10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

11 April - 18 April, 2010

"You only live once-but if you do it right, once is enough." Joe E. Lewis

#1 Do you recognize this?
For the past 4 years I have used about 2 bottles (at about $7.oo each) per month of Downy Wrinkle Releaser. It works best on polo/golf type shirts. I spend about 2 days every month and a half ironing and spraying.

As I was out visiting the blog friend of a blog friend... last week, I stopped by at http://commoncentshome.blogspot.com/ 's blog. She has a recipe for "(put your name here) Wrinkle Releaser". The recipe is SO simple. 1 part fabric softener + 10 parts water. We went out that day and Logan helped me pick a scent we liked. (Important) (We picked one that also has a cute dimensional flower on top. We will use that on peanut butter cookies after we have used all the fabric softener:)

Back to my experiment- I emptied the rest of a bottle of Downey into another bottle of Downey, and mixed my new recipe in my old Downey Spray bottle. I LOVE IT. It works better (I ironed about 15 button down shirts in about 10 mins.) and faster and SO MUCH CHEAPER!!!!

(My pictures do not really show how ironed this is.) Yes, my iron does a better job, but what took me 2 whole days,I can do in about 1 hour (and a sore trigger finger;^) This does not do creases.

The mist is finer than the Downey and I ended up with over-spray. Not what I want on my laundry room floor tiles, so I set up a garden hook outside and will "iron" outside from now on. (In the garage in the winter.)
This recipe really makes me happy :^)

#2 I found some antique music magazines at a local thrift store about 5 weeks ago. Each week they have a different colour tag on sale for 1/2 off. They were $8.oo each, and I wanted 3 of them. So, I waited until purple was 1/2 off (last week) and went in Monday morning and got them. Yea! They were still there. I have lots of craft ideas planned for them.

I also got the whole set of the Fisher Price Little People Dinosaurs (moms, babies, eggs and food). Logan was happy. Little People are a H U G E hit at my house. (Still. My kidults spent hours playing with them as children.)

#3 I am happy I do not have a child leaving on a mission.

#4 Case lot sales make me happy. (What can I say. I am a list making organizer.) I am happy that turkey chili was $.78.

#5 Leslie had some Finger Kites that she shared. It was very fun to fly kites with Logan 1 day, and Layne the next day. They flew great. Worth getting from the $ store. I also picked up $ kites at Walmart for our California beach house trip. (Buy them now for later. They are hard to find in Utah in the summer, and will be expensive at the beach shops.) Kites (that fly) make me happy.

#6 Our Stake (church group) had a 5K Run, Walk, Stroll on Saturday. Lindsay has been training and ran the whole way (lots of hills, ugh.) David ran half of it. Leslie walk/ran it. Doug, Logan and I walked and strolled (with the stroller). Logan walked quite a bit, and RAN down one of the hills. It was pretty cute with those tiny legs. At the bottom of the hill he said , "Let's do it again, Grandpa." and started back up the hill. Silly boy :^)

#7 I am happy that we could eat Sunday dinner outside. Oh, it was nice. I love spring.

#8 Friday night our church had a pot luck soup social and Cub Scout cake auction. I took the chicken enchilada soup w/ chips and cheese. (It was all eaten.) I took peanut butter cup brownies for the cake auction. I tasted a Greek Lemon Soup that was very fresh and good. I will get the recipe this week :^)

#9 Odd cooking week. I WAS happy when I planned 4 new recipes for Sunday dinner. It turned out we were not too impressed. #1 Crock pot pork- great flavour, but pork was dry. May try again with chicken thighs. #2 Pasta Spinach Salad-some liked it, some hated it. Not sure if I will save it. #3 Potato side dish-not liked at all by most. O.K. Only me, Doug and Christy liked it. #4 Fast bread. Did not rise (yes, my yeast is good). I will try this again this week..

But, I do have a new recipe I tried when my mom was here. This recipe is an easy crock pot recipe and will go on my "30 day menu" list.

CASHEW CHICKEN

http://365daysofcrockpot.blogspot.com/ (day 336)

She gave this 5 stars, and I agree

about 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken THIGHS (not breasts) defrosted

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tea. pepper

1 table. oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 table. rice (wine) vinegar

2 table. katsup

1 table. brown sugar

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 teas. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1/2 cup cashews

hot rice

Shake chicken thighs in flour/pepper and brown each side in oil. (About 2 mins per side.) Lay out on the bottom of a sprayed crock pot.

Mix soy sauce, vinegar, katsup, brown sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.

Add cashews and serve with hot rice.

We really liked this. I am sorry there is no picture. I had company and things were busy with the wedding plans.

#10 I have 36 dear followers. Welcome Lanie Ree, T .Irwin, and Marci. We are so glad to have you follow. There are many, many super blogs and I appreciate those who stop here. At mine.