I haven't been posting updates on my job search because it's been a challenge. It was hard not to worry about it — how long should I hold out for a job I want before settling for something else so we wouldn't have to resort to ramen for every meal? I knew God would put me in the right place, but there's often a difference between knowing and getting your emotions to function on that knowledge.
I'd get my hopes up, only to see God close the door — I was thankful he made it obvious where I wasn't supposed to be, but more confused at where I should look next. I applied at a local bookstore and after a few visits and e-mails with no response, I gave up. I met one of Fox's friends who works at Google and she suggested I look there (I love Google!). I saw a listing for a job I'd enjoy, only to find out the position had just been filled. I started combing newspapers, government job listings, nearby colleges... but I wasn't finding anything for which I was qualified and/or interested.
A couple weeks ago, Ian got an e-mail Sasaki sent out to all employees asking for references to fill in for the receptionist during her maternity leave. Ian sent in my name, and I interviewed last Wednesday. During the interview, I learned an administrative assistant is retiring soon. So instead of getting the temporary receptionist job, Sasaki offered me a 6-8 week temporary job as an administrative assistant in training. If everything goes well (i.e. I like the job and I'm good at it) I'll become a permanent employee taking the place of the admin who is retiring.
Looking back, it's amazing how God closed the other doors in order to get me to this one, which I think is a job I'll love and will be able to do well. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. I start February 8... stay tuned!
1.27.2010
1.25.2010
football stew & buttermilk biscuits
This recipe is a favorite of my mom's because it's so easy and tasty. It's one of my favorite meals as well, especially when the weather is dark and rainy, like today. I'm adding a few modifications to the recipe, because my slow cooker is smaller than my mom's. I didn't take that into account and the broth overflowed a bit. I have a 4-quart slow cooker. I'm listing amounts for my size (the lower amount) as well as the exact recipe from my mom (the higher amount). If your slow cooker is even smaller, adjust accordingly.
football stew
makes 10-12 servings (great as leftovers!)
2 lbs. beef, cubed (any sort of roast/hunk of beef will work in the slow cooker!)
4-5 medium potatoes, chunk
5-6 celery stalks, thick sliced
5-6 carrots, thick sliced
2-3 onions, chunk
approximately 20 oz. of tomato juice (2 inches deep in slow cooker)
3 tbsp. minute tapioca (to thicken)
3 tsp. salt
3-4 tbsp. sugar (go higher if you use more tomato juice)
Mix the meat and vegetables together in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the top. Pour enough tomato juice to fill the slow cooker at least 2 inches deep. (Mom uses a full 20 oz. can which is more than 2 inches in her slow cooker. I couldn't find so I used a larger can and guessed the amount. When I make it again, I'll probably use a little less so it doesn't overflow in my smaller slow cooker.)
Cook on low for 8 hours.
UPDATES: If you can't find tomato juice, substitute a 6 oz can of tomato paste and chicken/beef stock. We've also tried swapping a couple carrots out for turnips and it turned out great (3 carrots + 4 turnips instead of 5-6 carrots). And if you have a too-small slow cooker like us and don't want to shrink the recipe, you can bake this in a dutch oven at 250 degrees for 6-8 hours, but do add extra liquids.
Football stew goes great with my mom's super easy buttermilk biscuits!
buttermilk biscuits
makes a dozen
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) margarine
3/4 c. buttermilk
In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk all at once. Stir the dough with a fork until it clings together.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes — DON'T OVER KNEAD or your biscuits will be tough! Roll or pat the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter (or anything that will work similarly), dipping the cutter into flour between cuts to prevent sticking.
Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 400F degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Some notes...
football stew
makes 10-12 servings (great as leftovers!)
2 lbs. beef, cubed (any sort of roast/hunk of beef will work in the slow cooker!)
4-5 medium potatoes, chunk
5-6 celery stalks, thick sliced
5-6 carrots, thick sliced
2-3 onions, chunk
approximately 20 oz. of tomato juice (2 inches deep in slow cooker)
3 tbsp. minute tapioca (to thicken)
3 tsp. salt
3-4 tbsp. sugar (go higher if you use more tomato juice)
Mix the meat and vegetables together in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the top. Pour enough tomato juice to fill the slow cooker at least 2 inches deep. (Mom uses a full 20 oz. can which is more than 2 inches in her slow cooker. I couldn't find so I used a larger can and guessed the amount. When I make it again, I'll probably use a little less so it doesn't overflow in my smaller slow cooker.)
Cook on low for 8 hours.
UPDATES: If you can't find tomato juice, substitute a 6 oz can of tomato paste and chicken/beef stock. We've also tried swapping a couple carrots out for turnips and it turned out great (3 carrots + 4 turnips instead of 5-6 carrots). And if you have a too-small slow cooker like us and don't want to shrink the recipe, you can bake this in a dutch oven at 250 degrees for 6-8 hours, but do add extra liquids.
Football stew goes great with my mom's super easy buttermilk biscuits!
buttermilk biscuits
makes a dozen
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) margarine
3/4 c. buttermilk
In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk all at once. Stir the dough with a fork until it clings together.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes — DON'T OVER KNEAD or your biscuits will be tough! Roll or pat the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter (or anything that will work similarly), dipping the cutter into flour between cuts to prevent sticking.
Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 400F degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Some notes...
- If you don't have buttermilk, measure 2 1/4 tsp. white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 3/4 c. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. The biscuits won't turn out any different than if you used buttermilk!
- For sour cream biscuits, replace the buttermilk with 1/2 c. sour cream and 1/4 c. milk.
- For plain biscuits, replace buttermilk with 2/3 c. milk.
Menu Plan Monday: January 25-31
It's Menu Plan Monday, hosted by "I'm an Organizing Junkie."
Monday: leftover soup with biscuits
Tuesday: quesadillas (which I can pack and we can eat on the way to community group)
Wednesday: cheeseburger soup, my first attempt at Jenni's recipe
Thursday: mashed potatoes and bbq meatballs
Friday: bratwursts
Saturday: baked macaroni and cheese and homemade chicken nuggets
Sunday: raid the fridge (i.e. leftovers)
breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal
lunches: leftovers, sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, chips
1.19.2010
a New England election
Last night, we stayed up late.
To see the beard.
To see the Octagon of Doom rock national television.
And most importantly to see our beloved Wildcats beat #1 Texas.
This morning, we got up early for another important event with national coverage — the special state election to choose the Kennedy-seat replacement. For the first time since 1953, the seat will not be occupied by a member of the Kennedy family. Even more significant, this seat is Senate Democrat number 60 and a party change here could threaten Obama's health care bill. A google search shows the race is a close one.
So it was no surprise there was a decent line at 7:30 a.m., only 30 minutes after the polls opened. I'm just thrilled that our first votes as Massachusetts residents are so significant!
It's a very organized setup, and there are some adorable senior citizens helping voters check in.
Us after fulfilling our civic responsibility.
And to make the experience even more delightful, a beautiful fluffy snow made our short walk to the polls a beautiful one.
The polls close at 8 p.m. eastern time. When you see the results, know that two of those numbers are us!
To see the beard.
To see the Octagon of Doom rock national television.
And most importantly to see our beloved Wildcats beat #1 Texas.
This morning, we got up early for another important event with national coverage — the special state election to choose the Kennedy-seat replacement. For the first time since 1953, the seat will not be occupied by a member of the Kennedy family. Even more significant, this seat is Senate Democrat number 60 and a party change here could threaten Obama's health care bill. A google search shows the race is a close one.
So it was no surprise there was a decent line at 7:30 a.m., only 30 minutes after the polls opened. I'm just thrilled that our first votes as Massachusetts residents are so significant!
It's a very organized setup, and there are some adorable senior citizens helping voters check in.
Us after fulfilling our civic responsibility.
And to make the experience even more delightful, a beautiful fluffy snow made our short walk to the polls a beautiful one.
The polls close at 8 p.m. eastern time. When you see the results, know that two of those numbers are us!
1.18.2010
Menu Plan Monday: January 18-24
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. At Reunion yesterday we took some time to remember his legacy, one that reaches beyond racial equality, to respect for every person God created.
It's Menu Plan Monday, hosted by "I'm an Organizing Junkie."
Monday: ramen (it's quick so we can make it to Fox's to watch the K-State vs. Texas Big Monday game!)
Tuesday: turkey sandwiches and chips (after community group)
Wednesday: chicken cordon bleu casserole, my first attempt at Vanessa's recipe
Thursday: skyline chili
Friday: football stew and buttermilk biscuits
Saturday: hamburgers
Sunday: raid the fridge (i.e. leftovers)
breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal
lunches: leftovers, sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, chips
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. —Martin Luther King, Jr.
It's Menu Plan Monday, hosted by "I'm an Organizing Junkie."
Monday: ramen (it's quick so we can make it to Fox's to watch the K-State vs. Texas Big Monday game!)
Tuesday: turkey sandwiches and chips (after community group)
Wednesday: chicken cordon bleu casserole, my first attempt at Vanessa's recipe
Thursday: skyline chili
Friday: football stew and buttermilk biscuits
Saturday: hamburgers
Sunday: raid the fridge (i.e. leftovers)
breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal
lunches: leftovers, sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, chips
1.14.2010
help Haiti.
By now you've probably heard about the earthquake. At first I thought, "oh, 7.0 earthquake, that's not good." Then the fact that it happened in Haiti began to sink in. The ONE campaign puts it better than I can.
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup — where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
We plan to give via World Vision: they have been working in Haiti for the past 30 years and set up a fund specifically to respond to this crisis. (Charity Navigator gives World Vision 4 stars and 87% of the money they raise goes directly to the programs — fiscal responsibility is a high priority.) Click on any of the links to donate.
Disasters like this one are especially devastating when they strike places that are already struggling to provide the most basic of services for its population. With weak government and private sector institutions, and with uncertain security conditions, Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the Western Hemisphere, and the majority of Haitians live in poverty. The sheer scale of poverty in the country means that the government has limited capacity to meet even the simplest needs of its people, let alone address a disaster of this magnitude. Haiti’s lack of development — which translates into a lack of government capacity for emergency preparedness — magnifies the impact of this tragedy. In addition to creating a very real and immediate humanitarian tragedy, this earthquake and the struggle to navigate its aftermath will be an enormous setback to the hard-won gains that Haiti has achieved in recent years in securing a more stable environment and fighting poverty.We live in a land of plenty and have the opportunity to give. I urge you to practice sacrificial giving as God calls us to do.
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup — where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
James 2:14-17 (The Message)
World Vision is rushing emergency supplies to thousands of people left homeless by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti yesterday. It is reported that up to 3 million people have been affected and current estimates indicate as many as 100,000 are feared to be dead or injured. Your help is needed now!
"We would be very concerned about a quake of this magnitude anywhere in the world, but it is especially devastating in Haiti, where people are acutely vulnerable because of poor infrastructure and extreme poverty," said Edward Brown, World Vision’s relief director.
World Vision has worked in Haiti for 30 years and has some 370 staff members on the ground. World Vision is distributing emergency survival kits — including food, water, blankets and tents — to provide immediate aid to affected children and families. We are also providing emergency health services to the injured.
Your prayers, and your support, are crucial right now. It is only because of friends like you that we can meet the urgent needs of Haiti's earthquake survivors.
The people who live in Haiti already have suffered so much from poverty, disease and unrest. Please pray for children and their families who have been affected by this disaster, and for World Vision's staff as they provide emergency relief in the days and weeks ahead, and over the coming years as they rebuild. Pray that God will bring hope out of despair as He builds a new Haiti from the rubble.
1.11.2010
Menu Plan Monday: January 11-17
It's Menu Plan Monday, hosted by "I'm an Organizing Junkie." I stopped menu planning when we were living with Ian's family, since we weren't the main meal-makers (we did cook and help out, don't worry). I'm back on the wagon, because planning helps me make one grocery trip and stay on budget, and posting it makes me more accountable to plan every week.
Ian will be going to Columbus, Ohio on a business trip tomorrow through Thursday, so I'm going lighter while he's gone, as I don't want an overload of leftovers!
Monday: pancakes
Tuesday: chicken pockets
Wednesday: chicken pockets (it goes for 2 days when I'm by myself!)
Thursday: bagelwiches
Friday: lasagna
Saturday: macaroni and cheese with ham
Sunday: raid the fridge (i.e. leftovers)
breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal
lunches: leftovers, sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, chips
1.09.2010
we have a winner!
Thanks for helping us choose our new blog design! After two weeks and 37 votes, we have a winner.
option 1 received 10% of the votes.
option 2, the poor thing, received 0% of the votes.
option 3, in a landslide, received 89% of the votes.
I know that only adds up to 99%, but the Blogger poll gadget did the math, not me. Maybe we can pretend that option 2 received the remaining 1% so it doesn't seem so lonely. Thanks again for your input!
option 1 received 10% of the votes.
option 2, the poor thing, received 0% of the votes.
option 3, in a landslide, received 89% of the votes.
I know that only adds up to 99%, but the Blogger poll gadget did the math, not me. Maybe we can pretend that option 2 received the remaining 1% so it doesn't seem so lonely. Thanks again for your input!
1.08.2010
what we did for Christmas break, part 2.1
As Ian and I were cleaning up after dinner, he reminded me of something on our trip I had forgotten about in the mess that was O'Hare.
As we were boarding the plane in Kansas City (two hours late, don't forget), the very pleasant family beside us with two girls and a nap-deprived baby (who the mom kept apologizing for) found a ring on the floor. They asked around, but no one claimed it. The mom said it was too bad, since she thought it looked like a wedding ring. I asked to take a look, in case there were any identifying marks.
There were — elvish, to be precise. I piped up. "I'm kind of a Lord of the Rings nut, and I'm pretty sure this is a replica of the one ring."
A guy waiting in the aisle piped up that if someone just put it on, we'd know for sure if he or she disappeared.
The mom handed it off to the flight attendants, who announced that a passenger found a ring and if you lost it, describe it to the crew and you can have it back.
The mom looked at me and laughed, saying if I tried to claim it, she would know I was lying. I assured her I didn't want the responsibility. It's not like our flight was to Mordor with Dwight Shrute, after all.
It was a very welcome laugh after such a long wait in the airport!
As we were boarding the plane in Kansas City (two hours late, don't forget), the very pleasant family beside us with two girls and a nap-deprived baby (who the mom kept apologizing for) found a ring on the floor. They asked around, but no one claimed it. The mom said it was too bad, since she thought it looked like a wedding ring. I asked to take a look, in case there were any identifying marks.
There were — elvish, to be precise. I piped up. "I'm kind of a Lord of the Rings nut, and I'm pretty sure this is a replica of the one ring."
A guy waiting in the aisle piped up that if someone just put it on, we'd know for sure if he or she disappeared.
The mom handed it off to the flight attendants, who announced that a passenger found a ring and if you lost it, describe it to the crew and you can have it back.
The mom looked at me and laughed, saying if I tried to claim it, she would know I was lying. I assured her I didn't want the responsibility. It's not like our flight was to Mordor with Dwight Shrute, after all.
It was a very welcome laugh after such a long wait in the airport!
1.07.2010
what we did for Christmas break, part 2
Thursday, also known as the best day of my life, our anniversary and New Year's Eve, Ian and I got up at 4:15 in the morning. Because we are such morning people had an 8:10 a.m. flight to Kansas City via Minneapolis. Avid blog readers may notice this is the third time in six months I've been through this airport. So if you need directions or food suggestions, I'm your girl.
Our friends and family very generously took care of our transportation. Jeremy picked us up at the airport on his way back to Manhattan, and we had a lovely, nerdy conversation the whole way there. Nathan took us the rest of the way to to the farm, where the rest of our family already was.
We played a rousing game of Apples to Apples
, which is becoming a family tradition.
My favorite moment this year (last year was when Dad put in "my love life" for the prompt "disturbing" which Mom drew) is when Mom started singing "tiny bubbles in the wine" and doing a hula after reading the song lyrics on one of the cards. She then explained when she was little they performed that song at a school program. Ian and I turned in at 11:15 after deciding it was already midnight on the east coast, which should count for us.
The next day we stuffed ourselves with potato sausage and homemade pie before Nathan drove us back to Manhattan — we needed to see Ian's family and get to Karen and Jeremy's wedding rehearsal. After our full day, Britni and Joe were so generous letting us crash at their house that night, and we got to meet their new kittens, Oliver and Nigel. This did not help me any in dealing with our current lack of kitty — they are so adorable and playful!
The next morning I was up early again to help decorate for the reception. Karen left Micki and I in charge of the columns and finishing things up, as they had hair appointments. Micki is amazing at decorating and whipped out this detailing for the tops of the columns.
I don't think I had a spare moment between decorating, lunch with Jordan, getting ready, photos, doing my program and gifts job, the wedding and the reception, but it was so worth it to be a part of Karemy's big day — thanks for letting us help!
The wedding was gorgeous and the reception memorable.
They had one of the most interesting groom's cakes I've ever seen.
And we had a blast!
Click here for more photos.
The next morning we left right on time at 7 a.m. It's a good thing too, because it was snowy and a couple cars were in the ditch — there was no way we could have hurried.
We arrived at the check-in counter behind a large line that only doubled in size behind us. Fox informed us that with less than 45 minutes to departure, over half of our flight was behind him in line. Fortunately for them, a mechanical issue forced United to switch planes, getting us into Chicago two hours later than scheduled. Unfortunately for us we missed our connecting flight to D.C. by an hour.
United rebooked the three of us onto a direct flight to Boston at 9:18 p.m. and put us on standby for all the flights to Boston in between, along with over 50 other people. We ate a late lunch then went to wait at the gate for the next Boston flight.
When flying standby, your name gets put on a list United conveniently displays on the monitor at the gate. The higher up on the list, the better your chances. Fox was 12, and we around 28. If there are open seats, they call your name and give you a boarding pass. If the flight is full, you wait at the gate until they finish boarding. If someone doesn't make it, they start going down the list. If you're there and they call your name, you get on the plane. Anyone on standby who doesn't make the flight automatically is transferred to standby for the next flight.
That is what we got to do for our next six hours at O'Hare. To make things more interesting, the flights were alternately in B and C terminals. Which meant once they closed the gate for the first flight, we got to walk through the tunnel to the other terminal to wait for the next one. We probably walked through this tunnel about eight times. At least it's pretty!
Fox made it on the third flight and we made it on the fourth. With all the delays, we got into Boston at about midnight. The MBTA closes at 12:40 a.m. God is good, because we caught everything, including the absolutely last green line train home, where we promptly collapsed in bed without unpacking.
As you can see, the last few days of Christmas break were considerably more hectic than the first. And we still didn't get to spend as much time with people as we wanted or as much as they deserved (especially our families and Britni and Joe). We also missed people we wanted to see (John and Erin, Scott and Bekah, our UCC peeps, the list goes on). You all mean so much to us and that's the one regret of the weekend. But we look forward to the next chance we have to see you, and you are ALWAYS welcome in Boston!
Our friends and family very generously took care of our transportation. Jeremy picked us up at the airport on his way back to Manhattan, and we had a lovely, nerdy conversation the whole way there. Nathan took us the rest of the way to to the farm, where the rest of our family already was.
We played a rousing game of Apples to Apples
, which is becoming a family tradition.My favorite moment this year (last year was when Dad put in "my love life" for the prompt "disturbing" which Mom drew) is when Mom started singing "tiny bubbles in the wine" and doing a hula after reading the song lyrics on one of the cards. She then explained when she was little they performed that song at a school program. Ian and I turned in at 11:15 after deciding it was already midnight on the east coast, which should count for us.
The next day we stuffed ourselves with potato sausage and homemade pie before Nathan drove us back to Manhattan — we needed to see Ian's family and get to Karen and Jeremy's wedding rehearsal. After our full day, Britni and Joe were so generous letting us crash at their house that night, and we got to meet their new kittens, Oliver and Nigel. This did not help me any in dealing with our current lack of kitty — they are so adorable and playful!
The next morning I was up early again to help decorate for the reception. Karen left Micki and I in charge of the columns and finishing things up, as they had hair appointments. Micki is amazing at decorating and whipped out this detailing for the tops of the columns.
I don't think I had a spare moment between decorating, lunch with Jordan, getting ready, photos, doing my program and gifts job, the wedding and the reception, but it was so worth it to be a part of Karemy's big day — thanks for letting us help!
The wedding was gorgeous and the reception memorable.
They had one of the most interesting groom's cakes I've ever seen.
And we had a blast!
Click here for more photos.
The next morning we left right on time at 7 a.m. It's a good thing too, because it was snowy and a couple cars were in the ditch — there was no way we could have hurried.
We arrived at the check-in counter behind a large line that only doubled in size behind us. Fox informed us that with less than 45 minutes to departure, over half of our flight was behind him in line. Fortunately for them, a mechanical issue forced United to switch planes, getting us into Chicago two hours later than scheduled. Unfortunately for us we missed our connecting flight to D.C. by an hour.
United rebooked the three of us onto a direct flight to Boston at 9:18 p.m. and put us on standby for all the flights to Boston in between, along with over 50 other people. We ate a late lunch then went to wait at the gate for the next Boston flight.
When flying standby, your name gets put on a list United conveniently displays on the monitor at the gate. The higher up on the list, the better your chances. Fox was 12, and we around 28. If there are open seats, they call your name and give you a boarding pass. If the flight is full, you wait at the gate until they finish boarding. If someone doesn't make it, they start going down the list. If you're there and they call your name, you get on the plane. Anyone on standby who doesn't make the flight automatically is transferred to standby for the next flight.
That is what we got to do for our next six hours at O'Hare. To make things more interesting, the flights were alternately in B and C terminals. Which meant once they closed the gate for the first flight, we got to walk through the tunnel to the other terminal to wait for the next one. We probably walked through this tunnel about eight times. At least it's pretty!
Fox made it on the third flight and we made it on the fourth. With all the delays, we got into Boston at about midnight. The MBTA closes at 12:40 a.m. God is good, because we caught everything, including the absolutely last green line train home, where we promptly collapsed in bed without unpacking.
As you can see, the last few days of Christmas break were considerably more hectic than the first. And we still didn't get to spend as much time with people as we wanted or as much as they deserved (especially our families and Britni and Joe). We also missed people we wanted to see (John and Erin, Scott and Bekah, our UCC peeps, the list goes on). You all mean so much to us and that's the one regret of the weekend. But we look forward to the next chance we have to see you, and you are ALWAYS welcome in Boston!
1.06.2010
what we did for Christmas break, part 1
I feel like I'm in grade school, writing an essay on "What I Did Over Christmas Break." Ahh, the memories.
We originally didn't know we were going to have a Christmas break. We knew Ian would get Christmas Eve/Day and New Year's off, but we thought that was it. And since he would only have accrued about 5 hours of PTO by then, we purchased tickets to squeeze everything into Karen and Jeremy's wedding weekend. The next day we found out the office was closed between Christmas and New Year's. C'est la vie.
So our Christmas break began when Ian met me at the airport the evening of December 23rd. It was wonderful — we slept in almost every morning, and had fun on Christmas Day (not to say we didn't miss our families).
I got Ian Carcassonne,
which we spent lots of time playing during the rest of break. Ian got me the Pixarpedia
along with a cookie dough scoop and a giant pancake flipper ("because you make the best pancakes ever!" — he's so sweet!)
We also did a bit of exploring. Here's the spot where George Washington took command of the army.
We even had our new friend, Ben, over for an evening of board games and coffee/tea. He was in Philly around the same time we were, working with homeless people. It was fun talking about the people and places we both know!
Overall, our break was really laid back and relaxing. That is, until Thursday, when everything exploded into a blizzard of a weekend. Stay tuned!
We originally didn't know we were going to have a Christmas break. We knew Ian would get Christmas Eve/Day and New Year's off, but we thought that was it. And since he would only have accrued about 5 hours of PTO by then, we purchased tickets to squeeze everything into Karen and Jeremy's wedding weekend. The next day we found out the office was closed between Christmas and New Year's. C'est la vie.
So our Christmas break began when Ian met me at the airport the evening of December 23rd. It was wonderful — we slept in almost every morning, and had fun on Christmas Day (not to say we didn't miss our families).
I got Ian Carcassonne,
which we spent lots of time playing during the rest of break. Ian got me the Pixarpedia along with a cookie dough scoop and a giant pancake flipper ("because you make the best pancakes ever!" — he's so sweet!)We also did a bit of exploring. Here's the spot where George Washington took command of the army.
We even had our new friend, Ben, over for an evening of board games and coffee/tea. He was in Philly around the same time we were, working with homeless people. It was fun talking about the people and places we both know!
Overall, our break was really laid back and relaxing. That is, until Thursday, when everything exploded into a blizzard of a weekend. Stay tuned!
1.04.2010
couponing, part 2
I got a few comments asking where I got my coupons and thought I'd answer it in a post, in case other people were curious as well! And for the record, I'm not that uncluttered or organized — I'm just embarrassed to put the cluttered and unorganized photos up... which is why you haven't seen our bedroom yet!
In Manhattan, I got a lot of coupons for non-grocery items in the campus coupon books at the beginning of the school year — if you live near a university this might be a good option for getting nearby restaurant and business coupons. Dillons also mailed me coupons after I registered my Dillons card online. We shopped at Dillons a lot and the bounty of coupons they mailed were for the food we bought often. You can also view a selection of coupons online and load them onto your plus card (saving paper!). Unfortunately I don't have that luxury here — we don't have Dillons.
I'm still trying to figure out how to get coupons since we've moved to Boston — my coupon book is pretty empty right now. We get a free newspaper mailer once a week with weekly store flyers and a few (I mean few) coupons. I've read you can subscribe to the weekend newspaper if it isn't too expensive. I haven't done this yet, but I might look into it. Money Saving Mom posts LOTS of deals and coupon book offers. This can be overwhelming, but you can view just the post titles if you subscribe in Google Reader, and ignore the ones for products/stores you aren't interested in. Her other posts have good tips on living frugally. She's lived on a tight budget putting her husband through law school, not always knowing how they'd pay the bills: she's an expert! I know there are lots of other sites that update the frugal on coupons, free samples and good deals. A full cup is one I've heard about.
But coupons aren't always the cheapest option — sometimes a brand name product with a coupon is still more expensive than the store brand. Buying prepared food, even with coupons, is often still more expensive than if you did the work yourself (bagged salad vs. a head of lettuce, baby carrots vs. a bunch of carrots, frozen dinners, etc.). Since we've started cooking more from scratch for the health and savings benefits, I realized I don't find as many coupons for basics like flour, sugar, butter, lettuce, tomatoes... So I pay more attention on how to save money even without coupons.
In Manhattan, I got a lot of coupons for non-grocery items in the campus coupon books at the beginning of the school year — if you live near a university this might be a good option for getting nearby restaurant and business coupons. Dillons also mailed me coupons after I registered my Dillons card online. We shopped at Dillons a lot and the bounty of coupons they mailed were for the food we bought often. You can also view a selection of coupons online and load them onto your plus card (saving paper!). Unfortunately I don't have that luxury here — we don't have Dillons.
I'm still trying to figure out how to get coupons since we've moved to Boston — my coupon book is pretty empty right now. We get a free newspaper mailer once a week with weekly store flyers and a few (I mean few) coupons. I've read you can subscribe to the weekend newspaper if it isn't too expensive. I haven't done this yet, but I might look into it. Money Saving Mom posts LOTS of deals and coupon book offers. This can be overwhelming, but you can view just the post titles if you subscribe in Google Reader, and ignore the ones for products/stores you aren't interested in. Her other posts have good tips on living frugally. She's lived on a tight budget putting her husband through law school, not always knowing how they'd pay the bills: she's an expert! I know there are lots of other sites that update the frugal on coupons, free samples and good deals. A full cup is one I've heard about.
But coupons aren't always the cheapest option — sometimes a brand name product with a coupon is still more expensive than the store brand. Buying prepared food, even with coupons, is often still more expensive than if you did the work yourself (bagged salad vs. a head of lettuce, baby carrots vs. a bunch of carrots, frozen dinners, etc.). Since we've started cooking more from scratch for the health and savings benefits, I realized I don't find as many coupons for basics like flour, sugar, butter, lettuce, tomatoes... So I pay more attention on how to save money even without coupons.
- Make a price list. My friend Vanessa maintains a price list for each of their local stores. Before her trip, she uses them to figure out which store is cheapest based on their current shopping list. Ian has an iPod touch app (Shopper) that works similarly — you input prices for multiple stores and when you create a shopping list it shows you your "cart total."
- Using a price list along with weekly flyers can help you save money and stock up on freezable/non-perishable items when they are on sale. Ex. I got $22 worth of roast for only $11.
- Produce is always cheaper in-season, so try to buy fruits and veggies accordingly.
- Compare the per-unit price, but don't buy the big one just because it's cheapest unless you know you'll use it all.
- Look above and below eye level for cheaper options.
- If you do nothing else, go in with a list and stick to it — impulse buys add up and can blow a budget.
1.03.2010
couponing
A while back (as in last May), Marta at m.writes posted a collection of crafty envelope projects from other blogs, one of which was a cute little envelope book for receipts. Design*Sponge uses this envelope book to organize receipts they need to keep for tax purposes. This also happened to be around the time I was putting more thought into using coupons, but I didn't have a system. Perhaps you can guess where this is going. Instead of receipts, I made this envelope book for my coupons.
I couldn't find airmail envelopes anywhere. I briefly toyed with the idea of buying pretty envelopes, but after looking at the price I changed my mind. After all, I didn't know yet how well this would work. I bought a package of the binder rings, then just used #10 envelopes at home. I put the envelopes in with flaps in the front, and wrote the category on the flap. This makes it easy to open while I'm also pushing a shopping cart/carrying a basket.
To make it a little more sturdy I made covers, cutting cardboard rectangles a bit larger than the envelopes. I was going to cover this with cute paper then some sort of plastic protective covering but never got around to it. I think the cereal box look is appropriate.
Because I didn't spend lots of money on the envelopes, I don't feel bad adding and removing envelopes as my shopping habits and locations change. In fact, I've made several adjustments since we got to Boston (removing the "vehicles" category and adding new stores).
Right now I go through the envelopes before grocery shopping. I put the coupons I need for the day's trip into an envelope in the front, which also has a reminder note to bring my reusable bags. I also use envelopes for non-grocery store coupons and store-specific coupons, to keep everything in one easy-to-find spot.
this trip
expiring soon
FREE
baking
beverages
boxed food
breakfast
canned goods
dairy
frozen
meat
snacks
personal care
cleaning
pets
pizza
fast food
restaurants
media
clothes
Stop&Shop
Walgreens
Target
miscellaneous
I'm glad I didn't end up using a box for my coupons, since my shopping is now all on foot and/or public transportation. The envelope book is really easy to toss into one of the reusable bags I take with me, and it doesn't add extra weight or bulk. Best of all, I don't forget to use the coupons, saving us money. Every little bit helps!
I couldn't find airmail envelopes anywhere. I briefly toyed with the idea of buying pretty envelopes, but after looking at the price I changed my mind. After all, I didn't know yet how well this would work. I bought a package of the binder rings, then just used #10 envelopes at home. I put the envelopes in with flaps in the front, and wrote the category on the flap. This makes it easy to open while I'm also pushing a shopping cart/carrying a basket.
To make it a little more sturdy I made covers, cutting cardboard rectangles a bit larger than the envelopes. I was going to cover this with cute paper then some sort of plastic protective covering but never got around to it. I think the cereal box look is appropriate.
Because I didn't spend lots of money on the envelopes, I don't feel bad adding and removing envelopes as my shopping habits and locations change. In fact, I've made several adjustments since we got to Boston (removing the "vehicles" category and adding new stores).
Right now I go through the envelopes before grocery shopping. I put the coupons I need for the day's trip into an envelope in the front, which also has a reminder note to bring my reusable bags. I also use envelopes for non-grocery store coupons and store-specific coupons, to keep everything in one easy-to-find spot.
this trip
expiring soon
FREE
baking
beverages
boxed food
breakfast
canned goods
dairy
frozen
meat
snacks
personal care
cleaning
pets
pizza
fast food
restaurants
media
clothes
Stop&Shop
Walgreens
Target
miscellaneous
I'm glad I didn't end up using a box for my coupons, since my shopping is now all on foot and/or public transportation. The envelope book is really easy to toss into one of the reusable bags I take with me, and it doesn't add extra weight or bulk. Best of all, I don't forget to use the coupons, saving us money. Every little bit helps!
1.01.2010
Concrete Aspirations 2010
These 28 things are my concrete aspirations for 2010. The purpose in most of these goals is changing my habits — get more creative with cooking, explore the city, read, develop a routine so the things that are important to me don't fall through the cracks. I do my best to focus on these goals as I go through the year, but don't worry too much if I don't get everything done — if it's still something I want to do I just put it on next year's list. You can track my progress on the concrete aspirations page.
- FIND A JOB.
- Make all of the recipes I got from Grandma and get good enough I would be proud to share with other non-family members.
- Learn how to make at least 4 different soups from scratch, starting with French Onion.
- Bake an interesting treat at least once a month (can overlap with Grandma's recipes).
- Make all of the clipped recipes in my recipe box and take out everything we don't like (can overlap with interesting treats when applicable).
- Explore the Freedom Trail in it's entirety.
- Visit at least 4 museums in the Boston area.
- Find somewhere to volunteer/make a difference.
- Go through all of our Rosetta Stone lessons on Tagalog.
- Read at least 3 of Ian's creation care books.
- Read A New Kind of Christian trilogy.
- Read The Great Divorce, The Reason for God, and Jesus Wants to Save Christians.
- Read through the Bible in a year.
- Go through Sacred Marriage and Celebration of Discipline with Ian.
- Design bookplates for our library and put them in all of our books.
- Simplify our apartment so there aren't any random homeless items and everything looks neat and tidy.
- Clean the apartment once a week on a regular schedule (we do clean, I just want this to be a predictable habit instead of a random, I-think-its-been-a-week urge).
- Finish crocheting the things I've started.
- Journal at least once a week.
- Call and/or e-mail a friend back home once a week.
- Write to Grandma at least once a month.
- People watch on public transportation as inspiration to write, at least once a month, a creative piece and post it under the "riding with Charlie" topic.
- Go to the library at least once a month for books and movies on my to-read/-watch lists.
- As we/I run out of cleaning products and personal care items, replace as many as possible with homemade eco-friendly options (ideas on Vanessa's blog).
- Spend one evening a week without electricity-powered entertainment — read or play games instead of watching tv or using the computer.
- Design personal cards (idea from Real Simple magazine).
- Clean out my iTunes music collection — I made a feeble attempt last year and I want to do better.
- Have an intentional evening with Ian once a month — even if it's just a library movie or game night.
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