Domestic Chicky

Even if you’re not, there is a LOT to love about The Farm Chicks. Serena and Terri have created an amazing and inspiring site where you can learn baking from their “Country Home” magazine videos, or how to put together an adorable vintage-style pin.  Now Terri and Serena have started a Farm Chicks blog, and you can keep up with their goings-on on a daily basis. I am especially excited to learn they have a cookbook coming out in April. So until I get to go to one of their oh-so fabulous shows in Washington, I will be following my awesome Farm Chick friends on their blog!

Still one of my all-time favorite Halloween Videos…Boo!

Having your first kid in kindergarten presents a TON of challenges – the least of which is all the germs they seem to bring home, no matter how many admonitions to “wash your hands”, “keep your hands out of your mouth” and “stay away from the nasal-dripping kid”. We have spent the weekend nursing ourselves better, and I decided to share the stuff that gets me thru the sickies:

• Vicks Baby Rub- regular vicks is kind of strong, but my guys don’t seem to mind this stuff. I love the smell – it has more of a lavender/rosemary scent than regular vicks, and they don’t gag the whole time I put it on.
• Hot Spiced cider – we have been living on this and Chicken Soup all weekend. I get the Martinelli’s Apple juice, and add a couple teaspoons of mulling spice mix, heat in a saucepan or microwave.
• Chocolate – Crazy as it sounds, chocolate has a chemical that helps suppress coughing. A mug of REAL hot chocolate before bed and we have all been sleeping pretty well.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – if you can handle it – I barely can – one ounce of apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered - I use Bragg’s) 3 times a day will not cure your cold, but definitely shorten it’s duration.
• Warm Jammie Pants – ’nuff said. Although I got a couple of REALLY cute pairs at Target – these and these. Cute, huh?
• Books – lots of books. I devoured both “Twilight” and “New Moon” by Stephanie Meyer. AND I am almost done with Jen Lancaster’s “Such a Pretty Fat” – It’s great the books you can catch up on when you’re off the computer all weekend!

Needless to say I have had to ride out this cold without my beloved Advil Cold & Sinus, so Nyquil and DayQuil have had to pick up the slack – not well I might add, but that and a little sunshine are working wonders!

PS – Is it just me, or do you get your “monthly visitor” when you are sick? Is there some hormone/immune system connection? It just never fails that a day or 2 into any illness, Boom – there it is! As if I NEEDED more to deal with…

So I claim anyway. I am on an orgainzing binge, and I could use some ideas and inspiration. First up, my address book. Do you use a paper address book anymore? I am a BIG note taking person, so if you are in my address book, I am likely to have your birthday, things I know you like, kids names, etc…not exactly palm-friendly details. So I have come up with a few options:

• A looseleaf Binder – A pretty one of course, pretty A-Z tabs, college-ruled…the benefit to this is the ability to just tear out a page when someone moves, and LOTS of room for all the details that make my heart swell.
• A rolodex – especially if I can make one like Carrie’s Idea Rolodex - I bought mine, but have yet to do anything with it. I am still holding out for using it as Carrie intended – an idea rolodex. I just forget my ideas!



 

• an organizer/filofax – If I had the extra $$ for this pretty one (in pink of course), i would get it in a heartbeat. An organizer was the option used by a couple of my twitter friends. I am a junkie for paper anything, and I could spend hours in front of the organizer aisle over at Staples. The biggest benefit to this is it can be portable. Although my bag is big enough to put any of these into it, this would be practical for that reason.

Ok, now it’s your turn – how do you organize your addresses? Or do you have a shoebox full of envelopes with return addresses you MIGHT need? One of my resolutions for NEXT year (don’t laugh!) is to write/send more SNAIL MAIL. I love getting creative packages/mail, and I LOVE stationery, AND I owe a couple of people some GREAT ones.

PS – speaking of Homemaking, there is a great Apron giveaway starting today over at the Apronista. Black, white & red? SWOON!

The original of The Women is one of my favorites, but I wasn’t willing to go into it thinking it would be second rate – not with a cast that included Meg Ryan (who FINALLY got her old face back-she looks great), Annette Benning, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Candice Bergen, Bette MIdler, and Debra Messing (did I mention I loved her hair is Will & Grace? In this – not so much )

The movie is unique in that there is not a single male actor to be seen – not even in the street scenes, not even in Saks Fifth Avenue (totally swoon-worthy, by the way). The story is at its heart a story of friendship, forgiveness, and the power of women. You MUST go see this with your best friend, your sister, your mother. It’s THAT good, and it’s THAT fun. Full of GORGEOUS clothes, amazing shoes, inside jokes, and lots of great dialogue, it’s definitely a great movie for a Girls Night Out.