Fight The Frump Friday

So here is the post you have all been waiting for! OK, I have really just been lazy and haven't done the research I should have for this FTF post. And I am sure it is not as good as you may have been imagining. A friend and I were talking about shaving legs and body exfoliation one day, and since I LOVE to use a body scrub right after I shave to help with shaving bumps and rash, AND I haven't really been able to find a store bought product that isn't too overwhelming, or has salt in it instead of sugar (ouch!) she gave me the idea to look up recipes for homemade brown sugar scrubs. There are a lot of different recipes out there, and even though I didn't try them all....I did find one I really liked and it is soo simple to make. I wanted one that didn't have essential oils, or weird ingredients that I would have to buy at a health food store miles from my house. I also wanted one that is a bit hypo-allergenic since I have friends that are allergic to tree nuts and such (Some recipes called for ground up almonds and ground up walnuts...but I didn't think even using them ON the skin instead of ingesting them would be a good idea). This is the recipe I found: Brown Sugar Body Scrub --Use instead of salt scrubs, which can be drying or irritating to the skin if it is dry and/or sensitive. Materials: 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup honey 3 Tbs. lemon juice 2 tsp. ginger Mix together thoroughly. Grate fresh ginger, or use the powdered variety if fresh is not available. Take into the shower with you and apply handfuls at a time to polish the skin. * Note: Should keep for several days in the refrigerator in a closed plastic container. (Thanks to Amby Longhofer for posting this on HGTV.com along with some other great homemade recipes http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_personal_care_bath_body/article/0,,hgtv_3144_2535174,00.html) I actually had to half the recipe and it still makes a lot. I used the ground ginger, and it was a bit overwhelming so I might just leave that out next time, BUT this was a great scrub! The ratio of honey to brown sugar was perfect....the "scrubbing action" was sooo nice and the lemon juice didn't sting like I thought it would. When you first make the scrub it seems really runny, but put it in the fridge in an airtight container overnight, and it thickens up nicely! I used a jar I bought from IKEA that has a great seal, so it looks nice on the edge of the tub (in case I leave it out), and it is easy to see what is inside so no one tries to eat it. So go ahead and try it.....I am sure you will like it! Go on over to Mrs. Fussypants for some great FTF posts. I would LOVE to call her "Fussy" but there seems to be some very childish stuff going around on the Internet, saying she is stealing the name of another blogger....so Mrs. Fussypants it is as to not anger the blogger Gods. She will always be "Fussy" in my book though...everyone deserves a nickname!!! (Even if it is a nickname that comes from another nickname!)

Turntable Thursday

To give you guys more of an idea of what music I really like, I have been thinking about some of the music I listen to on a regular basis. I've been trying to think of what makes a band/musician "listenable" for me. To tell you the truth, I am ALL over the spectrum when it comes to music. There is not just one thing that makes a band great to me. You would think with all of my music background (ie. piano lessons, voice lessons, choir up until Junior year of college, having a husband with a HUGE and I mean HUGE music library), I would have some technical term for what makes me listen more closely to the music I hear on the radio. I listen to all different kinds of music depending on my mood. If I am cleaning house, I like stuff that has a great beat, some drums, and some great lyrics so I can sing along. I usually go for the bands that I know all the words to all of their songs, or at least a few albums. If I'm in the car I switch stations frequently, wanting to have a song that I like and that is appropriate for the kids. (I will also change the station if U2* or Coldplay comes on....*shudder*-sorry CB). If I am angry for some odd, odd reason I can listen to heavy metal, and it makes me feel better. I guess for today I will spotlight one of my favorite bands to listen to while I clean. I usually put on my iPod, or hook my iPod up to my stereo and crank these guys up! Hot Hot Heat has lyrics that I can sing, I know when the "non-kid friendly" songs come on so I can skip if need be, and they have a great beat that helps me get through the crap work I have to do on a daily basis. I wish I knew how to get a snippit of a song in this post so you can listen, but check out Pandora to listen to a bit of Hot Hot Heat (Make Up the Break Down, one of my fave albums) *Just to clarify....I change the station when any NEWER U2 comes on. I still love Joshua Tree.

Wednesday's Wonderful Recipe

Thanks for the potato salad recipes....I guess I'd better start searching for an actual recipe that includes pickle juice so I can get proportions right! So this week, I am getting back to letting you know about the foods I cook for my family. We don't have a very large menu to choose from, but I am slowly expanding my repertoire (big word for a mommy brain, I know). One meal we cook all the time is tacos, I know pretty boring, and I don't really have an actual recipe for it. The good thing about tacos is the versatility. You can have hard tacos, soft tacos, taco salads or even totsadas. You can use ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or chicken, shredded beef or pork. I pretty much just use the packets of taco mix from McCormick, and follow the directions on the back. We use pre-packaged shredded lettuce, and I grate my own cheddar cheese, sometimes we add tomatos, and sour cream and Seth always uses Cholula hot sauce (I just use the regular red stuff from LaVictoria ). Most of the time, Seth makes the hard shells himself. He heats up a pan of oil and forms taco shells out of corn tortillas. It is soo good, and makes it easier on me...I don't have to heat up flour tortillas or find some good tasting pre-made taco shells. I think next time we make tacos, I am going to try PW's Pico recipe...it looks soo easy and very fresh and healthy, and perfect for summer veggies! (I may even try the guacamole part of the recipe too!) So that is a "recipe" that is a staple in this house. I try to have stuff on hand to make them, and I love having them for dinner since it it a family effort to get dinner on the table and they are one dish that everyone likes!

Independence Day Festivities

It has taken me a while to figure out how to make the slide show seen below. My kids had a great 4th of July, despite the burns Colin got from touching a just spent sparkler and the late night. Seth and I enjoyed being with friends and family, and Seth really enjoyed playing with the fireworks. Enjoy the slide show, and I hope you all had a great Independence Day!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Fight The Frump Friday

I am still working on my research for an upcoming FTF. BUT with this being Independence Day, I need to make a pet peeve of mine known. Do not go overboard with your patriotic clothes! Go ahead, wear red, white and blue on the 4th...hold a small flag during the parade...but do NOT wear a funky sweater, or wear a headband with pom poms on it. Be tasteful, show your partiotism in a sutble way. For instance, I will be showing my love for our country by wearing a white v-neck t-shirt with a blue tank underneath, a pair of denim capris and a very cute pair of red wedges (thanks CB!) In my hair I will have a red scarf either in my ponytail, or worn as a headband. No flag t-shirt, or cutoff daisy dukes, and for sure NO sparklers radiating from my head! Nor will I be wearing these:

Flags are not meant to be worn if you are over the age of, well I think 13. Yeah, Yeah, a few retail stores sell t-shirts and tank tops for adults with partiotic themes, but my opinion is to not buy them! My 2 year old daughter will be wearing a cute light blue shirt with a rhinestone flag on the front. My 5 year old son won't be wearing a flag, he will be wearing red, white and blue. But NO FLAG! This kind of "tradition" makes me wonder what other countries have this kind of merchandise for their National Holiday. Do any of you know? Maybe I'll do some research.

Go look at FUSSY for some great FTF advice!

Hope no one was offended during the making of this post. Who am I kidding? If you don't like it, then you can go "suck it!" (Thanks Holly, for that phrase, I don't use it very often, I promise!) The views of the post are most definitely the opinion of the post writer, but may not be the opinion of her readers, so check the comments for an alternate point of view.

Turntable Thursday

I kinda like a bit of trendy music, along with the not so trendy stuff. A "band" I like and that I actually hear the words and not just the music is a trendy "band" or "they" at least have a trendy song out right now. Their whole album is great....but I can't quite put a finger on what I like about it. Coconut Records is a solo act formed by the one, the only Jason Schwartzman! You may remember him from such Films as I Heart Huckabees, The Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy, and Rushmore. OR from newer films such as The Darjeeling Limited, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox story. Not only is this actor's album pretty good, but he has famous friends as guests throughout the whole thing. (Some very unlikely ones at that.) Not all actors have sucessfully formed bands, ie. Keanu Reeves (Dogstar) and Dennis Quaid (Dennis Quaid and the Sharks), but some have ie. Jared Leto (30 Seconds to Mars), Jack Black (Tenacious D) and even Billy Bob Thornton (Boxmasters). Yes, creepy, creepy Billy Bob does well with Rockabilly. So take a listen, tell me what you think, or don't whatever. But I could listen to this album every day at least once! (In fact, I would be listening to them right now, if I weren't listening to Blue's Clues on the TV).

Wednesday's Wonderful Recipe

Potato salad is a staple at any summer event involving food. I actually do not have a good recipe for Potato Salad...my Mom's is different every time she makes it, and I am not very fond of most of the store bought ones. So, even though I am NOT Pioneer Woman, I liked Ree's idea of letting everyone share their favorite recipes with her and all of her readers. Will you please share your favorite potato salad recipe with all of us? I am sure a few of the recipes are "family secrets" but I am also sure you may have a "back-up" recipe that you may be willing to share! *This post was modified to include links to Ree's site. Also....I feel like I have asked for your recipes before.....not Potato Salad per say (did I spell that right?) but but this post is a bit of Deja Vu...maybe I just dreamt it.