July 31, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.31.14
July 30, 2014
July 29, 2014
Do you think it's possible to just live in bed?
I love bed. No, more than that. I love love bed. I mean I REALLY love love love bed. Maybe it's because I feel as if I run around like a mad woman all day, until that last second when I crash into bed. And then it's like heaven. Mostly because I can call it quits for the day and close my eyes until I starts all over again in a few hours. But also because it feels so amazing.
We're lucky to have awesome mattress and box spring (It pre-dates me. The Hubbs bought it after he got divorced and he 'done good' on the bed shopping.). And then there's the sheets. <heavy sigh> They're amazeballs. We talked about these last week. In case you missed that post, you can find it here.
So all in all, bed is the place I'd like to be all the time. But, there's one tiny flaw. We have the classic husband and wife bedtime dilemma. Ok, not that one. I know we're talking about beds here, but try to keep it clean, folks. The other bedtime dilemma. The one where the husband is too hot and the wife is too cold (although I hear at some point in a marriage, the order reverses) and they drive each other insane trying to stay cool/warm.
Me? I want to go to sleep with something covering me up. The Hubbs? He's always "too hot". So we struggle with it. But I think we've found our solution (short of going the Lucy and Ricky "separate beds in the same room" strategy, which, full disclosure here, I have considered. But as newly-ish-weds it seems a little early for that kind of talk. I'll let you long-timers make your case for it in the comments.).
A while ago I came across a woman that sells all things bed made out of linen. I think I may have seen something on Pinterest and that's how I found her, but I honestly can't remember. Her sheets look gorgeous and she has something called a summer cover (see the photo above). I ordered a fabric sample card (you can too - click here to get yours) and the colors are beautiful and the linen looks dreamy. But she was a bit spendy for me and I couldn't go and touch her stuff to see if I liked it beyond the 2"x2" sample. What if I ordered the wrong thing and was stuck with it? Oh, the drama.
Then the onslaught of Restoration Hardware catalogs hit our house (seriously - they came in a HUGE package and there were eight or nine of them. Why do they send so many?!). They had a catalog specifically for bedding and there was a whole line of linen sheeting and duvets, etc. Power Brunette Moment! I have an RH near where I live and I had a birthday coming up. And a Hubbs desperately looking for birthday ideas for me. (See now now it really was a PBM?)
So, we went shopping. The Hubbs was a great sport about it (he's not much of a shopper and honestly, neither am I) and he let me wander around RH touching all of their linen coverlets and duvets and asking him, "Do you like this one or this one better?" In the end, we settled on a duvet cover (in which we will not be putting a duvet, in an attempt to try and duplicate the lightweight feel of the summer cover) in a dark grey (big shocker for those of you that know me). There's a picture of it on the bed above (note - I've said it before but it bears repeating - I'm not a photographer. At all.)
And here it is on our bed up close and personal. Ta da!
I LOVE it. It's just the right weight for me to feel all snuggly and The Hubbs (after about 10 minutes of cooling off after getting in bed, which brings me to another question I have. How the heck does one get hot brushing your teeth and laying down in bed to begin with?! Are you brushing too hard? Is the walk from the bathroom to your side of the bed that laborious?) has a blanket that he can actually tolerate having on him at night. Win/Win all around! We got the matching shams too just because I liked the way they looked/felt and it was my birthday present, so here's a close up of those.
I just checked the RH site and they are having a 30% off sale, as I type this. I'm guessing it goes until the end of the month, so you don't have a ton of time if you're thinking of taking advantage of this. And in the end we spent as much for the duvet from RH as we would have if we'd gotten the one from Rough Linen. But, I knew before I even opened the package that I was going to love it. And that sealed the deal for me. (BTW - again, they offer me nothing to say any of this or promote their stuff, but if you're listening, RH, I'd love a set of matching sheets.)
Now, if I can just find a solution to that OTHER dilemma we were talking about. :-)
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.29.14
July 28, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.28.14
July 27, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.27.14
July 26, 2014
Who doesn't love a quickie?
Post. Who doesn't love a quickie post? Since The Hubbs and I are off in Canada playing like we're kids at camp with his siblings this week, this is going to be a quick one. Don't worry. Just like all good quickies, there's still a payout at the end.
I've had a few people ask me about my farm. Ok, it's not really a farm in the traditional sense of the word. Ok, it's a tiny strip of ground right up against the house. The only strip of ground in the whole dang yard that gets enough light for a garden. But stuff grows there. And I sometimes wear overalls. So it's a farm, dang it.
Here's a picture from almost two months ago.
The tomatoes and hot pepper plants, along with the cucumber, were purchased at a local hardware store. But the stuff I'm really proud of is the stuff I grew from stuff I had no idea would reproduce. You see, there are sweet potatoes in there. I love sweet potatoes. Mostly because they are something sweet that I can have during my dietary desert (yup, I'm looking at you Dr. Denny). But they are good for you and easy to grow. Almost from nothing. Almost.
How, you ask? I'm here to tell you. Buy a couple of sweet potatoes at the store. Make sure they're in good shape. No yucky looking ones. But they don't need to be anything special either.
Here's a picture from almost two months ago.
The tomatoes and hot pepper plants, along with the cucumber, were purchased at a local hardware store. But the stuff I'm really proud of is the stuff I grew from stuff I had no idea would reproduce. You see, there are sweet potatoes in there. I love sweet potatoes. Mostly because they are something sweet that I can have during my dietary desert (yup, I'm looking at you Dr. Denny). But they are good for you and easy to grow. Almost from nothing. Almost.
How, you ask? I'm here to tell you. Buy a couple of sweet potatoes at the store. Make sure they're in good shape. No yucky looking ones. But they don't need to be anything special either.
Cut them in 1/2 and get yourself a couple Tupperware containers or you can use dishes like the ones I have (you'll see in a minute). Stick the potatoes the cut side down in some water (no more than 1/2 way up the potato) and let them be somewhere near a window. Well, almost. Make sure they have water and I spray mine with a mister each day. I have no idea if it helps, but I like to think they enjoy it and think of it as a treat.
I digress. In a few days you'll start to see shoots coming up from the potato's eyes (yup, they have eyes). Once those shoots develop leaves, you can pop them off at the eye part and go plant the shoots in the dirt. You could even plant them in a pot (if you have one big enough) if you live in an apartment or if you can only container garden.
Now comes the hard part. You have to wait. And wait. Ask The Hubbs - I'm not great at waiting. I can when I have to though. You should try too. And in a few months, you'll have potatoes!! Of your very own. AND - they will keep in a cool, dry spot for months ! Here's a how to on that.
I digress. In a few days you'll start to see shoots coming up from the potato's eyes (yup, they have eyes). Once those shoots develop leaves, you can pop them off at the eye part and go plant the shoots in the dirt. You could even plant them in a pot (if you have one big enough) if you live in an apartment or if you can only container garden.
Now comes the hard part. You have to wait. And wait. Ask The Hubbs - I'm not great at waiting. I can when I have to though. You should try too. And in a few months, you'll have potatoes!! Of your very own. AND - they will keep in a cool, dry spot for months ! Here's a how to on that.
You might want to have a trellis nearby. Who knew (not me) that these things are really a vine and they like to grow on stuff. Look at mine go!
You can also get other stuff to reproduce in a similar way (celery, lettuce, mushrooms, ginger and garlic to name a few). The Whole Foods website had a graphic up once upon a time telling you how to grow each of those from existing fruits/vegetables. It may still be out there on the interwebs somewhere. And now you can call yourself a farmer, just like me. You're welcome.
You can also get other stuff to reproduce in a similar way (celery, lettuce, mushrooms, ginger and garlic to name a few). The Whole Foods website had a graphic up once upon a time telling you how to grow each of those from existing fruits/vegetables. It may still be out there on the interwebs somewhere. And now you can call yourself a farmer, just like me. You're welcome.
July 25, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.25.14
"He said, 'There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.'" -Dali Lama
July 24, 2014
Let's all let out a cumulative, "Yum!"
Oatmeal. The word doesn't always conjure up great vibes. If you had a mom (or dad) growing up that boiled the oatmeal and that was it, you may have sworn off oatmeal forever. Until your cholesterol test came back high. And the doctor said, "One way to help lower cholesterol is to eat oatmeal." At which point, you gagged and threw up all over him.
Or maybe not. Maybe your mom made it (like mine did) with some cream or milk and a little brown sugar. But even with the sweet creamy yumminess, it was sill just. . . . oatmeal.
I'm here to save your heart and your cholesterol and maybe even your doctor's outfit. I was cruising Pinterest one day and found a woman's blog via a pin. The pin offered the promise of not just oatmeal, but Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookie Dough Oatmeal. And it was gluten free (for those that don't know, I've been put on some pretty heavy duty dietary restrictions by my doctor while we sort out some health stuff). Gluten Free Cookie Dough (those were really the only words that registered with me at the time)?! I'm in.
So, I cruised on over to her site (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com) where Katie claims to offer a healthy dessert blog. Healthy dessert? Who's ever heard of such a thing? Not I. And with that, I decided to try the CCCCDO (as I now refer to it) the next morning. It's been four months and I eat this blissful yumminess two to three times a week. Time to share the bliss, I say.
Ok, let's get going. Start off by turning your oven (I use my convection toaster oven) to 375 degrees to let it heat up. Then get all of your ingredients together:
1/2 cup gluten free oats (they don't have to be GF, but if you're GF, know that not all oats are)
1/2 scoop of chia seeds (I added this to the recipe because chia seeds are the bomb and a superfood and they keep you from getting bound up. No one likes to be bound up. At least no one I know.).
1/4 cup apple sauce (I use the unsweetened, organic kind from Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup almond milk (you can use any kind of milk, but I can't have cow's milk dairy right now, so this works for me)
1 Tablespoon coconut butter (you can find this at Whole Foods too, or you can make your own. Click here for a recipe/how to).
Some chocolate chips (again, I buy a special kind at Whole Foods, but any kind will do)
A sprinkle of sea salt
Next, grease up an oven-safe bowl/baker (I found my cuties at an antique store by Lake Gaston, but you can use anything that's oven save and individual sized. Custard dishes would work well.). I use Coconut Oil spray from Trader Joe's because it can handle high temps. You can use whatever pan spray you like.
In a mixing bowl, add your oats, chia seeds, the sea salt and the coconut butter. The coconut butter will usually crumble if you moosh (yup, that's a word) it up a bit with the tablespoon you used to measure it. Make sure that's all mixed well. Next add the milk and the applesauce and mix everything together.
Lastly, add in the chocolate chips (don't go overboard here - I never measure but I'm guessing 1/8 of a cup is good).
Pour the whole thing into your oven safe baker and stick it in your heated oven for 20 minutes. Set a timer. You don't want to screw that up. Because once it's finished up it's 20, you're going to turn the oven to broil and crisp up the top for five minutes (no more - four might even do it, if your broiler runs super hot).
And voila! It's so easy even a kid can do it (are you listening bonus daughters?). It's a (healthy) dessert for breakfast. If you want to see prettier pictures or just read Chocolate Covered Katie's version, go here.
And as always, you're welcome. :-)
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.24.14
"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer." -Corrie TenBoom
July 23, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.23.14
July 22, 2014
Soft. Soft. So very Soft.
They looked nice enough when they arrived. I tossed them in the washer and dryer. Then I put them on the bed. And went to bed. Are those angels singing? Is that a unicorn flying over a rainbow? They were sooooo soft and comfy. And did I mention they are inexpensive?! It gets even better. The set is a six piece set. Six pieces! Four pillow cases (we have lots of pillows on our bed, so YAY!), a fitted sheet and a flat sheet.
And they were only $29.
Yes.
You read that correctly.
$29.
Hello, BARGAIN!
Here's an up-close view of them on our bed (repeated disclaimer - I'm no photographer):
Now you understand why I ordered two more sets. And a set for the guest bed. And two sets for the lakehouse trailer. You could order a set in every color at this price!
We've had the first set for a year and it's just now starting to show wear. But, seriously? Who cares? They were only $29! So what if they don't last until the grandkids start to pop up?
Are you ready for the link yet? Do I have you convinced? Ok. Ok. Just click here to order your own bedtime nirvana. You're welcome.
Oh, and I guess I should put in some sort of note that these folks have no idea that I'm writing about their sheets and I'm getting nothing for it (note to the sheet people - I'm not above accepting free sheets, however).
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.22.14
July 21, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.21.14
July 20, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.20.14
"Each soul has its own note to sing in the divine chorus and no voice is more important than another." -Prem Prakash
July 19, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.19.14
"The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the wisest. The first to forget is the happiest." -Buddhist Boot Camp (http://www.buddhistbootcamp.com)
July 18, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.18.14
July 17, 2014
And now for my next trick. . . .
So, with a little help from my friends (aka guest bloggers) we're going to start bringing you something "new" now and then. Don't worry - the Daily Brain Vitamins aren't going anywhere. Those will still show up every morning. But instead of having to wait until tomorrow for something else yummy to feed your brain, you'll get a little treat during the day now and then.
And we start today with. . . . How To Fold a Fitted Sheet.
My mom and I were talking about this recently. Someone in our family had posted a funny post on FB (Facebook) stating that anyone that could fold a fitted sheet must be a witch. Apparently Mom and I need broomsticks and pointy hats then, because she taught me how to fold a fitted sheet years ago (although, I'll pause for a moment to give a shout out here to Dad, who taught me how to MAKE a bed. Hospital corners and all).
On to the fitted sheet. Here's a step by step guide on how to fold one:
Step one: Get a fitted sheet. Ok, that seems like it shouldn't really be a step. You already have a fitted sheet. That's why you're here. Ok focus, WendyKate. Let's try again.
Step one: Take your fitted sheet and tuck the inside of one of the short corners (where the seam and elastic are) into the opposite corner. This is the trickiest part. Using your fist to stick one corner inside the other works best. Then do the same with the two corners at the other end of the sheet. And fold over the top (elastic side up) and edges to make a rounded-edged rectangle. It should look like this.
Step two: Fold one edge over towards the middle. Like this.
Step three: Fold the other edge over to meet the first edge in the middle. Like this.
Step four: Fold that in half the long way (folding one edge over the other edge, at the midline). Like this.
Step five: Working from the bottom, fold the sheet in thirds. Like this.
And then this.
Step six: You're done. It's really pretty easy - I've even taught my bonus daughters how to do it. Go, stick that puppy into the linen closet right next to it's sibling the flat sheet, which was much easier to fold to begin with. And you too can now go pick out your new broom and pointy black hat!
Speaking of sheets - check back soon because I'm going to let you in on a secret about some awesome sheets that are beyond soft and they are super inexpensive. You won't want to get out of bed. In fact, where do you think I am as I write this post? You're welcome.
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.17.14
July 16, 2014
July 15, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.15.14
July 14, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.14.14
July 13, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.13.14
July 12, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.12.14
"The mind that perceives the limitation is the limitation." -Buddha
July 11, 2014
Your Daily Brain Vitamin v7.11.14
Good news: The great ones never do.
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