Things in My House Thursday #31

This week I'm sharing the very first items I go to every morning:

My Brita filter and hot pot. I've already shared my coffee grinder and stainless-steel thermal french press, which factor into my daily routine as soon as I've started heating my water.

This cheap (inexpensive) hot pot has been one of the most useful things I've ever owned. We use it to quickly (faster than a microwave) heat just the right amount of water for coffee, tea, oatmeal, ramen noodles, etc. It is great for taking on vacation - when we went to Chickasaw I enjoyed my coffee and oatmeal (instant - organic) without taking other appliances or teapots or saucepans.

It has a boo-boo from when Mary placed her toaster oven too close to it.... but it works fine so we turn the damaged side to the wall.

This particular pot has lasted me several years, so even if I have to eventually replace it, I will have more than gotten my money's worth from it.

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Things In My House Thursday # 30

I can't believe I forgot to post my TIMHT last night! And I can't believe I only remembered because I was glancing at items from yesterday's to-do list......

We had family over for Christopher's birthday, then there was LOST to watch, then there was American Idol...... I never got back on the computer.

But I've got something!

For this week's TIMHT, I'm sharing some little sculptures that Christopher and Mary created 8 years ago. They are only about three inches tall.

The first mini head and the boot: by Mary.

These two slightly odd heads: courtesy of Christopher.

These are all quite sturdy works of art; I expect they'll be around for a long time. :)

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Happy 18th Birthday, Christopher!

My middle child, and only son, is 18 today.

And as Mary explained to me, this is his "GOLDEN" birthday,

because he is 18 on the 18th.

Extra special.

So I'm wishing you a very, very Special Happy Birthday, Christopher,  and the sweet reminder that no matter how old you get, you still have to listen to me!!!!!

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Happy Valentine's Day and a Gift for Amy

Sweet Caroline (Susan's daughter) hosts a gift-giving meme on Saturdays. I believe it is based on my Christmas giveaway, which consisted of "virtual" gifts that the recipients were so gracious about "receiving". :)

I've wanted to participate, but who (whom?) to gift? So I wrote down the names of my bloggy friends, put them in a basket, closed my eyes, and drew:

AMY !

What I wish to give to Amy - (and I really, really wish I could be doing this actually and not just virtually) is the donation, on her behalf, of a sheep and alpaca to the children and families served by World Vision.

For impoverished families, a sheep's wool can yield soft, warm, long-lasting clothes. Sheep often give birth to twins or triplets, which can be sold at the market. And sheep's milk is up to twice as rich as cow's milk in nutrients like protein, calcium, and B vitamins that growing kids need.

Alpacas are hardy animals with a lifespan of up to 25 years. Their soft, highly prized wool - up to 12 pounds a year per animal - fetches high prices and can be woven into essential items like blankets and rugs. Plus, they help combat deforestation - while grazing, these gentle animals "mow" grass rather than uprooting it, and their soft, padded feet protect pastures rather than trampling them.

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And For Everyone,

I wish you all a

HAPPY, Blessed, VALENTINE'S Saturday!

If you'd like to join this meme, visit Caroline !

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Natalie at Tins and Treasures recently posted a great-sounding recipe for Delicious Pineapple Muffins  that led me to comment about some muffin/cupcakes I'd just had.  She suggested sharing my recipe, so I decided to make it a post; thanks for the idea, Natalie!

Round up the following ingredients for your personal chef.  (Oh, sorry; if you don't have your own Mary, gather them for yourself).   I use organic products as much as possible, and was able to for most of this recipe.

APPLE BANANA CUPCAKES

1/3 cup applesauce

1/3 cup butter

2 eggs

2 bananas 

(  and you know, the riper the better! )

2 peeled apples 

(I used granny smith; chopped / diced)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup wheat flour

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease and flour 24 muffin cups, or use paper liners.  

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and buttermilk.  Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

Fold in the mashed bananas and diced apples.  

Fill each muffin cup a little over half full.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Allow to cool - if you can,  :)

Endless variations available..... but as is, these are so so so so so moist and yummy.  For presentation or  sweet-tooths, a little zig-zag drizzle of icing on the tops would provide the proverbial cherry-on-top. 

And a steaming cup o' joe to accompany?  Aaahh, it's like a vacation.

Try some!

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Things In My House Thursday # 29

THINGS IN MY HOUSE THURSDAY # 28

Bathroom Decor

This little grouping is in the kids' / guest bathroom and has been since we decorated it for the first time, approximately a million years ago. As I was taking pics for sharing, it occured to me that there may come a time, sooner than later,

that I need to update, to freshen-up.

But here's what we've got right now:

A shadowbox-framed paper angel art, painted wooden cross, and a craft from Mary's Sunday School class when she was around five years old.

The heart at the top says "Go and tell others about Jesus", Matt. 28:19.

I particularly loved Mary's little people circles.

I don't remember where I picked the cross up, but I liked the

colors and design and tulle ribbon.

It was just very different when I bought it, and it was appealing.

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Sorry, I've Got Nothing

I know I said I'd be a better poster these days, but I apparently lied.

I am either so involved in something else that I'm not on the computer at all, or I'm just doing some drive-by blogging - skimming every one's new posts to make sure all's well, but logging out before even commenting.

When I saw that Renna and Carol had written posts about 10 things they do everyday, I thought that was a great idea, and I could follow suit. I couldn't come up with 10 things!!! I came up with about 5 things that I am certainly doing every single day..... but anything else was too random or inconsistent... for shame.

This year I have been occupied with reading, organizing, and wanting.

Reading: for Christmas I bought myself a nice stack of books that had been on my wish list for a while, and in addition to that, the kids bought me a membership to booksfree.com. From my purchases, I've mostly been engrossed in Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

I am going through this book slowly because I am stopping to implement Mr. Allen's suggestions and I am steadily organizing, filing, cleaning, etc.

From booksfree.com, I can order four books a month, and when I send books back, I get more from my list - like Netflix and such. So far, Mary has read two books that I requested for her, and I've read two: Living Simply: Choosing Less in a World of More and The End of the Alphabet .

Living Simply was great; I've already added it to my gift-idea list; I'm almost finished with End of the Alphabet - so far, so good. This website is a great in-between option for book addicts; it's not as frugal as going to the library, but better than buying all the books I want to read. And it motivates me to actually begin and finish certain books, because I know they have to be returned in order to get more.

Clearly, I love love love books. I like to hold them, highlight them, refer to them..... but I like them so much that when I have several that I'm wanting to read, I want them all around me all the time. If I am reading at night, I want my entire current stack on the nightstand. If I am going to have down time in the car waiting on the kids, I want them all with me (who knows what mood I'll be in or what level of concentration I'll be allowed? - Fiction, self-help, how-to?)

That's why I'm wanting this:

This would never replace books for me, but it would be so awesomely convenient for my scattered interests and obsessions. You can receive books virtually instantly. Instantly! I want a new book, 60 seconds later, I have it. Whoa. It holds 1500 books, and can even read to me.

I've reminded my BELOVED, WELL-CARED FOR offspring that Mother's Day is just far enough away that if they started saving money NOW....

And while they are filling the piggy bank, I'll be getting my projects in order and free myself up to blog blog blog, really...

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Things In My House Thursday # 28

For TIMHT #28, I am going to share something that ended up with me after being used as a rather pricey, short-lived, practical joke of sorts - on someone else, by someone else.

Yes, this character found a home with me. This regal monkey is hanging on the wall at the top of the staircase - where few people will see it or notice it - we kind of forget it's there....

It's an 8 x 10 oil on canvas in a much larger ornate gold frame.

The kids hate it, but the colors are great, and the monkey theme suits. So, unless one of you makes me a great offer.... it's ours for the keeping.

Please share something in your house!

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So You Can, But Why Would You?

125 years ago: 1884

A man living  across the line in Mississippi was arrested recently for giving his wife a severe beating. But the magistrate had to free him because under Mississippi law a wife is liable to indictment if she strikes her husband. But the man is not liable for striking a woman if he uses a switch no larger than his little finger to chastise her.

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