Smarmy

My Vacation

2011-07-26T15:29:00.003-05:00

Today is the second day of Theatre Camp for Verity. She was so excited about going that she forgot to be nervous until the day it started. She had bit of a rough start--crying and wanting to leave-- before she finally settled in.

She probably would have been fine, if James and I had not walked her all the way to the meeting room and waited over 30 minutes for class to begin. I guess I'm a bit overprotective until I see the facility and the teachers in action.

She seemed to have had a fun time when we discussed her day over ice cream after we picked her up Monday afternoon. I'm hoping the rest of the week goes well and that she learns something too.

So, what to do with all of my free time this week? I've got school books ordered, supplies organized, and uniforms ready to go. I went through Verity's room and threw out a lot of unnecessary things that she has been hanging on to.

But, what do I really want to do on my vacation? I'm realizing it's hard to re-focus when so much of my time is spent thinking and doing things that involve my daughter. Although I love her and have chosen to be a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom, I'm increasingly aware of the reality that I need to find more time to spend with me, on the things that I enjoy.

So, maybe I'll start that painting series I've been planning, or read for hours and write my thoughts down uninterrupted, or go out for a nice long lunch with James. Maybe I'll spend some time with me this week. And plan to take a mini-vacation for myself more often.

A New Adventure

2011-01-26T14:10:00.004-06:00

It seems like just about the time you think you've established a nice predictable routine in any area of your life, something inevitably happens to completely turn that routine upside down.

As I settled into my newly established menu-planning, meal-organizing, coupon-using routine for January 2011 I was faced with more stomach issues, and realized I needed to make some major changes in my diet.

I have always had trouble digesting the lactose in milk, but over the years I had begun to suspect wheat as a culprit of my stomach troubles as well. So, I made the decision to go wheat-free and gluten-free. Little did I know the challenge that awaited.

I began by eating only mashed potatoes and jello. Not by choice, but by necessity, as my stomach could not tolerate much more than that. However, as I researched and talked with others I continued to make connections between my symptoms and the foods I had consumed largely over the holidays.

I began by shopping for gluten-free snacks and by focusing on rice, corn and potato based foods. I had a lot to learn, but I was determined to feel better.

Baking has been one of the most difficult areas for me to adjust to. I love to bake and make homemade everything for my family. But, gluten-free baking is a science that is not easily learned. Thankfully I have a resource in a good friend who has been doing this gluten-free lifestyle for several years, or I might have given up already.

At the time of this writing I have been wheat-free, gluten-free for approximately 19 days. My plan is to go for at least 30 days and then add one thing at a time back into my diet. I do believe I am feeling better, although the side effects of changing to high fiber flours and foods have slightly affected the results. Hopefully by day 30 I will have a better idea of what I am facing for the future.

Finally... a vacation of sorts

2010-12-08T13:44:00.003-06:00

My family and I drove for two days to get to Ft. Myers, FL for several video shoots we had scheduled with a local agency. We spent three days from sun up to sun down shooting 3 locations per day. But, in between the running and the shooting we found some time to have a little fun too. How could we not? We were in Florida!

Verity played on the beach for the first time in her life. She jumped and ran endlessly up and down the coast. She collected seashells and made sand angels.

We went sailing in West Ft. Myers. Verity played tennis at the Paseo Country Club. Then we ran to catch the sunset on Ft. Myers beach, where we built sand castles and played in the sand until it was too dark to see.

With sand in our shoes, we watched the Christmas boat parade and counted the stars. We ate for the second time at Doc Ford's restaurant on the water. Verity danced with the live band.

It was great to get away to such a beautiful place with my family. We met new friends, saw new sights, and made memories that will last a lifetime.

A Progress Report on Coupon Use

2010-08-25T16:48:00.005-05:00

Today I found Palmolive dish washing soap on sale for 1.69 and I had a .25 coupon which the store doubled to .50. So, I ended up paying 1.19 for a 20 oz bottle that is normally 2.45. This was worth the wait for the sale, but it ran my coupon right up the the expiration date. Thankfully you can still use them on the date they expire.

My next good deal was YoPlus 4pk yogurt on sale with a .55 peelie coupon and my .50 manufacturer coupon that the store doubled to 1.00. I paid 1.30 for the 4pk when all was said and done.

My favorite deal of the day, however, was the Smart chicken brats on sale for 1.99 (regular 4.85) with a 1.00 off peelie coupon. I paid .99 for a 5 pk of brats!

I still feel that using coupons in a productive way can be very time consuming. I enjoy finding the great deals, but it seems to take a lot of extra effort and planning for me. Maybe a coupon class or book would shed some more light on the subject.

The verdict is still out on whether I have saved any money. That will be determined when I total up my grocery receipts and see how the monthly average compares with my pre-coupon months.

Princess Shoes

2010-03-29T18:58:00.002-05:00

Weekend project: Princess dress up shoes for Verity.

Savings

2010-03-27T09:05:00.006-05:00

I've always been skeptical of the use of coupons to save money. It seemed to me that most coupons were for items I did not purchase. The amount of product you had to buy to get the small savings was not worth the time or effort for me. I usually ended up feeling suckered by the time it was all said and done, and my grocery bill never seemed to be any smaller.

However, recently my view has begun to change, slightly. I found some practical tips to combine with the coupons I had already been collecting. One of these tips was to plan to use the coupon during an in store sale on that same item. The other was to record the store sale schedule on items you buy regularly, so you can plan your buying around the sales.

Apparently this serious couponing is not for the faint of heart, nor those who haven't the time to plan it all out. But, I thought I would give it a shot.

I've slowly begun my process and have seen some disappointment, but also some success. I think my recent success is enough to keep my interest and keep me going on this new quest to save more on my grocery bill.

I was super excited to buy Smart Balance Butter Blend sticks 4 pk for .99 when combining my $1.00 off coupon with the in store sale. Wow! That's completely unexpected for a product that normally runs at least $4 or more. I also purchased 2 tubs of Smart Balance spreads, one spread with flax and the other a butter blend, for about $3.00 total when they normally run over $3 apiece. This was also from combining a coupon with the in store sale. Since I bake a lot, finding good butter blends at an amazing price is valuable to my family's health and also to our checkbook.

The store I shop at has coupons that print with your receipt, based on the items you regularly purchase. I recently got a couple coupons in this way for free items. One was for a free Coffeemate single shot creamer 8 pack, and the other for a free half gallon of Almond silk milk.

I'm excited to go back and buy some C&H brown sugar during the in store sale with my .50 off coupon. I'll pay about $1.29 which is less than the price of the off brand that I usually buy.

If I had to sum up what I've learned so far about couponing I would say, "Be disciplined. Plan your menus in advance so you can organize your grocery list around that, your coupons, and the in store sales." I'm just getting started at this, but I am hopeful it continues to come together and result in noticeable savings in my grocery bill.

For the best resource that I've found on real couponing check out 918couponqueen.com.

Birthday, Coffee, Cake

2010-03-20T11:43:00.004-05:00

I made this coffee cake recipe for James' birthday breakfast yesterday. It's yummy, and easy to put together.

Coffee Cake
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soft shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Spray 9 in baking dish with non stick pan spray.

Mix sugar, shortening and egg in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add baking powder and salt. Stir in milk. Add flour and mix well.

Sprinkle the following mixture in the bottom of your baking dish before pouring in the batter:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped nuts
cut in 2 Tablespoons butter

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Invert onto serving plate.

Pizza Night!

2010-03-12T17:22:00.003-06:00

Weekends have included pizza night at our house for quite some time, but now we've added blueberry dessert pizza to the menu.

It's easy once you have the dough prepared.

Blueberry Dessert Pizza
Combine the following:
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

cut in 1/4 cup margarine or butter

Sprinkle mixture over prepared pizza dough. Top with frozen or fresh blueberries (however many you like). Bake in 450 oven for 10-11 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing if desired.

Hope

2010-03-11T20:02:00.003-06:00

Hope for the future is what drives us. It's that smoldering ember that keeps the flame of life alive in our hearts each day. It's what moves us to do the necessary, to reach the unattainable, to endure the impossible, to face our fears.

In whatever circumstance you find yourself remember to hold on to your faith, share your love, and never, never let go of your hope.

Spring Things

2010-03-10T14:36:00.006-06:00

Well, it's not officially Spring, but that doesn't mean we can't go ahead and call it Spring, right? Verity has been asking me since the first of February if it's Spring yet. She's convinced it is and that's enough for me.

I loved watching her play in the yard yesterday, digging up earthworms, planting tiny rocks, and wriggling her toes in the cool dirt. She blew bubbles, made birdseed pinecones to feed the birds and watched cardinals with her binoculars.

Watching her carefree play takes me back to my childhood make believe days. It reminds me that we should all take time to enjoy each Spring-like moment in our lives, no matter what season we are officially in.

Lactose Free Hot Cocoa Mix

2010-03-08T10:13:00.009-06:00

I'm lactose intolerant, but I do like to enjoy a mug of hot cocoa with my daughter once in awhile. Here's my recipe for a lactose free hot cocoa mix that will keep your tummy and your heart happy.

Lactose Free Hot Cocoa Mix

Sift together the following:

1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar

or for a richer flavor

1 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup powdered sugar
and stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar

Store mix in an air tight container with a lid. To use, measure 2 Tablespoons of mix into a mug of your favorite warm lactose free milk. Stir, reheat to desired temperature and enjoy.

Note: Be sure to use a sifter to combine the mix or you'll end up with bitter cocoa lumps no matter how much you stir.

View this recipe on my website. http://hitlikeagirl.com/recipes/drinks.html.

Save Your Leftover Oatmeal!

2010-03-03T19:11:00.007-06:00

Some mornings we have leftover oatmeal at our house. I hate to throw good food away, but everyone knows leftover oatmeal is no good. So I went on a search to find a recipe that would make use of my leftover oatmeal. I found a couple of recipes that I tried, but none were exactly what I was searching for. I finally came up with my own Chocolate Oatmeal Cake recipe which I've posted on my website: http://hitlikeagirl.com/recipes/desserts/98-chocolate-cake.html.

Please check it out and put your leftover oatmeal to good use.

Something to do for dinner.

2010-01-29T15:35:00.002-06:00

I made this apron for my daughter a couple of years ago. She still wears it with her chef hat and sometimes uses the crayons to take dinner orders as I cook.

Red hat

2010-01-25T20:33:00.007-06:00

For sale. Red hat lined with red/white/blue pattern. $15.00 plus shipping. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

My Grandma's hat

2010-01-25T20:31:00.003-06:00

Grandma in the hat I made for her.

Cheryl's tan/orange panel hat

2010-01-24T15:29:00.004-06:00

My college suite mate in the hat I made. You look great Cheryl!

doll

2010-01-24T14:36:00.003-06:00

I made one for my daughter and one for my niece for Christmas.

gift bag

2010-01-24T14:25:00.006-06:00

I made this bag for my daughter.

A new year

2010-01-23T16:45:00.002-06:00

Since starting our new home school schedule I have struggled with finding a new time to create. However, I did make several drawstring bags and a couple dolls as Christmas gifts at the end of 2009. With the new year underway I have plans to begin some new hats and other projects.

But, enough about me...

2009-07-15T11:31:00.003-05:00

Let's talk about YOU. If you own a Smarmy hat, please send me a photo of your lovely head wearing it, so I can post it for everyone to see! Show off your smarmy side.

Many faces of me...

2009-07-14T08:56:00.009-05:00

I'm an artist, designer, writer, teacher, co-owner of media company Mediavelocity, LLC. In 1995 I studied art and language in Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland). I graduated from college in 1997 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and a Minor in French. A few years later I became certified in Fitness and Nutrition and also as a Fitness Kickboxing instructor. In 1999 I developed the website hitlikeagirl.com focusing on fitness, health, and wellness tips to help others on their journey to total wellness.
Most recently I'm homeschooling my daughter, planning for the future, and designing hats for my newest project, Smarmy.

Keli's Dark blue denim hat

2009-07-06T21:57:00.005-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Dark blue denim, small red/blue floral pattern lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Light pink hat with decorated pocket

2009-07-06T21:56:00.003-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. I made this one for my Grandma H. Description: Light pink decorated pocket, dusty rose lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Light pink hat

2009-07-06T21:55:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. A thank-you to a friend. Description: Light pink with pink/brown floral lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Black hat with lime pocket

2009-07-06T21:53:00.001-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. A birthday gift for a friend's sister. Description: Black with lime pocket front; pink panels with elastic in back. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Navy blue velvet hat

2009-07-06T21:52:00.004-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

FREE HAT. You just pay shipping. Description: Navy blue velvet; white with large navy clover pattern lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Navy velvet hat with purple/black zebra panels

2009-07-06T21:50:00.005-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Navy velvet with purple/black zebra panels; black lining. Elastic in back. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Navy blue hat with blue/white leopard lining

2009-07-06T21:49:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

FREE (you pay shipping). I have a few free hats left. Description: Navy blue with blue/white leopard lining. Black lace elastic in back. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Light blue denim hat, pink lining

2009-07-06T21:47:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PMSOLD

SOLD. Description: Light blue denim, pink lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Purple hat with white lining

2009-07-06T21:45:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Purple hat with white lining. Elastic in back. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Green and white polka dot hat

2009-07-06T21:44:00.004-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

FOR SALE. Description: Green and white polka dot hat with lavender lining. $15.00 plus shipping. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Black hat with red pocket panel

2009-07-06T21:40:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Black hat with red pocket panel. Red/black lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Tan hat with orange panel

2009-07-06T21:38:00.003-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Tan hat with orange panel, tan/orange lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Black patterned hat

2009-07-06T21:36:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Black patterned hat, bow, with tan lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Cyan hat with tan panel pocket

2009-07-06T21:32:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

FOR SALE. Description: Cyan hat with tan panel pocket, tan/cyan lining. $15.00 plus shipping. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.

Pale lime green hat

2009-07-06T21:24:00.002-05:00

From Hats 6/13/09 4:37 PM

SOLD. Description: Pale lime green hat with pocket, brown lining. mgerhold@gmail.com to place an order.