Martha Monday--Memories

Are you a crafter? Do you know someone who crafts? I like to think of myself as a crafter--after all, I have an entire room filled with stamps, glue guns, glitter, fancy paper and more--but very little is actually crafted.  I have enough material to make 100 greeting cards, and yet the last one I sent to someone was store bought. 

The Martha in my head is shaking her head at me.  I feel shame.

Anyways, ever since the Little Guy was born, I've had plans...BIG PLANS...to document his childhood in scrapbooks.  I have three scrapbooks ready to go...

...some even have pictures in them...

...and I have embellishments and keepsakes (note the wrist bands from the hospital)...

...and I even have a copy of the time the Little Guy and I appeared in the local paper!

Never mind that it's over a year old.

Fortunately, even though I'm 2.5 years behind schedule, pictures and scrapbook materials don't expire.  And now, with BabyGirl here, I can start collecting girl-themed scrapbook materials. How exciting! 

The Wilton Tent Sale is right around the corner.  Last year, I noticed that they had a TON of Martha Stewart craft supplies.  My plan this year is to lighten up on the baking supply purchases, and hit the craft section really hard.  That way, when I do get around to scrapbooking, I'll have everything I need. 

And then I'll need to actually make those scrapbooks.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

Just a note

Hi, everyone!

Just a quick note to say I'm taking the week off due to the TMI Household being in transition.  In just a few days, my maternity leave ends and I head back to work, and the kids head off to daycare.

Insert sorrowful wailing and gnashing of teeth here.  I am not happy about this situation, and I really wish I had more time at home with the the Little Guy and Baby Girl.

However, that is the way it must be for now, so I'll spend the next day or so getting ready for this big change.  I hope to be back next week with another "Martha Monday."  In the meantime, enjoy some recent pictures of my little cherubs:

Have a great week!

Meatloaf perfection?

I'm always on the lookout for the perfect meatloaf recipe.  There are some great ones, and many terrible ones, out there on the interwebs.  Finally, after a lot of experimentation and more than my fair share of flops, I think I've come up with a great meatloaf recipe all on my own.  Here it is:

2 lbs. 85% lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
3 eggs

Mix together until well blended.  Divide and place into two loaf pans (or keep it all together in a larger dish).  Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes (longer if it's all together in the same dish).  For the last 10 minutes of baking, cover the surface with a nice layer of ketchup.  Enjoy!  And please report your results--I'm anxious to know if I have indeed created the perfect meatloaf recipe.

Note: please use ketchup, not catsup...this is an important distinction.  Using 'catsup' will tear a whole in the fabric of the universe and interrupt the entire space-time continuum, which leads to really, really bad meatloaf.  Thank you.

Bread crumbs

Did you know that instead of buying bread crumbs from the store, you can make them yourself?!

Oh, you did know that?

Huh.

Well, until a year or so ago, it hadn't occurred to me that I could (and should) be doing this myself.  Now, it's a regular practice whenever I have old bread languishing in my pantry.  For those who haven't made your own bread crumbs before, it's super easy.

Step One:  let old bread sit out for a day or two on a cooling rack.

Step Two: pulverize the bread in your food processor.

Step Three: store in an airtight container until you need the breadcrumbs.

Step Four: use the bread crumbs to top your homemade macaroni and cheese.  Yum!

Now, if there were only some way to make my own croutons instead of buying them at the store...

Martha Monday--spring cleaning

Oh, spring.  That magical time of year when the birds are singing, the weather warms, flowers begin to bloom, and I am overcome with a serious compulsion to clean my house from top to bottom.

I desperately want to remove every possession from my house, scrub every surface from top to bottom, and systematically clean each piece of furniture/decoration/whatever before it is brought back in.  Fortunately for my family and neighbors, I don't have the energy or time necessary for what I call a "whole house cleanse."  For the time being, my home will be considered "normal" on the cleanliness scale, rather than "sparkly showroom clean."

Sigh.

While revamping the kids' bathroom, I did get to indulge in some small-scale spring cleaning.  After the paint was dry but before things were moved back in, I took the time to clean the window, wooden blinds, lightbulbs and medicine cabinet.  My big Martha cleaned the doors and the Big Guy steam cleaned the floor. 

Good times, though I'm not sure my helpers enjoyed the process as much as I did. 

To get started on your spring cleaning in a rational way, check out Martha's spring cleaning tips.  If you'd like to get a little crazy, try the TMI Whole House Cleanse.  And let me know how that goes!