Clutter

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Photo Credit: EvelynGiggles

I’ve always subscribed to the theory that a cluttered house makes for a cluttered mind, and vice versa.  I’ve been struggling with clutter for most of my adult life, and in the last year or so, have finally started to get a handle on it.  However, the fact that my husband is a minor hoarder doesn’t help matters.  He keeps EVERYTHING!  He has collections of things that most people wouldn’t even think about collecting (rusty screws, random chunks of metal, used lighters, dirty pens, etc.)  He has socks, boxers and tee shirts from his high school days – things with holes that he will never, ever wear again (I hope.)

His desk is strewn with unopened mail, piles of empty soda bottles and cans, food wrappers, and random junk that he is either seriously attached to or is simply too lazy to throw away.  (I say lazy, because there is a large garbage can literally INCHES from his desk.)  He has boxes of unidentified junk treasures lining the shelves in the basement that he has not gone through in years. Don’t even get me started on our two car garage that I have not been able to park in for two years.

So why am I suddenly so concerned with my husband’s clutter, when I’ve been living with it and dealing with it for almost 6 years?  Well, we have recently decided to sell our three bedroom house, which has been a huge source of financial stress for us in the last year or so, and downsize by moving into a two bedroom townhouse, which is much more affordable.  The house we have now is literally bursting at the seams with our stuff, and I’m a little concerned as to where we will put everything when our space is even more constricted.

This whole situation has forced me to come to the conclusion that “we” need to reduce “our” clutter by at least half.  So I’ve decided that the month of November is going to be “Decluttering Month.”  Now, I just have to find a way to get my husband on board…

 

Baked French Toast

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Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf of French bread
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups of half and half
  • 1/2 cup of maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, divided
  • 1 ring of smoked sausage
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar, divided

Directions:

Cut (or tear) French bread and sausage into bite sized pieces – approximately 1 inch.  Mix together and place in a buttered 13X9 pan.  Whisk the eggs together with the half and half and syrup.  Add salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.  Whisk until well incorporated, then pour mixture over the bread and sausage pieces, making sure all of the bread is soaked.  You may have to use a spoon or your fingers to make sure the bread is well saturated with the egg mixture.  Cover with aluminum foil and put in the refrigerator overnight.

When you’re ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 350°.  Mix together the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Sprinkle over the top, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, uncovered.  Serve with maple syrup, or just the way it is.

 

Fabulous Fall

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Fall is here, which means it’s time for raking leaves, warm scarves and sweaters, cozy candles and delicious treats.  Here are some amazing ideas and recipes for autumn:

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Pie Croissants

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Decorating with Pumpkins

Glazed Pumpkin Spice Bread

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Chowder

Source: bhg.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Candles

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Porch Decorations

Pumpkin Dip

Baked Apples

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse

Outdoor Party

Source: busy-mommy.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Apple Cider

Decorating With Pumpkins

More Decorating with Pumpkins

Chai Tea Granola

Acorn Cookies

Source: etsy.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Acorn Wreath

Pumpkins and Candles = Beautiful

Source: lh3.ggpht.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Decorating with Candy Corn

Writing a Novel – How to Begin

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When you begin to write a novel, you may already have something in mind. Maybe you’ve had a story in your head for months or years, just waiting to get out. Or maybe there’s a certain character you’ve been creating over time, and you’d like to create a story around him or her. Maybe you have nothing in mind, and have just always wanted to write a novel. Well, here’s your chance!

There are two types of novels: story driven and character driven. Story driven novels happen when you have a specific story you’d like to tell, and you let the plot set the pace of the novel and define the characters. Character driven novels are the opposite – you begin with a character or several characters, and you build the story around them, based on how you feel they would act or behave.

In either case, I believe it is important to get to know your characters very well.

If you don’t know how to begin and have no ideas for a story or characters, here’s the easiest way to start:

1. Decide WHO you want your story to be about, rather than WHAT you want it to be about.

2. Begin to define your character – what does he or she look like? How does he or she speak? What does he or she like? What is his/her name? Write down everything you can think of about this character. You can always go back and change things once you begin writing. This is just to give you an idea of who this “person” is.

3. Once you have your main character, you can begin to define your secondary characters. Decide what their relationship will be to the main character, and write down everything you can about them. Again, you can always go back and change things later.

4. After you’ve come up with a few characters, you may be starting to have ideas of what will happen to these characters. At the very least, you must have an idea of the type of novel this will be. Will it be love story? A mystery? A thriller? All you have to do now is start writing, and let the characters guide the story. The better you get to know your characters, the more you’ll realize that the story is already there, you’re just writing it down.

5. Remember to be true to your characters. If your main character is scared of the dark, you wouldn’t have her going outside at midnight to investigate a noise she heard. Your readers will pick up on this, and you will lose credibility with them.

Happy writing!

Southwest Cowboy Chili

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Well, it’s officially soup season.  I came up with this variation of The Hungry Girl’s Southwest Surprise soup.  It’s a thick and hearty, yet super healthy meal.  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 16 oz frozen corn
  • 3 cans of petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 can Italian diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans pinto beans
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 packet taco seasoning mix
  • 1 packet fajita seasoning mix
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning mix

Start out by browning the ground beef in a large soup pot.

While the beef is browning, rinse and drain the pinto and black beans.

When the beef is browned, drain and add the bag of frozen corn.

Stir together and let cook for about 5 minutes.  Then, add the tomatoes.

Stir. Add the packets of taco seasoning mix, fajita seasoning mix and ranch seasoning mix.

Stir together and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and add beans.

Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!  Sometimes, we like to doctor this up even further with sour cream and shredded cheese and then eat it with tortilla chips.

Writing Every Day – Why It’s Important

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Writing every day is so important. Not only is it a great way to improve your skills, it’s a good practice to get into because it keeps your creativity flowing. If you stop writing, even if it’s only for a few days, it’s really hard to get back into it. Writing can also be very therapeutic.

If you’re not working on anything in particular, it can be hard to think of something to write about every day. Journaling can be a very rewarding activity. Sometimes, writing about the mundane, boring things that happen to you on a daily basis can make them seem much more fascinating, and often, very funny. You may find it more fun to create a fictional journal about the life you’d rather be having. This can be a fun exercise, as well.

Writing prompts are also a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Shut off your thoughts and allow the prompt to guide you in whichever direction it takes you. You’ll surprise yourself. Most of the time you’ll write something you never knew you had in you, which is the best kind of thing to write.

I found this adorable little book called A Creative Writer’s Kit by Judy Reeves at Barnes and Noble. It contains a writing prompt for every day of the year. She suggests committing to sitting down to write at the same time every day for a certain length of time, whether it’s ten minutes, or two hours. And then actually do it. I agree, because it’s so easy to tell yourself that you’ll do it later, or tomorrow, or after you finish some big project you’re currently working on. That’s what separates the writers from the wanna-be writers. The writers actually write.

If you’d rather not buy a book of writing prompts, you can create your own. Anytime an idea for a prompt or a story pops into your head, write it down and stick it in a jar. Every day, draw out a prompt, and write about it. Prompts can be as simple as writing about making a turkey sandwich, or that tall, dark, handsome stranger you saw at the gas station the other day. Which brings me to people watching.
People watching can be a wonderful creative tool. Next time you spot any interesting looking strangers, invent backgrounds for them. Write what you think their lives must be like. You may even be able to use some of them as characters in a novel.

There are many reasons it’s important to write every day. You’ll always be able to think of a million reasons not to, but don’t let them stop you. Be a writer.

Cute Ideas for Kiddos

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Source: yfrog.com via Kiley on Pinterest

 

Since I am a new mother to a 7 1/2 month old son, I am always looking for new ways to make my house more “kid friendly.” Here are some wonderful and creative ideas that I found on Pinterest.
Cute Rooms:

Source: roomzaar.com via Kiley on Pinterest

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Source: google.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: tadashop.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kiley on Pinterest

Source: wanelo.com via Kiley on Pinterest