

There are lots more great give-a-ways on her blog, so check them out.

Book Review: High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips

The media blitz surrounding Mackenzie Phillips' memoir High on Arrival informed the world of this: She had an incestuous relationship with her father, Papa John Phillips.

Her ex-stepmother, Mama Michelle Phillips, says that Mackenzie is lying - and probably doesn't remember anything clearly thanks to decades of drug use.  Everyone else, however, seems to support her accusation.

Personally, I think there's enough story in High on Arrival that there was no need for her to make it up.  Even without the incest, goodness, there's plenty of gruesome and embarrassing details.

Throughout High on Arrival, Mackenzie Phillips is very honest when she doesn't remember something, which is often.  She'll begin a story and just say that she passed out and then woke up in some unfamiliar place.  Her memoir starts out like a true celebrity tale ... loads of name dropping.  You read the names Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Marlon Brando, and many, many more.  It's a constant party - and not something a child should be witnessing, let alone participating in.

Later in the book, she talks about her 15 years of sobriety and some poor choices she made as a mother while still using.  She talks about her relapse and getting busted at LAX with cocaine and, once again, finding sobriety.

Two of my favorite nuggets from the book:

• Farnas screamed again and his heart rate went back up.  This was going on and on.  Farnaz was screaming and crying on her knees ... I said, "Can you shut the fuck up and let him die already?"
  

• ... the official story was that he died of heart failure.  Well, sure.  We all die of heart failure.

It's clear that her energy is in the beginning of the book - the parties, the clubs, the attention.  The first part of the book is probably giving people what they want.  They want names and situations and glamor.  The latter part of the book is actually much better  High on Arrival is sensational.

I hope she doesn't use the royalties to buy cocaine (or heroin or alcohol).  Also, I hope if anyone is screaming and carrying on over my deathbed that someone steps in and tell them to shut up.

Read It.

Pantry Challenge Conclusion

Today marks the end of Pantry Challenge 2010.  We weren't flawless in ONLY buying dairy, produce, and bread ... but pretty darn close.  We used up lots of cans and lots of things in the freezer - still plenty left.

We saved $340 of our grocery budget (our grocery budget includes all food, hygiene items, paper goods, medicine, etc.).

This $340 was promptly spent on my oldest son's new glasses and our Kohls bill (which had Christmas and bathroom items on it).  So, we're not ahead, but we're even :)

Pantry Challenge 2010 taught me a lot about the way I shop and the way my family eats.  There are things we have a stockpile of (like Au Gratin Potatoes and creamed soups) that we rarely eat and there are things we eat all the time (like saltines and peanut butter) that have no stockpile.

Since we are move at some point this year, I'm hoping to continue to deplete our stockpile of food and hygiene items.  Hopefully, we'll also save a few bucks here and there and have some extra cash for things like new glasses and Christmas gifts :)

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Last Thursday, I finished the Harry Potter series.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, of course, was a beautiful addition to the series.  What a great story, what great characters.

The epilogue was a great and unexpected addition.  I mean, you often end a book and sort of wonder how things turned out for them - Are they really OK? Did they get married?  Have kids?  Have jobs?

In this case, yes.  All was good.

That's a New Year's Resolution completed.  Now, if finding time to take care of myself and lose a bit of weight just came as easily.

Must read.

Stained Glass

I'm happy to report that one of the items on my bucket list is being crossed off!  

On Saturday, I started a two-series stained glass class.  It's more tedious than I was expecting, but I am enjoying learning something new.  Those kids in school have no idea how lucky they have it to be exposed to  new things all the time (I know I certainly didn't appreciate it - looking back, I had pretty great art and music teachers over the years).  These new learning opportunities are few and far between in adult life ... so easy to sleep, work, cook, clean, and repeat most days.


I still have LOTS of work to do this coming Saturday - I'm one of the slowest in the class.

Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Remember this post about all the oatmeal and raisins I have?

Well, I made the recipe, and it was a hit! My kiddos LOVED them, my husband LOVED them, my husband's co-workers LOVED them. A single guy asked for the recipe.

These are true oatmeal raisin cookies. Personally, I'd prefer a bit of cinnamon in them (maybe 1/2 teaspoon), but my husband insists they are perfect as is.

I used quick oats, since I didn't have "rolled oats." They worked just fine. I also made 24 cookies (you know, so I didn't have to shuffle pans and wait and what have you) and cooked them for the maximum time. Perfect.

They were SO good that I went ahead and ordered the cookbook. Amazon is offering Amazon Prime 2-Day Shipping for FREE for three months, so I'm all over that (just need to remember to discontinue it before they charge me $79 for the year).

Here are my cookies: I am a HUGE fan of parchment paper. My cookies sheets look fabulous after four years of use!

Recipe: Bruschetta Chicken Packets

We're not big chicken eaters in this house. It's something my husband inherited from his father, and it's something I've gotten used to. I also hate handling chicken. Oh, and when it sits too long in the fridge and goes bad ... that smell! Yuck.

Umm, we do like Tyson chicken (see: frozen, breaded) in all forms :)

Anyways, I am trying to incorporate more real chicken into our dinners.

I prepared Foil-Pack Bruschetta Chicken Bake the other night. I liked it - I like things in packet-form. The chicken was moist. The stuffing was delicious (prepared with canned tomatoes - no butter!). My youngest son also gobbled it up (but he also eats peas by the handful). My oldest son did not (be he doesn't like much beyond peanut butter and jelly). My husband ate it, but he didn't take seconds (and that means he didn't like it).

So, it's a great recipe for chicken eaters ... but not so great that it'll convert the non-chicken eaters.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

And I thought Sirius' death was terrible ...

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince goes down as one of my favorites in the series. It includes some great (and, at the same time, terrible) twists and turns in the wizarding world.

***SPOILER ALERT***

You know, I recall hearing that "Dumbledore is dead" when the book came out, but I guess I forgot about it. I can't believe it happened, and I can't believe that Snape did it. Despite the beginning of the story, I wasn't convinced that Snape was a bad guy. On some level, I'm still not totally convinced that he is. I don't know. Guess we'll find out.

One moment I really liked in the book is when Fleur arrives to see Bill and everyone assumes that the wedding is off ... because Fleur is a self-absorbed bimbo. Fleur, however, says that Bill's scars just show how brave he is. I thought that was wonderful.

I did not have Snape picked out to be the Half-Blood Prince. I thought it was one of James' friends or maybe Tom Riddle's.

Voldemort's apperance makes more sense now that we know his soul has been fractured into seven pieces ... and I can't wait to find out who R.A.B. is.

Must read it.

Pantry Challenge Continues: Part 2

Pantry Challenge 2010 is in full swing.

Success:
Tonight, I set up to make kung pao chicken. I opened the thaw container of cubed chicken ... and find pumpkin. Yup.

They look very similar frozen through a not-quite-clear plastic container.

Well, now what do I do?

I have some veggie crumble on hand. Hmm. I'll call it kung pao "beef" and broccoli. (It's not my fault my husband doesn't here the quotes when I say it.) You know what, it was mighty good ... possibly even better than the chicken. My husband ate it, and I told him afterward what the beef actually was. He was quite surprised (and surprisingly unbothered by the revelation).

Failure:
I made hamburgers for the kids. Since I didn't have any hamburger buns, I cut them up and put them into hot dog buns and announced them as "hamburger hotdogs." My oldest child was unimpressed and only ate his apple.

*****

I'm starting to think that I don't have quite the supply on hand that some of these ladies have. We're having to get creative at just the midway point right now. Hmm ... what will the rest of the month bring?

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

One of my goals for 2010 is to finish reading the Harry Potter series. I left off on Book 4 ... long before I had a child, much less children. It's just a matter of time before someone spoils the ending for me, so I thought I should get busy! (I have only seen the movies up to Book 4 as well, so I really have no idea how it ends. I know "someone dies," but that's all I know.)

It took me a while to get back into the series. Up until almost page 400, I was reading and just thinking, "Oh, I wish this was another Twilight book." and "Where are the vampires?" and every time I would see the name Cedric Diggory, I thought of Edward (who, in the movies, is played by the same actor). Twas an illness, I tell you.

Finally, though, the action started and my comparison of Harry Potter and Twilight was over, and I was reminded that Harry Potter is a different (and, in most ways, better) story than Twilight. It is better written and appeals to young and old and male and female. I believe Harry Potter will be a timeless series, similar to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

***Spoiler Alert***

In Harry Potty and the Order of the Phoenix, I was relieved to finally get an answer as to why poor Harry must continue to return to his jerky aunt and uncle's every summer. I mean, those people are so lame and terrible to him. I could never understand why Dumbledore kept sending him back. They didn't want him. Even after learning why, though, it made me all the more sad that Harry's aunt treated him so poorly. This kid, through no fault of his own, has no mother or father and she knows she is the sole person who can keep him safe. Why doesn't she care more about him?

I'm happy to see Harry and his friends growing up - trying to make sense of the mixed singles the opposite sex sends and with Harry realizing that his father wasn't always the best man in the whole world.

Snape's feelings towards Harry make more sense.

I was not at all surprised by the "big reveal." Of course Harry or Voldemort will have to die. I guess it was never spelled out, but I'm pretty sure that's been obvious since the beginning.

I was annoyed with the house elf situation. It seemed too easy. I'm also bummed that Sirius died. I feel like just as Harry finds his parents, he loses what is left of their memory piece-by-piece. Poor kid.

Cannot wait to get started on Book 6, but I wanted to get a review up of Book 5 before I started in on it.

Free Books for All (No Kindle Required)

Amazon has released loads of free books for their Kindle machine. That was all well and good for Kindle users, but now Amazon offers Kindle for PC. Now, everyone can enjoy the free Kindle books on their computer. Also, if you have a Kindle, you can now access its awesomeness from any computer (why you would need to, I don't know, but I guess people like options).

Kindle for PC

While I am a fan of good, old-fashioned books ... I am also a fan of free books. (Also, you get these suckers INSTANTLY - no leaving the house.)

I just downloaded:

The Love Language Minute Devotional
New Day, New You
The Good Mood Diet
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment

Not sure I'll get into Crime and Punishment (or Anna Karenina, for that matter) on the computer ... but who knows.

USPS.com

I saved a lot of hassle and some moolah all without leaving my home.

I used USPS.com's online postage printing option. I mailed 5 packages for $27.05 - with delivery confirmation included. Had I gone to the post office and juggled all the packages and my children and dealt with the sighs and general awesome attitude of USPS employees, I would have paid $32.10 for the same service. I saved $5.05 or about 15 percent ... and gas ... and time ... and sanity.

They'll even come to my front porch and pick up the packages :)

Pretty cool.

USPS.com

How to Get the Stank out of Cloth Diapers

I use cloth diapers with my youngest son. Lately, they've developed a very strong stank. There's just no other way to put it ... they smell like crap.

I have several friends who cloth diaper and they never complain about this problem. They suggested Oxiclean, sun bleaching, and a few other things. I've tried them. The diapers still smell.

I tossed a 1/2 cup of baking soda in the wash. I put vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. The diapers were 80 percent less stanky after that wash. They've now been washed a second time in that concoction ... good as new.

I used this same combo with my towels, and they are quite a bit fluffier.

Dear Baking Soda and Vinegar: I love you.

Pantry Challenge Continues

Deep in the depths of my cabinet, I find a half bag of something stashed away in Tupperware. What is it? Oh, it's Classy Chocolate Pound Cake from Tastefully Simple. Interesting. That product hasn't been in the last three catalogs ... making it at least 18 months old.

Was still delicious.

We have an abundance of raisins and oatmeal in the house, so I searched the internet for a semi-healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. I found this by Nick Malgieri. Malgieri has a book called Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs, All Under 300 Calories Per Generous Serving. (What a title.) Internet reviews of his oatmeal raisin cookie recipe have raved about it, so I think I'll give it a try. If it's a success, I may have to consider his book.

Husband made the first official grocery run: $18.53

Book Review: Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Goodnight Nobody is Jennifer Weiner's fourth book. Her first book, Good in Bed, was well received and earned her a crown in the "chick-lit" realm of reading.

In Goodnight Nobody, we meet Kate Klein. Once upon a time, Kate lived in New York City. She lived with her crazy best friend Janie and the two of them worked at a celebrity news magazine. She, a girl with big thighs and big hair, was head over heels for her next door neighbor, who was engaged to a model. Anyway, time has a funny way of changing things. She now lives in Connecticut with her workaholic husband and is a stay-at-home mom of three. It's all boring her to death till she walks in on her Stepford-bot neighbor, Kitty ... who is dead with a knife in her back.

The murder sparks Kate back to life. Her desire to write is spurred up again, and she finds herself knee deep into some serious investigative journalism. Oh, and that handsome neighbor reappears.

The book was great ... until the last 20 pages. Things were wrapped up a bit sloppy. Without giving anything away, I'm left wondering: What happened to that one? (We don't find out.) The president, really? (Yes.)

I suspect the ending is left so as an opening to a sequel. I hope so.

There's a lot of great stuff in there on the reality of motherhood and marriage and the importance of female friendships - Janie, the BFF, is a riot. Weiner's writing has matured a good deal from Good in Bed, and I find Kate more likable and real than Cannie (the main character from Good in Bed, who sort of annoyed me).

Read it, if you have the time.

Book Review: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

I wrapped up The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller in just two days. The story is about Pippa, who is 50 and moves into a retirement community with her 80 year old husband. Despite her seemingly bland existence, we learn about her checkered past and eventually learn that things in tidy, little Marigold Village are not as perfect as they seem.

It was a good story, an easy read. The story and writing are a bit more sophisticated than typical chick-lit (but not far above it).

Must read? Skip it? Read it, if you have the time? Read it, if you have the time.

Pantry Challenge

MoneySavingMom is one of my favorite sites. She keeps the site updated with great sales and coupon links.

This month, MoneySaving Mom is offering the Eat from the Pantry Challenge. The idea is that all us "dealseekers" build up quite a stash over the year. We fill our pantries and freezers ... and we sometimes forget to use all that stuff. So, it's time to deplete it!

For the month of January, my family is joing the Eat from the Pantry Challenge. Our goals:

• Buy ONLY diary, fresh produce, eggs, and sliced bread from the grocery store.
• Save at least $200 from our grocery budget.

My family actually started this challenge on December 28. That's one week, and I haven't missed stockpiling at the grocery store AT ALL!

We've enjoyed some simple meals that I haven't prepared in a long time - hardboiled eggs for breakfast and tomato soup (which I always get for next to nothing) and grilled cheese for lunch.

Welcome

Welcome to Committed Housewife, a place for household fun, book reviews, and more.

After keeping a personal blog for five years, I decided it's time to have something public to share with my internet friends.

Enjoy!