Amy’s Notebook 08.15.12

August 15th, 2012

Welcome to my little notebook of ideas to help improve your life. This is a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. I hope you will enjoy this weekly does of loveliness with beautiful links that are individually handpicked just for you!

 

These back-to-school apple waffles would be a great way to start the school year (Random Thoughts of a SuperMom)

I love these faux stainless steel letters for the fridge (@ The Crafted Sparrow)

I love this advice for making the perfect bow (@ The 36th Avenue)

This diamond wall made from Scotch tape looks like a fun & inexpensive way to create an accent wall (@ The Nesting Place)

I love this knitted lines & squares blanket pattern (@ The Purl Bee)

This tip for a baking powder substitute will really come in handy, I am sure! (@ Dine & Dish)

I love these tips for throwing a grilled pizza party (@ The Crafting Chicks)

These DIY paper parasols are a cute way to dress up a drink for a party (@ P.S. Blog)

This s’mores cake would be a cute addition to a camping party (@ One Charming Party)

This chalkboard globe would be a fun desk accessory (@ Ucreate)

I love these tips for hosting a kid’s book club (@ pars caeli)

I want to make some of these mason jar to-go cups (@ fine & feathered)

This diy easy fridge makeover is a cute way to organize those art projects on the fridge (@ How Does She?)

This chocolate chip cookie dough frozen yogurt looks divine (@ Two Peas & Their Pod)

I love this list of seven ways to organize a bookshelf (@ The Art of Doing Stuff)

These bacon tomato pesto sandwiches look like a perfect lunch (@ Smells Like Home)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Amy's Notebook | 5 Comments »

Asian Lunchbox Noodles

August 14th, 2012

My kids will be beginning their school year in just a couple of short weeks. I am so sad to see our summer come to an end, but also love their excitement and enthusiasm to get back to their favorite friends and learning.

With beginning the school year comes the challenge of making lunchtime fun for my kids. Sandwiches are our usual lunchbox standby, but I thought it would be fun to step out of the sandwich box, so to speak, and offer my kids another fun lunch that could be made and prepared ahead for our busy mornings.

These Asian Lunchbox Noodles fit the lunch bill perfectly! They can be made ahead, are great at any temperature, and you can add your child’s favorite flavors to them to spice them up. Tuck these into a reuseable Glad container or prepare these for any easy weeknight meal when extracurricular activities can wreak havoc on the evening routines. These noodles are great anytime and a great solution for any lunch or dinner.

 

 

Asian Lunchbox Noodles
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Amy Allen Clark
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound linguine, cooked
  • 4 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • ¼- ½  cup peanut butter (depending on your preference)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Carrots
Instructions
  1. Cook your linguine noodles as directed on the packaging. Reserve a little of the pasta water to help thin your sauce, if needed.
  2. Blend garlic in a food processor until fine.
  3. Add soy sauce, oils, vinegar, and brown sugar. Add enough peanut butter to make slightly thick. Add reserved pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce.
  4. Blend until smooth.
  5. Add to pasta and toss with shredded carrots.
  6. If desired, you can top with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or grilled chicken strips.

This is just one example of the great things you will discover this month over on the Glad site.  If you would like to see some of my fun ideas including my favorite bubble recipe, homemade play dough, homemade sidewalk chalk, and snag some great free printables to add a little sparkle to your child’s lunchbox, be sure to join Glad’s Facebook Community and click on Glad’s Mom Made tab for tips and tricks to manage the back-to-school madness.   Head over to Glad to get the full scoop on all of these fantastic ideas to get your school year started out right.

Check back next week for a fun project to get those back-to-school lunches organized that will get your whole family involved!

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Kid Eats, Main Dishes, My Work | 16 Comments »

An Apron Full of Giveaways 08.14.12

August 14th, 2012
FoodPhyte, $29.50

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we aren’t giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Please let me know if you have any questions and good luck to each of you!

Pin It

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Giveaways | 1 Comment »

Mongolian Beef

August 13th, 2012

There are days where photographing your food is difficult. That was the case with this Mongolian Beef recipe that we prepared this week. It wasn’t that the food was hard to photograph, it was that the Mongolian Beef was so darn delicious that I had a hard time stealing a plate away from my family so I could take a picture of it.

I am one of those people that finds one dish that she likes when she goes out to eat and sticks to it all the way. When I order Chinese, the only dish I want is my Chicken Lo Mein. I rarely browse the menu, for fear I might waste an opportunity to eat out on a dish that isn’t as good as my old standby.

My girlfriends have been bragging about a recipe that they discovered on Pinterest for Mongolian Beef. I decided this might be a fun way to switch up my Chinese food routines and try something new.

This Mongolian Beef is so divine that I felt like we were eating out at P.F. Chang’s, but at a small fraction of the price. The sweetness from the brown sugar in the sauce mixed with the saltiness of the soy sauce and then finished with the heat from red pepper flake are truly a perfect balance in flavors.  We served this over rice and with a side of steamed broccoli, to add a little green and crunch to our plates.

I highly recommend giving this recipe a try for your next Chinese food craving night!  I am already thinking about the delicious leftovers I get to have for lunch today and can’t wait to eat this again!

Mongolian Beef
Recipe Type: Main
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 6
A perfect balance of sweet, salty, & spicy!
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2/3 cup cornstarch
  • 6 teaspoons of canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use bottled minced garlic)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds (we omitted because we don’t like onions)
Instructions
  1. Slice your flank steak crosswise into thin strips. Pat your meat dry with a paper towel and then toss the meat with cornstarch, making sure each piece is coated thoroughly. Place the meat into a strainer and shake off any excess cornstarch from the meat.
  2. Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Allow this to cook for one minute.
  3. Add soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. The sauce will be thin, but will later thicken in the cornstarch.
  4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining oil to the wok.
  5. Divide your meat into two batches. Add the first batch of beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned. Remove this meat and then cook your second batch.
  6. Place all of the meat back into the wok. Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat.
  7. Cook the sauce down for three to five minutes to reduce.
  8. Finish by adding your green onions and cook for one minute.
  9. Serve it hot with rice and a side of steamed broccoli.

Adapted from Pink Bites

Pin It

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Main Dishes | 12 Comments »

How to Make Car S’mores

August 10th, 2012

Did you know that today is National S’mores Day? Who knew? I thought it would be fun to share with you a fun activity we did this summer that my kids absolutely flipped for. Have you ever ate a car s’more? No? Well, in my opinion, you haven’t lived until you have tried this fun food activity together. I guarantee that your kids will flip for this and I am betting that years from now my kids will be talking about that one time when their crazy mom let them make s’mores in the car.

Today Emily is demonstrating for us one of two ways that you can make your car s’mores. We have tried two different versions and both of them turn out wonderfully. With this version, kids can help assemble foil packets to be placed on a cookie sheet. Simply assemble your s’more ingredients (whatever your favorite ingredients might be)  on a small piece of foil. Once your s’more is full assembled, wrap it up in the foil tightly, and place it on a cookie sheet.

For a simpler version, you can simply line a cookie sheet with foil and plop your s’mores right on them (as demonstrated below).

A really hot summer day, like this one, is the perfect place to cook your s’mores. Slide your cookie sheet onto the dash of your car and shut your car. Set your kitchen timer for 15-20 minutes. I highly recommend sipping some lemonade and enjoying the AC while they are cooking.

Retrieve your cookie sheet and show your kids their perfectly cooked s’mores.

Marvel in the fact that you completely blew their minds with your awesomeness. Remember, these are the stories they will tell their kids someday.

Happy S’mores Day, friends!

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

Pin It

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in DIY, Kid Eats, Kids Crafts, My Work | 7 Comments »

Back From Vacation Cleaning & Organizing

August 10th, 2012

Our family has just returned from a trip to Gatlinburg for a special family reunion for my husband’s side of the family. We had the incredible opportunity to climb Clingmans Dome with Ryan’s grandma to check climbing this mountain off her bucket list for her 80th birthday. We climbed this mountain in honor of his grandfather who recently passed away from cancer as a symbol of his motto to, “live strong.”  It was a very special moment for us all and I am so proud of my two kids who RAN the entire mountain for their great grandma & grandpa. There are no words for this moment!

We are still in recovery mode from being gone for the week. Unfortunately, there were many projects awaiting me upon my return. This week on the Kenmore Genius Blog you will find me sharing a few of the strategies I am working on to get my home back on track before the kids head back to school. Be sure to read this post for strategies on back from vacation cleaning and organizing.

I am also sharing my tips and strategies for organizing my closets this week! My car is fully loaded for a trip to Goodwill to donate items from our closet. It will be nice to start the Fall with a freshly organized space.

 

 

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Cleaning, My Work, Organizing | 2 Comments »

Tips & Tools for Affordably Organizing Your Closet

August 10th, 2012

As we transition into Fall, now is a great time to evaluate what is in your closet and establish organization so you can begin preparing to add your fall wardrobes into your closet. Today I wanted to share with you some tips & strategies for reestablishing order in your closet and offer a few great organizing solutions from a store that just might surprise you.

I always lament that I don’t have a Container Store near me and I just know that if I had access to a store like that, my closets and drawers would look so much better. Who knew that Walmart offers great closet organizers and storage solutions for my cluttered life? Walmart gave me the chance to get my cluttered room organized and today I wanted to show you how I transformed my small disorganized closet into a thing of beauty.

Let’s start with a glance into my problem areas in my drawers and room. Perhaps, these are areas you are struggling with too!

Organize the Unmentionables-

Let’s start with my drawer of unmentionables and my sock bin (pictured above) as an example of a cluttered area that could be improved upon. I can never find what I need because everything is in complete disorder. There are many items that don’t fit or don’t have a match, but I have been to busy to organize this space.

With a simple compartment drawer organizer, I now know exactly where everything is. I organized socks to the right and unmentionables to the left. It took only minutes to assemble and I now feel like I am shopping my very own store in this drawer. I repeated the same process with my kid’s drawers and my husband’s drawer.  It makes this drawer feel surprisingly spacious and, at a quick glance, I know exactly where everything is.

Organize the Scarf Collection-

I have a slight obsession with scarves. They are such a fun and inexpensive fashion accessory to add to all of my outfits. Unfortunately, my collection had gotten out of hand and I had scarves tucked into my sock bins, draped over shelves in our closet and draped over hangers. I couldn’t find the accessories I needed and had run out of room in our closet for more baskets.

With one over rod scarf organizer, I was able to to put my scarf collection all in one place and have everything organized the way that I wanted it. This same simple organizing solution would be perfect for your tights or for a tie collection for men.

Maximize Your Space-

Since we have a small closet, it is always a challenge to make this space functional and to keep our wardrobes pared down so we have enough space to move everything around. Switching the types of hangers you use can be a quick and easy solution to double or triple the space in your closet. These bulky wooden hangers were hindering my husband from hanging up his entire wardrobe and I kept finding items draped over other shelves or piled on the floor of the closet.

Isn’t it incredible how the hanger switch out can make all the difference with your space? I am a big believer that these hangers can instantly transform closets and make things spacious within minutes!

  Get Vertical With Storage-

You might be surprised to know that this is my entire shoe collection. Can you believe my husband says that I don’t need anymore shoes? Me either! I had a lidded basket in our room where I would throw all of my shoes. They were definitely out of sight, but it was difficult to find what I needed when I had somewhere to be.

Over-the-door shoe organizers have come a long way and I absolutely love this organizer  for my shoe storage. The pockets were generous enough that ballet flats and sandals could slide into one compartment, allowing me to fit my entire shoe collection on the back of our door. Vertical storage makes sense, especially when you want to free up space on your closet floors!

Make Sock Storage Make Sense-

A long time ago, I purchased these organizers for our socks. Don’t they look organized? These bins drive me crazy and are not ideal storage for socks, but we had run out of drawer space in our dresser.  By whittling my sock collection down, I was able to put everything in the drawer organizer. My husband has an extensive sock collection though and many days are spent trying to find the perfect socks for the perfect occasion.

I divided my husband’s sock collection into two piles (whites and darks) and then put them in these handy collapsible covered storage bins. They were the perfect solution and got our sock collection off of the floor so that we had space for shoe storage.

Create Hidden Storage-

Other items like belts, ties, hats, and even flip flops can take up valuable storage space. Our collections of said items, may have been all over our closet floor and not easily found. With my new shoe organizer though, my door was already in use.

The backs of my bi-fold doors to my closet were the perfect spot to hide additional storage. One side now houses my belt collection. The other side now hides hat storage for my husband. Our flip flops are neatly organized and hanging by our back door outside. I would have never thought to use the backs of these doors for anything, but this was the perfect spot for these items!

What a transformation from where we started. This is my closet after sorting and organizing our space.  I feel like I got a brand new closet and I don’t have to be embarrassed about this space anymore.

Looking to organize your closet space? Here are a few of my favorite tools from Walmart that I used to organize my space! Visit your own store or shop online to find some of these organizing solutions for your own closet!

Canopy Velvet Hangers

Canopy Storage Bins (Small)

Canopy Collection Lidded Boxes (Small)

Mainstay Scarf & Tie Organizer (used for belts)

Honey Can Do 32 Compartment Drawer Organizer (set of two)

Household Essentials Revolving Shoe Tree

Mainstays Organize & Store Baseball Caps

Mainstays Flip Flop & Sandal Organizer

Canopy Handwoven Willow Laundry Basket

Canopy 3 Bin Sorter

Canopy Medium Storage Container

Mainstays Scarf Holder (Chrome)

Looking for more tips on closet organization? Be sure to visit this post for more ideas for organizing closets in your home along with a video on how to organize your closet in under 30 minutes!

 

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

Pin It

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Cleaning, My Work, Organizing | 9 Comments »

Amy’s Notebook 08.08.12

August 8th, 2012

Welcome to my little notebook of ideas to help improve your life. This is a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. I hope you will enjoy this weekly does of loveliness with beautiful links that are individually handpicked just for you!

These wine bottle tiki torches are an elegant idea for entertaining outdoors (@ When Pigs Fly)

I love these adorable lunchbox notes for back-to-school (@ paper corterie)

I want to do this puffy headband braid on my daughter’s hair (@ How Does She?)

These creamy strawberry lemonade popsicles look like a yummy summer treat (@ Good Life Eats)

I love these decorating ideas for hosting a book swap party (@ a thousand words)

These vintage coffee cans upcycled into a tray are a fun way to display coffee ingredients (@ Brooklyn Limestone)

These zucchini chips look like a fun way to enjoy this summer vegetable (@ nest)

This white caps cowl looks like a beautiful fall knitting project (@ the purl bee)

This Frito Pie Burger looks divine (@ Confections of a Foodie Bride)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Amy's Notebook | 1 Comment »

An Apron Full of Giveaways: iPhone Photography Book Giveaway Closing

August 7th, 2012

FoodPhyte, $25.95

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we aren’t giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

To enter simply leave a comment OVER HERE and tell me why you need this book! ENTRIES LEFT ON THIS POST WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR ENTRY.   Three winners chosen at random, will receive a copy of, “iPhone Photography Visual Guide Book.” Please submit your entries by Tuesday (08/07) at 8PM EST.  Our winners will be drawn at random. Good luck, everyone!

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Giveaways | 1 Comment »

Great Reads for Moms: Summer ’12 Edition

August 7th, 2012

I hope you all are enjoying some fabulous eading this summer. I have had my nose in a book almost every day this summer and I have gotten to read some really great summer reads. I am excited to share with you a few of my favorites from the past two months.

As always, if you are looking for a little inspiration this new year, be sure to check our MomAdvice fan page for a weekly check-in on what everyone is reading each week on our Facebook Fan Page. I hope you will swing by on Fridays and share about the books you are working on or request recommendations with one another. So far it is a huge success and I have gotten a few new ideas for my own stack!

Just as a reminder, I read many more books than are just featured here, but try to feature the ones that are my absolute best picks of the month here. If you want to read more, please feel free to friend me on GoodReads! You can find me right here and I am always happy to connect with people there too! There is nothing more motivating than seeing what other people are raving about and my to-be-read pile continues to grow with all of my new friends on there! In fact, many of the books featured are ones that I have found through my friends on GoodReads.

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

I have to say that this book is one of my favorite reads this summer, simply because it is deliciously fast-paced chick-lit at its finest.

Anne Blythe seems to have everything. She has sold her first book, has a fabulous life, and fabulous friends. When it comes to being lucky in love though, she can’t seem to ever find the right guy. novel. After her best friend announces her engagement and her latest relationship ends, she decides to take a risk and contact a dating service in hopes of finding the perfect match. Upon her first appointment with the dating service though, she realizes that it is not a dating service at all, but a matchmaking service for an arranged marriage.

Once she starts the process, there is no turning back and Anne finds herself traveling to a Mexican resort where she will meet and marry (all in the same weekend) her “perfect,” guy.

This book has great twists and turns that you will really enjoy and after devouring this book in a mere day, I can’t recommend it enough for a fun reading escape!

MomAdvice Rating- 5 Stars out of 5 Stars

 

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

If you are looking for another great chick-lit escape, Wife 22 offers a fresh and modern-day perspective on finding love that I think you will really enjoy.

Alice Buckle is a typical middle aged mother who has found herself in a funk in her marriage. While Googling the search term, “happy marriage,” she suddenly receives an opportunity in her email to take part in a marriage survey. Since she is struggling in her marriage, she find this to be a fun and anonymous way to share about her marriage without judgement. She takes on the anonymous survey as, “Wife 22,” and finds herself completely engrossed in taking the survey and writing the answers to the questions. As she engages daily in the interaction with the researcher, their playful banter starts to turn into something that Alice never expected.

This modern day love story of love lost and love found again is one that you will really love. What adds to the charm of this book is the social media thread of viewing Alice’s friend’s Facebook status updates at the beginning of the chapters, the Facebook chats she engages in, and of course the emails back and forth between herself and the Researcher.

A solid ending to this story really pulls all the layers together beautifully. As an aside, there is an Appendix at the very end of the book that provides the questions that were asked of Alice when completing the survey. I wished I would have had those to help me pull the answers together more fully.

MomAdvice Rating- 5 Stars out of 5 Stars

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I love when I read a book and feel my real life slipping away from me. Gone Girl was a book that sucked me from the very first page and offered one of those amazing journeys as a reader.

Without giving the plot away the story begins with  Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Amy has carefully wrapped gifts and is making the perfect breakfast for her husband when she suddenly disappears one seemingly ordinary morning. Nick is quickly under suspicion since he appears completely unemotional with the news of his wife’s disappearance and has no real explanation for his whereabouts when Amy has disappeared. Clue after clue points to Nick and the police begin building a case against him. It leaves the entire town and those closest to Amy wondering what Nick has done to Amy.

Of course, with all good stories, things aren’t always as they appear and this story will take the reader on great plot twists that they will never suspect coming. Although, I found the ending of this book to be a bit flat and it didn’t wrap up the way I had hoped, I still believe this is one of the best thrillers I have read this year.

Editor’s Note- This book contains graphic scenes, language, & violence.

MomAdvice Rating- 5 Stars out of 5 Stars

 Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson

Stephanie Nielson began sharing her family’s story on her blog NieNie Dialogues in 2005. She quickly attracted a loyal following that was captivated by the upbeat mother happily raising her young children, madly in love with her husband, Christian (Mr. Nielson to her readers), and filled with gratitude for her blessed life.

Everything changed in an instant in August of 2008 when Stephanie and Christian were involved in a horrific plane crash. Christian was burned over 40 percent of his body, and Stephanie was near death, with burns on over 80 percent of her body. She would remain in a coma for four months.

Stephanie shares her journey from the very beginning of her courtship to her perfect soul mate, the beautiful life they were able to build together, her own struggles with motherhood, the accident, and then the aftermath of recovering from the accident and rebuilding her life again.

Stephanie’s faith and the family that she has created through her church and in her own family are what help sustain her through her recovery. Her story is heart-wrenching and inspiring. It left me feeling inspired and gave me a new appreciation for my health and my family.

MomAdvice Rating- 4 Stars out of 5 Stars

 

Not enough great reads for you? Check out our Books section of our site for monthly recommendations and ideas for making reading a priority again in your busy mom life!

Books I have read in 2012 (so far):

Disclosure: All of the links above are affiliate links and are provided so you can locate the books quickly and easily. Feel free to order a book, but we encourage utilizing the library system and buying me a latte instead.  Then we both would be really happy and we could have our own little book club together! Wouldn’t that just be so much more lovely? Happy Reading!

What has been in your book stack this summer? Feel free to share your book recommendations or feedback on any of the books that have been mentioned above! I love getting new suggestions for my book pile!

 

 

 

 

Pin It

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Book Reviews | 11 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »