Nice and Neat -- Computer Cabinet

I'm participating in Lori's Tuesday Project Party.

Click her link above to see what it's all about.

Get inspired!  Get working!

The other day, I ran out to Office Max with my rewards certificate of almost $47.  That was cool in and of itself, but it gets better!  It was Teacher Appreciation at Office Max that Sunday and Monday, and I picked up a free tote bag with some goodies in it.  Oh, it gets better!  Everything I could fit into the bag was 20% off.

I know several of the employees at Office Max, since that's where we get our church bulletin printed each week.  Bernardo and Rick greeted me as I wandered the store with tote bag in hand. I love chatting with these young men; they're the same ages as my sons, so I feel kind of like a mom to them.  I think they like the attention. :)

Anyway, my bill at the checkout came to over $60, but with the discounts and coupons, my final payment was $4.54. Here's everything I got, including the freebies:

The big white box in the picture above contains a folder divider and two paper trays that all hook together, and I chose it so I could organize all my business files--client billing statements, tax paperwork, bank statements, etc.   I also have mailing envelopes, DVDs for client images, and DVD cases.  Everything was separated into a little group here, and a little group there.  I needed it to be all together so I could feel organized, and find things quickly when I needed them.

When I took a look at our computer desk, however, I cringed.

The desk top always gets cluttered, and then cleaned off.  I wasn't as concerned about that as I was with all the other stuff cluttering every shelf, nook, and cranny.  It was time for another project.

I decided to do what Lori does--I took everything off the desk top and all the shelves, and piled it all on the floor.  I left the bookcase alone; that's a project for another day, perhaps.

While I cleaned the silk foliage outside on the back patio, Danny dusted the whole top of the desk unit.  (Of course, I came in to take a picture of him working.)

Then, item by item, piece by piece, I began re-organizing, de-cluttering, and finding new homes for everything.  Some items found a home in other rooms in the house, since they really didn't belong at the computer desk:  photos and negatives, cards, and other items.

I put to use two cloth-lined dark baskets (on the top shelf below) that had just been sitting unused.  Fernando has a lot of...stuff, and I was able to fill one basket with various CDs and DVDs that belong to him.  I filled the second basket with general computer CDs and DVDs.  I re-labeled the six plastic pencil cases (top shelf, left-hand side in the below image)--pens, pencils, colored pencils, permanent markers, dry erase, rubber bands/erasers.  I love labels.  But, you knew that already.  :)

I bit the bullet and took some extra time to do all the filing lying on top of books on the bookshelf.  Once the computer cabinet doors are closed, the area looks nice and neat, below:

Since this project, I've weeded out a number of books from the bookshelf and added them to the pile of stuff to be sold.  If you want to browse the over 100 items I have listed, I created a nifty gallery here.  Shipping is extra.  :)

Yay for neat!  Yay for organized!  Yay for simple!


Back to life,
Christine

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BBQ = MMG

(That's Mmm, Mmm, Good!)

I'm linking up with Lori's Friday Farm Girls @ Heart today.

Summer is a great season for grilling.  There's just something about hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, and chicken on the grill.  Mmm...  The best thing about grilling is that Fernando does it.  I must confess that I don't even know how to light his grill.  It's his baby, and I'm glad for it!  He prepares the meat, I prepare the side dishes, and everything works out just fine.

Some things on the grill call for barbecue sauce, and that can get pretty expensive--especially when we're trying to eat healthy food.  I love Trader Joe's Bold 'N Spicy, but that's around $3 per jar.  I found a recipe online, but it was way too vinegary and I ended up doctoring it and using it in my baked bean recipe, which was actually pretty good!

A counter full of ingredients

I ended up taking that original recipe and comparing ingredients to a bottle of barbecue sauce we already had on hand.  A few ingredients were missing, and there were a few listed in the recipe that the prepared bottle didn't have.  So I started experimenting, and I now have a decent barbecue sauce.  Fernando really likes it, which is key.  Plus we're saving money!

Here is my unique recipe, for you to experiment with!


Barbecue Sauce

3/4 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
6-oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons molasses (I use blackstrap)
1/4 cup honey (may use less if using brown sugar which is sweeter than sucanat)
1/4 cup water
4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
fresh black pepper to taste (I use several cranks of my pepper mill)
couple dashes hot pepper sauce (optional)

Measure all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  (How easy is that??)

I use a funnel to pour the barbecue sauce into a glass jar.

The sauce is nice and thick, but pourable. We had it on our chicken the other day, and oh, yum!

I'll say it again...

~~ BBQ = MMG!! ~~

Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- Bless the LORD!

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...iced tea!  I finally took some photos of my iced tea goblet.  We had a whole set of these pretty blue glass goblets, then one by one they crashed and shattered.  There are two goblets left, and Fernando and I use them on a daily basis.

I'm feeling...good today.   I was exhausted all day Tuesday, I think because of lack of sleep.  On Wednesday, I visited my chiropractor and the adjustment really helped.  My back had been fine except for when I moved certain ways--then it let me know it was hurting!  But it's feeling better today, praise the Lord.

On my mind...is the upcoming semester of college for Jacob (20) and Danny (18).  This will be Jacob's last semester, and he'll receive his A.A.S. in Law Enforcement in December.   He has a few different opportunities in the works, so we'll wait and see where he goes.  This is Danny's very first full-time semester at college, and I keep asking the Lord to prepare him for the rigors of college life.   I know that he'll buckle down and work hard and do well, but the initial shock may be pretty big.  So I pray.

Also on my mind is my new school year with Thomas.   I need to buckle down myself, organizing and getting lesson plans in place.  I've been longing for cooler weather, since it has been so hot this summer, but along with cooler weather comes school and more work for me.  I can't believe summer is almost over.  It'll be a very special and interesting year, with just Thomas and I.

I leave you with...praise for the Lord who is merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalm 103:1-5 NASB

Russian sage in my front yard rock garden

Back to life,
Christine

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Some More Frisbee

I have been in the habit of bringing my camera to our summer Friday Frisbee games.  Boy, I'll say this, sports photography isn't easy!  Though when I think about it, Frisbee doesn't start until near sundown, and the field isn't lit.  At least the lighting challenges stretch my photography skills.  :)

Joseph blocks Michael

Danny makes a throw

I really appreciate my husband regarding these Frisbee nights.  Earlier last year, I commented that it would be nice to deliberately do things together as a family, even if we do have different interests.  It didn't have to be much, just something every now and then.  So Fernando decided we would all attend Friday Frisbee together, and either play, or sit together and watch.

And this year, Joseph started playing!  So Fernando and I usually sit and watch, with Fernando being the main cheerleader.  He has a loud voice, and all the kids know it!  They can count on a verbal high-five from him if they make a play or score a goal.

And although I was half-devoured by mosquitoes on this particular Friday evening, we had a good time playing, watching, cheering, and chatting.  All in all, a very good evening.


Back to life,
Christine

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I'm Hooked!

I'm participating in Lori's Tuesday Project Party.

Click her link above to see what it's all about.

Get inspired!  Get working!

Simplify!!

~~ This post contains tasteful "married people kissing" images.  Just so you know. ~~

I'm out of the basement this week.  It was a nice and cool working environment down there, though, and now I have some very nice, mostly clean spaces.  Typically, however, I spend most of my days somewhere on the first floor, mostly in the kitchen.  My kitchen work involves a trip or two ten feet down the hallway into my pantry/laundry/mud room.  I don't really know what to call this room, which is the first space we enter when we come inside from the garage.  We take off hats and coats there, hang wet towels from swimming (though there are not enough hooks), and do the laundry.  There's this closet along one wall that we "turned" into a pantry for lack of space in the kitchen:  Fernando put two inexpensive metal shelving units inside what we think was meant as a coat closet, and it became my pantry from our first week here until now, 13 years later.  Those metal shelves are still there, as are the original stick-on vinyl tile squares and the now-rusting door to the back yard.

Several years ago, I had bought some pretty black metal hooks on which we could hang winter coats, or summer swim items.  The hooks eventually made their way to a cabinet, until I fished them out recently and remarked to Fernando that it would be nice to get them put up.  He agreed, and set a date for completing the project with me.  But, more important things crowded into our "date," and the project was pushed aside.  Don't worry, this time it was for just a few weeks.

Determined to bless his honey with this act of service (which causes me to melt in a puddle), Fernando got out his cordless drill--thoughtfully charged by Thomas the day before--some screws and wall anchors, a level, a stud finder, and a pencil.  He removed two old rows of hooks on two different walls, and we worked together to mark spots for my new hooks, and to make sure they were level and evenly spaced.  Then Fernando worked and I assisted when he needed me to re-measure or something.  Mostly, though, I took pictures.

Screwing in the first hook!

Making sure it's level

Adding the second row of hooks

Removing the second of the old hooks

WARNING--sorry if you're offended by kissing pictures.  Fernando needed a thank-you kiss midway through in order to be able to finish the project.  It worked, too--read on...

Okay, now back to work:

I was so excited to have "too many" hooks rather than "not enough," and even though everything is messy from the work, I happily organized the guys' swim trunks and towels on too many hooks!

There were a few hooks left over, so Fernando put them in special, just for me.

Two hooks for two hats!

The below shows the second set of new hooks, next to the door that leads to the back yard.  To give you an idea of the (lack of) space, my back is against the wall opposite the garage.

And all that work earned my honey another kiss in the PLuM (Pantry/Laundry/Mud) room.

Back to life,
Christine

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From Scratch --Thoughts and Tortillas

~~ Once again, I promise there's a recipe at the end!!! ~~ 

I'm linking up with Lori's Friday Farm Girls @ Heart today.

From scratch.  In sports, "to begin again."  In cooking, "from basic or unprocessed ingredients."  Now, I know there is a lot of quibbling about true from-scratch cooking.  If I make a pie with X-Brand ice cream and Cool-Whip, with my own homemade crust, is it from scratch?  Is it homemade?

If we stick to the literal meaning of from scratch, almost no baked/cooked items would truly be from scratch.  I use store-bought mustard, ketchup, and vinegar, to name a few not-from-scratch ingredients.  But let's not stick with the literal meaning; it's too overwhelming to think about making vinegar (though I just saw a Mennonite family's homemade mustard at the farmers market yesterday, and now I'm wondering maybe...).  Plus, I have my own standards and time constraints--and you have yours.  We do what we can, how the Lord is leading, and leave the rest to Him.  :)

Sorry for the above tangent.  For me, typing = thinking, and sometimes my brain goes off on sidetracks of ideas and who knows where they'll take me!  Concentrate, Christine--tortillas.

There--I added a photo to help me concentrate on TORTILLAS

Sooo...I added up how much we spend per month on tortillas, and it was rather shocking.  Hey, we're a Mexican family; tortillas are an everyday part of our diet.  I also realized that we have wheat berries that can be ground into flour, and tortillas are made from flour--the flour tortillas, anyway, not the corn ones.  ;)  So, couldn't I just make my own tortillas?  I know there's rolling and dry-frying involved, both of which take time, but I'm also spending an hour or so here typing up this blog, which means I have some extra time.  I did lead a life devoid of computers about 10-12 years ago, and I did just fine filling my time with important activities.  I think this is another tangent...

My friend Becki gave me a recipe for whole-wheat flour tortillas, and I dug it out of my recipe binder.  Four ingredients--easy.  Long directions--whoa.  But.  I have a Bosch, which makes the kneading part a no-brainer:  I can wash dishes while it does the kneading.  Let dough rest--planning and time are involved.  But I know that planning and time are involved in all homemade cooking, so I already anticipate adjusting my schedule accordingly.

Oh, wait.  You're expecting a recipe.  Enough with the words already, Christine.  Here's the recipe!


Whole-Wheat Flour Tortillas (Flat Bread)

2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil or melted fat (I use lard--the good stuff, or bacon fat)
1 cup tap water

Mixing with the Bosch (or bread machine/KitchenAid/etc.):  Measure all of the ingredients into the machine's bowl/bread pan.  Start the machine and allow it to mix and knead the dough for you.  Set your timer for 10 minutes, or watch the clock.  Keep an eye on the consistency of the dough.  If it is too wet-- add more flour, or too dry--add more water, both a little at a time.

At the end of ten minutes, I remove the dough from the bowl and hand-knead it a few times.  I have found that the dough is usually very soft (I probably didn't add enough flour), so I hand-knead just a little bit of flour in, then shape it into a large ball, fold a towel around it, and let it rest.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (you can divide into 10 pieces for smaller tortillas, but I have found 8 pieces to work nicely).  Shape each piece of dough into a ball, then roll out into a flat, thin circle, maybe 8" in diameter.  I flour my countertop to do this, as my dough is usually a little sticky; the extra flour doesn't hurt at all.

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  When it is hot, place one of the circles on it.  Cook until it's a little puffy and has brown spots, then flip it and cook the other side the same way.  I put the cooked tortillas inside a folded towel to serve them warm.

To make fry bread, simply slip a prepared circle of rolled-out dough into about a 1/2 inch of hot oil (375 degrees) in a skillet.  Submerge it in the oil until it bubbles up and puffs all over.  Flip it and brown the other side.  Drain on paper towels.

I'd like to try the hot-oil fry method, but also add cinnamon and sugar on the tortillas to make a sweet, crispy dessert, with too many calories, of course, but oh, so good!

Taco Night with homemade tortillas

¡Que pase un buen día en Jesucristo nuestro Señor!

(May you have a good day in Jesus Christ our Lord!)

Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- By His Grace

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...a cup of Irish Breakfast Tea in my Gibson china cup.  I'm sitting in my rocking chair on my front porch, gazing at my garden and watching the cars pass by.  Everyone is going to work, and although I know my own work awaits just inside the front door, I have these quiet moments to reflect and gather my thoughts.

My front porch

I'm feeling...just dandy!

On my mind...is helping my two college-bound students stay on track as far as getting the books they need (either to rent or to purchase), and helping them coordinate their schedules so they can prepare to drive together to the college campus every day.  One has classes all morning, and the other has only one or two, so one of them needs to prepare for staying on campus and studying/eating/?? while the other is in class.

I've also lost my organizer/planner, affectionately known as "My Brain."  We're pretty sure I left it at church, and since we're renting a public school building for the summer, I'm hoping that it will be in the auditorium where I left it.  The janitor said that we're the only people who use it throughout the summer, so I'm praying the room remains untouched.  I've been a little lost this week without all my written-down thoughts!

I leave you with...Scripture that has touched my life this week.  Here are some snippets from Matthew 1 (bear with me):

...Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar...

...Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab...

...Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth...

...David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah...

...Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

Matthew 1:3, 5, 6, 16 NASB

I would not choose to study genealogies or some of the lists in the Old Testament.  But we just heard Matthew 1 in our family devotions, and the genealogy of Jesus is recorded there.  Interestingly, five women are mentioned in this genealogy.  Women's names were not typically recorded in those times, so the Lord wanted these women listed for a reason.

• Tamar was a Canaanite woman who played the harlot and got pregnant by Judah.
• Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute.
• Ruth was a Moabite woman and a worshiper of idols.
• Bathsheba committed adultery with David.
• Mary bore the stigma of pregnancy outside of wedlock.

I love what my husband's Bible commentary says about these women:

Each of these women is an object lesson about the workings of divine grace.

Just a simple sentence, but filled with grace, infinite and glorious!  These women were far off from the Lord, and He brought them near, by His grace.  I was just as guilty as they, cut off from His kingdom.  But the Lord brought me near, and I am His.  By His grace.  What a comforting, blessed thought as I begin my day today.

Heliopsis, and my front porch beyond

Back to life,
Christine

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