Just finished . . .

. . . mopping my kitchen ceiling.  I need help. Pin It

Domestic Engineer

I have decided that my new job title is "Domestic Engineer".  According to Dictionary.com, the words domestic and engineer are defined as follows:

 

do mes tic [duh-mes-tik]

~ adjective

1. of or pertaining to the home, the household, household affairs, or the family: domestic pleasures.
2. devoted to home life or household affairs.
3. tame; domesticated.

en gi neer [en-juh-neer]

~ noun

1. a person trained and skilled in the design, construction, and use of engines or machines, or in any various branches of engineering: a mechanical engineer; a civil engineer.2. a person who operates or is in charge of an engine.

~ verb

1. to plan, construct, or manage as an engineer: He's engineered several big industrial projects.

While I am not quite tamed or domesticated, my work does pertain to the home and family.  And, as a Domestic Engineer, I am constantly using machines (coffee maker, microwave, vacuum cleaner on occasion) and engines (there's a big one in the car I drive to and fro).  Plus, I am constantly planning and managing my industrial projects, a.k.a. darling children.  So, now when asked what do I do, instead of responding with, "I'm a stay-at-home mom" or the running off the seemingly endless list of what I do, I will simply smile and say proudly, "I am a Domestic Engineer".

". . . whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 Pin It

Quick & Easy Chinese Take-Out

I just found a yummy stir-fry sauce. The kids loved it and with a couple added squirts of sriracha, it was deliciously spicy for adults.

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tsp. honey

sriracha to taste

mix all together

I prepped everything beforehand (cut up veggies, toasted sesame seeds, sliced and cooked chicken, rinsed rice and set-up rice cooker). Then, when it was time for dinner I just started the rice cooker and brought all my prepped food out. I started with the kid's portions, putting chicken in a hot wok for a minute, adding veggies and cooking until tender but crunchy (about 5 minutes), and then adding just enough sauce to coat. After the kid's food was done, I simply added a couple squirts of sriracha to the sauce, mixed and repeated the cooking sequence for us. Since the wok was really hot, the sauce caramelized very quickly and I did not need to thicken it. But, if you like a thicker sauce, it can be thickened with a slurry of 2 tsp of cold water mixed with 2 tsp of corn starch.

I hope you enjoy it!

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Warning * * Do not Read if Squemish * *

** I warned you! **

I have never talked about poop so freely and with so many people (strangers even) until I had children.  Suddenly, it's a main topic of conversation.  But I never knew that there was a chart on which to base my poop descriptions.  Look what I found today!

The Bristol Stool Chart is described as "a medical aid, designed to classify the form of human feces into seven categories".  I am so glad I did not know about this with my first child (and I know many of my friends and family are agreeing with me) because I would have charted that baby's poop daily.  And insisted that if anyone changed his diaper, they chart it as well.  I was slightly neurotic.

But, since I have found this amazing chart (thank you Dr. Heaton at he University of Bristol) I wanted to share it with you.  Now when we talk about poop, we can use the scale and we will all know exactly what we mean!

I hope everyone has a great and, ahem, productive day!

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Dinner . . . Easy . . . Good!

The easiest dinner (and with the widest appeal) I've made to date.  Everyone ate (with minimal complaints) from Daddy to the Baby!

Prep Time: 10 minutes or so (longer if you have to get up on a stool and finagle your crockpot out from under all the other things you've tossed up on the top shelf of your kitchen cabinet.) 

Cook Time: 4 to 4-1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1-Jar favorite pasta sauce (24 ounces?)
• 1-bag frozen ravioli's (about a pound)
• 12 frozen meatballs
• shredded mozzarella cheese (I don't know, a handful?)

Pour 1/2 of the sauce in the bottom of the crockpot.  Add the ravioli's and meatballs.  Add water to the jar with the leftover sauce and shake to combine.  Pour over ravioli's and meatballs.  Top with cheese.  Put lid on and set crockpot to low for 4 to 4-1/2 hours.  (Do not try to be sneaky and set it to medium or high in hopes of cutting the cooking time in half.  Oh, you'll cut the time in half, but you'll loose all the ravioli's on the bottom of the crockpot because they'll be burnt.)  That's it.  Seriously.  Oh, you can get creative and do all sorts of things but that defeats the purpose of a super easy dinner. Plus, you probably have all these ingredients already!

Enjoy!

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Melted Crayons in my Laundry

Ah, the joys of laundry . . . the soothing thump, thump, thump of the washer . . . the smell of fabric softener and dryer sheets wafting in the air . . . the feeling of victory when gazing upon neat little stacks of folded clothes . . . the agony of defeat when you realize you forgot to check your son's pockets and you've just washed and dried a red crayon into a load of wash and you now have polka-dotted shirts.  First the lesson:  Always check pockets before doing laundry.  Now the remedy.

I Googled "melted crayon in dryer" and the first link that popped-up was to thriftyfun.com.  This is where I found the miracle recipe that saved the laundry.  It sounds crazy, but it worked.

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup Borax (this is a laundry detergent booster, I found it at Vons)

1 cup OxyClean (powder, not liquid)

1 cup Shout stain remover

1 full capfull of Whisk He laundry detergent (not just up to the load line, but a full capfull)

1 full capful of Clorox2 (again a full capfull)

1 gallon 140 degree Fahrenheit water

Dissolve all ingredients in the water and soak clothing until water is cool to the touch.  Drain and wash as usual.

I hope you never have to use this recipe, but in case you do, Good Luck!

**Disclaimer**

The suggestions for removing stains have been posted as a service to my readers. I am unable to guarantee or be responsible for the results obtained by these procedures. You may also wish to consult your local cleaner for further recommendations.  Before attempting the stain removal method, test each procedure on an inconspicuous area of the material or surface to be cleaned. Please be advised these stain removal methods involve hazardous products and are intended only for adult use. I do not recommend children attempt these procedures.  In many procedures, specific brands of products are recommended. These are brands that performed most effectively in my kitchen. Always check individual containers for recommended procedures and warnings. Competitive brand products may work equally well.

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Paper Pushing (or . . . What do I do with all this mail?!)

I have a secret . . . I LOVE mail.  Letters especially, but junk mail, catalogs, anything; I just like getting mail.  My problem is what to do with it all.  I've tried the Stuff Into a Drawer and Hope it Goes Away plan.  I've also done the trick Pack Into a Box and Store until Obsolete trick.  Guess what, neither work.  So, for 2010, I resolve to handle and file my mail using the RAPID method.

R - read: things to read later

A - attend: things/places to attend

P - pay: needs to be paid

I - important: like those insurance cards I thought I lost

D - dump: the true junk mail

This should also help keep my desk clean and clear.  

Speaking of which, did you clean yours off using the REMOVE method?  I did and found $35!  It pays to organize!

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Let's Get Organized!

According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, January is the Get Organized Month. So, let's start this Monday morning by cleaning our desktops using the R-E-M-O-V-E plan of attack.

R - reduce distractions; maybe a candy dish isn't such a good idea.
E - only everyday items; if you only use the hole punch once a month, it doesn't belong on your desk. But, if you use the stapler many times a day, it should be easy to reach.
M - move to the preferred side; are you left handed but your mouse pad is on the right? Move it over!
O - organize together; if it clips, tapes or staples things together, put them together. Organize like items with like items.
V - view your time; on a calendar and on a clock. The clock on your computer is good, but a stand alone clock in plain site is better.

E - empty the center; it's easier to get a project started and completed if you have room to work, so clear the center spot of your desk every day and only use it for items you are actively working on.

While I've tailored this plan for a desktop, it is very useful for any flat working surface (kitchen counters, workbench, dresser tops, bathroom counters, etc.).

Welcome to 2010!

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