Leather Wrapped Basket Handle
I may have to ditch my felt obsession and move on to leather cording. Kidding, kidding. Felt, I will always love you. I have a large, but plain, black basket that is currently pulling duty as the keeper of random books in our living room. I’d say the basket dates back to approximately 2 B.C. That’s 2 years Before Children. I have a vague recollection of that time in my life. I believe it involved power lunches and sleeping in on Saturdays…and Sundays. Anyway, one day last week, the basket really started to bug me. I think it’s the brain’s way of saying you can’t control the twists and turns of life, but you can makeover…
Homemade Thin Mint Ice Cream
I consider myself fairly progressive and that’s why on Sunday I had my trusty circa 1999 boombox with the crooked antenna tuned into NPR’s Weekend Edition. I was ready to get caught up on the news while I ironed some laundry (yes, my life is that glamorous) when I heard the show’s host ask her guest if Girl Scout cookies are oversaturated in the market. Huh? Was there not any real news this weekend? The show went on to talk about what you can do if you are just so tired of eating your regular ol’ Girl Scout cookies straight from the box. I’m all for mixing things up and we’re going to…
Learning Fractions the Banana Bread Way
Last week bananas were piling up on my kitchen counter. It was quickly becoming a DEFCON “EWWW” situation. I needed to bring resolution to the predicament ASAP because I really, really don’t like to waste produce. Enter my favorite banana bread recipe which uses 4 bananas. Not a problem! I had 6 bananas. I was going to leave the other two bananas sitting there all lonely and forlorn on the counter when I realized I didn’t have to waste them. I could make a batch and a half of banana bread because I’m good with fractions. I went to public school, folks. I know what you are thinking. “Annisa, this is starting off as…
How to Crew for an UltraMarathon Runner
“He’s a beast!” “Is he crazy?” “Oh, I KNOW he’s a special kind of crazy to do that.” “I wouldn’t even drive that far!” These are all things people said to me about my husband running an ultramarathon. An ultramarathon is any distance over a traditional marathon of 26.2 miles. To which I replied: Yes. Yes he is. Probably. You seem to know a lot about crazy. Neither would I. Here’s the deal. All ultramarathons are different. In some way, shape or form that runner is going to need support. There’s the practical stuff: food, supplies, medical, transportation. There’s also the intangible stuff like providing emotional support. Sometimes they need a cheerleader,…
Cinnamon Sugar Pizza Sticks
I was a meal planning ninja last week. I was repurposing main ingredients into 3 different meals like a Food Network star. It was a sight to behold and a taste to savor. I had the dishes to prove it. It was in one of those moments of complete humility that I stumbled upon my greatest creation EVER. On Saturday night I was transforming the last of the Italian sausage and tomato sauce I had reserved from an earlier meal into homemade pizza. I had enough ingredients to make one pizza, but enough pizza dough for two pizzas. Huh. That was the start of a really delicious word problem. Don’t worry,…
Phonics Books for Star Wars Fans
Teaching boys to read can be tough. If you have a boy who immediately dove into books and all things phonics, God bless you. That has not been my experience. My son is in kindergarten and is doing a great job learning to read – better than I expected, actually. Here’s where it got tricky. My son would practice reading with my husband and me, but only the Bob Books. Both of my kids started reading using the Bob Books and they were fantastic. At some point though, you have to move on and start reading other things. Mac and Mat said so! A friend told me about a set of LIFE CHANGING books. I’m not…
Travel: Charlotte, North Carolina With Kids
I spent a very fun, but unromantic Valentine’s Weekend with my love and our offspring. I find it amusing that whenever we stay in a hotel, my husband and I never end up in the same bed. It’s always the kids’ chance to sleep the entire night in either mommy or daddy’s bed. I’m not going to say one of us is more popular, but one of us did grow the children in her womb. Infer what you will. It’s fun to explore new places and we loved downtown Charlotte. It was clean, well laid out, had some interesting green space and parks and had a fun mix of shops, restaurants and…
Kitchen Tweaks
I went to TJ Maxx/HomeGoods the other day for something really important. I can’t remember what it was, but I do know I didn’t find it. What I did find was a new rag rug. I’m not joking when I say there isn’t a rag rug I’ve met that I haven’t loved. It all started 17 years ago. For a wedding gift, our pastor’s wife MADE me us two rag rugs. I still use those rugs today and not a thing is wrong with them. I don’t know how she made them, but it kicked off my love affair with rag rugs. My husband’s cool with it. TJ Maxx/HomeGoods had an entire display…
Time is the Coin
**We interrupt our regularly light-hearted and slightly sarcastic programming for some Monday morning introspection. Don’t get used to this.** I’ve learned the hard way to be fairly guarded with my time. 12 hour days climbing the corporate ladder to more 12 hour days will do that to you. The older I get, the more cognizant I am of just how precious and fleeting time is. Maybe it’s being a parent. Maybe it’s seeing my parents age. Maybe I’ve actually learned a few things in my 30-something years on this planet. With this in mind, I try to keep my priorities straight because I don’t like the feeling of being over-committed and stretched too thin.…
Red Velvet White Chocolate Cookies
If you can’t bear the thought of fighting over the last heart-shaped box of chocolates at the drugstore for Valentine’s Day, this recipe is for you. If you really want to impress your Valentine with a homemade treat, this recipe is for you. If you really, really want just one freakin’ hour to yourself to binge on Netflix and cookies, this recipe is especially for you. And me. If only someone would invent a cookie where the calories didn’t count. Can I get an AMEN? Google should put some resources into developing that instead of the self-driving car. Way more market potential. These red velvet cookies are filled with decadent white chocolate…
