10 Things I am Thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving to all my USA friends and family! For this Thanksgiving, here is a list of 10 things I am Thankful for.

1. Chocolate and Coffee. Does that count as two? Well it could, but I love Chocolate in my coffee. That is the BEST!
2. Family and friends. I am always thankful for having such a great family and close friends (that feel like family).
3. Good food! My mom taught me to cook some great recipes, like fried pickles! My mother-in-law introduced me to the wonderful world of southern cooking. Sara made me love french foods and makes a GREAT chocolate mousse. My youngest son makes the FLUFFIEST eggs EVER! My oldest son can create some amazing dishes. Nikky made me the BEST gluten-free apple pie. Actually, it was the best apple pie, period. My sister is always finding delicious, nutritious things for me to try. If there is one saying that is true, the best way to my heart is through my stomach.
4. Warm clothes. Especially great in the cold northern winters we have up here in Montana. I love my snow bibs!
5. Comments on my blogs. I know this may sound silly to some people, but I really am thankful for the comments people leave on my blog. It makes my day brighter and lets me know what you all are thinking.
6. Living in a small town. While it has it's few downsides, I really love living in a small town. It has more upsides than anything. I feel like I am living in a close-knit community of friends. I love that! And I am thankful that I found a place to call home.
7. My ex. Oh stop gasping like that! While we didn't work out as partners, he has truly been a great support through some really tough times. He has gone above and beyond many times to help me out when he didn't really have to. I am extremely grateful and thankful for that.
8. The Internet. It keeps me connected to my family and friends in other states, gives me a place to try to earn money and create a career for myself. I am thankful that I have that chance!
9. My apartment balcony. I am very thankful for that. There are two trees that block the direct sunlight in the summertime so I don't have to cover my windows with emergency blankets to block out the heat and sunshine. I am SO thankful that I can enjoy the sun in my apartment.
10. Last, but not least, my children. I am so thankful to be blessed with wonderful children. They are such a joy to be near. They are so smart and funny. They make my whole life seem worthwhile. And I am thankful for them every day. Even when they set the stove on fire. I am just thankful they didn't burn the house to the ground. Their hugs! Oh I am so thankful for those!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

StayFocusd: Putting the Prod in Productivity

One of the downfalls to a blogging life is that blogging is on the Internet. Need to research something? Internet! Need to share a post? INTERNET! Need to see what someone answered on a facebook status on your facebook page? Internet!

If you are like me, once you are on the Internet, you can easily get lost for hours doing things you didn't go to the site to read. I am notorious for going onto facebook to find a post answer to your favorite foods you miss, only to end up 25 sites away watching a video of ninjas kicking in a car window. 

I have tried several methods to keep me on track and behaving. Timers didn't help as I usually don't hear them. Or I turn them off and head back to what I was doing only to end up on another link clicking fest.

Today, I found something that is really going to get my butt in gear!

StayFocusd- A Google Chrome Extension

StayFocusd is a Google Chrome Extension that keeps you on track. It helps you stay focused on work by restricting your time on other websites (that you choose) where you can waste a butt ton of time goofing off. 

I now have 20 minutes on each of the websites I waste time on. Facebook is one of those. So is Cracked.com because I can surf that site all day!

StayFocusd- Settings and Customizing

One of the best things about Stayfocusd is that I can customize it... a LOT! It starts out giving you 10 minutes to visit the sites you blocked. That's 10 minutes TOTAL. Not just for that one site. I chose 20 minutes to start out. I'll let you know how that goes.

You can also choose which days it runs and which days it is turned off. I am leaving them all on for now. I'll see how that goes. You can also choose which hours during the day it is turned off. I set up a three hour window where I can play a little longer, if I really want to!

StayFocusd- Blocking Sites

In the upper right hand corner of chrome will be a a little clock icon that you can click on. It has a red clock and a timer showing minutes left (after you click on it) if you are on a blocked site. The clock is green if you are on an allowed site. You can also choose to block the site from there. If you notice you are goofing off too much on your favorite site, just block it. You'll now have only a small amount of time to play.

If you open the settings, you can add a lot of sites at once. I added facebook, YouTube, and news sites (and a ton more). I basically added any site I tend to keep clicking and reading.

StayFocusd- Time for Housework!

Oh, StayFocusd is going to be my new best friend! When I go to start housework, I tend to take a small break in between chores, or while the washer is filling, or while I wait for the clothes to finish spinning in the spin dryer... But then I get lost.

StayFocusd is fixing that for me. I can block EVERYTHING! Every single website will be blocked for the time I choose. I haven't played with this setting yet. But I am going to later today. I'll let you know how it goes!

What StayFocusd means to you

I think this means I will be able to stay focused on blogging and not get lost in cyberspace when I should be working. It also means that I will probably be posting more often. That's exciting to me! Now, I will get blogging done, still be able to surf a little and still get my work done. 

I am stoked! Time to go block the Internet for an hour to see how it goes...

Hang Out Night Movie!

This week was a busy week for me! I am pretty tired too. I tried to get everything done but the week ran off with me. I think I lost Thursday somewhere on the way too. My whole crazy week ends tonight though. It's hang out night! And this weekend, I am watching a movie!

Here is one of my favorite movies from my teen years. ENJOY!

Fiddler On The Roof

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

With all our food allergies, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving like we did in years past. I stopped liking Thanksgiving as much years ago, but I do enjoy eating and having family over.

This year we plan on having friends over and a few family members. But it's different now. 

We have a few rules:

1. ABSOLUTELY NO TURKEY! (I am anaphylaxis allergic to it)
2. NO peanuts either. (Same thing)
3. I cook. I am the only one that cooks. Period. 
4. Share the chocolate or get hurt.
5. We eat buffet style and hang out in the living room.
6. You are required to play games! We have xbox, minecraft, and board games. We can also play cards, charades, or whatever you'd like too!
7. Bring your own drinks! We will have some, and we'll share, but bring your own.
8. Don't bring eggnog. That is torture for us.

We will be having

• BBQ chicken
• Macaroni and cheese, mom style!
• Vegetables, steamed, lots of them!
• Biscuits, gluten-free
• Something for dessert
• Probably sweet potatoes, candied
• Cookies
• Chocolate covered pecans

SO, what are you guys doing for Thanksgiving? What's your menu plan? Who's coming over? Do tell!

Crochet Rainbow Scarf

I had a lot of fun this weekend with my crocheting. Since I am trying to make ends meet by being crafty, I decided to go outside my comfort zone and try something a little different. I ended up making this scarf this weekend in about 4 hours.

I am not good with patterns or I would post it. I didn't follow a pattern either. I saw the design online and figured it out on my own from there. It took a few tries, but I finally got it.

Here is my attempt to explain how I made it. 

It's 204 chains long plus 3 more. Then I double crocheted 4 (starting at the 3rd chain from the hook), skipped 5 chains, double crocheted 5 more, skipped 5 chains, all the way to the end and tied it off.

The next color, I made the chain, then did the first 4 double crochet and then weaved it in and out of the first color. Then I continued on with 5 double crochet, skip 5 chains. I alternated between connecting the double crochets to the chain in front of the spaces and behind the spaces.

Then I made a bunch of tassels for the ends of the scarf.

What do you think? How did I do?

Terracotta Flower Pot Space Heater?

While goofing off on facebook the other day, I saw a video clip of a guy who heated his room with terracotta flower pots sat on top of a bread pan. Inside the bread pan was three or four tealight candles . 

I was very intrigued and hunted down two terracotta flower pots, one small and one larger... then promptly couldn't find the video again. Also, my pots wouldn't fit over the pan because the small one was too small.

Instead of giving up, I searched Google for ideas on how to make a Terracotta flower pot space heater. I found this helpful site that explains how it works! In the end, I created my own with what I have because I can't afford to run out and buy things.

UPDATE: A commenter called "Current Thoughts" posted a comment below on how to make this terra cotta flower pot space heater even more efficient! When you are done with reading the post, scroll down to read the comments. I'll update when I make a candle out of shortening. When I have the money to buy orchard terra cotta flower pots, I'll add a new post with the new design. Thank you for commenting with the brilliant design changes! 

Here is what I did...

Creating my own terracotta flower pot candle heater!

I placed a regular dinner plate on my centerpiece plate on the table. Then I arranged three shot glasses on that and placed a trivet on top of those, lit three tea light candles and put them underneath the trivet.

Then I placed a smaller terracotta flower pot upside down on the trivet, right over the candles and put a small piece of aluminum foil over the hole (since I don't have nuts and washers)

After that, I put the larger pot over the smaller pot and sat back and waited to see what happens. In this picture you can see the shot glasses better and see the candles underneath.

This is what my finished product looks like. Isn't it cute!? But... does the terracotta flower pot candle heater really work?

Does it work?

At first we were making jokes about how it would make a nice hand warmer, not an actual space heater. A few hours later, it was really putting off a bit of heat, enough that I ended up moving away from it and working elsewhere. 

After stepping outside and then coming back in, I can honestly say it warmed up the room some. The area in the dining room is down right TOASTY! 

If I had to use it in a power outage, I would probably have four or five of the things throughout the living room area. I would also start them before they say a storm is coming to give them time to warm up. 

But, yes! This really worked. I could see using this to warm up a smaller room. You'd probably need more than one if your room is bigger or if you live in the north.

And now for a disclaimer, AKA please don't sue me when you try this and it goes horribly wrong.

Please be careful when using the terracotta flower pot as it does get HOT! By the time I went to take pictures, the top pot was quite warm, while the small pot was entirely too hot to even touch! 

These should be used with caution around children, pets, drunk friends, rednecks, or friends who tend to set themselves on fire (you know who you are!)

Don't go to sleep with your terracotta flower pot candle heater running as it may lead to bad things, like your room getting too hot, or your house burning to the ground.

Please make sure to check your smoke alarm batteries to make sure they aren't dead.

Wash your hands before you eat, after you sneeze or cough, after using the bathroom, and after shaking hands with weird strangers. 

San Diego Sailing Trip

My son's are back from a visit with their dad. While in San Diego, they got to do something I wish I could do! They sailed from San Diego Bay to the Catalina Islands off the coast of Los Angeles. I thought I would share some of the pictures they brought back with them.

The first picture I got of them together. Don't smile or anything, kids!

One of my favorite pictures! And they are all smiling!

Great picture of Captain Miles

I think I feel my seasickness kicking in!

Beautiful sunset.

Mmmmm, now that looks good!

Both boys on Avalon.

Enjoying the beautiful architecture. 

I forget what this is called but I really love this photo!

Is that a smile? Mmmmm, maybe?

The artwork there is beautiful 

Just chilling at the helm!

Nice picture of the flag next to the main sail.

It's not a sailing trip without a proper injury.

My boys being kids at heart... oh, wait, they are kids.

Mendel 1.0 with the Coronado Bridge in the background. I think that's a smile...

Pepsi and sailing... Go hand in hand.

I'll try to get more pictures up this week. There are a lot of them so I don't think all of them will go up. But I love a lot of them. They are awesome.

I am on a search! For gluten free cinnamon rolls...

I probably deserve it. Actually, I know I do. I am always teasing my friends about the snow that is coming. I love the snow more than they do! We all hurt like crazy when it gets cold but I do it in love! 

Wendy got me though! she posts pictures of food a lot. And I am allergic to... everything just about. Most days I just look and think "That looks tasty" and keep scrolling. This week she really got me! She posted this:

Oh, how I miss cinnamon rolls. I haven't stopped thinking about them since I saw this ooey gooey goodness. And Now I am on a mission! To find a recipe for cinnamon rolls that I can eat! Something that tastes good to me!

I have been searching and so far I am not finding anything I won't have to tweak (not surprised there). But I did find one I MIGHT be able to play with. It's here. I was looking at the ingredients and there are too many to substitute, and a few I wouldn't know how to substitute... but this week, I will trying to make this recipe my own. And I'll post it when I figure it out!

Anyone want to be my taste testers? Wendy? Bill? Nikky? Kids? Anyone?