tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40426650229651368012024-03-19T07:23:21.832-05:00Eat Live SleepAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-35543686467046505072014-06-21T22:13:00.000-05:002014-06-21T22:13:44.588-05:00Parenting My Strong Willed Child<span style="color: #073763;">Before I start talking about my "strong willed child" I first will tell you a little about myself. I am a strong willed momma. I am stubborn, persistent, somewhat inflexible and impatient. I was all of these things before I was a Mom, but being a Mom really shows you more about yourself. Sometimes even more than you want to know. I will say that since Little M came along most of these qualities have taken a backseat. They are still there, oh yes, definitely still there. </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br />
Little M has energy, energy for days. And days.....and days. He also has slept past 8 am twice in his 6 1/2 years of life. TWICE! This is a challenge for a Mommy who has a 10 month old who didn't go to sleep until 11 pm. He's smart, sometimes even too smart, and he is also very literal. So when you say don't hit that play hut with that plastic stick again or I will take it away...well he touches it gently. Then he will spend the next 45 arguing that he didn't "hit it" but just touched it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br />
He is stubborn. One morning he spent the entire 15 minutes drive to daycare arguing with me that police officers should carry swords instead of guns. I realized at minutes 13 that I was arguing a battle I wouldn't win. And that right there is when stubbornness takes the backseat, and I wave the white flag. Little M is persistent, and he will ask the same questions a dozen times.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br />
Each one of these qualities challenge me daily. Sometimes to the point that Mommy just needs to sit and pray for patience and grace. Because it's the battle of the strong willed in this house. </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br />
Each of these qualities are qualities that will bring Little M a life of independence. I try my hardest to not break this spirit he has. I hope he continues to wake early with great energy and take of each day of his life with the enthusiasm he currently has. I hope he continues to learn, and never stop taking in information. I hope he uses his "stubbornness" to not allow people to walk all over him, and to always stand up for what he believes. I hope he never waves the white flag during a discussion on something that he is passionate about. And I hope if there is something he wants more than anything in the world he continues to be persistent until it is his. </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br />
He has a way of being fair, and I find that to be a beautiful quality in a young child. He bring joy to my life I didn't know was possible. He keeps me on my toes, and makes me a better Mom. He helped me keep my "strong willed" qualities in check. But rest assured that if there is something that I am passionate about I will give him a run for his money.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00236093347247414910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-31737631757806036882014-05-06T13:51:00.001-05:002014-05-06T13:58:36.172-05:00Breastfeeding- The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
Breastfeeding- The Good, The Bad and
The Beautiful</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
This isn't a blog where I am going to
shove breastfeeding down your throat. I do strongly suggest if you
can breastfeed to do so. It has such amazing benefits for the baby
and for moms. I know that breastfeeding isn't always the easy option
or even an option at all. Despite my attempts I was unable to
breastfeed Little M when he was a baby. He endured some trauma to his
scalp that made sucking painful and difficult.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
Thankfully I was blessed this time
around to establish a great breastfeeding relationship with our
little lady.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b>The Good:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
Our daughter has been a champ, she is
healthy and beautifully plump. Breastfeeding versus bottle feeding is
so much easier to travel with. Whether a longer road trip or just to
church on Sunday. No bottle to pack, no formula needed. Even at home,
no bottles to make or clean. I have been blessed with the world's
most supportive husband. Every evening he would wash my pump parts,
and in the morning he would pack my bag to take to work. As of the
middle of January I resigned from my job and stay at home with the
kids. This has made our breastfeeding relationship even stronger.
Overall it has been such a natural process for me this time. Although
natural doesn't mean easy....</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b>The Bad:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
I am not one of the women who instantly
felt breastfeeding was amazing. You know you read stories about women
who say they felt such a special connection because they were
nursing, well that wasn't me. The nights waking up with soaked shirts
annoyed me. Another annoyance- two words CLOGGED DUCTS. And sometimes
I just didn't want to be the only one who could feed her. I wanted
rest. That might sound selfish, but I spent 9 months pregnant and for
just a little bit I wanted my body back and be all mine. I went back
to work after 8 weeks and I nursed our little girl when I was home,
and pumped when I was at work. Talk about a daunting task, sometimes
I would get so busy at work I would miss my pumping time. There were
days when I was done with work and I would cry because I didn't pump
and didn't know if I would have enough milk for the next day for our
daughter at daycare. Aaron would always be there to pick me up and
remind me if needed she had formula there, or we had some frozen.
There were also the days where our daughter was clearly have a growth
spurt and I felt like she was nursing non-stop.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b>The Beautiful:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
In just 6 days it will mark 9 months of
breastfeeding for me and our little girl. I have set a goal to make
it to at least 12 months, and we are so so so so close! I love our
nightly snuggles and feeding her right before bed, we are nice and
warm and when she gets full she has that sweet squishy look. Then
there are the times when our little lady is eating and she looks up
and me and I look down and her and she stops eating just to smile at
me. Talk about pure bliss. It literally fills my heart with warmth.
Our daughter is healthy, growing, and every once in a while I think
about how amazing it is that my body is able to create exactly what
she needs. The human body is an incredible thing. And lastly, my
husband, my wonderful, wonderful husband. This journey in breastfeeding
has been another way of showing me how lucky I am. When I would sit
down to feed our daughter he would bring me everything I needed to
make me comfortable, when I wanted to quit he was there to remind me
why I started in the first place, and for every time I woke up to
feed her he was there to change her diaper.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
Breastfeeding can be a battle, I
strongly encourage people to do the research, be prepared, have a
good support system and it will pay off. No doubt there will be bumps
in the road, but if you keep on pushing through it does get easier.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-68576114714571276072014-04-28T20:08:00.001-05:002014-04-29T11:44:35.163-05:009 months on, 9 months off...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I wish this were one of those blog posts where I talked about how my baby weight just fell off.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><i>It's not.</i> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I am aware that it takes time, and I wish I were more patient. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #e06666;">I'm not.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">Aaron & I welcomed a beautiful baby girl on August 12, 2013. She is a true blessing, and the weight was worth it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">Every. Single. Pound.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">Before getting pregnant I was in the best shape of my life. I weighed less at the age of 22 than I had as a freshman in high school. I worked my tail off to get into the 130s. I suffer from an endocrine that makes it extremely difficult for women to lose weight. I felt amazing, and for the first time since the age of 14 my bloodwork work came back NORMAL. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I wish this were the point where I told you that I felt amazing during my pregnancy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #e06666;">I didn't.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I also wish I could say I ate healthy and stayed active.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #e06666;">Nope, didn't happen.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I was sick, daily. I spent a lot of my time in bed during my pregnancy. My experience carrying our sweet little girl was the polar opposite to carrying little M (they remain polar opposites to this day, minus the sassy part). I threw my gluten free diet out the window, ate what I wanted and moved less. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I gained almost 50 pounds.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #e06666;">Yes, 5-0.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">Full term pregnant I weighed close to my starting weight before, that's the part that made me nervous. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">So there I was back at square one. Except now I have a second little human to take care of. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">Our little lady is 8 months, almost 9 months old. I often hear people say, "It took 9 months to put it on, it will take 9 months to take it off". WHAT A JOKE. Little M was born in 2007, I lost my "baby weight" (and then some).....do you know how long it took? 4 1/2 YEARS. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666;">I have lost some of my baby weight. Eating better, and getting back to being active is an ongoing process. I still have 15 pounds to go. <b>I will get there, but it won't be 9 months. </b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00236093347247414910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-30582850990859431122013-07-25T09:32:00.001-05:002013-07-25T09:32:14.604-05:00Anniversary Poem for my Wife (non-haiku)Another year has gone by,<br />
By far the best of my life.<br />
I married the woman of my dreams,<br />
I treasure her more than anything.<br />
We have a baby on the way,<br />
I cannot wait for that amazing day.<br />
Each year is better than the last,<br />
Each year goes faster than fast.<br />
Each year my love for you grows,<br />
Without you, where would I be? Nobody knows.<br />
I thank God for giving me you,<br />
I thank God for Myles too!<br />
Thank you for loving me,<br />
When I think of you, I cannot breathe.<br />
Sweetie, it is one year that we have been wed,<br />
I cannot wait for what lies ahead.<br />
<br />
All my love,<br />
Aaron Getchius<br />
<3<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-18083706219428769732013-07-25T09:28:00.002-05:002013-07-25T09:28:18.875-05:00Haiku PoetryI love my wife a lot. Our anniversary is coming up on Sunday, July 28th, and I have no idea what to get her, so I wrote some haiku's for her.<br />
<br />
I love you so much,<br />
We have been wedded one year,<br />
Anniversary.<br />
<br />
How much love is there?<br />
It is endless for you dear,<br />
Anniversary<br />
<br />
Married for a year,<br />
Many more to come for years<br />
Anniversaries<br />
<br />
We got a dog a while ago, and her name is Lucy. Emily has given her the middle name of "Orange Juice", so I also wrote a haiku for her.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Lucy</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
How cute is our pup?<br />
She is the best dog ever,<br />
Orange Juice Getchius.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-71177013331124528292013-06-08T14:45:00.001-05:002013-06-08T14:45:57.220-05:00The Struggle of Being "Healthy"So we all want to be healthy, right? What is healthy, and what does it mean? To different people it means different things. To me, it means being able to function on a daily basis without getting the feeling like I am going to die.<br />
<br />
I feel like everywhere you turn, you end up finding out that what you are doing is wrong. Things that you think are good for you, and are made to sound like they are good for you, end up either being bad for you, or they are produced in a way where you don't want to consume them after learning about the process to make whatever it is. Check out <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/dark-secrets-how-food-groceries-are-made?" target="_blank">this article</a>.<br />
<br />
I'm very excited for the farmers market to open up this summer in Appleton. I want to eat food that was grown in the area, and hasn't been transported from California for me to eat. I want to support my local farmers more than I have been through the winter. I told my wife that I want to start shopping at the Free Market (a little store here that sells organic, and local food) on a regular basis to support local businesses more.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-55194983378394011302012-11-17T15:27:00.000-06:002012-11-17T16:53:46.811-06:00Cold Turkey<br />
When I decided to quit smoking I thought about all the different ways I could go about it. I have tried to quit smoking tons of times. I have tried the patch, chantix, cold turkey, and the LiveStrong app. I am sure people have had success with all of these methods, but I haven't. The patch and Chantix give me vivid dreams. Not necessarily scary, but vivid. Also, when using the patch the nicotine addiction is still there, and I don't feel that is helpful for me. The LiveStrong app is nice, you can track your cigarettes you smoke, and set a date to quit. Each time your smoke or have a craving you can track it and it gives you encouraging words, or facts about smoking. This might be a good method for some people, but I just didn't remember to track, or kept pushing my date out further.<br />
<br />
Aaron and I both quit smoking a few weeks before our wedding in July. We both made it 5 days, and then for sake of our sanity I gave in. Two people going through nicotine withdrawals while planning a wedding is scary. And I didn't want Aaron to give up. So I refused to let him smoke, dealt with his bad attitude, and tried to stay away from him when I did smoke. Aaron still hasn't had a cigarette since that day we quit in July.<br />
<br />
I have been smoking, and I really didn't want to quit. Yes, I know it's bad for me. Yes, I know they cause cancer. Yes, I know I smell bad. And yes, my teeth and breath are probably gross. I still didn't care. That was until little M had something to say about it....<br />
<br />
He hated when I went outside to smoke. And the fact that my beautiful, innocent son knew what cigarettes were broke my heart. So I made him a<b> pinky promise</b> that I would quit smoking. That is a big deal for a 4 year old, <b>and</b> this mom.<br />
<br />
I have been putting it off. And then 2 weeks ago I said I was going outside, and the sadness I saw in Aaron's eyes and the thoughts of that pinky promise as I sat on my front porch in the cold just broke me.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Cold turkey it was. I smoked my last cigarette while driving to the dentist on Wednesday November 7, 2012 at 6:45 am.</b></i><br />
<br />
It has been 10 days and I have been mean, crabby, short tempered, I have slept at least 10 hours a night every single night, I have cried, I have eaten some of my feelings, drank chocolate shakes that normally would make me gag, and I would hate to be around me. Despite my mean words, and horrible attitude my husband has remained sweet and caring. He has driven to get me ice cream at random times, wiped my tears, sent me encouraging text messages, and has walked on egg shells to try and make it as easy as possible for me. (Yes, I am the luckiest woman alive.)<br />
<b><br />
</b><b>Today was a big day for me. I told little M that I quit smoking. </b><br />
I have stuck to the pinky promise for 10 days and I trusted myself enough to tell him I quit. Am I crabby today?...yes. Do I want a cigarette right now?....Heck yes. Did I cry out of frustration today?....yes, twice.<br />
Did I love the look on my sons face when I told him I quit smoking?.....More than words can say.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-56995752471216192772012-11-11T22:07:00.000-06:002012-11-12T10:07:23.351-06:00My first blog entry! The bench is done!<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Aaron has been doing all the blogging,
but I have finished my bench now and I am ready for everyone to see it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My Mom recently got married, and moved
in with her now husband. She was getting rid of things, and finally
let me have a bench I asked for about a year ago. This bench is
probably 20 years old, and saw quite a bit of abuse from my sisters
and I. I knew I wanted to use it at the end of our bed, but I didn't
really have a plan. So I took it apart (with the help of Aaron) and
sanded the legs.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here is the bench...<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdznkmknI1OHAjdQ7sSPyjO3-SPI0yvLFuxGd80Wvm1rxQyzBHlBqY05kvNcVovD79SOuVyKqAm__L7gva1I73RKhrJXDMj_DQsoOS_PDrTaz5up2h9UaDVMoaaHdocxt42PruIlmYKQr/s1600/IMG_2389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdznkmknI1OHAjdQ7sSPyjO3-SPI0yvLFuxGd80Wvm1rxQyzBHlBqY05kvNcVovD79SOuVyKqAm__L7gva1I73RKhrJXDMj_DQsoOS_PDrTaz5up2h9UaDVMoaaHdocxt42PruIlmYKQr/s640/IMG_2389.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Taken apart and sanded....</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP-_wUx01EHCCDQvbc2Fi3ZgonQAXpjL1uObMWTWyrvDqnztGsaCCCb8bnIlU6pw_Gp3Y1bmTrRKhDXUI5fnjrUH3rGdX6hJzHEsPdQaoWjidipL0ULboVw9QR2IIClWbHpbYHtK0eklO/s1600/IMG_2396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP-_wUx01EHCCDQvbc2Fi3ZgonQAXpjL1uObMWTWyrvDqnztGsaCCCb8bnIlU6pw_Gp3Y1bmTrRKhDXUI5fnjrUH3rGdX6hJzHEsPdQaoWjidipL0ULboVw9QR2IIClWbHpbYHtK0eklO/s640/IMG_2396.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I painted it with a white spray primer.
It actually took more paint than I thought it would.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then I sprayed it with a white gloss
paint to give it the shiny look.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is after the gloss....<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPviJCTbqdkT-0JZvIva__pM0FxipzJPCj2HaPrIbQ32IWcvRFqOVKLjbnrf-11PZb1mLUrk0Ad0yJ6H6HEZNfvdwCt6DYDXGXANrbP1p9xVlkfJLun3NMhzxgVOjFv8ElIsnf3pv9zl_Z/s1600/IMG_2967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPviJCTbqdkT-0JZvIva__pM0FxipzJPCj2HaPrIbQ32IWcvRFqOVKLjbnrf-11PZb1mLUrk0Ad0yJ6H6HEZNfvdwCt6DYDXGXANrbP1p9xVlkfJLun3NMhzxgVOjFv8ElIsnf3pv9zl_Z/s640/IMG_2967.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I searched the fabric at Hobby Lobby to
find something that I thought would look good. I found about 4
different patterns and let Aaron choose. (We had a 40% off coupon!)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The fabric.....<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIDbr-7uL5lM8qelMZn4EIudVFvq_lrl_fSW-la0GroMe-ib_kKum175JdMfnAIdxZJ5RswOW60_c9N6u_865yczrr50MaZGvECSmVB-CMMgjMUx83T4gCpcigHRuDYU52dDWHU9Zq791/s1600/IMG_2966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIDbr-7uL5lM8qelMZn4EIudVFvq_lrl_fSW-la0GroMe-ib_kKum175JdMfnAIdxZJ5RswOW60_c9N6u_865yczrr50MaZGvECSmVB-CMMgjMUx83T4gCpcigHRuDYU52dDWHU9Zq791/s640/IMG_2966.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now when it came to the padding under
the fabric I was having trouble finding what I wanted. Finally we
ended up at Walmart and bought a foam pad that you use on a mattress.
It was actually cheaper than the padding squares.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DQJKYNFOhi1HCjFQNdeQG6FdKe_Hh7tOtiyF02GelPH_b1-AeeudwKPcE9Vz8Kg-NB01YPCxZ6v3hyuxj9abMwab0NCUi1k1qS45Omz7FFyKRLYgBss5SSZav7y5-Arn8v-cHfcUysjT/s1600/IMG_2983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DQJKYNFOhi1HCjFQNdeQG6FdKe_Hh7tOtiyF02GelPH_b1-AeeudwKPcE9Vz8Kg-NB01YPCxZ6v3hyuxj9abMwab0NCUi1k1qS45Omz7FFyKRLYgBss5SSZav7y5-Arn8v-cHfcUysjT/s640/IMG_2983.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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We cut the padding, and the fabric to
fit, and stapled the fabric to the bottom of the bench. It was
finally time to put the bench back together, which ended up being
more difficult than we both planned.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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Helpful husband :)<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YLVOUZEQx52msslSvTIdxWEDi3PYUVC1nb_wjZ3MQsHCWam7DzW_dfmF-PiCYYhpX-VETGP9RBKUg8znZVlO7X0UWsLnvd5aQ8-W0IM8vu4ic_Bu4PIPDUCY8YsKi5551xT91A4T6hLY/s1600/IMG_2985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YLVOUZEQx52msslSvTIdxWEDi3PYUVC1nb_wjZ3MQsHCWam7DzW_dfmF-PiCYYhpX-VETGP9RBKUg8znZVlO7X0UWsLnvd5aQ8-W0IM8vu4ic_Bu4PIPDUCY8YsKi5551xT91A4T6hLY/s640/IMG_2985.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here it is!!! For less than
$30.00!<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wZex0rEODhDMZy3UsXEuQqUBL9Mq1Vt0bOS1d6t2WIEd4K53Neb5lUauRs6lxJHFzNPJRxJuBrC8vBAkyhgbJsvcMbBQJgq9WWj5LRpK5bMSZfXyQAVsjdlMd1mh_1ZlNoZ-CCtYQN6N/s1600/IMG_2992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wZex0rEODhDMZy3UsXEuQqUBL9Mq1Vt0bOS1d6t2WIEd4K53Neb5lUauRs6lxJHFzNPJRxJuBrC8vBAkyhgbJsvcMbBQJgq9WWj5LRpK5bMSZfXyQAVsjdlMd1mh_1ZlNoZ-CCtYQN6N/s640/IMG_2992.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwOX11bVhaZV0vQSWPR998lbILZy0oWyfAgUs42hWe_Viv1vZMfzK3mhJQuPHUKuQA8vo-OsMGhxjV-Zvpsc8Ps3qWKv1b3dzPTlQXMq1-YkDIPdIy39uPP37YTSNMyH2BI2r6KuJEfO3/s1600/IMG_2994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwOX11bVhaZV0vQSWPR998lbILZy0oWyfAgUs42hWe_Viv1vZMfzK3mhJQuPHUKuQA8vo-OsMGhxjV-Zvpsc8Ps3qWKv1b3dzPTlQXMq1-YkDIPdIy39uPP37YTSNMyH2BI2r6KuJEfO3/s640/IMG_2994.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-66707214157074760462012-11-10T23:00:00.000-06:002012-11-10T23:04:53.918-06:00Making Cinnamon Soap!Finally, I did it. I successfully made scented soap on my own! It was a lot easier than I thought. If you take a look at my previous posts, I decided to buy a 5 lb bag of soap base. All you need to do is melt it, and scent it. I'll take you through the process.<br />
<br />
Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-1 lb Soap Base<br />
-1 Tbsp Cinnamon<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQuIf8gcUqBoPnyXgMi1517ooOpi944Ck9u7aAiZPNHVD3RHVY3TQFAofrII0fF1sGYPDYEvQPhvdB6hm2G8uhz2v4ISRC_0UQoyauA-7tD2eBDoJrwsRjZsdTnUxMbRWfwO0ZK8_crGQ/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQuIf8gcUqBoPnyXgMi1517ooOpi944Ck9u7aAiZPNHVD3RHVY3TQFAofrII0fF1sGYPDYEvQPhvdB6hm2G8uhz2v4ISRC_0UQoyauA-7tD2eBDoJrwsRjZsdTnUxMbRWfwO0ZK8_crGQ/s640/IMG_0488.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I measured out EXACTLY 1 lb of soap base. You don't know how many combinations of soap blocks I made, trying to get exactly 1 lb, but I did it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOmUoN_vBKvw7v7j_rT_yReq6sJYky4aY_nDcLBchZXLqPMU2MCLSifqeeqUBr5Ruazlev8a9_zZCqdbmFXObZDe_VwSL7d6hnGVbwQJ7j63KfT_O4YE6AsthqoE3dwEe1wDmcQgnIhQ8/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOmUoN_vBKvw7v7j_rT_yReq6sJYky4aY_nDcLBchZXLqPMU2MCLSifqeeqUBr5Ruazlev8a9_zZCqdbmFXObZDe_VwSL7d6hnGVbwQJ7j63KfT_O4YE6AsthqoE3dwEe1wDmcQgnIhQ8/s640/IMG_0489.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile, on the stove, I set up a double boiler so I could melt the soap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPBZgD2GWJbAxypQg3OYeYhrosTI9dJjU0VCt1Xip-Kzn6GSUNNVO9ngBF9xgBuFYY14cK6_1_LkEK0YzPhWuFWvWVKeOn7h3hJhKN-w-QlEvm_us5CGzH_2zCsLFeRfouQ7u33MMzUEW/s1600/IMG_0490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPBZgD2GWJbAxypQg3OYeYhrosTI9dJjU0VCt1Xip-Kzn6GSUNNVO9ngBF9xgBuFYY14cK6_1_LkEK0YzPhWuFWvWVKeOn7h3hJhKN-w-QlEvm_us5CGzH_2zCsLFeRfouQ7u33MMzUEW/s640/IMG_0490.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Once the soap was melted, I added in the tablespoon of Cinnamon and stirred it until it was mixed in as much as possible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3GR4eS8xMvEEJedsGPtVlalautBrbImbBnMhlRKDQL47y2bysbRroEF3PxWlnVSYsLyVvV91sRnS9kAQ3CMuNStEYuwYycykxFDIBZGlcIGU_jryxRcM17kgI8I2r0-rp8gUdVXuHbQD/s1600/IMG_0491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3GR4eS8xMvEEJedsGPtVlalautBrbImbBnMhlRKDQL47y2bysbRroEF3PxWlnVSYsLyVvV91sRnS9kAQ3CMuNStEYuwYycykxFDIBZGlcIGU_jryxRcM17kgI8I2r0-rp8gUdVXuHbQD/s640/IMG_0491.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I poured the soap into the mold and tried to make them as even as possible.... It didn't work out that well. I'm going to have to work on that...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENgQb4S7azDkX4BthfCQZLO_QUzNMbsTYI0EGPhrCO8Cpj4U8HljyeX-WhhPlOqFl5pVg-9fgGj3nz8g5F2579fDCWDq1Wbddlked_80n3ctpdyd5LKS0uZkJzlTk4BynUCk_6TFSjpGu/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENgQb4S7azDkX4BthfCQZLO_QUzNMbsTYI0EGPhrCO8Cpj4U8HljyeX-WhhPlOqFl5pVg-9fgGj3nz8g5F2579fDCWDq1Wbddlked_80n3ctpdyd5LKS0uZkJzlTk4BynUCk_6TFSjpGu/s640/IMG_0492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once the soap has cooled down and is solid, you can remove the soap from the mold. Below is the finished product! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl14NxxEgcmw8qGAHtki02y4mLaKEwZMsw_r8fdNXGxPCauTI-XXLTZL8OEipD5sA4r84LdyKaEgjDyIN3MpDrCdq8GpYkDf-ybm5xEV7Lc8Lj2Zftx9r1iodinf7qoRDRI_qFRhCzJv_/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl14NxxEgcmw8qGAHtki02y4mLaKEwZMsw_r8fdNXGxPCauTI-XXLTZL8OEipD5sA4r84LdyKaEgjDyIN3MpDrCdq8GpYkDf-ybm5xEV7Lc8Lj2Zftx9r1iodinf7qoRDRI_qFRhCzJv_/s320/IMG_0103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've done some looking around, and a bar sells for 3-7 dollars online. Maybe I'll start selling them...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-81925963865715595642012-11-10T15:51:00.001-06:002012-11-10T15:51:15.993-06:00Taco Dip for the WifeI make Emily taco dip....pretty much once a week. It's really not too difficult since we usually have cream cheese and sour cream in the fridge, and we also have an industrial sized bottle of taco seasoning.<br />
<br />
Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-8oz Package of Cream Cheese<br />
-8oz Sour Cream<br />
-Taco Seasoning to Taste<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZCkbxtAwmo6r7fUczSw0hHyS61Zd7tEJ88skbAwOFhR2Ngw_KDfC2KHAwqFsYT72w-SQii4dgCUydxYoo8hMzsD6LIPqfwXQRCrenCL6-vLzPb6kNSLSodn0kn_up9EkWj9ULS8QWtF0/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZCkbxtAwmo6r7fUczSw0hHyS61Zd7tEJ88skbAwOFhR2Ngw_KDfC2KHAwqFsYT72w-SQii4dgCUydxYoo8hMzsD6LIPqfwXQRCrenCL6-vLzPb6kNSLSodn0kn_up9EkWj9ULS8QWtF0/s640/IMG_0477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Directions-<br />
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First i leave the cream cheese out on the counter for 15 minutes to soften up a little bit, then place the cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl to mix with an electric hand mixer. Once it has been mixed well, I usually add around 1/4 to 1/3 cup of taco seasoning and mix again with the hand mixer. It's that easy.<br />
<br />
I've made Emily taco dip probably 15 times, and we still have seasoning left. I got the taco seasoning from Sam's Club, and it was around $5. I think packets at the store are between $1 and $1.50, So I've saved at least $10 so far by buying the large container!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-3415573603855767722012-11-10T15:34:00.000-06:002012-11-10T15:34:17.585-06:00Vegan Gluten-Free Fries/Potato WedgesI've made these A LOT, they're simple enough to prepare within the amount of time that it takes for the oven to preheat, and they are delicious!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ingredients-</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-3 Russet Potatoes</div>
<div>
-1 Tbsp Corn Starch</div>
<div>
-1 1/2 Tsp Seasoned Salt</div>
<div>
-1/2 Tsp any other seasoning you would like</div>
<div>
1-2 Tbsp Canola Oil or Olive Oil</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Wegn_sktee1eIkao1iKelRYSyLUW_PJDfOZKG5YShmv91fmrqlvaWgwSptr034Qc5HI16alvqmf5fZi_dFdaRvvG5SKBAgGWcMosC0kUmTrNBJCRLBRXeEB-_S8ZJwH1yU0XaNVEDldA/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Wegn_sktee1eIkao1iKelRYSyLUW_PJDfOZKG5YShmv91fmrqlvaWgwSptr034Qc5HI16alvqmf5fZi_dFdaRvvG5SKBAgGWcMosC0kUmTrNBJCRLBRXeEB-_S8ZJwH1yU0XaNVEDldA/s640/IMG_0478.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
Start out with preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Then peel the potatoes and cut in half, cut the halves in half the long way, then cut at an angle, making them wedges. Place the wedges into a ziplock bag and add the dry ingredients. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7-c4AnQ4cfEJWDM1V_GUgC1jkkkRC-_lmRNO7GKO_wn9nsB2HFtWmr61tvG2evl53l6w6s66PBXD15D_CwSdQyBVfvN32lyNdyhnUjQWqrvsGu9o7n-p63zU3rni57Z_VPp3TOZwnBIW/s1600/IMG_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7-c4AnQ4cfEJWDM1V_GUgC1jkkkRC-_lmRNO7GKO_wn9nsB2HFtWmr61tvG2evl53l6w6s66PBXD15D_CwSdQyBVfvN32lyNdyhnUjQWqrvsGu9o7n-p63zU3rni57Z_VPp3TOZwnBIW/s640/IMG_0479.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Shake vigorously ensuring that all wedges are covered. Add the oil to the bag, reseal, and shake again.</div>
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<div>
Take a cookie sheet and lay down a layer of <a href="http://eatlivesleep.blogspot.com/2012/11/parchment-paper-in-kitchen.html" target="_blank">parchment paper</a> on it. The <a href="http://eatlivesleep.blogspot.com/2012/11/parchment-paper-in-kitchen.html" target="_blank">parchment paper</a> keeps the wedges from sticking. Lay the wedges out individually with a little space in-between. I stick to 3 potatoes because I know that I can safely fit 3 potatoes worth of wedges on one cookie sheet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O9cbikIoqK7Bp-otH-9ZUZMIAnl4X45ZCfdrohaafCsNvgsjCgeCrVaJ7pb5OOwueghf0QIdvzBHqcdgyBZGlL6vGqY-OZVtUfYuoQ6_bkG3rxq02ixkvwIM4kFgvzlfJetI7vqHOmTb/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O9cbikIoqK7Bp-otH-9ZUZMIAnl4X45ZCfdrohaafCsNvgsjCgeCrVaJ7pb5OOwueghf0QIdvzBHqcdgyBZGlL6vGqY-OZVtUfYuoQ6_bkG3rxq02ixkvwIM4kFgvzlfJetI7vqHOmTb/s640/IMG_0480.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
Place the wedges in the oven for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, turn the wedges over and bake for another 15 minutes.</div>
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<div>
When you remove them from the oven after 30 minutes of baking, they should look something like this!</div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHh5Bi36D4jKTUoTRclsao5r7ocgWrNoZrzzyGweKOnQqG-w7-G9ISxTOkV0ecYFJVtf1DXTrnevPBvuKCYOdfFCBWMww4_BNNj-suwooZo7jF3MUYpYYxo-eAhewnMGkcxU6umvPejYk/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHh5Bi36D4jKTUoTRclsao5r7ocgWrNoZrzzyGweKOnQqG-w7-G9ISxTOkV0ecYFJVtf1DXTrnevPBvuKCYOdfFCBWMww4_BNNj-suwooZo7jF3MUYpYYxo-eAhewnMGkcxU6umvPejYk/s640/IMG_0482.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
My favorite condiments for these are sriracha hot sauce mixed with ketchup, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-30038078956679403562012-11-10T15:06:00.002-06:002012-11-10T15:07:16.485-06:005 Ingredient Whole Wheat Vegan BreadThis is my favorite bread to make. It's easy, cheap, you don't have to touch the dough with your hands, and it makes your house smell awesome, and there are only 5 ingredients!!!!<br />
<br />
Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-3 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour<br />
-1 1/2 Tsp Salt<br />
-1 Tbsp Yeast<br />
-2 Tbsp Agave Nectar<br />
-2 Cups Water<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FpgS5GIeJXru3YmTMf71Tx0Hvf44Q00nqbL53KmTh29l9wLz-IBaJgPvQx87Xi2JihvvWiYq34cHCB2TjAqBwdJc-fX9fvYHbp0cFtJ7tVFqEpYj9FW7TNPlXiNx-pl1lVyR2mIewLX4/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FpgS5GIeJXru3YmTMf71Tx0Hvf44Q00nqbL53KmTh29l9wLz-IBaJgPvQx87Xi2JihvvWiYq34cHCB2TjAqBwdJc-fX9fvYHbp0cFtJ7tVFqEpYj9FW7TNPlXiNx-pl1lVyR2mIewLX4/s640/IMG_0467.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Microwave 2 cups of water for 2 minutes and leave aside. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and wisk together. Be sure not to skip the wisking, if you don't wisk, the bread won't rise fully.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKggjYZ6eRsH-gJP3jSNAw0eG87vJtq-FWwWdAZtRe2FAGTUHR5wDYr3WpXoDtK-tuMdCTov1OSjoR6Z3JuXsJljxRMSxL0GA2SU5C5e96OICdtCeMAZcXPOEPtDPHi5SR9c3bkpW63RH/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKggjYZ6eRsH-gJP3jSNAw0eG87vJtq-FWwWdAZtRe2FAGTUHR5wDYr3WpXoDtK-tuMdCTov1OSjoR6Z3JuXsJljxRMSxL0GA2SU5C5e96OICdtCeMAZcXPOEPtDPHi5SR9c3bkpW63RH/s640/IMG_0468.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once you are done wisking, add the water and agave nectar and stir until combined, feel free to add more water to reach a loose consistency as seen below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tHmwucz30meHawRxdty6zbYxFPHmO9BHW_r26y24nl45rXamUPJsEqB8bnVTOQxxuqhum61CBYvefhA95DDhJwnPjdVZnKNQE8ohAT1k2PRuYp1KxNq0fgbcdXSPIhOsV5XAfbcPi12c/s1600/IMG_0469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tHmwucz30meHawRxdty6zbYxFPHmO9BHW_r26y24nl45rXamUPJsEqB8bnVTOQxxuqhum61CBYvefhA95DDhJwnPjdVZnKNQE8ohAT1k2PRuYp1KxNq0fgbcdXSPIhOsV5XAfbcPi12c/s640/IMG_0469.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it alone for about an hour.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG1l5kPH1efRArYUgQtSaGvkgVC2PrZwoZTrJQbxmbt2MxtXMwv3lR-WNwU9livivZ0d-UrRYQJj4kY1mH43OeUuivB3SPt_eva_wfL8BRzYjv4AVp1iQG0tPLRy8EwzLfn-7WZ75QTAS/s1600/IMG_0472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG1l5kPH1efRArYUgQtSaGvkgVC2PrZwoZTrJQbxmbt2MxtXMwv3lR-WNwU9livivZ0d-UrRYQJj4kY1mH43OeUuivB3SPt_eva_wfL8BRzYjv4AVp1iQG0tPLRy8EwzLfn-7WZ75QTAS/s640/IMG_0472.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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After the hour, your dough should look like this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnGxYiv98zmwfHo3-6W7FE9jjfCPc1IojZj9jC1GwZ7elB41QbzlGg7TRpr0S0KQooDHAsttnipn7qIo2hS5wH14nt8HokOH0jGP2XnNwei-V2DHP7jHnQSPbbxChYQsW4VlLFqJrSuL-/s1600/IMG_0473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnGxYiv98zmwfHo3-6W7FE9jjfCPc1IojZj9jC1GwZ7elB41QbzlGg7TRpr0S0KQooDHAsttnipn7qIo2hS5wH14nt8HokOH0jGP2XnNwei-V2DHP7jHnQSPbbxChYQsW4VlLFqJrSuL-/s640/IMG_0473.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Spray the inside of your bread pan with cooking spray, quite generously. Mix the bread dough again to get the air out of it, it should only take 30 seconds of stirring to achieve this. When you are scraping the dough out of the bowl into the pan, I've found it is best to spray the spatula with cooking spray as well so the dough doesn't stick to the spatula.</div>
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Once you have the dough in the pan, it is best to spray the top of the dough, then cover the pan in plastic wrap so when the dough rises, it doesn't stick to the plastic wrap!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwb9pOQsSvq7oaUGysnuZhUnjPLKuBVFyJo638logF7QkRaVc9FDl_KYoeyCs37qjy3NCNlW2dqsBkUCHUUyI9ulMfExVD1PnbSyc96osuakowtaHWfLhgPxpGM9dI5g7e3IKnJosBP2J/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwb9pOQsSvq7oaUGysnuZhUnjPLKuBVFyJo638logF7QkRaVc9FDl_KYoeyCs37qjy3NCNlW2dqsBkUCHUUyI9ulMfExVD1PnbSyc96osuakowtaHWfLhgPxpGM9dI5g7e3IKnJosBP2J/s640/IMG_0474.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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After your dough rises and pushes on the plastic a bit (takes about an hour) remove the plastic and bake for 40 minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir77XR6AXrZa5f_Dq7FYORPmZBM5XprUwy-JftdsqhNLl4WsC-iQd4WtWE0lf7SW4bb-78vo9Ms4RrWWhSXtCkYZd2bBnhvi7lq26apLHvxuyOyZWJfyfsFwgdg_dUC_wTJh4S5sOMApuO/s1600/IMG_0475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir77XR6AXrZa5f_Dq7FYORPmZBM5XprUwy-JftdsqhNLl4WsC-iQd4WtWE0lf7SW4bb-78vo9Ms4RrWWhSXtCkYZd2bBnhvi7lq26apLHvxuyOyZWJfyfsFwgdg_dUC_wTJh4S5sOMApuO/s640/IMG_0475.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Remove from the oven and place on the counter for 10 minutes to allow it to cool down before taking it out of the pan.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_XyzXTCbOijgwP6FeqffN_n4a1aoL8WVNSZ16L-mnU7FG39ybbSICG4jXV2hvXIGyMWovDwXxw__dBZ-2wE4ELAxQvD0bLOC0BSSfj23rGVr2cSvYLyRtVxMPZOziRidIiG_LxsPSUvC/s1600/IMG_0476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_XyzXTCbOijgwP6FeqffN_n4a1aoL8WVNSZ16L-mnU7FG39ybbSICG4jXV2hvXIGyMWovDwXxw__dBZ-2wE4ELAxQvD0bLOC0BSSfj23rGVr2cSvYLyRtVxMPZOziRidIiG_LxsPSUvC/s640/IMG_0476.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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There you have it! 5 ingredients, a little patience, and a couple of hours and you have fresh, delicious whole wheat vegan bread!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-56492575952013424802012-11-09T23:09:00.000-06:002012-11-09T23:09:12.423-06:00500 views in less than a week!Thank you to all of you who have been checking out the blog, I can't believe that it has been viewed 500 times in less than a week! Hopefully it's not just my mom checking it 500 times herself!<br />
<br />
Thank you all, this is inspring me to keep going. It took a long time for me to get started, but I'm glad I did. Keep checking back, I'll be posting more of my favorite vegan recipes as I make and document them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ynAyLyMaw4j4wXoYUU_3wLO6W2qe3rGwo_tW0EDzQZ9LC9e7mxjlAyVmKH-UdBZgwE-WNmBx4XMWOA0FrrVkellnP4vZujuO2iyXPGD7SmDxrsPiKUgBhw8NXuVpRJOKwr32n6vHvfgo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-11-09+at+11.00.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ynAyLyMaw4j4wXoYUU_3wLO6W2qe3rGwo_tW0EDzQZ9LC9e7mxjlAyVmKH-UdBZgwE-WNmBx4XMWOA0FrrVkellnP4vZujuO2iyXPGD7SmDxrsPiKUgBhw8NXuVpRJOKwr32n6vHvfgo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-11-09+at+11.00.11+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-82507978124771002612012-11-09T22:50:00.003-06:002012-11-09T22:57:40.300-06:00The Best Tasting, Worst Looking, Superfood Juice for RunningOk, so that was a lot to fit in a title, sorry about that, but when you see the pictures of this juice, I'm not going to lie, it doesn't look pretty, but it is delicious. I have 4 favorite super-foods, and this juice contains 3 of them. Here is everything that is in the juice.<br />
<br />
Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-Chia Seeds<br />
-Goji Berries<br />
-Hemp Protein Powder<br />
-Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
-Apple Juice<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTyJhPhrfX5gqsZyHbwE7xXG7JR3x5uye4i5Sj9l9xqqL0VmfvZdABKUOGtLuxEnH-trZ8xxDS7x3snyROi_UxEKVj4G8656-cNeHsYCr_K-Ozzwr1wILUrQRI3zQAhcgL24eXikPRJyB/s1600/Photo+Nov+09,+10+15+21+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTyJhPhrfX5gqsZyHbwE7xXG7JR3x5uye4i5Sj9l9xqqL0VmfvZdABKUOGtLuxEnH-trZ8xxDS7x3snyROi_UxEKVj4G8656-cNeHsYCr_K-Ozzwr1wILUrQRI3zQAhcgL24eXikPRJyB/s640/Photo+Nov+09,+10+15+21+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I put in half a cup of each of the super-foods 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and then fill the rest of the juice, then stir. Try to make this about 12 hours before you are going to drink it since it takes a bit for the Goji Berries and Chia Seeds to plump up! The Chia Seeds you do not need to chew, you can just swallow them, but the Goji Berries you need to chew. You can leave them out if you don't want to chew your juice, but I like it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaTo2b4XDYdVINd0p5Z7F5KknN4ibzJYwlAWkpAnkBUWJ2jMPF9bHKMkjuCgc-9UfHJ6aw_nnWlMMex4bGKFUuLWB_YtMzkXwV5pQJUULu0vmz5Svs95wkveJ_orpYM5_oSax0Qh0nKzG/s1600/Photo+Nov+09,+10+37+22+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaTo2b4XDYdVINd0p5Z7F5KknN4ibzJYwlAWkpAnkBUWJ2jMPF9bHKMkjuCgc-9UfHJ6aw_nnWlMMex4bGKFUuLWB_YtMzkXwV5pQJUULu0vmz5Svs95wkveJ_orpYM5_oSax0Qh0nKzG/s640/Photo+Nov+09,+10+37+22+PM.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Also, you will need to stir the juice each time before you drink it since the Hemp Powder and Chia Seeds end up settling on the bottom. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3P3WRhboBLlytaY7IEVPJ0lXYmJG4097vHgL15mnkusBbfyh6idG2WeTxc0DgoHIY5BkOZhgh6PlXhJmjgLY0j5Y4i1Gjk-KNt_bsF9WRpVx_0-iBZitHENeI5dWmcPiKxEVX1RuYSOy/s1600/Photo+Nov+09%252C+10+37+35+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3P3WRhboBLlytaY7IEVPJ0lXYmJG4097vHgL15mnkusBbfyh6idG2WeTxc0DgoHIY5BkOZhgh6PlXhJmjgLY0j5Y4i1Gjk-KNt_bsF9WRpVx_0-iBZitHENeI5dWmcPiKxEVX1RuYSOy/s640/Photo+Nov+09%252C+10+37+35+PM.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Here are the links to the super-foods Take a look at the following links, there is way too much packed into all of these foods for me to be able to explain them all.</div>
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<a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/164511-goji-berry-nutritional-facts/" target="_blank">Goji Berries</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/299256-nutritional-hemp-protein-powder/" target="_blank">Hemp Protein Powder</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/81835-chia-seed-nutrition/" target="_blank">Chia Seeds</a></div>
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If I am going to go for a run in the morning, I will drink a couple glasses at night before bed, otherwise I drink a glass or two, two to three hours before running during the day. Believe it or not, it just tastes like apple juice! The Hemp Powder and Chia Seeds have no taste, the Goji Berries have a sweet flavor, and the Apple Cider Vinegar is diluted and gives it a stronger apple flavor. It's packed with a lot of nutrients that you need to keep running, literally!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-77729866523080352182012-11-08T20:07:00.001-06:002012-11-08T20:08:37.923-06:00Vegan Chocolate Banana Post Work-Out Recovery ShakeMy workouts consist mainly of jogging/running. I drink a lot of water throughout the day before I work out, then I drink one of these shakes after I'm done. By the time I'm finished with it, I feel like I'm ready to work out again! It's a great source of Omega-3's, fiber, and protein!<br />
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Ingredients-<br />
<br />
1 Cut up Frozen Banana<br />
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder<br />
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar<br />
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract<br />
2 Cups Soymilk<br />
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds<br />
2 Tbsp Hemp Powder<br />
1 Tbsp Cacao Nibs (Not Pictured)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnG_1IKo2m2hnX5XutP7Y2r2ujNrZ-6emptmeMP7pzQ_M1Njh1DCQ9HsMxoTknPcqP71VJD6ExAfVaInXW_UNRugQgiQ4NA3Q-q9SJ_Me1J_LoM05gANFWafN1ul6zpJJx1Aih-xL_Srd/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnG_1IKo2m2hnX5XutP7Y2r2ujNrZ-6emptmeMP7pzQ_M1Njh1DCQ9HsMxoTknPcqP71VJD6ExAfVaInXW_UNRugQgiQ4NA3Q-q9SJ_Me1J_LoM05gANFWafN1ul6zpJJx1Aih-xL_Srd/s640/IMG_0009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Directions-<br />
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You will want to make sure that you cut up the banana at least a few hours before you intend to make the shake. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.<br />
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I don't think I could function without it. Regular protein shakes with dairy in it are harsh on me, especially on an empty stomach after a work out. My body doesn't have any negative reactions to this. Let me know what you think!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-83699475923821383642012-11-07T23:08:00.003-06:002012-11-07T23:16:32.165-06:00Gluten-Free Vegan Tortilla Recipe FAIL... Well, sort of.Ok, so I feel really making mexican food, and I am eating a delicious flour tortilla, and my wife has to suffer with corn tortillas. :( I want to make some gluten-free tortillas so she doesn't have to eat corn tortillas. Here are the ingredients that I used, I figured it shouldn't be too far off from making regular tortillas.<br />
<br />
2 cups gluten-free flour<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
3/4 cup soy milk<br />
3 tbsp canola oil<br />
<br />
oil for cooking tortillas in skillet<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQdPhVjfc0v2RfmfzJKpC0RY_utLPATAASCrdUHL2mODvtKGHNkgp0TouJmFra9Z4oDFcmiGP4ewtFwFwjMdkMDDpltdH_W1AluF_BAuyyWOjqJjoV0SdLtiS5cVolRgGmR9-1VwjHZT9/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQdPhVjfc0v2RfmfzJKpC0RY_utLPATAASCrdUHL2mODvtKGHNkgp0TouJmFra9Z4oDFcmiGP4ewtFwFwjMdkMDDpltdH_W1AluF_BAuyyWOjqJjoV0SdLtiS5cVolRgGmR9-1VwjHZT9/s640/IMG_0412.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I mixed all the ingredients together well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SI0ySAIoreEnuGfe3cBZj8J_qQXx2d5iZ1jcN3FXi2DscDzxgvegnrsk8DW0kaD7JBRSNPbrPbmX2fYn3QGDyC5ul53xglVz7oxcSKs2_OMmE2H4sxJCZ6X6HoJlqP4MFw0_kJPYXWCd/s1600/IMG_0413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SI0ySAIoreEnuGfe3cBZj8J_qQXx2d5iZ1jcN3FXi2DscDzxgvegnrsk8DW0kaD7JBRSNPbrPbmX2fYn3QGDyC5ul53xglVz7oxcSKs2_OMmE2H4sxJCZ6X6HoJlqP4MFw0_kJPYXWCd/s640/IMG_0413.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I let the dough sit for an hour, covered.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCibsL4HhiHFCZSdORcTY6eWfwIQmKthl_EdhWjFu9jivp0N8-7iu2ONii4mqspDkQuAOikWrFqh3EgqyfhHNgcY-qsPXYE3NjOtBpbs7K5CF5gwlYx6-jQQwUwNM0vuQl4pSPOy_hKtbD/s1600/IMG_0414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCibsL4HhiHFCZSdORcTY6eWfwIQmKthl_EdhWjFu9jivp0N8-7iu2ONii4mqspDkQuAOikWrFqh3EgqyfhHNgcY-qsPXYE3NjOtBpbs7K5CF5gwlYx6-jQQwUwNM0vuQl4pSPOy_hKtbD/s640/IMG_0414.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. (kind of, I'm really bad with eyeing things up like that)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVSzVJgvFaLkuNAOglAXoesJnlSwQvz5Up3ajFv8xkdvQtEF71Em5c6ssnaR2j95-lYxwOOIoj8ZsB7BLDGaFZdviHLX1VixR30Ky377T2z_1Au7x2DOvs5mZhryaLk6MOf_-1xYyuqC2/s1600/IMG_0416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVSzVJgvFaLkuNAOglAXoesJnlSwQvz5Up3ajFv8xkdvQtEF71Em5c6ssnaR2j95-lYxwOOIoj8ZsB7BLDGaFZdviHLX1VixR30Ky377T2z_1Au7x2DOvs5mZhryaLk6MOf_-1xYyuqC2/s640/IMG_0416.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Heated up my skillet on medium heat with canola oil and placed one ball of dough at a time in the pan and flattened with a spatula since it was too sticky to roll out. They turned out ok, and they are usable, but there has to be a better way. I'm thinking of trying a different type of gluten-free all purpose flour. Does anyone have any suggestions?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXVlY0ubQHnViQlWIzhY-w8tw4E7M8U5ssc6ICve7oamlvjoa5CEP29bf5P8D9Kt-7ZumyO8m-Pj9zZbaDp6Y6pFZEsgJAqOGfBnLqg2EsML9LcubKQjsEPJym8SNfjrulsBEkJagyIr5/s1600/IMG_0417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXVlY0ubQHnViQlWIzhY-w8tw4E7M8U5ssc6ICve7oamlvjoa5CEP29bf5P8D9Kt-7ZumyO8m-Pj9zZbaDp6Y6pFZEsgJAqOGfBnLqg2EsML9LcubKQjsEPJym8SNfjrulsBEkJagyIr5/s640/IMG_0417.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-58320355761333261742012-11-06T09:43:00.002-06:002012-11-07T19:19:22.228-06:00Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie RecipeCurrently, I am not Vegan, but I did have a period of 7 months earlier this year where I followed a Vegan diet, just to see if I could do it. Now, if there is a way for me to make something without animal products, and it's not too much of a hassle, I will do it.<br />
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You will find a Gluten-Free Vegan pie crust recipe <a href="http://eatlivesleep.blogspot.com/2012/11/gluten-free-pie-crust.html">here</a>. This recipe is just for the filling. If you are making your own crust, I suggest that you take a look at the pie crust recipe first!<br />
<br />
Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-1 15oz can of pumpkin puree<br />
-1 cup soymilk<br />
-3/4 cup sugar<br />
-4 tbsp corn starch<br />
-1 tsp cinnamon<br />
-1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
-1/2 tsp salt<br />
-1/2 tsp ground cloves<br />
-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
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(I had to crush up the whole cloves myself, that is the brown powder in front)<br />
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<br />
<b>Preparation</b><br />
<br />
Preheat the oven right away to 350 degrees, this wont take long. Mix all of the ingredients together until combined well. Pour into your unbaked pie shell.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATG3TaB8YCTi_20LLsMIABVJev1uXbTNVyDHwuEURBbkLOZldznFJNaqet0KYFddasmUeXNgMZUg-qRj618IlDKy-5A_QL_F9GMw4zTi2qy-t0cI2xghspGOHP36v5JdZ1iJydrfmmxf0/s1600/IMG_0401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATG3TaB8YCTi_20LLsMIABVJev1uXbTNVyDHwuEURBbkLOZldznFJNaqet0KYFddasmUeXNgMZUg-qRj618IlDKy-5A_QL_F9GMw4zTi2qy-t0cI2xghspGOHP36v5JdZ1iJydrfmmxf0/s640/IMG_0401.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Bake your pie for 60 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, it will seem runny, but actually thickens while it cools down. Just be sure not to cut into it before it cools down over the next couple hours.<br />
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There you have it, a Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie! I bet if you brought this to your family's Thanksgiving, they wouldn't know it is Gluten-Free or Vegan!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-9381758956069911512012-11-06T09:20:00.000-06:002012-11-07T19:20:02.808-06:00Gluten-Free Vegan Pie Crust RecipeThis is the first time that I have ever made a gluten-free pie crust. I wanted to give it a try since Emily has a gluten intolerance, and Thanksgiving is coming up quickly!!!! It turned out really well, and you only need 4 ingredients, I took a picture of the ingredients before I realized I needed to add sugar.<br />
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Ingredients-<br />
<br />
-1/2 cup vegetable shortening<br />
-1 tsp salt<br />
-1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour<br />
-2 tbsp white sugar<br />
-1/2 cup water<br />
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Mix together the first four ingredients with a fork until the shortening and other ingredients get clumpy, then add the water and mix until it is completely combined.</div>
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I tried rolling the dough out, but it is very fragile, and kept breaking when I tried to get it to the pie pan.</div>
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I ended up balling up the dough, putting it in the pan, and forming it in there. I wrapped my hand in plastic wrap so it wouldn't stick to my hand while I formed it.<br />
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Now you have your pie crust, in the pan, ready for you to fill and bake! If you are looking for a Gluten-Free Vegan pie to make, try my <a href="http://eatlivesleep.blogspot.com/2012/11/gluten-free-vegan-pumpkin-pie_6.html">pumpkin pie</a> recipe!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-1171478440072341532012-11-05T23:09:00.001-06:002012-11-05T23:10:19.491-06:00Our Hobbies, Brought to you by Coupons, and Hobby LobbyEmily and I both have hobbies believe it or not. I think that Hobby Lobby is a great place to find unique things that you can't find elsewhere, even though a lot of it is overpriced. That is where the Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon comes in handy. We saved about $15 dollars because of that coupon today, and it is something that they do on a weekly basis. Every week they offer the same coupon.<br />
<br />
We made 2 separate transactions since you can only use it on one item per person per transaction per day. I have the Hobby Lobby app on my iPhone, so I sent Emily the coupon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcTeCWDx-F8F7fHK4LGG1-Ilbqpuew9HaIStS4m1FveSSk50k_iTSbPknd_dTVVLMRqInI6bvxSYmENmwW9nDwxTnDAA1OeZLDG6v5PPdt4NLriEsJXYv47NaNQc106rFwAsNIkc5XgpL/s1600/IMG_0389.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcTeCWDx-F8F7fHK4LGG1-Ilbqpuew9HaIStS4m1FveSSk50k_iTSbPknd_dTVVLMRqInI6bvxSYmENmwW9nDwxTnDAA1OeZLDG6v5PPdt4NLriEsJXYv47NaNQc106rFwAsNIkc5XgpL/s640/IMG_0389.PNG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
Emily bought a fabric that she will be using on her project, which I'm sure she would love to tell you about in the next few days as she works on it. I'm not going to ruin her fun! But I get the fun of saying that she saved $7 by using her coupon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkiB86ZpKAWaDrigFhhSo2E_ceyR-kZrG7LjDUuw0ZgXFSu3GtWS0M42HMqn7-POj1530Mr9B4UKGJ1478HCHyYdaeYoUkP3mjjt00_35wMpUyv_Hd-nsmkxhdF6iPKkagaEDyD_oKDi8/s1600/IMG_0395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkiB86ZpKAWaDrigFhhSo2E_ceyR-kZrG7LjDUuw0ZgXFSu3GtWS0M42HMqn7-POj1530Mr9B4UKGJ1478HCHyYdaeYoUkP3mjjt00_35wMpUyv_Hd-nsmkxhdF6iPKkagaEDyD_oKDi8/s640/IMG_0395.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
I finally bought the soap base I wanted, and a basic mold. We didn't feel like going to Wal-Mart to get the other ingredients for the laundry detergent, so that will have to wait until tomorrow. The soap base was $20, and I saved $8 by using the 40% off coupon. I LOVE SAVING MONEY!<br />
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After saving money so easily, I want to stand by the check out and make sure that everyone is using this coupon, it's just silly if you don't!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-92070865924118664662012-11-05T22:12:00.002-06:002012-11-05T22:21:08.714-06:00Parchment Paper in the KitchenParchment paper is one of the most useful things in the kitchen. You can use it for baking, practically nothing will stick to it, and you don't need to use cooking spray.<br />
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Another use I have for it is handling sticky stuff like bread dough, or black bean burgers. It also comes in handy when I freeze the black bean burgers since I can form the patties, and freeze them without having them stick to my hands or the ziplock back I put them in. I will blog about those items when I make them next, and hopefully you won't be disappointed!<br />
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Parchment paper is very handy, and can be pretty expensive. The place I have found it cheapest is at Sam's Club, you get about triple the parchment paper for the same price as other stores!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-37323067237132572992012-11-05T13:08:00.001-06:002012-11-05T14:50:37.747-06:00Making a Trip to Hobby Lobby Tonight!Tonight Emily and I are making a trip to Hobby Lobby to get started on my soap making, and laundry soap making aspirations.<br />
<br />
There are a few different routes that I could go with soap making.<br />
<br />
1. Actually make the soap myself from scratch(which can be dangerous from what I have read).<br />
2. Buy a soap base(soap that is already made, unscented and cloudy white), melt it to scent it and color it, then pour into whatever soap mold I want to solidify.<br />
<br />
I am planning on option number two. The reason for this is that you can get a 5 lb package from Hobby lobby for $20. They also have a 40% off coupon every week, which will bring the cost of 5 lbs of soap down to $12. A regular bar of soap that you would buy from a store is between 3oz and 5oz(I'm talking about Dial or Irish Spring). That means that you get the equivalent of 16-26 bars of soap for $12, plus you can scent and color the soap yourself.<br />
<br />
Come to find out, you can use spices like cinnamon and rosemary to scent and color the soap, so I think I will try that out before I try essential oils. I have also read that you can use powdered orange peel too! That means Emily will need to put up with me saving my orange peels and putting them in the dehydrator!<br />
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The other reason for going with the soap base is that I can use it in laundry detergent. The appeal there is that it is unscented, and relatively cheap. All you need to do is finely grate the soap, mix it with 20 Mule Team Borax, and Church and Dwight Washing Soda. Then when you do a load of laundry, you only need to use 1-2 tbsp per load.<br />
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One pound of soap, one box of Borax, and one box of Washing Soda should supposedly last a year. I'll be sure to make a post about the process of mixing and using the detergent, as well as the actual cost of making the detergent.<br />
<br />
I read an article about a cancer causing agent that is in my favorite laundry detergent, and that motivated me to get this done tonight.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-tide-cancer-chemical,0,2213594.story">http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-tide-cancer-chemical,0,2213594.story</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-28520004234811600042012-11-04T20:28:00.006-06:002012-11-05T12:27:41.944-06:00Homemade Instant OatmealWhen I get to work in the morning, I fill up my water bottle, and make myself a bowl of oatmeal to take to my desk. I've been doing this for about a month, and I have seen a lot of recipes that are more complicated than they need to be.<br />
<br />
To maximize my savings, I bought a 10 lb package of oats from Sam's Club. If you are unsure if you will use all 10 lbs, you may want to just start out with a smaller container of oats.<br />
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You only need 3 ingredients.
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<br />
-Quaker Oats<br />
-Brown Sugar<br />
-Cinnamon<br />
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I don't really measure when I make a batch of oatmeal, but for you, I measured... Somewhat.<br />
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I use the Magic Bullet to blend the oats to a powder, and you can do this with as much of the oats as you want. I usually do 2 bullets to prepare for the week.<br />
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I put the powdered oats into a bowl and then distribute them into Ziplock sandwich bags, putting 1/3 of a cup in each bag, followed by 1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar, and finally 1/8th tsp of Cinnamon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLecRQVNYO6bjcR19TflqhBxRH4VVgrhrYcfpJOuxmb5hLBKMMm4jAcGgSVFMxFi6HtqGweBN23Sh5DIH-FtpsJsIQiE09CLAI3n0zN5mRmnXJwvCOMzfRyT1tLEc4YunNE0ju6S3gCel/s1600/IMG_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLecRQVNYO6bjcR19TflqhBxRH4VVgrhrYcfpJOuxmb5hLBKMMm4jAcGgSVFMxFi6HtqGweBN23Sh5DIH-FtpsJsIQiE09CLAI3n0zN5mRmnXJwvCOMzfRyT1tLEc4YunNE0ju6S3gCel/s640/IMG_0387.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And there you have it, your own instant oatmeal! I'm not sure about you, but I feel better about eating things when I know what is in it. Also, it is ridiculously cheap to buy the ingredients, and is a cost saver compared to buying the packets of instant oatmeal.<br />
<span id="goog_311933328"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-90398666359468440242012-11-04T19:42:00.001-06:002012-11-05T12:27:33.211-06:00Car Repair.... Without the HUGE Mechanic Bill.Okay, so as many of you have had experience with. You think your car is driving a little weird, so you take it to a local garage to have it looked at. When they call you to tell you what is wrong with it, it's much more than you thought.<br />
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For me, I took my wife's Acura MDX to the garage because it seemed to be riding a little rough. They called and told me that the shocks, struts, and tires all needed to be replaced, and it would cost me about $1800 dollars.... That is a lot of money to come up with for when you think that your car is just riding a little rough.<br />
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I'm no mechanic, but after talking to a buddy of mine, we figured that we would be able to take care of the shocks ourselves, since the garage said that there was a tangible problem with one of the shocks in the back, the struts they said should be replaced because they are the original ones.... not a compelling argument.<br />
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For the shocks, they would have charged almost $300 to replace.<br />
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For the struts, they would have charged about $600 to replace.<br />
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And for the tires, they were figuring between $800 and $900 for replacing and aligning.<br />
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I ended up getting a good deal for Tires Plus for the first time ever! They only cost $550 due to an error on their part.<br />
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I searched around locally at auto part stores for the shocks we needed, and they were all about $50 each no matter where I looked. I found them on Amazon for almost $40 dollars cheaper for the pair, delivered to my door for free in two days!<br />
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So my friend and I figured out what we needed to do to replace the shocks, and we did it in under an hour, saving me $200! (Minus the food I ordered for him for helping me) Plus, the car drives a lot better now than it did before. Such an inexpensive fix for such a big difference in driving performance. I never thought I would be a person who worked on fixing a car.<br />
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Now that the tires and the shocks have been replaced, we are going to replace the struts, but in order to do that, I just ordered the repair manual for her car today. I should have it on Tuesday. Lance and I will need to get together to figure out what we need to do to replace the struts, then I will order them from Amazon and Lance and I will take pictures of us replacing them for your enjoyment!<br />
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The moral of the story is that I was able to save money on car repair by doing it myself, and you can too! Find your friend that knows more about it than you, and use Amazon to find inexpensive parts.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-58665574869404555482012-11-04T19:02:00.005-06:002012-11-05T12:27:17.239-06:00The Wonders of AmazonAmazon is where I order quite a lot of stuff from. Not a week goes by where something isn't waiting on my doorstep. And since I have Amazon Prime, which means that most of the stuff I order has free 2 day shipping. Not only that, but it saves me $8 a month by not having to subscribe to Netflix since Amazon offers Instant Video!<br />
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I am not explaining Amazon Prime well enough, and it has more features than what I just mentioned, so you should check it out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042665022965136801.post-50039052762504922822012-11-04T18:38:00.004-06:002012-11-04T20:34:16.650-06:00A few ideas......<br />
<b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></b>It definitely is not a lack of ideas that is keeping this blog from taking off. 2 ideas that I would like to blog about are soap making (which seems pretty easy when you are using a soap base that is pre-made and just melting, adding color and scent, and pouring into a mold) and making my own powder laundry detergent which would contain some of the soap that I want to make. So they are kind of related.<br />
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We haven't really even decided what we want this blog to be about, whether it is about stuff around the house, food, everyday life, or frugality. Right now, most of the ideas that I have are frugal since I enjoy things that keep me busy as well as save money.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438796522828780350noreply@blogger.com0