Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Mr Bones (Paper Plate Skeleton)

Halloween wouldn't be complete without a paper plate skeleton

A week ago I had my young 1st grade charge starting way to early.  I thought this would be a good time filler.  I had most of the skeleton cut out.  He drew the face and we traced his hands and feet. This was definitely a "we do together" activity.  In a previous version, I used brads but I tied them bones together I have done this activity in the past so I knew having things pre-cut was really the way to go. The idea is from " The 36th Avenue." We also watched the below video several times.

 

Check out my entire Series - Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker
I am linking up with  Write 31 Days.

Mediocre Homemaker - Wedding Crashing

Dear Diary
I crashed a wedding this past weekend.  I have never done anything like it. IT was nothing like Wedding Crashers the movie.

Foote Lagoon
Loveland CO
Gabe and Brittany

Last week, I was in Colorado helping my sister move.  Her son, my oldest nephew, was in a wedding as a groomsman.  I got to tag along and see the ceremony and go to reception.  I was technically not invited. So you could say I crashed the wedding.

My husband remarked on seeing our nephew that it reminded him of the ZZ Top song - Sharp Dressed Man.  My nephew also gave a lovely toast to the couple at the reception. I wish Gabe and Brittany all the love and happiness that marriage brings.

My Nephews

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Secret Concoctions

Dear Diary
I make stuff up.  That is what I do.

As a parent, do you ever make up stuff?  I do.  I told my kids that sprite and orange juice was a Mexican Sunrise.  I just said it in jest but now that is what they request.  I saw this secret potion drink on Pinterest. It was sprite and ice cubes made with Kool-Aid .  As the cubes melt the drink changes.  we gave it a shot.  My kids thought it tasted a lot like Jell-O.  It was a fun experiment.  My youngest told me I was not allowed to call it a potion.  It MUST be called a concoction according to my youngest According to the critics, the concoctions is not as nearly as great as the Mexican Sunrise evidently.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Summer Household Management

Dear Diary

School is out. I feel a strong desire to lock myself inside my bedroom and not come out.  My boys would like nothing better than to be surrounded by screens all summer long.  I believe that is so they can't hear my voice. They are teens so they are hearing impaired.

Need some help to manage screens  check out this post at cool tech mom - Screen Time Management Solutions from Been There Done That Parents.  Over time I have used several different versions of those solutions but if you got older teens it is real hard to compel them.

I don't know about other stay at home mom's but I start out STRONG but as the summer gets going I get a," I don't care attitude."  I can't keep up the "RAH" attitude.  I saw this quote and I wrote it down.  It fits so perfectly.

I have a survivalists mentality to summer household management.  I want to have fun.  I lower my standards about just about everything related to household management.  I do expect people to do what I ask them to do and in return I try to give them a break about screens.

Notice the sign is crooked.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Spotless

Dear Diary
I am sick of hearing the question "What do people do ever day who have spotless homes?"  Well duh they don't have KIDS  # 1 and they must not live there.  I think spotless is a little overrated but maybe that is because I have never achieved it. I love this perspective from the The Pool Life - Do Men Even Know Who Marie Kondo Is? Don't know who Marie Kondo is?  Read my Who the Heck Is Marie Kondo.

11 Things People With Spotless Homes Do Everyday

7 Ways to Create a Self Cleaning House

10 Creative Ways to Declutter

How to have a perfectly Clean House


What I have gleaned from the above mentioned  links is this basic principal -

PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF, SKIPPY

Diary of Mediocre Homemaker- Sourdough

Dear Diary
I feel like I have accomplished the holy grail of homemaking and even managed to make that mediocre.  My friend and I attended a short class on sourdough at the library from a cute baker guy. We received sourdough starter. 

Meet My Little Friend - My Starter - Tigger is checking it out.

First, I want to say the baker guy made it look extremely easy.  I managed to make a giant mess. I had starter everywhere and FLOUR too. 

The MESS

dough ball

I made two loaves. I was trying to use up my old wheat flours.  The one I made with whole wheat pastry flour we enjoyed more. The starter we received was part rye and whole wheat. This sourdough is the more healthy kind. We slathered ours in butter. Both loaves were totally edible though.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Under Pressure

Dear Diary,

Sometimes I just can't keep up with the trends in modern homemaking.  I just FEEL like I am not enough of a homemaker.  All the PRESSURE to keep up with the trends. Well, it has come to my attention that ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKERS are a thing.  I see posts everywhere on the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.  I have always, maybe not too secretly, been afraid of the old style pressure cooker.  I put together some linky's on this type of device.  I REPEAT I DO NOT OWN ONE.  Read at your own risk.  You might find yourself wanting one.



As a RV friendly appliance - Take That Exit
Pressure Cooking Today
How to Make Yogurt in Instant Pot - Hip Pressure Cooking





***This post contains amazon affiliate links

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Car Learning Curve

Dear Diary
Somehow car technology has COMPLETELY left me behind.  We recently purchased a new to us car and I have had a steep learning curve.  I drove the same Ford Explorer for 13 years.  I KNEW knew that vehicle.  In the last 2 months between travel and new car, I have an opportunity to drive several new to me cars. 

That has left me with some funny experiences such as I couldn't figure out how to shut off the flashers or how they got on.  I had to send a SOS call to my hubby AND I even tried looking it up in the book.

Yep, that red triangle is the flashers

I rented a brand new limited explorer and couldn't figure out how to start the vehicle.  I embarrassed my son's by asking the lot attendant.  You had to push a button (got that part) and hold the brake down( didn't get that part). I bet they were wondering why the heck they rented me a vehicle.

I took my car in to get a new back windshield. They gave me a loaner car and I couldn't figure out how to turn on the wipers. I was super embarrassed when I had to go back and ask the service center as we were having a heavy down pour.   Honestly, I am not blond.

I have TOTALLY learned a lot of about cars and my ability to drive them. Change is hard and getting a new to me car really left me feeling like a beginner driver.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker- My Creative Process is MESSY

Dear Diary
My creative process at best can be summed up as MESSY.  I cook messy and I create messy too. I have been trying to come up with my all important valentine card.  I had a spare hour last week so I got all the supplies out and played around. I have been experimenting with some print making. I was simply using those kid foam stickers on cardboard in essence making my own stamp. (in above pic). I painted over the homemade stamp and pressed the paper into it.  I was only mildly successful in getting a nice clear print.

The above picture.  I put foam sticker on the paper and painted around the bird foam stickers.  I then peeled the stickers off. The stickers came off OK.

When I watched kids, my absolute favorite thing to do with them was to craft.  They have no fear and the kids embrace the mess. With young kids it is about the messy process not the product.  In the end, none of these ideas are what I went with for my valentine card but it was fun to break out of the routine.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker- Dinner Music

Dear Diary
For the past year and half I have been listening to after dinner music.  At first it was quite jarring.  You see my son was learning to play the trumpet and at first it didn't make the best after dinner music. I am really proud of how my son has stuck with it.  I wasn't in band so maybe I didn't really have the proper appreciation for band music. 

practicing before concert in band uniform

My dog is still not convinced that trumpet music is his favorite.  He does like to sing/whine/bark along

This is How Music Can Change Your Brain

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - I got a snowflake thing

Dear Diary
I might have a little addiction to snowflakes. I GOT IT BAD! I however don't want the real stuff!!!

I have made popsicle snowflakes. These things are huge and graphic and that is why I love them. They are hung from a spring rod.

I have done an Ode to the Elf movie with snowflakes galore resulting in a lovely garland complete with coffee filter snowflakes. It is a now a Christmas tradition and I have one currently up.

I have done beaded snowflakes on pipe cleaners.  This is a craft I learned at MOPS (mother's of preschoolers)

I also have made dollar store clothespin snowflakes.  Not to be left out, I also made a giant PVC snowflake.

I HAVE A SNOWFLAKE THINGY!!!

Diary of Mediocre Homemaker - Metallica Bridge

Photo of all the tags of Metallica on town bridge shared to Discover Ferndale

Dear Diary
Our town has Metallica bridge.  Yes, Metallica bridge, you know the rock band.  Since I moved her 11 years ago many things have been graffiti-ed on the bridge but consistently it has been Metallica even one time it had misspelled .  What do you expect from some vandals? There was also that time where Nine Inch Nails claimed a spot on the bridge for a time. Of course, Nine Inch Nails stayed up for a while due to a little flooding.

This is the stuff of urban legends. Is it the same person always doing the Metallica graffiti? Why was it missing from the bridge for over a year?  Did the graffiti artist go to college? It is our little town's claim to fame. The little bit of irony is that we have many beautiful murals and totems in but that isn't what we are known for.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Every Town has One

Front of the house viewed through dirty windshield - Nov 2015

Side of House- Nov 2015

Dear Diary
Everyone asks me about this one building/house in my town. I think every town has one building that people say "What is up with that?" 

The owner calls it the Clock Tower.  Other people might have some different names for it.  I myself call it the mystery house. It recently made the local news again.  The builder may have missed the deadline to finish the outside of the house. I know shockingly work was stopped because various building codes weren't being followed.  I have to say once the owner got the go ahead he has diligently been working on the outside. 

Post from 2011

2011

                2014  

2014

               2014 again with video

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker- Casserole Trap

Dear Diary
They said, "Try them you will like them."  Casseroles are the workhorse of the eat dinner at home crowd.   It is quick.  It is easy.  We don't do many casseroles at my house. Well, I evidently picked the wrong casserole for this foray into the casserole world.  I made Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice.  It was DELISH but it drove me to drink.  Yes, I had a glass of wine. I didn't know I would need to learn how to make a cheese sauce. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the the creation it was hit with the adults at least. However, you can admire my ginormous bag of wild rice.  

I might have over bought from the bulk bin at Winco. A little wild rice goes a LONG way.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Not feeling the Skillet Love

Dear Diary
I just wanted to be healthier and you know better.  I bought a ceramic skillet hoping it would reform my broken ways.  It worked perfectly at first.  The darn thing was super slippery.  The eggs practically flipped themselves.  BUT then something went horribly wrong. 

Isn't that WRONG!  Bacon should not stick to your skillet. So I consulted Amazon and we are trying a professional T-Fal skillet.

Anyone have a positive experience with a Ceramic Skillet?

Need more Diary of Mediocre Homemaker love check out these posts
Famous Last Words
Ice Cream Bread

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Breaking Up

Dear Diary
I have made it to the last day of this 31 days.  It's not you.  It's me.  We need to take a break from each other. I am like that girl you can never break-up with though. I will probably be back to share because "sharing is CARING." However, this everyday sharing is going to STOP. This homemaker has a mediocre life to live.

Check out the ENTIRE series here - Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker

I am linking up with Write31Days

Confessions of Mediocre Homemaker- Hunt and Feed Strategy

Dear Diary
Why does grocery store feel like an exotic culinary hunt?  I pretty sure my Mom never had to puzzle over white rice, quinoa, brown rice, jasmine rice.  There was no such thing as GLUTEN FREE. At our family dinner table there was simply take it or leave it.

Why does grocery store shopping feel a lot like some exotic hunting trip?  I am pretty sure my mother never had such variety when shopping in the 70's.   I become overwhelmed grocery shopping and I shop with a list.  To relieve some of the What is for Dinner pressure, I menu plan.  I love ideas from Pinterest.

I am lucky to have time to cook dinner every night. My go to is to keep things simple.  Someone suggested that I make list of all the beef, chicken, fish options that my family likes. I then purchase what protein is on sale and I know I can make these meals from my family approved list. I keep this at the front of my recipe binder.  It helps my mental meal planning block.

 

Check out my entire series - Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker

I am linking up with Write31Days

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Things I don't Understand

Dear Diary
There is so much I don't understand. But I really don't understand why people want to use fake bacon.  I saw this at Micheal's. 

Why use fake bacon if you can use real? One of our local donut places understands my need for real bacon.

Maple Bar with BACON

I call out you Turkey Bacon eaters.  If you have painted stripes on your bacon, that is not REAL!! Pork is where it is at.

Check out my whole series - Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker
I am linking up with Write31Days

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - The Creative Beast aka Wild Hair

Dear Diary
I have a need in my daily life to be creative.  BUT most of my life is a repeatable predictable routine.  Sometimes I need to break out of the schedule but I only have a few stolen moments for it.  At first I wasn't at first a big fan of adult coloring.  See my Dear Diary - Adult Coloring, REALLY.   Now I have a bunch of unfinished coloring pages.  So, now I just have a finishing problem

BUT lately, I have been trying to teach myself to draw a decent pumpkin.  You won't believe the number of tutorials for drawing pumpkins. I still remember being at a Mother's Group and a Mom commenting that my pumpkin looked like a butt.  So 14 years later, I am trying to redeem myself - ha ha.

I especially like the Art For Kids Hub videos

He has just a pumpkin video as well.  I think my pumpkin turned out pretty good.