Read Blogs? Then you NEED this.

Okay, so this is not a new thing...I'm fully aware that there are many, many, many people out there who are already using this awesome little goodie from Google, but up until earlier this week, I had no idea it existed. And I consider myself to be someone who is at least moderately up-to-date with techy stuff, so I figured there may be another person or two out there who could also benefit from this quick and easy little tip.

So, I think most people probably use Google Reader to manage the blogs that they read. I know I do, and I have things organized into different categories (i.e. Daily Reads, Photography Inspiration, Faith, Fashion, etc). But sometimes, I'll add a new blog to one of the categories, and then sort of forget who they are. Usually because for whatever reason, my brain doesn't associate the person with the blog name. So, even if they're in my "Daily Reads" folder, I don't always tend to read their updates all that frequently, because when I see their blog name, all I think is 'Who is THAT again? Why are they in here?' And I really don't tend to click through and actually leave a comment. Maybe I'm the only one like this with their Reader, but there you have it.

So, this is where the magic of the Google Next button comes in. Basically, you add the Next button to your bookmark bar. Then, when you're signed into Reader, you click through to one blog from your Reader.

Here, I clicked through to Ashley's blog. Once I've finsihed reading and/or commenting, I click the Next Button (in the yellow box above), and it automatically marks Ashley's blog post as read over in Reader, and then takes me to the next unread blog post in my Reader....which in this case was Samantha's blog. And from there, I can read, comment, or simply click "Next" again to keep going.

The really awesome thing is that you can set up the Next Button to pull from your entire Reader OR from just one of your folders--so in this case, mine is set up to only pull from my "Daily Reads" folder of Google Reader. When I click Next, I'm only getting the blogs in that category.

For me, this whole thing is genius for several reasons: 
(1) I really like seeing people's smiling faces and their blog designs!
(2) I don't miss a blog that I want to read just because I cannot seem to make my brain associate the person with the blog name. Which happens more often than I wish it did.
(3) Commenting is a CINCH.
(4) I'm able to more quickly determine if a blog that I have filed in a particular category in my reader does or doesn't fit where I've filed it. Which is a nice thing for when I go on a blog-adding spree and add 150 blogs to my "Daily Reads" folder...which is maybe a little overambitious for, you know....daily reading. Seeing the actual blog (rather than just the blog name) makes it easier for me to go through and determine which ones I really want to read daily, and which blogs I want to check in on weekly, monthly, or with some other frequency.

Sold yet? It's awesome, I promise. And so simple to install! Here's what you do:

• Log in to Reader. 
• Over on the right-hand side of the page, see the little button with the gear? Click it. And then click "Reader Settings". 
• From there, click the grey tab that says "Goodies". 
• You'll see a bold heading that says "Put Reader in a Bookmark". That's what you want to do--just follow the instructions from there!

The Scoop with My Hair {Dove Conditioner Review}

Thank you all for your sweet comments about my hair on my last bump update post! You all were too sweet...and also totally made me laugh because I knew that this post about my experience using Dove's Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner was coming up next, and that it is directly related to how my hair looks now.

So, let's get right to it, shall we? First, I'll tell you this about my hair:
-I have a lot of hair.
-It's super thick. Like REALLY thick. Like 5+ hairties when I run.
-It's natural texture tends to be slightly dry and also pretty frizzy, and this tends to get worse when I'm pregnant.
-I am way overdue for an appointment with my favorite hair girl (my last cut was about 22 weeks ago).

For the most part, I buy inexpensive drugstore shampoos and conditioners. Basically, whatever is on sale. I have a salon brand conditioner that I save for special occasions, but mostly it's just the drugstore stuff...and I've tried just about every brand out there, including other varieties of Dove shampoos and conditioners in the past. I'd look for product that said it was made for dry and/or frizzy hair, but honestly didn't spend too much time thinking about it because I usually just tossed my hair up in a ponytail or messy bun anyway--to wear down, I typically have to blowdry AND straighten my hair, and I just don't have time for that on a regular basis.

A few weeks ago, Dove's Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner arrived on my doorstep via BlogHer. It came with shiny claims that it would help repair dry, rough, and frizzy hair while also being a weightless conditioner. To be honest, I thought 'Man, that would be nice!' but didn't really have high hopes that it would fulfill those claims any more than any of the other drugstore brands I've tried (which is about mediocre at best). That same day, I jumped in the shower at the last minute before heading off to one of Justin's baseball games, figuring that I'd let my hair air dry, and then just toss it up in a bun since it would be all frizzy and gross.

But....um....it dried beautifully, car windows down and all. I was so stunned that I snapped a photo and uploaded it to Instagram right away. Because honestly, I don't think my hair has EVER looked this good just air-drying with no additional fussing or product. And it's not a coincidence. When I use the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner, my hair looks good without really trying. And also without the greasiness and weight that I was expecting from an oil conditioner. I can take a shower before bed, toss it up in a sock bun, and wake up to nice smooth curls just like in the last bump update. Even though my hair is usually frizzy as all get out. Even though I have split ends galore. Seriously, that's it. It's so easy, and looks so polished! I'm a convert--especially since it retails for about $4 a bottle. I don't say this lightly, but I absolutely love it...I think even more than my go-to salon brand! Yes, seriously.

So anyway, that's the scoop with my hair! Have any of you guys tried any of the newer Dove conditioners? What do you think? Be sure to check out the sweepstakes below as well as the coupon for $1.50 off a Dove Hair Therapy Product!

Sweepstakes Prompt: How much do you typically spend on conditioner? 

Enter to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that Tweet.
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and then visit this link to provide your email address and the URL to that post.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to claim the prize, or an alternative winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2012 - 9/30/2012

Be sure to visit Dove^®Hair.com to get a coupon for $1.50 off Dove Hair Therapy products.

Summer Nights.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at the baseball fields. I played softball, but when I was in middle school and the beginning of high school, they started paying us like $10 a game to run the snack bar, man the scoreboard, and sometimes, even umpire. So, I was there a lot. And then in high school, I played softball, so I was already at the fields a lot...and even more often to watch the boys baseball team play, since I think almost every one of us on the softball team had a crush on someone on the corresponding baseball team. For the last two years, Justin and I played on a co-ed softball team with some friends and family, which pretty much took over every Sunday afternoon for the entire summer. Then last year, Justin also played on a men's softball team, so we were at the fields a lot. Anyway, all this to say, I like baseball/softball a lot.

This year,Justin got asked to play on a hardball baseball team, which he's wanted to do for years. He hasn't been able to because our friends are all on a 35 years and older team, which he doesn't qualify for. But because of their standings last year, they got some age exceptions this year, and he was asked to play.

So, baseball started a couple weeks ago, and has pretty much comprised two evenings of our week ever since. Thus far, Lizzy and I have gone to every game, because we like baseball, and also because we're home together all day long, and sometimes I want/need to get out of the house or else I'll get jealous that Justin is out having fun while I'm always home doing the not fun stuff. So, we go. And mostly, it's been fun. 

 

Justin hadn't been able to play men's softball this year because they play the same evening as his night class for plumbing. But now, class is on summer break...and as I expected, he's basically jumped onto the men's softball team too for their last few weeks of games, promising that he will be so helpful around the house that I won't mind a bit. And mostly, I don't. Except that sometimes, it's a lot. Three games a week is a lot. Coming home at 9 or 10pm three nights a week with a toddler is a lot (especially since staying up late does NOT mean she'll sleep in the next day). Not having Justin there three nights a week to help with Lizzy/help clean the house/just spend time with is a lot. It's a lot for anyone, let alone someone who is pregnant and has a toddler. I'm tired. Our house is a disaster. And I don't even know WHEN in the next few weeks we'll have a break. And I just keep thinking, 'OH MY GOD...what is it going to be like this fall when we have all this AND add co-ed softball to the mix?'...because that would add at least ONE more game a week to the mix (I am super jealous that I won't be able to play co-ed softball this fall by the way). Justin's not the only one who does this...at least two of the other people on the team play hardball, men's softball, and co-ed softball at the same time. And their wives/girlfriends often call themselves "baseball widows", and I think I'm beginning to understand why. These guys just really love baseball.

And so do I, but man, sometimes it is exhausting. Right now is feeling like one of those times for me. And we've only just begun.  Basically, this is our summer. And our fall. The last of it, co-ed fall softball, wraps up sometime in mid-November, which is right around the time baby #2 is due (something that I just now realized, and am not thrilled about). So, it's a bit of a love/hate relationship between baseball/softball and I right now...but for Justin, I'm pretty sure it's just a love-love relationship, and I get that. That's okay too. 

I will say though, that if I ever meet the guy who thought white baseball pants were a good idea, I'd probably punch him in the face right about now.

Do Certain Recipes Intimidate Anyone Else?

I didn't cook a lot growing up, not because my mom didn't cook (she is an awesome cook and cooked all the time), but just because I had no interest in it. Sometime in college, I discovered that I actually do like to cook, and if I do say so myself, I think I've made quite a bit of progress cooking wise in just over 5 years! That said, there have always been a few recipes out there that just straight up intimidated me for some reason. I'd watch other people make them and profess how easy they are, but I was still scared to give them a shot.

Freezer Jam was one such instance, but I think I've conquered that one now thanks to this recipe (step-by-step with photos!). Beef roasts were another, but again, I think I've got that down now. If you can believe it, homemade ice cream even intimidated me for awhile, but now it's no biggie. Homemade bread--specifically yeast bread--was one that intimidated me for a LONG time, but a birthday gift of this book (non-affiliate link) from Justin last year made me love to bake artisan breads.

But cinnamon rolls? They were still intimidating. I'd attempted them once before, and they just didn't turn out as I'd hoped. They tasted good, but it was just a sticky, gooey, pain-in-the-butt mess that took FOREVER. But leave it to pregnancy to cause another inconvenient craving, which is how I found myself cleaning the kitchen last night at 6pm so that I could make cinnamon rolls from scratch. I enlisted Lizzy's help, and it actually wasn't too bad. Justin and I were each munching on a warm cinnamon roll by about 9:15pm (well, I was munching on one, he was munching on five).

And after Lizzy and I each had one this morning, there were only 2 of fifteen left (as a side note, cinnamon rolls are very hard to photograph!). Hopefully, Justin took some to work to share! Otherwise, I'm very jealous that he can eat 10 cinnamon rolls within 24 hours and not instantly gain 10 pounds. But I digress. If you're interested, here's the recipe, which was modified slightly from Kaitlyn Cooks, because I don't think some of the steps are absolutely necessary--will they improve your end result? I'm sure they will...but you'll still get a good result leaving the dough in your mixer rather than using both a mixer AND turning it out on a wood board...and I'm just all about simple.Which probably explains why I don't have nearly as making baking successes as cooking successes, since baking tends to require being a bit more precise, and you know, actually following the recipe. But, adding my own little spin on things worked here, so I'm gonna roll with it.

Dough Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk, warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
• 2 1/2 tsp of active dry yeast (for me, this was about 1.5 packages)
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 2 room temperature eggs (they can't be cold, let them sit in warm water for a few minutes)
• 1/3 cup butter, melted 
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 cups AP flour

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened

Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp of milk

Directions: Add the warm milk to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in the sugar, sprinkle with the yeast. Wait about 5-10 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs and salt and mix together using the paddle attachment for a Kitchenaid mixer. Mix in the flour cup by cup switching over to the dough hook when the dough forms a ball. Knead in the stand mixer, adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky (the original recipe said to knead the dough in the mixer for 8 minutes--I didn't time it, and probably only kneaded for 4 or 5). The dough should be smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise about 1-1.5 hours. Punch down, re-cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Put dough on a lightly floured (and preferably clean) counter/table Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough lengthwise and cut into at least 12 rolls (I got 15 easily). Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass baking pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F.  Bake rolls for 15 minutes or until golden brown (see original recipe for an overnight option). While the cinnamon rolls are baking. Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla to your stand mixer bowl and beat with the whisk attachment until smooth, remembering to scrape down the sides and bottom. Add the milk tbsp by tbsp to thin out the glaze. Top hot rolls, fresh out of the oven, with a spoonful of glaze. Use the backside of the spoon to spread it. Enjoy these little guys warm.

They were worth cleaning the kitchen for the first time in weeks, for sure! 

As far as intimidating recipes go, anyone out there relate and have something that intimidates you to make? I think for me, the only one left that really makes me nervous is Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, which I have wanted to make since I saw Julie & Julia, but still haven't attempted even though I really, really want to! I know there are simplified recipes out there, but I really want to go big and try the "original".

Source: manusmenu.com via Meredith on Pinterest

Someday...I will make it, even though it's sort of an all-day affair. I WILL, and it will be delicious. 

Delicious Food & A Burning Question of the Day.

So, there's this little hamburger joint in Southern Oregon that I'm seriously campaigning for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives to come visit. I grew up in Southern Oregon, but I'd never been to this little burger place until about two years ago, and now I'm seriously hooked because the burgers available are just so delicious and unique. It's a small little place called Jaspers Cafe, but it is always busy, and there are literally people who come every single day. It's that good.

I mean, you want to put pastrami on your burger? Yeah, they do that. You want a burger with BBQ sauce, pineapple, bacon, and an onion ring? They've got it. You want a burger with peanut butter, bacon, and raspberry chipotle? Yep, they do that too (and while I was very suspect at first, it is GOOD). You want a burger topped with chorizo, a fried egg, bacon, and avocado? Yep, it's on the menu. A burger with blue cheese, apples, red grapes, and candied pecans? Yes, you can get that. Or maybe a kangaroo burger? Why yes, you can have that too. Or maybe a burger topped with a pot sticker, and then a sriracha, sweet chili, and ginger cream cheese. Yep, they've got it (and I'm dying to try it). And even with burgers like THAT, you're still paying $6-$8 a burger. It is seriously amazing, and if you're a local reader and haven't been, you need to go immediately. I'm serious.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I saw on Facebook that they were asking people to send in photos of the food that they ordered so that they could put it on their website. We hadn't been in to eat in awhile since our eating out budget has basically been zero for the past few months, so I didn't have any photos to send in. However, I volunteered to just come in for a couple of hours one day and take photos of whatever was ordered. They said, "That would be great! We'll feed you!" and I said SOLD as fast as the words could leave my lips. So, I went in on Friday, and it was a TON of fun!

It was pointed out to me via Facebook that you can actually see the image of a dog in this last photo. Do you see it? Obviously, it was a funny coincidence and not intentional...but now I kinda think it should be the Jaspers mascot ;) 

 Anyway, food photography is not without its own learning curve and challenges, especially when you're not styling things yourself and are just shooting on the fly. Still, I was really happy with how these turned out, and I hope Jaspers loves them too, though I haven't heard back from them yet about what they thought! The photos must have done their job to some extent, because after editing them all morning, we proceeded to go back to eat there for lunch on Saturday  :)

Do you have a local restaurant that serves food like no place else and is your absolute favorite? What's the best part about it?

Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Source: erinmorgenstern.com via Meredith on Pinterest

From the back of the book: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

................................................................... 

Simply put, The Night Circus grabbed onto me and took me to another time and place. While I was reading it, this world dropped away, and I felt like I was truly and completely somewhere else. This doesn't happen to me with every book that I read, but when it does happen (like with Outlander and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), those books tend to be my favorites, and The Night Circus is no exception. But interestingly enough, while it transported me to a different place entirely, I also found myself remembering teenage nights in my own life when this little carnival would come to the local mall's parking lot.  We never knew when it was coming or how long it would stay--it was just there, and we'd drop everything to go because once the night became so dark and the lights so bright, it seemed absolutely magical. Like anything was possible. How much more magical then, would the Night Circus be?! I found myself desperately wishing that Le Cirque des Rêves was real, because I could absolutely picture myself there. I wanted to visit, and I still do.

Admittedly, the first fifty pages or so are a bit of a slow start--probably due to the fact that all the stellar reviews give the novel a lot to live up to, and it doesn't start off with much of a bang as you might imagine. But don't give up, because those first fifty pages or so set the stage for all that's to come. And there is a lot to come. 

Told in an alternating narrative, The Night Circus spends just the right amount of time with each character, allowing you to become invested in both. It's a romance novel, yes, but a slow burning one that felt to me like it drove the storyline rather than being the storyline. 

Now, I know you may be thinking 'I've already read the circus-romance book', but I can confidently say that The Night Circus is absolutely nothing like the other famed circus-romance book you may be thinking of. The best way that I could describe it that one is pizza and the other is pasta carbonatta--they have some of the same ingredients, but they somehow don't end up tasting much like each other at all. And both are delicious in their own right. {Leave it to the pregnant lady to work a pasta reference into a book review}. Overall?

Disclosure Statement: I checked out The Night Circus from the library. I was not compensated for my review in any way. As always, the review is my own opinion, because I couldn't lie about a book even if I wanted to.

Redeemed- (In)spired Deals Review & Giveaway

A few years ago, I remember walking into an acquaintance's home, and noticing how many pieces of decor items talked about the fact that they were a Christian family. 'Wow, they must really want to make sure that everyone knows that they're Christians,' I thought with disdain.

At that point in my life and in my faith, that was honestly the only explanation that I could fathom--that generally, when people had Christian home decor up in their home, it was either (a) because they felt like they were "supposed" to have those items up or (b) because they wanted to make sure that every single person in their lives knew that they were Christian. To be totally honest, neither reason seemed like a particularly good reason to me, and for that reason, our home was fairly devoid of any references to our faith for the next several years.

However, this past December, I partnered with Dayspring and (in)courage to participate in a review and giveaway of a home decor item. To be honest, I thought that it would probably be something that I might display at Christmas time, and then put away for the rest of the year. But surprisingly, something happened--I noticed that the little tealight holder became an unexpected support and encouragement to me during a pretty hard experience in my life. And because of that, it has remained on display in our home ever since.

This past month, I've had another opportunity to partner with (in)courage and Dayspring to review a home decor item, and I think I'm ready to say that before, I was wrong. Totally, dead wrong. At least for me, displaying home decor items that have faith-based messages isn't at all about who else sees them. It's about me, and the fact that often, in the midst of chaos, I need those words written in my heart and whispered into my soul.

This month's (in)spired deals item comes from the Redeemed line:

Life is a patchwork of the meaningful things we keep with us—memories, moments, and connections that serve as daily reminders of where we’ve come from and who our loving Heavenly Father says we are in Jesus. The Redeemed collection celebrates the way God, in His generous grace, sews together every beautiful bit of our lives to form one masterpiece creation after another.

The items that I personally received to review were the "Beautiful in Its Time" Vintage Glass Vase and the Blessed Set of 6 Ceramic Coasters.

As always, the products seem to be very well-made--the ceramic coasters are beautiful (each one has a different image), and seem like they'll hold up very well. But my real favorite here is the vintage glass vase, which I could immediately imagine sitting atop my dream farmhouse table someday, acting as a vase for fresh-cut flowers from the backyard, or a carafe for orange juice at a Sunday morning breakfast. It's something that I can imagine standing the test of time well enough to pass down to one of my kiddos someday.

The vase includes the above verse etched on one side, and then raised glass letters that spell "Redeemed" on the other side...and boy, is it ever a good reminder for my soul lately--there's this song by a band called Late Tuesday that goes, "everything's broken, but it still can be redeemed", and that's exactly what this vase reminds me of every morning. That when I'm exhausted and grumbling about doing more dishes. Or when I'm feeling like our house or budget isn't the way I'd like it to be. I need that reminder sometimes that things will be not just okay, but more beautiful than I could ever imagine--in God's time, not my own.

So, because I genuinely love Dayspring products, I'm thrilled to be able to giveaway a coupon code for one of you to order this beautiful vase for yourself!

There's no fancy requirements in order to enter--simply leave a comment on this post between now, and 6:00am (PST) this Friday morning, the 20th!

The fine print: I was provided with a vase and coaster set to review and photograph, but was not compensated in any other way for this review, nor do I profit from the links to Dayspring included in this post. As always, all opinions included in this review are my own. The winner of this giveaway will be chosen on Friday the 20th, using Random.org, and will be given a coupon code specifically for the glass vase mentioned above. The winner will be responsible for shipping costs for the item.

Thursday Thoughts....on a Friday

{one} 

Justin just might kill me for posting this, but he totally scared the beejebus out of me yesterday--when I woke up at 6:30am to a text from him saying, "I just crashed a work truck." Thankfully, he's okay (the truck, not so much).

{two}

About three (four?) years ago, there was a girl at the local beauty school who used to cut and color my hair better than any professional. People used to stop me on the street and ask who colored my hair. Once, a doctor at the ER asked if I would allow her to write down my name and take it to the beauty school and say, "Just do whatever you did to Meredith." But, sad day, she graduated, and for whatever reason, I never found out where she went. BUT, happy day, I found her! And I have an appointment with her today for a haircut! I really wish I could do a cut AND a color, but today I'll just have to settle for a cut. I don't think I've had my hair cut since October, so it is long overdue.

{three}

Potty training? Had been going very well. All of a sudden, not so much...and I'm not very happy about it. It has made the days VERY long lately.

{four}

Justin and the band are playing at a church fundraiser tomorrow night...which means that Lizzy is spending the night at my parent's house, and Justin and I get to enjoy a dress-up, adults-only dinner. And maybe sleeping in. And is it ever needed!

{five}

I am totally chomping at the bit to build our new dining room table. It probably won't be this month, or likely even next month, but I am so excited to have a table that is functional and FITS in the designated space!

Buying the Cow

Over the past couple of years, Justin and I have changed our approach to eating a lot. We're making a lot more from scratch. We're paying a lot more attention to the ingredients in our food. We're more particular about our milk. But, although we both wanted to transition to buying grass-fed local beef, when we'd go to the grocery store and see organic beef at $5 or $6 per pound, we just couldn't do it. It wasn't even an option in the budget.

We've talked about buying a cow for years. Literally. But it's a rather large chunk of money up front, and it felt like that money was always needed elsewhere. I didn't know if we'd have room in our freezer. Plus, it felt really overwhelming to me, and I didn't really know where to start. This year around tax time, I hopped on Craigslist and was just poking around, trying to figure out how much we'd have to save in order to finally move away from the pink slime and towards a healthier option for our family.

I came across a listing for a local ranch that raises grass-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free Longhorn cows, which are not only much leaner than Angus, but they're also much smaller cows too (the Longhorns at this ranch are butchered at about 450 lbs, compared to sometimes 1200 lbs with Angus), which I thought might be more feasible for our first time buying a cow.

So, I sent an email to the ranch and basically said, "I have no idea how this works--tell me everything." They were wonderful, and within a few days, we were driving out to the ranch to meet the family and sample some beef (PS- I absolutely recommend trying before you buy. Grass-fed beef does taste different than Grain-fed beef, and you need to make sure you like it before you spend several hundred dollars on it!). Justin said that Longhorn beef tasted a little gamey to him (which he actually likes), but it just tasted like beef to me. So, we decided to go for it.

At this ranch, you could order 1/4, 1/2, or a whole cow. We ordered 1/4, which ended up to be about 95 pounds for hanging weight (you'll end up with a little less than this once it has actually been butchered). We paid $3.05 per pound (hanging weight), which included everything--the kill fee, as well as cut and wrap.

About a week after paying, the butcher called me and walked me through the possible cuts, and we talked about what sorts of things we used most often. At this particular ranch, if you buy a quarter, they pair you with another person who ordered a quarter, and you end up splitting the half--so you're getting cuts from both the front and back rather than just your quarter. However, because of this, there were a couple of specific cuts (like NY steaks) that the other person had already requested...but really, that wasn't a big deal to us because we're not super particular about our cuts of steak.

Another week later, the ranch delivered this to our doorstep:

I know this post is getting really long, but I want to also include a list of the final meat that we received, because it would have really helped me to see a post like this before we bought the cow, and I'm hoping that if there's anyone out there who has been on the fence, maybe this will be helpful!

We haven't opened up a ton of the meat yet, but I'm assuming that each pack of steaks has 2-4 steaks per package. We also requested roasts to be 3-5 pounds each.

-11 packs of ground beef (1.5-2 pounds each)
-4 packs of soup bones
-1 pack NY Steak
-2 packs of Round Steak
-2 packs of Sirloin Tip Steak
-2 packs Top Sirloin Steaks
-2 packs of Short Ribs
-1 Tenderloin
-2 packs Ribeye Steak
-2 Chuck Roasts (3-5 pounds each)
-1 Rump Roast
-1 Cross-rib roast
-1 Tri-Tip roast
-2 packs of stew meat
-1 pack of Carne Asada
-1 Beef Back Rib

We requested 1.5-2lb packs for ground beef because Justin pretty much requests "more beef" for any spaghetti/meatball/burrito/burger dish that's made. But next time, I think we'll definitely go for 1 pound packages instead just to stretch it out a little more.

Also, for those worried about freezer space, all of the above fits into one shelf of our upright deep freezer--I definitely think it could fit into a fridge/freezer with no problem, as long as it was a relatively empty freezer. Please do note that I'm talking about Longhorn beef here, not Angus.

Overall, it's been a really good experience, and it's nice to always have beef on hand. It's easy to toss a roast into the Crock Pot {Leah's 3-2-1 Beef with Black Butte Porter is still my go to recipe for roasts}, and then we've got shredded beef for sandwiches, enchiladas, etc for several more days through the week. I hope we'll be able to do this again and again!

Mundane Beauty: Version 3.0

Hello family Easter pictures...even though I hate pictures of myself right now and always forget that if I tuck my hair behind my ear, it looks like I have a funky blonde spot. Oh well.


Hello homemade ice cream...for breakfast. After 40 days of no ice cream, candy, cookies, or anything that qualifies as a dessert, if this is my one big splurge, I think it'll be okay.


Hello GIANT pile of dirt in my backyard...which will eventually (hopefully) transform our backyard of star thistle to a backyard oasis. Or at least a patch of grass to play on.


Hello purple irises. You are always my favorite.


Hello editing a newborn session. Almost finished :)

Hello dinner in the Crock Pot!

Book Review(s): Baby Lit Books by Jennifer Adams

It's no secret that Justin and I are both total book nerds. We both love to read, and can easily get lost in a book for the better portion of a day. One of my favorite activities is browsing the library or used book store, hoping to find a hidden treasure.

It's also no secret that we hope to facilitate that love of books in Lizzy as well. We go to story time in the library weekly, and many of our household traditions revolve around books.

Yesterday, I received two books from the Baby Lit: Classic Books for Brilliant Babies series, and I literally squealed with glee. I mean, how could you not? The two books that I received to review were Alice in Wonderland: A Colors Primer and Jane Eyre: A Counting Primer both by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver. Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet round out the other Baby Lit books. In a word? They are STUNNING.

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, bright, funky, and fun. I could absolutely picture some of them framed in a nursery.

The content is age-appropriate for Lizzy, but also kind of fun for me--number 9 in the Jane Eyre book is "9 pearls", which Lizzy can easily understand, but then tucked away in the bottom corner of the illustration, it also says "I have as much soul as you--and full as much heart," which is a quote that adult lovers of Jane Eyre will appreciate as well.

Overall, I really, really, really love these books, and want to go buy the other two immediately. As I mentioned before, they're a little for her and a little for me--because what bona fide bookworm wouldn't get a little kick out of their toddler reading Jane Eyre, Alice in Wonderland, Pride and Prejudice, or Romeo and Juliet to a couch full of their stuffed animals?!

Overall?

Disclosure Statement: Both Jane Eyre and Alice in Wonderland were provided to me by Gibbs Smith for review. I did not receive any other compensation for my review, and all opinions about the books are my own. I don't think I could like about a book even if I tried.

BQOTD: The Christian Church

We've slowly been working through Lord Save Us From Your Followers by Dan Merchant during Adult Sunday School at church. I've mentioned my absolute, undying love for the book on the blog before, and I'm so glad Justin's dad was willing to try something that's a little out of the box for a few weeks--it has been such a blessing to me, and fits so well with our last study on Galatians.

Anyway, if you've not read the book or seen the movie, the catch-phrase of sorts is "Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America?"...and I think that's definitely a question worth asking. It NEEDS to be asked. Anyway, during one portion of things, Dan Merchant goes out to ask people on the street a series of questions, and I'd like to steal two of them here today for my burning question of the day, as well as to add a third:

1-What's one thing that Jesus is known for?

2-What's one thing that Christians are known for?

3- Overall, have your experiences with people who identify themselves as being Christian been positive, or negative?

Answer these however you wish, with the first thing that comes to mind! Please feel free to be honest here, even if you think what you have to say isn't necessarily what I hope to hear. My hope is just simply to start a conversation about how people both in and out of the church view Christianity and Christians...because I think it's important.

Also, this should go without saying, but be kind to each other in the comments. Disagreeing with others is fine, but I simply won't tolerate bashing, from either side of the equation.

BQOTD: What's Your Coffee Order?

Today's Burning Question of the Day: If someone were heading out to Starbucks/Caribou/whatever your favorite coffee place is, and were treating you to anything you wanted, what would you order today?

For me, it's either a non-fat caramel latte, or a non-fat peppermint latte, depending on my mood :)

The Home Organization Binder

I'm not a naturally organized person, and I REALLY hate spending money when it comes to organizing things. Organization doesn't come easy to me, and I'm definitely not an expert at it. That said, the Home Organization Binder that we made at Mom's Group a few weeks ago has been a big help to me, and so I wanted to talk about it here.

I'd seen similar binders all over Pinterest, but hadn't actually made one because (a) I hadn't seen one configured in a way that I thought I'd actually use, (b) I hate spending money on that sort of thing and (c) I don't have a lot of craft supplies, so it would probably end up being very expensive for me to buy scrapbook paper and all those other goodies necessary in order to create a binder that I wouldn't mind having just sit out on a day-to-day basis. That's the beauty of my Mom's Group--you pay annual "dues" and part of that dues money goes towards providing all the materials needed to do the craft of the day. It's awesome.

Anyway, we were instructed to decorate the outside of the binder however we wanted. Again, my goal was to have something that I wouldn't mind sitting out on the desk all the time. Then, on the inside, we were supposed to create divided sections based on something called a "brain dump" that they had done the previous session. I missed that one, but from what I gather, you basically take a blank piece of paper, give yourself an allotted amount of time, and then just write down everything on your mind until the time is up. The suggestion was that you then review your brain dump and see if there are any themes or categories that might help you decide what your divided sections should be. Here's what I ended up with:

1. Finances: Included in this section are two zippered pouches--one for receipts that need to be entered into our budget, and one for receipts from the month that already have been entered. We enter most of our financial info directly into an Excel spreadsheet, but I also printed out a copy of our monthly budget for easy access. It might also be a good place to keep track of due dates for various bills, interest rates for credit cards/student loans, and that sort of thing.



2. Prayer: I mentioned the Inspired to Action website a few days ago, which includes some great e-books that include monthly calendars for praying for your kids and spouse. I have them printed out and in sheet protectors in this section. I also added lined notebook paper so that when I hear about prayer requests, I can jot them down and (hopefully) actually follow through later.

3. To Do Today: Exactly as it sounds. It's a section of lined paper. I fold each piece of paper vertically, and write two days worth of to-do's on each side. Another great option is the Weekly Overview (again from Inspired to Action) which allows space to write your Bible Study plans, a menu, and a to-do list.

4. To Do Later: This section is also filled with lined paper and is for things that I want to remember, but don't necessarily need to do that day. I also have a few sheet protectors for fliers/brochures, and my brain dump is also here. I really liked the brain dump and I think I may do it more often.

5. Meal Plan: My plan was to print our my meal plan and keep it here, along with a master list of the recipes that I can cook. That said, I'm finding that I actually end up looking on the computer (I keep the meal plan in a Word document and also look on Pinterest a lot) than in the binder, so this category may turn into something else.

6. Toddler Activities: Awhile back, when I was venting about the parenting/cleaning balance, Emily commented that she tries to do three activities with Thomas each day. I really liked that idea, and have implemented it a lot with Lizzy with my own little spin. I keep a list of activities to do with Lizzy in this section. This isn't anything fancy...typically I just take toys that we already have, and couple them with developmental stuff. So, one activity might be to play with Legos with Lizzy, with me focusing on counting as we're playing (or colors). It isn't anything structured--just while we're playing, I make an effort to count the Legos as we stack. Sometimes, the activities are just going to the library or to the park...but the key for me is that it helps me to be more present and to really feel like I have some freedom to clean, or read, or whatever doing the day because I know Lizzy is getting some quality time. And as a bonus, it helps me remember to rotate in books and toys that we haven't read or used in awhile. This would also be a good section to keep lists of free things to do in your area, printouts from places like www.icanteachmychild.com and more.

7. Notes/Other Info: Since the binder typically sits next to the computer, I like to just have lined paper where I can scratch notes as necessary. Justin's been working on an inventory of our DVD collection, so that may eventually go here, as may schedules for baseball/softball, etc.

8. Emergency Info: This will probably just be a place to store phone numbers of our doctors, Justin's work, our insurance agent, etc. Phone numbers that I may need quickly, but probably don't know by heart or necessarily want/need in my phone 24/7.

Other ideas for divider sections that I've seen are things like cleaning, take-out menus, sports schedules, etc. The bottom line is to do what works for you...do the brain dump, identify what is stressing you out, and do what you can to make yourself a bit more organized in those areas. I know, it sounds so simple, right? Well, it's not that simple, and you won't do it perfectly (I don't anyway), but doing something is better than doing nothing I figure!

I know this post is getting long, but I also have to mention that our mail is stored elsewhere (in the living room post, I showed you the inside of the flowered box--it's in there). We have sections in that box for incoming bills, things to be filed, cards/notes, etc. But, all of those categories would probably also work in a Home Binder if you think that would work best for you--I just already had a system going for that and figured there's no sense in messing with what's already working.


Also, does it drive anyone else crazy that when you put things in sheet protectors, you can no longer see the divider tabs?! No? Just me? Okay then....  :)