The Turtle, Socktopus, and New Carpeting

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My family and I have been working hard on getting our condo ready for sale.  My daughter and I cleaned window sills and ceiling fans last Thursday.  I have been detailing certain areas like my kitchen sink and base boards.  I am highly motivated to tackle any little thing that can make a difference in selling our condo.

My Studio is mostly packed up and my husband’s office is now occupying part of my space.  It has all worked out nicely so far.  I don’t do a very good job of finishing organizing things when I start them.  My workspace was in a large space and I was only using about one-third of the space.  So, having my husband move his office into my workspace was really not a big deal.  We did all that moving yesterday.  Up and down the stairs, dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning in general.  I was ready for bed around 8PM.

We had to move my husband’s office up into the loft (my studio), so we could move the living room furniture out for new carpeting.  When we moved in 4-5 years ago, we really liked our condo.  We noticed the carpeting wasn’t perfect, but thought a good carpet cleaning would make a difference.  It did not.  The last owner had dogs, dogs that affected the carpet.  She probably had the carpets cleaned after she moved out.   As we lived in our condo, we added our own spills and stains to the carpet, and the stains of the last owner came up through the carpet as well.  We decided to go the whole nine yards and just replace the gross carpet.

After moving the office furniture out of the old room, it was time to go purchase new carpeting.  We took a sample of the old stuff with us, because we have to match it up with bed room and stairs carpeting that will not be replaced.  We came pretty close on the match-up and think it will blend in nicely.  We were also told, if the pet stains were bad enough and soaked into the carpet pad, they would come up through the new carpeting.  We will need to replace the carpet pad and shellac underneath to seal away the urine stains.

Today, we moved all of the living room furniture into the old office room.  We went to Menard’s to purchase the best rated shellac – B-I-N® Shellac-base primer by Rust-oleum.  We purchased it on sale for about $36.00/gallon.

 

When we arrived home, neighbors warned us of a special visitor close to our front door:

Friendly Neighborhood Turtle

A female snapping turtle comes to lay her eggs in our mulch every year, we were told.  We were all amazed.  I had never been so close to a turtle before!  It was fabulous!

 

My husband wanted to get right at shellacing the floor.  He cut long strips in sections of the room.  When he rolled up the carpeting it was disgusting!  You could see the brown stains that soaked through to the bottom.  I have read before how carpeting is not a healthy flooring option because of the chemicals and the bacteria it traps.  This was a first-hand look at our germy carpeting.  New house must have little to no carpeting, or we will remove it.

Rolled-up Icky Carpet

All this hard work has been motivating me to get back to work on giggleFritz creations.  This morning, while waiting for my sister to pick me and my daughter up for the Farmer’s Market, I got to work on some new Socktopus guys.  I plugged in my sewing machine, got out some socks, scissors, and stuffing and got to work.  I hope to have some guys in the giggleFritz Shop and Etsy Shop soon.

Soon-to-be Socktopus Guys

 

Now it is time for a well-deserved cook out with a bonfire and s’mores!

Have a great weekend!

Missie 😀

 

 

 

Catch Up

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Let’s play catch up!

Last Sunday my sister and I ran our first 5K of the year, Silver Lining Boys & Girls Club 5K for Kids.  We ran the whole thing, without walking, in 36min 23sec.  That isn’t a competitive time, but our main goal was to run the whole thing without walking.  We met our goal and are very happy with that!

Missie and Sister (who would kill me if I used her name because she is silly!)

Last Thursday we were at the doctor’s office and had ultrasound pictures done.  We are expecting a girl!  We are very excited and it was so emotional to see all of the pictures of the tiny baby!  She is a silly wiggler baby and we cannot wait to see her in October!

My husband and I have also decided to try and sell our condo so we can buy a house.  We need more room, and even if we don’t sell this year, we need some home improvements anyway.  So, we will be painting, cleaning and replacing carpets, and moving things around.  Not much has been getting done here at giggleFritz and Co. and now I fear even less will be created.  But, it is a short-term break while my family and I handle some important changes.

I am supposed to be cleaning and packing up my work space/studio as I type.  So, I am off to keep that happening.  The sooner we get done, the sooner I can create some more neat stuff!

Have an awesome Monday! 😀

Missie

 

 

GiggleFritz Smores

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image

A new snack favorite!  I was craving chocolate and had none on hand. I found half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the ‘frige, poured a mug of milk, and started to throw back some chocolate.  The chips were pretty good, but I started to think deeper. Peanut Butter! But, I needed a crust, so graham crackers were just the thing.  I had three squares of these things, and they were exactly what I needed. I’m sure these are not new to many people, but this is the first time I’ve enjoyed them.  They need a name, not just, “These Things”.  I will call them “giggleFritz Smores”.

                      GiggleFritz Smores
Graham Crackers
Creamy Peanut Butter (I like natural)
Chocolate Chips (I used semi-sweet)

1. Spread peanut butter over crackers.
2. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of peanut butter.
3. Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Soup Day

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Yesterday, I had to pick up my daughter from school, she was not feeling well.  She spent a good deal of time sleeping and trying to feel better.  It was actually a good day to be home sick.  It rained all day long and became cold – perfectly normal weather for Wisconsin in May (heavy sarcasm here).  It was a perfect day for homemade chicken soup.

Homemade Chicken Soup

I’ve been doing more cooking in the past two weeks and it feels great.  It is good to get back to smelling fresh, cut up vegetables and herbs.  The morning sickness was so bad my spice cabinet made me want to retch.  How sad was that!  Back to making soup.  So, I found some frozen vegetable broth and cooked chicken in my freezer, cut up some fresh carrots, celery, and onion, and pulled out some simple herbs and made soup.  Oh, did it smell magical!  The mixed smell of simmering oregano, pepper, chicken, and vegetables made me feel so alive, yet calm.  I was hoping the aroma would help make my daughter a little more cheery too.  Some warm soup, grilled cheese, and an old movie after lunch contributed to a peaceful nap taken by both mom and daughter.  I love it when simple things remedy crappy days and tired souls.

Here is the chicken soup recipe I use:

Homemade Chicken Soup

Prep Time: 25 min                            Cook Time: 34 min

Ingredients:

32oz (4cups) chicken broth

2 cups water

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 medium rib celery, diced

1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges

1 tsp dried majoram, or oregano

1 bay leaf (I don’t use)

¼ tsp pepper (or less)

2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped

1 cup flat noodles, or noodles of choice

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, or 1 Tbsp dried parsley

 

1. In a large sauce pan, combine chicken broth, water, carrot, celery, onion, marjoram, bay leaf, and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium-high; return to a boil.  Add chicken or turkey, noodles, and parsley.  Return to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook, loosely covered, 15-20 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Remove and discard bay leaf.

Click here to print or save recipe: Homemade Chicken Soup – Printable

 

Have a wonderful day!

Missie

Lead Poisoning Fun

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I was out shopping yesterday.  I had to run a few errands and I stopped at Hobby Lobby to look at their $0.99 McCall’s patterns.  I was looking for a pattern for maternity clothes.  I didn’t find any patterns for the clothes, so I went to look at paper punches that were on sale for 40% off.  I have been making my own tags for craft shows, but I thought it would be less time consuming and look nicer on my products if I would use a paper punch.  I looked a long time, compared prices, bought my paper puncher and went home.

I didn’t have enough time yesterday to use my new paper puncher.  This morning I started to rip open the package and try out the new puncher to make some tags.  As I was pulling the plastic carton away from the cardboard, I noticed a warning at the bottom of the package stating the punch contains lead and can lead to reproductive problems and birth defects.  Well that is just great!  Here I am 15 weeks pregnant and I just purchased a product that could kill or deform my baby, wonderful!

Paper Punch Front

 

Paper Punch Lead Warning

Needless to say, I am mad.  Many people buy these punches to make photo albums and birthday cards.  Are you supposed to wear gloves when using this thing?  Lead can still be transferred to the final product.  I am grateful that someone made The Paper Studio add that warning, but why are we manufacturing these types of products with lead, products that are harmful to ourselves and our kids?  I am fed up with this cheap China crap!  It makes me wonder what else in my house is laden with lead and other chemicals.

Paper puncher is going back to Hobby Lobby.  I have washed my hands thoroughly of lead.  There is no lead poisoning fun!

On to safer projects!

Have a great day! 😀

Missie

May 6, 2013

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I haven’t written anything in a while, due to being so sick.  Family and friends ask me all the time, “Are you feeling better, Missie?”  I am still just as sick.  However, sometimes I don’t know what to say.  When I am sitting still and have no distractions, I FEEL the sickness.  When I am moving to get things done and I am out of the house doing errands, I don’t notice how I feel, as much.  So, when I run into people and they ask, “how are you feeling”, the truth is, “I’m better now I am talking to you”.

Because I feel better when I am moving, I try to never stop moving.  Typing this at my computer makes me scared that shortly, I will want to go lay down.  I think I will be okay for a while, because my exercise high is still in effect.

For exercise during pregnancy, I am using the Couch to 5K program I have used for the last few years.  I wrote about the program last year and explained a little about how it works.  (Click here for the post from last year on the old “Thoughts of giggleFritz” blog.)  My sister and I ran two 5K’s last summer.  It was more motivating to train for those races than just running alone.  I asked my doctor if it would be safe to start running that program while I am pregnant, and he approved of it.  This morning, my sister and I started week three of the program.  It is not easy, but I feel so much better for a few hours after running.  I am also hoping it helps me bounce back more quickly after delivery.

I better be off and moving.  I have too much to do before I conk out later!

Have a great Monday! 😀

~Missie

A Bit Blue

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I can’t help being blue lately. There is no getting away from this morning sickness and exhaustion. To make matters worse, the Wisconsin spring weather this year is beyond dismal.  It’s like the sun has died! It has been raining, thundering, and lightening the last two days. The cold and dampness is making me more depressed.  I have been in bed nearly the whole day.
I can’t help but think of the poor women who go through this and have other children to take care of. Also, the women who go to work every day feeling so miserable.  My heart goes out to them and I give them tons of credit!  This whoosy girl couldn’t do it, she has enough trouble making dinner.
I hope I am feeling better in a few weeks and posting happier thoughts.
Keep looking forward to spring!
Missie

Slowly, but Surely

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I am getting ready for the next craft fair at Kimberly High School in Kimberly, Wisconsin, Saturday, April 27.  I am not a whirlwind of production, but I am slowly making new things.  I am now 10 weeks, 5 days pregnant and white soda, soda crackers, and my Ipod are my very best friends while working.  In a few weeks I should be in tip-top shape, though.

Red and Yellow Socktopus – New in the Shop!

Have a great Monday!

Missie 🙂

Missie in the Kitchen with Rice

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I think I am on week four of morning sickness and it is such a bummer!  There is so much stuff I could be/should be doing, and I just lack focus.  My biggest challenge everyday is dinner: planning and making it.  Nothing sounds good.  I can’t tell if my family wants to each what I make or not.  I was the leftover eater of the house and now we save NOTHING.  Oh, baby, I know this will be worth it!

Saturday evening I didn’t know what to do with myself after dinner.  We had just gotten done eating Burger King and I was not going to crawl in bed and spend the next how many hours under the covers, not yet.  (You cannot begin to imagine the nightmares and insomnia I had that night and I blame it on the Burger King!)  I grabbed a deck of Snoopy cards and played two games of solitaire.  I got bored with that and had a sudden urge to organize something.  I have this old box of recipes on recipe cards from my mom.  It is filled with old recipes from my mom, grandma, and other ladies that had swapped recipes long ago.  The box needed to be organized because a few years ago, I dropped the box on the floor and most of the cards fell out.  Organizing the box has been on my list of things to do for a long time.  I didn’t get very far on sorting everything, but I found some good recipes that I can use in the near future.

Included in the box are recipe cards from Minute Rice.  I am so psyched to use some of those recipes, mostly because you can make them in 20 minutes.  Last night I made their Cheeseburger Rice recipe.  So easy, and my husband thinks it tastes like McDonald’s cheeseburger.  The recipe made a large amount too.  My husband, daughter, and I ate about half of the dish.  I threw the other half in the freezer for a later time.  I am hoping the rice will freeze well.  If not, I am not very concerned right now.

Cheeseburger Rice by Minute Rice
Cheeseburger Rice Recipe – Minute Rice

Dinner tonight will be “Tuna ‘n Rice Dinner”.  Prep. Time: 20 min

Tuna ‘n Rice Dinner by Minute Rice
Tuna ‘n Rice Dinner Recipe – Minute Rice

I HAD to “Like” the Minute Rice page on Facebook.  I am hoping they will share other great, fast recipes.  Check them out on Facebook and Like their page: Minute Rice Facebook

Pregnancy is hard, Minute Rice recipes are easy! Bless you Minute Rice!

Have a nice Monday!

Missie 😀

Getting Ready for Easter

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I wandered out of doors this morning to run some errands.  I needed to go to the bank, the library, and Shopko.  Like others that I chat with, I am tired of this long-lasting winter.  It’s been sunny here in Wisconsin, but so darn cold!  The sun has brought the birds to my feeder, a group of three cardinals and other sweet little birdies.  But, don’t get me wrong, I want to open my windows soon, and air out this stagnant atmosphere.

I ran my errands and at the end, stopped at Shopko.  I needed to take a look at their vitamin section.  When I got there, another lady was planted in front of the vitamins I desired.  I walked off, deciding to look around until the other lady was finished looking.  I found the candy aisle!   “Oh, yes, Easter Candy!  I might as well get my candy now while I’m here,” I thought.

Easter Candy!

It’s hard buying candy, isn’t it?  You always have to be economical, and don’t say, “Then why don’t you go to Walmart?”  I HATE Walmart, it is evil and I boycotted it years ago!  So, I wandered around the candy aisles and carefully picked out traditional favorites my family enjoys.  I grabbed jelly beans, cream filled eggs, peanut butter eggs, and Peeps!  I ended up putting a few things back in the end, because I am making some cut out sugar cookies.  I will make the dough tomorrow, freeze it, and finish them up next week, right before Easter Sunday.

One of the new things I saw at the store were big chocolate bunnies that you could break apart.  Russel Stover and Hershey’s each had a version of this boxed chocolate bunny.  I thought that is a good idea for two reasons: first, if you are sharing, you can easily break off a piece for someone.  Second, if you are trying to be good you could eat one section a day and it is conveniently divided up for you already.

I saw this neat idea on Facebook, where someone dyed their Easter eggs with Kool-Aid packets.  I am going to try that and see how well it works.  No one in our family really likes hard boiled eggs, so I have been blowing out eggs we use and saving the shells.  That should make it go quicker because I don’t have to boil the eggs.  I will post some pictures when I’m done so you can see how well it works.

Blown-out egg and Kool-Aid “Dye”

I’m glad I have a good start on Easter, it will be here shortly!

Have a nice evening!

Missie