Staying-Me

Watching My Garden Grow – Cut-And-Come-Again Crops

Stacie — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:56:03 +0000

I have a little trick for you this week. Want to know how you can prolong some of your crops? By using the “cut-and-come-again” method. It’s so easy that you don’t even need instructions, but here’s some anyway:
1. Admire your lettuce crop, and be thankful that your children like to eat greens.

2. Grasp the lettuce leaves with one hand, and kitchen shears with the other hand.
3. Cut off the lettuce leaves, leaving about 1-3″ left on the plant.
4. Make a salad and eat it.

The leaves will grow again, and then repeat. You can do this about 3 or 4 times before you have to replant, so you really get your money’s worth of any seed that you plant. You can also do this one other plants, such as:

mustard greens
arugula
endive
chinese cabbage
any leaf lettuce
celery
broccoli

I hope you find this little tip helpful. See you next time!

What’s going on in your garden this week?

Sparkly Dishes with Cascade Platinum Pacs! #MyPlatinum #Sponsored

Stacie — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:36:57 +0000

Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Do you know what’s great about having kids? Once they get to be old enough, you can make them do the chores that you don’t want to! Ok, maybe that’s not nice, but it is useful sometimes. I hate doing dishes. Not because it’s a difficult job, but because it has to be done EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. With laundry, you can fudge it a little. Didn’t clean the bathroom? Just close the door and do it tomorrow. But dishes? With a family this big, if we don’t wash dishes daily, we don’t have anything to eat off of.
Unfortunately, even though after dinner clean up and dish washing has been their team chore for well over a year, there is still grumbling. They hate having to pre-wash. They like to say that they have to wash the dishes before they wash the dishes.
And you can always see if they didn’t prewash. Food is still there after a wash cycle. Check out this plate. On the left is right after a regular wash. Then I put in a Cascade Platinum pac, and washed it again. All gone! Plus the plate was even more shiny than before. (Don’t mind the scratches, our dishes are more than 15 years old!)

(Click on the photo to see the food spots)
Cascade Platinum Pacs:

Power away tough, 24 hour stuck-on food
Eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes
Helps maintain the look of new machines and helps prevent additional hard-water build-up
Delivers exceptional dishware shine
AND help prevent the build-up of hard-water film on dishwasher walls.
(plus, they smell good!)

Clean dishes are great, but sparkling clean is even better! Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, has teamed up with Cascade to tell us why plating is so important:

Cascade is currently hosting an Instagram contest, encouraging you to upload pictures of your sparkling dishes! Two contestants each week will win a brand new Whirlpool dishwasher. AND, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a Platinum kitchen makeover!
To win, users have to both register and upload a photo with the #MyPlatinum hashtag and tag @MyCascade. Participants that have not registered will be disqualified from winning.
Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry: 6/17-6/23) Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!
Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-6/30) Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!
Grand Prize Winner (Entry: 6/3-6/30)
And make sure to connect with Cascade on Facebook and find more details about all the Cascade products on their website!

Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Wordless Wednesday – Art Fair

Stacie — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:00:27 +0000

J was in an art fair in downtown Salem recently, and I totally forgot to share! No flash + not very good lighting makes not awesome pics, but here she is were her two pieces that she showed.

Watching My Garden Grow – June 11

Stacie — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:41:18 +0000

This week is finals week, so I’ve been doing nothing but studying. All I have to share this week is one of my daylilies, which finally bloomed this past weekend.

Have a great week!

Night Owl Paper Goods Review & #Giveaway

Stacie — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:02:22 +0000

Disclaimer: Product was sent for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.

I was born before smartphones were. I had a tablet, but it was an actual PAPER tablet. And even though I think technology is awesome, and use it on a daily basis, there are some things that I would rather do “the old way”. Real birthday cards are so much more personal than one sent via email. A written journal just has something that a virtual one doesn’t.

But one thing that gives me trouble is the fact that there is a lot of paper wasted. When Night Owl Paper Goods sent me some of their eco-friendly, sustainably grown paper products to review, I was happy to see that paper products don’t have to be as wasteful as they can be.

I was sent a journal, some greeting cards, and a ruler/bookmark for review purposes. My first reaction was how cute they are! I love madras print, it takes me back in time, and the colors are so vibrant. What is really cool is the fact that the cover is made of thinly sliced wood! The size of this journal is great, not too big and not too small. I really love writing in a journal at night before bed, and that’s what I’ll use this for.

The cards are each made out of a different material. The thank you card is paper, the french fries card (which is my favorite, I know exactly who I’m sending this too!) is made out of recycled cotton, and the Happy Birthday card is made out of wood.

I love these products, they’re well made and put together, the designs are adorable, and they’ll appeal to a wide range of people! They have a card for everyone, and lots of adorable gifts. They even have scrapbook supplies and wedding invitations!
Connect with Night Owl Paper Products on Twitter and Facebook, and enter here to win a $20 gift certificate to their store! Instructions are in the Rafflecopter form, good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday – New Satellite Dish?

Stacie — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:00:46 +0000

Zelda is now safe from parenthood (and we are safe from having to find homes for any potential puppies). The collar she has to wear makes her miserable, and she’s tired of being made to sit still all the time, but her staples come out today, and then we’ll be able to resume our walks and playing!

Watching My Garden Grow – Catching up!

Stacie — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:00:07 +0000

I have been updating the WMGG posts for the past few weeks, and have been coming up with the same problem over and over again: pictures. I either:
a) take pictures and don’t get them uploaded onto the computer, or
b) forget to take pictures to begin with.

But this week I DID get all of my pictures taken, AND uploaded to the computer. Thankfully there wasn’t too much going on, but here’s what’s been happening in my garden:
My tomatoes are in pots, and my squash, cucumbers, corn, nest egg gourds, and pumpkins are in the ground.

(See the frost damage on some of the leaves? I was so sad. )
My second crop of lettuce is taking off nicely, as is my rainbow chard.
My roses are blooming.

My white azaleas bloomed, but they’re done now (this is the first time it’s bloomed since we planted it TWO YEARS AGO, so I’ll take anything it has at this point). My rhododendron is done blooming too. I ended up cutting it way back year before last, so it only had time to start growing blooms after last season. Next year I expect TONS of blooms on both of these, look how pretty they are!

I also have a geranium that I planted in the front that is blooming.

We have a lot of blooms that are just about ready to open, I can’t wait to show pictures of them.

I’m at the point to where most of the year’s planting/moving/etc is done. There will be a few things that need done still, but that part is pretty much finished. Now is the time where we focus on projects. And if there is something that we have plenty of, it’s projects! I still have one more raised bed to tear down and replace in my main gardening area, and then move all the rocks and finish setting things up there.
I think we’re also going to be finally cutting down the trees in the front yard. I’m hoping that it will be an easy process, and that we don’t have to call anyone in for help.
I also have something fun planned that involves the kid’s outside play, so hopefully it all goes well and I can post it here soon!

What is going on in your garden/yard this week?

Fun in Seattle – Icons

Stacie — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:50:25 +0000

It is no secret that one of my favorite places to visit is Seattle. Whether I’m there with the whole family, or just as a getaway for Computer Dude and me, I am totally in love.
I know I mentioned that we vacationed in Seattle last week, but what I didn’t tell you is that this was our first true family vacation in SEVEN YEARS. We have gone to visit family, and done other mini trips, but as to an actual, real, relaxing, no reason other than spending time with each other vacation, this was our first in many years. And maybe our last as a family of 6, since J is graduating next year, and who knows what will be happening after that. And even though there was rain, and a bit of wind, we all had a blast, and I want to share with you a bit of why I love Seattle so much. This turned out to be so long, that I’m separating it into sections.

One of the “must see” parts of Seattle is, of course, Pike Place Market. You gotta see the guys throwing fish! We buy stuff from them every time we go, this time it was rainbow trout and black cod. The market is so much fun, and you can spend almost an entire day just there! From all the shops, to the fresh food, to the artists and street artists, there’s always something new to see. Photo opportunities too, people come by just to photograph the flowers in the morning, and you have to take a picture by the golden pig!
(And remember to stop by the original Starbucks while you’re there!)

Even though I’ve been there quite a few times, I still haven’t seen everything. One thing that I’ve never made time for, but made sure to stop by this time, was the Gum Wall. This is an alley right next to the market, and it is entirely covered with pieces of chewed up gum. Gross, huh?

Another icon is the Fremont Troll. It’s in the middle of a neighborhood, and it can be hard to find a place to park, but it’s still a fun little art attraction. Visitors are welcome to climb on him, and the girls loved getting close up to his hubcap eye.

Stay tuned for part 2!

New The Lone Ranger Trailer

Stacie — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:37:28 +0000

I can’t wait for The Lone Ranger to come out this summer! Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are always awesome on screen together, and this looks like it will be no exception.

Plus this movie is packed full of action and excitement. Check out this trailer:

Check it out on the Lone Ranger’s website, Facebook, and Twitter, and get ready to see this on July 3rd!

Are you excited about this movie too?

Why You Should Rethink Staying at a Hotel During Vacation

Stacie — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:07 +0000

We just came back from a family trip to Seattle, and it was awesome! One of the best decisions we made during this trip was to skip the hotel. Instead, we stayed at a vacation condo. It’s owned by a company that also owns many other condos throughout the city. Here are some reasons why I recommend renting a condo vs staying at a hotel the next time you vacation in a city:

1. It’s quiet.

One of my pet peeves for staying in a hotel is the noise. People checking in and out all day, suitcases rolling down the halls, excited kids and families setting up in their rooms. We still heard the other tenants near us, but it was so much more quiet here.

2. Parking included.

Parking in a big city can get expensive, FAST. Most places in Seattle charge anywhere from $7-10 for 0-2 hours, then an hourly rate after that. Even a lot of the hotels charge for parking, even if you are staying there, and it equals anywhere from $25-50 a day! The parking was included in our price, and since we were right in the middle of downtown, we were able to walk to almost all of our destinations!

3. Meals.

This was probably the BIGGEST money saver. Being a residential condo, there was a full kitchen, including refrigerator, stove/oven, microwave, and even a dishwasher. It was also stocked with pots and pans, plates, silverware, the works! We ate at least 2 of our meals in the condo every day we stayed there. I brought my slow cooker, threw in some stuff in the morning, and it was ready to eat when we got home! We also brought breakfast foods with us, like eggs and cereal, so when someone woke up in the morning, they could just eat if they were hungry, instead of waiting for everyone to get up, get dressed, and go out to get something (or go down to a dining room). Also, being able to cook our own food meant that we ate healthier!

4. Space.

We rented a 2 bedroom, and so there was plenty of space for everyone! With two beds and a pull out couch, there was no “sardines in a can” feeling with everyone scrunched together. Two people per bed, and lots of room. There were also two televisions, so the older girls could watch something they wanted, and the younger two could watch a cartoon. Getting a 2 bedroom condo as opposed to 2 hotel rooms saved us a lot of money too, since the price for ONE room here in Seattle was anywhere from $125-500+ for one night. (Note that I did not include a picture of the second bedroom. The teens occupied this room, which means that it looked like a teenager’s bedroom about 5 minutes after we arrived until about 5 minutes before we left)

Here are some other perks that were included in our stay:
Free Wi-Fi, washer/dryer in the apartment, pool, rooftop BBQ area, gym, TV lounge, Pool Table and LOTS of extra towels. The room was also smoke- and pet-free, although pets were allowed for owners of the other apartments (the entire building was smoke-free, however). The building and parking garage are also locked, and require a pass-key to get in. Next time you are planning your vacation, I strongly urge you to look into a condo/apartment instead of a hotel! It will save money and hassle, and it’s much more comfortable.

Have you ever rented an apartment or home for your vacation? I’d love to hear about it!

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, and I do not get anything in return for writing it. I will not be linking to the service we used, but if you would like more information, let me know in a comment and I’ll send you an email!