Christmas Cookies... Your Way

Who doesn't love Christmas cookies?? I would go to wager a great deal that even those who don't celebrate Christmas, love Christmas cookies. Personally, I can't live without them and one of my most favorite parts of Christmas, besides decorating the tree, is making Christmas cookies. It's a family tradition that my mom and I make the cookies together each year, but now that I feel like I have a little more cooking savvy, I felt that it was time to give the cookies an MMW twist.

While searching through the magazines and cookbooks, I decided that I wanted non-bar cookies with almonds. Conveniently, there were no non-bar cookies with almonds. SO we created them. I took another cookie and replaced the walnuts with almonds and "Walla!" non-bar cookies with almonds. And oh are they fabulously tasty! Now you may  be saying to yourself, "wow what a change," in all your sarcasm, BUT surprisingly enough many individuals will not take the risk to deviate from the cookie recipe. Especially if they don't bake often.

Allow me to empower you. While you may not bake often, you always know what good cookie dough tastes like, and ultimately how a good cookie tastes. As long as you start with a basic cookie dough (try making the dough for chocolate chip for example and not putting in the chocolate chips yet), you can make any type of cookie with easy add-ins. Try cranberries, or walnuts (though I don't like them), or chocolate chips and walnuts and cranberries. You'll be surprised with how crafty you feel and how good the cookies taste. You might even go as far to have your friends call you "chef". I warn you against this one unless you can back it up in the kitchen with a killer meal.... But I digress.

I remind you not to forget the fallback of the pre-made cookie dough for those who don't want to make the mess in kitchen.  While it's not my preferred cookie, you can always decorate these to your preference, such as the sugar cookie with lots of icing! Or you can use the sugar cookie dough and mix in what you want (just pull out all the cookie dough and put it in a mixing bowl and mix in your add-ins). Remember however, to adjust your time of cooking for your add-ins. I might suggest you do a sample (1 or 2 cookies).

The most important detail to remember is: Don't feel limited by the cookie recipes that you have. The worst that can happen is you throw a batch away, but if you stick to basic changes, I doubt that will happen - unless perhaps you decide to put in a crazy add-in.

Happy Homemaking!

Holiday Decorating - Quick and Easy

I love the winter holidays. For some its Hanukkah. Others - Kwanzaa. For me, it's Christmas and I love it.

The problem with me loving anything though, is again the problem that I have a tendency to not be able to rein it all in. So holiday decorating can be a budget buster, but if you're spending conscience and you purchase items that can be used year after to year, you'll be able to slowly build up your holiday decorations stash.

Pictured here is my dog Nona, who of course loves Christmas just as much as I do. Who wouldn't when you get a bunch of treats and all this extra food drops on the floor? Well maybe not on the floor, but you get the point.

This Christmas tree here is only 4 1/2 feet tall and is perfect for my one-bedroom apartment. Now, I understand that not many people enjoy the artificial trees, but noting that this tree cost me just as much as a real one would each year, I think I got my money's worth for the last seven years - YES SEVEN! Imagine the savings each Christmas!!

Which leaves you room for other items such as garlands, lights for your windows, signs outside your patio (or home). However, what is most important is to stick to a budget. This year (the 7th year of the tree), unfortunately, my built-in lights went out. But for $10 I went out and bought new lights, used the same ornaments, etc. and the tree looks great! Or at least I like to think so...

The MMW twist? Use items you wouldn't normally have out for the holidays to jazz up your holiday decor. I had a statue that I didn't think would look nice out on a bookshelf . I though of putting it away, but when I put up a cheap, pre-decorated garland up on the bookcase, in front of the statue, it really sealed the deal! This year I only purchased a cute happy holidays sign for my porch, the lights for the tree, and the garland. It really has made a difference, and all for less than $40. What small items can you purchase within your budget to help create the ambiance you wish to have in your home? Trust me, that expensive snowman will still be there next year - and you don't really need him...

The problem with "That's just the way I am."

"That's just the way I am."

Those six words can end any conversation. "That's just the way I am." "That's just how he/she is." Doesn't really leave room for flexibility does it? You can almost feel the tension in the words, just by reading them.

Saying "that's just the way I am" is like saying, "period, end of conversation." It means, "I don't know what to tell you but I'm not changing, so either get used to it or give up and leave me alone." Usually, it ends up being the literal version of that because, unless that person truly cares about you, they will leave you alone. Take it from someone who has learned the lesson - the hard way. Personal development is key to success and to better relationships, which requires a certain sense of self awareness. Being self aware of our own challenges and shortcomings helps us to chart a path to developing these areas and quite possibly, making them strengths. It also helps us to build stronger relationships with our friends and family. This requires us to open our eyes, mind and heart to the possibilities and to feedback. "That's just the way I am" is a limitation.


Those words were a regular part of my vocabulary for a long time. I was addicted to the words, "that's just the way I am." They seemed like such a logical reasoning for how I acted or responded or spoke. How could anybody argue with that reasoning? But these words are like using smoke bombs to screen yourself. You get all the smoke and sound, but after the smoke clears, you're still there. You have to first realize that you have been hiding behind  the words before you can understand the need to change. The next step is identifying when you use the words as an excuse and why; probably related to a weakness or bad habit that you're not ready to admit to. The most important thing to remember is you can change. You might even be able to make these weaknesses into strengths.


My best friend told me once, quite simply, "you just can't say that." We weren't best friends then, but we are now. Maybe it's because I actually listened and realized that "just the way I am" really isn't "just who I want to be." Personal development and being open to feedback is the best way to develop our understanding of our inner self. It's also the key to being a great professional and a whole person. How can you improve something if you don't even know that it's in need of an upgrade? How can you begin to really understand yourself, if you don't even acknowledge your shortcomings? We all need to start somewhere, and sometimes it's just as simple as saying "That's not just who I am - I can be, and I am, more."

Are you giving away cookie dough?

I often hear, "I shouldn't allow one person to ruin my day." I know that I am a person that usually allows one person to sully what could have been quite possibly a great day, but I like to believe that the exact opposite is also true and allows for one person to do quite the opposite.

Most recently, I was rushing to the office for a meeting, which means I was also rushing to find a place to park. Unfortunately, my fail-safe parking spot was blocked by a large truck that morning, which happened to be driven by the mailmain. Stupid of me to think that I could honk "nicely" (nicely meaning short and only once) and wave to ask him to move. He proceeded to near my car and yell at me and ask me where he was supposed to park since there were "other cars blocking where he parked". Excuse me mr. mailman. I was unaware that you had a designated parking spot. However, not wanting to cause trouble, I said forget it, and though he was blocking a driveway, I went to find another spot. This parking problem began a snowball effect of lateness and frustration with all of my appointments that day, leading up to my lunch meeting.

However, when arriving to that lunch meeting, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a small ball of cookie dough at the end of our meeting, as the person I met with had realized what a day I had thus far, and knowing I was an addict, sorted through the early shipments of boxes in the kitchen, to get me the one sole piece of sunshine that I needed to turn around my day.

For those of you who may be wondering how one piece of cookie dough can turn around your day, you must not be a sugar addict like me. Or you may not be open to seeing what may seem like trivial or inconsequential acts for what they truly are, something that can completely alter your day. Which made me think...

Am I handing out cookie dough?

It is quiet similar to opening the door for the person behind you, or the concept of paying it forward, but somehow handing out cookie dough has such a better ring to it. So again I ask myself as well as you, the reader, are you handing out cookie dough? What small act of kindness can you do today to make someone's day better, or maybe even better than it already is. Sometimes it's very easy to go through the day in our own worlds, not really relating to the number of strangers we pass in one day, just in the hallway of the office or lunch room. But what would it take to actually see these people, and perhaps "give away a piece of cookie dough" to them? Maybe it's as simple as having candy on your desk...or perhaps not blocking a driveway. But I might be pushing it there...

Steak House Cometh... but with a MMW twist

Some of you may be wondering what is MMW? In order to shorten the title for blog post purposes, Millennial Modern Woman will be referred to as MMW in blog posts from here on out. BUT moving on!

How many of you wish you could afford to have a great steakhouse meal every week? Well at least once a month? I know I would, and so I do - on a budget. For our first recipe article, I'm going to give you some quick and easy tips to create a blue cheese encrusted Filet Mignon with sautteed spinach and rosemary potatoes. YUM!

Everyone likes a good filet, and all you need for this is: a filet cut, a small tub of crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese from the super market, some olive oil (extra virgin is fine), salt and pepper (fresh cracked salt and pepper is the best - McCormick has grinders!) and you're good to go. Visit your neighborhood meatshop or favorite gourmet store and purchase a filet or what some will call a beef tenderloin cut. I purchased a nice piece that cost me about $10. It was a large steak a with little marble (I prefer less fat but you can go for all the marbling you want).

For your sauteed spinach, you can either purchase spinach in the bag or fresh spinach (just make sure to rip off the leafy tops off your fresh spinach if you prefer this option - it was fun to cook!). You will also need some olive oil (light olive oil works), salt and pepper, and about 2 cloves from a head of garlic - minced.

Finally, for your potatoes, I like the baby golds (they're small and cute and easy to cook). They come in a netted bag in your supermarket. You will also need rosemary (you can use a couple sprigs fresh out of your garden like me or you can use dry - about a tbsp.), olive oil and salt and pepper. Are you seeing the theme with the olive oil, salt and pepper? (Click below to read more)

Knitting Enjoyed by Little Carlo

In case you all were wondering, "Are those knitted gifts made by amateurs actually used?" Let me answer by saying, "Yes!" Baby Carlo (his beautiful mother's picture is feature in the Bride's Maid Part One on October 22, 2009), is featured here in his homemade baby blanket!

So glad that this gift could be enjoyed by those I care for. If you want more tips for making homemade gifts, please check out my September 22, 2009 titled "The Art of Giftgiving - on a budget".

Happy Homemaking!

Finding Yourself.... one quiet moment at a time

I recently attended a presentation on Spirituality, offered as professional development through work - it was titled "Ethics and Character in Tough Economic Times" and was presented by Jon Dalton. I was really intrigued by the topic because of my interest in standards and ethical reasoning, and in general, how I like to think that values are an important part of my daily life. Interestingly enough, the presentation was very much about spirituality and the definition of what spirituality means and how its an important part of daily life.

Now, this normally isn't a program that I would attend, as I don't particularly consider myself a "spiritual" or "religious" person. What I do consider myself is an individual with high moral standards who expects, and considers herself, to be a role model for other women and individuals. While I was raised Catholic and went to all Catholic schools 1st - 12th, I have since lost touch with regular worship. However, what caught me about this presentation by J. Dalton was his "5 Big Questions that Prompt the "Spiritual Quest." For someone like me, they really helped me to understand how much spirituality entwines with our daily life and our motivation to succeed and improve ourselves. (See questions below)

1. Identitiy: Who Am I?
2. Destiny/Calling: Where am I going?
3. Faith: What can I believe in?
4. Wholeness: How can I be happy?
5. Mattering: Will my life make a difference?

I believe these questions to be truly ones that we all ask ourselves throughout our lives, at every single stage. Through the presentation, I came to learn that I really AM a spiritual person, because spiritual isn't defined as religious but is defined as believing in a bigger meaning, a higher power - and in that I can believe in. I do believe in God and I know he's out there - but I think we all have our own way of finding him (or her) and thanking him for everything, and asking him for a little help along the way. 

Just some things to think about, even for me - who rarely spends enough time to sit still to think about nothing.

Part Three: D-Day (Also Known as the Wedding Weekend)

It's finally here! The week of the wedding. You have your bridesmaid dress pressed and ready to go! Or at least you should if you read this article BEFORE the weekend of the wedding. At this time you have also completely planned for the weekend from nails before the rehearsal dinner (depends on the wedding) to how you are going to get back on your plane or in your car on the day after the wedding.

If you haven't, and even if you have, we're going to walk through the weekend step by step to make sure you don't forget a thing!

Before we start however - we have two key rules:

1. Do whatever is going to make the Bride happy and make her wedding weekend easy.
2. BE ON TIME.
   

(note on the picture - what not to do - even if this is a fun candid moment with me and a childhood friend)






Packing for the Wedding:

• If you're flying - plan to carry on your dress. There's nothing worse than a wrinkled bridesmaid. The plane will more than likely have a location to hang your dress (or lay it on top of luggage in the overhead).
• Remember that it's only a weekend (in most cases) so don't pack a lot. On the day of the wedding you should pack a button-down (for when you get your hair done), some pants or shorts (depending on the weather) and some easy shoes. This is your outfit for the hairdresser. You should also pack whatever you're wearing under your bridesmaids dress, the shoes, the makeup, and the jewelry you'll be wearing (never assume you're getting jewelry from the bride). You're going to be in your bridesmaid dress for the remainder of the day after you put it on - so you only need this outfit and your hairdresser outfit for the day of the wedding. For the rehearsal dinner, find out where it is and what the dress code is - dress appropriately. If it's casual - still wear something nicer - dark jeans and a nice top. You are in the bridal party and should look nice - just don't upstage the bride.
• Don't forget your Bride's gift if you are giving one!

The Day of the Rehearsal Dinner

• If you're getting your nails done, bring enough money to cover what you are getting. Some wedding parties cover the costs (how thoughtful) but sometimes they don't. Do not go expecting to have this covered. Be ever so thankful if it is!
• At the rehearsal (if there is one), be sure to pay attention and learn your role for the ceremony. You want to be sure that you're not the person in the bridal party to mess up the wedding video :)
• At the rehearsal dinner - be classy. Be sure to introduce yourself to all of the bridal party, if you haven't already at the church, and be pleasant and fun! Do not over drink at the rehearsal dinner. Remember that you have to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the wedding and no one wants to be known as the drunk bridesmaid at the rehearsal dinner!
  

The Morning of the Wedding

• Make sure you take care of yourself in regards to food in the morning. You will be running from place to place and item to item for the rest of the day, and to be honest, you're not as important as the Bride. Some families will have food available for the bridal party as they are getting ready, but some may not - so be prepared.
• Come ready with all of your items to get dressed to impress for the wedding. Do not forget a single thing! Your job is to make it easy for the bride and just be there to assist her. 
• Bring your bridal gift with you - if you have time give it to her before she gets dressed. It will be a mushy sentimental moment for all of the bridal party - unless you happen to give her something funny and that will also make the mood! :)

The Wedding:

• Make sure a bridesmaid brings the bride a touch-up kit. This could include make-up, deodorant, chapstick, tissues, heaven forbid - feminine products, bobby pins, pins (in case of a wardrobe malfunction), breathmints or gum and some small snacks. You NEVER know what you might need!
• Assist with the bussel of the dress - no ifs, ands, or buts (no pun intended). It's one of the more challenging points but hey - it comes with the job!
  
• Do not fight with the photographer - I learned this from personal experience. No matter how rude they are being to the bridal party (or bossy), know that your bride hired them for a reason and she is hoping to get some great pictures. So suck it up! (you'll just know you won't use them for your wedding).
• Drink and get boozy AFTER all of the wedding reception details are over- the cake cutting, etc. Once the dance floor is open - you are free to be you (within reason - don't get sick at your friend's wedding). Remember - it's not about you. :)
  

Most important for the Day of the Wedding - Remember to have fun and be fun! This is the most important day of your friend's life and she's choosing to share it with you. Enjoy it and make the most of the weekend!!

The Bride's Maid Part Two: Supporting the Planner, Supporting the Bride

The Planner is the Bride - if you haven't worked that out yet. While we all wish that we could have Jennifer Lopez's character, Maria, as our wedding planner - we also do know that we can't all afford it. For that reason, supporting the Bride as she plans her wedding is critical.

Every Bride is different. You have the laid back bride who has a great maid of honor who will take care of all the details for her shower, her bachlorette party, and for the night before the wedding. Then you also have the Bride who picks an amateur for her maid of honor (please don't be offended if you have been that amateur), but she has a great mom or family member who knows what to do and she picks up the pieces. And then you have that Bride who plans it all - from sun-up to sun-down. She has her schedule and you BETTER follow it. :) I've had them all, and while some of them have been a bit stressful because of the varying Bride demeanor - we must all remember that we are the Bride's maids.

What's your job?

• To PAY for your dress ( do not cop out on this one - remember our last article - make the commitment and stick to it) and to get it fitted so you look nice. You may be wondering, "Who doesn't pay for their dress?" Trust me - I know a few. Hopefully the bride doesn't pick a strapless dress like my four last friends and sisters have - but hey you never know. But don't ruin her pictures because you cheaped the fitting - she's paying an expensive (and sometimes really snobby photographer - more on this in part 3) to get really good pictures with YOU in them.
• To attend the showers if you are within driving distance. Remember that you have to pay for a flight to get there if you are more than driving distance away. It's okay to say no I can't attend if you can't afford two plane tickets (One for the shower and one for the wedding). Don't go into debt on your friends account. Just call her, send her a nice card, and if you can - send her a gift. She'll be appreciative that you called in advance and if she's a true friend or sister she'll completely understand!
• To go all out for the bachlorette party. Remember the reference I made to the amateur before? Good. Now is your time to step in if you are not the amateur I'm referring to. Your friend or sister deserves a FANTASTIC bachlorette party. So take some time to figure out what she wants to do, who she wants to include, and where she wants to go. Even if you can't be there (see bullet #2 - plane ticket costs), you can at least try to help plan it and take some load off the other bridesmaids. Remember that this is is supposed to be fun! and it should be if you plan ahead and keep all the other people in check ( ie. those who may ruin the fun - don't act like you don't know who they are - there's one in every crowd :) and it might even be you - so check yourself!)
• To make plans for where you are staying and how you are getting to the wedding - IN ADVANCE. The last thing you want to do is cause more stress for your Bride. It is NOT her job to get you a room or wonder about how you are getting to the wedding. I repeat - IT IS NOT HER JOB! Take some time to look over your invite, reserve your room (share with friends if it's a bit pricey) and book your flight (or plan your drive) early. Remember to file for your day-off if you need to, and be prepared well in advance. If you're flying, give yourself enough time to get there, if say your plane gets delayed. Take the safe bet and perhaps fly in the day before the rehearsal, or the early morning of of the rehearsal (suck it up and take the 600 AM flight if you have to.) Also remember to arrange how you are getting from the airport and to the hotel, etc.
  
• If the Bride (or Maid of Honor or Mother of the Bride) is making arrangements for nails, hair, etc. Be honest with your times of arrival, arrive on time, and answer your emails or phone calls. Try to be prompt in these responses - as these ladies have a lot of planning to do and you don't want to be the one to hold them up :)
  
• Finally - begin plans for a Bridal gift. This is a tradition that I have started early in my years as a Bride's Maid. The Bride usually get the bridesmaids gifts that are given on the night of the rehearsal dinner. These can be mementos, jewelry you are to wear on the day of the wedding, etc. But what women don't consider is a gift for the bride from her closest friends (because that's who the bridesmaids are). The morning or afternoon before the actual ceremony is your last time with your single, soon-to-be-married friend or sister. Why not make it memorable? Some gifts that I have used in the past? A charm anklet with a charm from every maid - it's invisible under her dress and she's carrying a piece of you with her. A scrapbook with pictures and notes from the bridesmaids - a great memento. Use your noodle and come up with something fun and something she'll cherish :)

Stay tuned for Part 3: D-Day (D-day. The unnamed day on which a particular operation commences or is to commence).

Latina in America: My Story

I take a quick sidetrack in our blog topics this week ( Don't worry the Bride's Maid Part II will be back!), following a program that was aired on CNN called Latino in America. Following this two-part program, I thought that I needed to write about being Latino in America, as a modern millennial women. The women of today are not cookie-cutters by any means. They are individuals and have unique backgrounds and history. So I share mine and what it means to me to be "Latino in America."

I remember when I went to go visit my grandparents in Miami when I was a young teenager and had my first run-in with the fact that I really didn't know half of my culture. I was about fourteen and my grandparents had recently purchased a condo in the Latino area of Miami Gardens. My grandparents are from Nicaragua and moved here when my Mom got married in the early 80s. They, along with the rest of my Mom's immediate family moved from Nicaragua due to a civil war that really took everything from what was a very successful Nica family. Now I must note here, that I am only half Latina, and so for most of my life I was raised apart from the Latino culture. I'm biracial and my Dad is from the United States, born and raised. I like to think I have the best of both world, but that comes from a lot of soul searching and identity development (that totally isn't over). But I digress.

So Latinos like to eat and they like to get together and party. It's no secret - it's just what we do. So one day while in Miami, my aunt and Grandparents took me and my brother to a cousin's house for dinner. When we arrived we said hello and shook hands and it was awkward, but I attributed that to us having never met my Mom and aunt's cousin's kids (our second or third cousins- who knows?). Dinner was great - we had some GOOD Nicaraguan food, etc. as Latino family get togethers usually go. But when it came time to leave, it was awkward again, as we shook hands or just said goodbye. When I got in the car, I asked my aunt, why was that so awkward? Why did they kiss you on the cheeks? My aunt said, "That's what Latinos do. It's part of our culture."

I was a little confused. That's what I do? That's what you do? Am I supposed to know how to do that? Having been raised in a primarily White neighborhood, I didn't have that many run-ins with other Latinos, or half Latinos like me. Of course I kissed my Grandma - she's my Grandma and so does everyone else. So what may have been a  cultural identifier (kissing cheeks at hello) was not something I knew how to do. I never kissed anyone else on the cheek when I saw them. What I realized at that moment was I hadn't been practicing part of my culture.

When I went to college, I made it a point to develop the other half of my culture. My Latino culture. I joined a Latina-based sorority and immersed myself in the culture, which was primarily Mexican. While it wasn't Nicaraguan (and my Grandma will make fun of me because I have a Mexican accent when I speak Spanish) I am grateful for my sisters and for the opportunity I had to get to know another part of me. I learned a lot about myself, my heritage, and who I am - two parts of one whole.

An imporatnt thing to note is that :"Latino in America" is very culturally diverse story. You have half Latinos like me, and you have MexiRicans for example (Mexican and Puerto Rican) and sometimes that can be just as different as being half white and half Nicaraguan. Our culture is diverse and eclectic and needs to be recognized as such. It's important to remember that we're all on a journey to find out who we are - my journey is just beginning!

The Bride's Maid Part One: Joining the Wedding Party

I have been fortunate to have been in five weddings in the past two and a half years, with more scheduled to come. I've had the lime green, chocolate, watermelon, Tiffany's blue, and red bridesmaid dress. Only one was not strapless - unfortunately. But I loved them just the same!! Noting all the experiences I've had with weddings this far, this next series will be focusing on "The Bride's Maid" and because truly - the Millenial Modern Woman is the bridesmaid of today.

But first, before we get into this week's blog post and the first part of this next series titled "The Bride's Maid," we need to discuss why this series is titled "The Bride's Maid" and NOT "The Bridesmaid." I think what many people forget during weddings is if you're not the bride or the groom (well sometimes even the groom) - you're an accessory. The bridesmaid truly is - the Bride's MAID - and for good reason. Though I have yet to get married, though I hope one day it will eventually happen, I do recognize why the bridesmaid exists. For one, planning a wedding is difficult! Gathering a large number of people for a ceremony and really fancy party when you have never done it before, all while making a lifetime committment to one person, is HARD. Hence - you get maids - to HELP you. And so, I title this series "The Bride's Maid."

Joining the wedding party can be very exciting! However, many people stop to think about what this involves. For one, you are joining an event, and a show in a way, for a very important friend or family member! Yes - a show. You're on stage and performing,whether it's a church wedding where you're walking down the aisle (remembering to smile), or you are teaching a party dance at the reception to get people up and enjoying the festivities. You are ON from the moment you wake up on the rehearsal day until you make it back to your home or hotel room the night of the wedding (or early morning of the day after). You SHOULD be tired. But more about this later in Part Three- The Wedding.

Most important to remember is the costs associated with being a part of the wedding. Many individuals think it's just about the tux or the bridesmaid dress. However, if you are an out-of-towner, you must consider the flight or gas to arrive to your destination (and parking for your car or perhaps doggy daycare), the hotel room (you shouldn't be relying on the bride to put you up - remember that it's not about you), meals, etc. Even if you are from in town, you need to consider the dress or tux, the alterations, and other items that might pop up. Now I'm not trying to discourage those who may be on a budget, like myself, but I have seen the occasional bride be "jilted" by a maid that just couldn't afford to be in the wedding after they had made the commitment. The polite thing to do, I repeat, the polite thing to do when you know that you cannot afford the costs associated with a wedding is to let your friend or family member know. It is disappointing, don't get me wrong, but if he or she is a true friend they will understand. We all have budgets and putting bridesmaid dresses on your credit card (for example - three for me), doesn't help when you're trying to save.

Make sure you are COMMITTED when you accept the invitation to be a bridesmaid. Be sure you are willing to take on all that comes with being a Bride's Maid. Being a true friend means making your friend or family member's wedding the best and easiest it can possibly be!

Next: Check out The Bride's Maid Part Two: Supporting the Planner, Supporting the Bride

Revamping the Blog: The Modern Woman

So over the last couple weeks I really haven't had the opportunity to update the blog for the Part-Time Homemaker. In the time that I had to think about posts, I began to realize that maybe the direction isn't about homemaking per say, but more about the modern woman and her struggles, her accomplishments, and how she takes on the day-to-day and more. Many parts of the life and times of the millennial part-time homemaker consist of knitting, cooking, gardening, but there is so much more to that woman. So I decided that the blog needed a revamp, a makeover - it needed to be "flipped".

And how interesting is it that the modern woman also has to always adapt to the changing locations, team dynamics, situations at home, and more. So it is appropriate that with this change - we become the Millennial Modern Woman. Thanks for hanging in there during the change and please look forward to a broader subject matter, and of course the frequent post regarding the millenial part-time homemaker and her hobbies and eats! : )

So What's Coming Up? 

The How-to Guide: The Bride's Maid

Hobbies = Sanity

When you move to a new location, finding balance in your life can be difficult. I was going to stay sometimes, but to be honest, it's always. In my adventures as a yearling stud colt trainer, dairy cattle sales rep, corporate affairs intern, and most recently student affairs professional, I've realized that no matter what you do or who you work with, you still need life outside of work to keep you balanced. Some golf, some run, and I ride horses.It's nothing against the wonderful people you work with or the type of work you do.

Work is Work and you can't allow it to overtake your life.

So how do you find the balance? The question is what do you like to do? Once you have established what you like to do in your free time, you've found your hobby."Freetime?" you might be asking. Yes, freetime, and you have to create it! Even movie watching can be classified as a hobby. Now all you have to do is set aside time for it!

Personally, I try to ride once a weekend but that doesn't happen often, so I also substitute for cooking classes and reading, other hobbies of mine. However, no matter what your hobby (or hobbies) is - take some time away from work. Find your balance and I promise you, you'll be more productive at work and a happier person! What's the twist you ask? - actually set aside time in your calendar or planner for you to commit to your hobby!! You could even try to make a hobby out of some of the suggestions from past posts - knitting, gardening, or home decorating!

Happy Homemaking!

The Art of Giftgiving - On a budget

How many hours have you pondered over the right gift for your friend, special someone, or family member? Don't sit and calculate this - it would be another waste of time...

Let's face it. Unless you are picking out a gift off a wedding or baby registry, where the most important decisions you need to make are how much money are you willing to spend and what options are still available (be quick on selecting the gifts off registries people - the good ones go fast), gift giving can be pretty tough! Sometimes the perfect gift is way too expensive and sometimes you can't find that perfect gift at all - how dare Home Depot, Macy's, or Bed Bath and Beyond not come through for you! So what's the quick fix?

The best way to to go about finding the perfect gift is to sit down and make a list of things that you know your friend has mentioned they like, they have saught out and couldn't find, or that they admire about you. For example, one of my best friend's is a little deficient in the cooking department. She'll readily admit it, so I don't feel bad in outing her. She always enjoys hearing about the latest dish I'm cooking and has no problem sitting down to a good meal that I've prepared. So when considering a gift for her, I thought why not a cookbook?

Now with an option such as a cookbook - you can make this as elaborate or as cheap or as easy as possible. You could go out and purchase a cookbook or you could make one yourself. I chose the later for the reason that I knew I could even buy her a notebook and handwrite my recipes that I wanted to give her! I chose a more elaborate version (I picked up a blank scrapbook from my nearby Michael's craft store) and decorated it and wrote my recipes and left her space to add more. Needles to say she loved it! A good notebook is only $10! You could easily make it personal with scraps from magazines that you cut out, pictures of you and a friend, and home recipes that you use on a regular basis!

Additionally, I find that the home made gift is one of the best kinds. I recently picked up knitting. Though it seems very domestic, I find it very relaxing, since I don't really have to focus or think while doing it. It's easy to watch tv and knit a few rows. So for my most recent gift, I gave my time. Another of my friends is expecting. Knowing that I'm on a lower budget, I knew that I would be limited in the gifts I could give her. So I headed to Walmart, picked up some good yarn (a total of $15 worth) and knitted a baby blanket that in total only took me about 20 hours. Now you may be asking, " 20 HOURS?!" Consider this - how much time do you waste just sitting in front of the tv - snacking or staring blankely into space? You could be knitting and could knock out a scarf for a holiday gift for Mom! Consider it!

The twist this week - Consider your hobbies and your talents. What options do you have to cut down on the large budget normally associated with gifts? You'll be surprised with what you come up with and your friends and family will be so impressed and so grateful.

The Rollercoaster Ride.... of Plants

My mother can tell you that I've never had a plant. Nor would she ever trust me with one, except for maybe watering her outside flowers, with the garden house, when she's away on vacation - which isn't often. So when I embarked on my own personal garden earlier this summer, with encouragement from my favorite cooking blogger, I was a little skeptical.

My biggest problem with shopping is that I have no terminal amount that if reached, stops the spending. Therefore, I make sure to bring a valued friend with me to make sure I do. In this case, my favorite cooking blogger took me to Home Depot (as you can tell one of my favorite stores - just under Macy's and Williams Sonoma) and we went plant shopping. I decided that I wanted a hanging basket and a few plants for some pots. This is where it started and it didn't end.

Noting that I don't have a lot of sunlight on my patio, I purchased some rainbow and peperomia plants, an ivy plant, a hanging basket full of guinea impatients (more to come on this plant), a roma tomato plant, and some red and green bell peppers. I also purchased some rosemary, chives, italian parsley, and some basil.

My first adventures with THE hanging basket turned into some very testing ones. One morning I woke up to realize that my plant was completely sucicidal, that or very much asking for attention, and had it been able to, I think it would have thrown itself off the plant hook. See picture here. The best thing about this impatient was if I watered it - it immediately came back to life! A very good plant for someone who is a little forgetful about watering.

Overall, the plant adventure has been very rewarding. I've had a few bell peppers in my meals, and my tomatoes are flourishing and the herbs have been a great addition to my cooking! More importantly, I've kept the plants alive!! What a confidence booster. The twist this week: Challenge yourself to go outside your comfort zone and get a plant, just make sure its one that will be forgiving and will let you know when it needs some TLC - like my very patient impatient :)

Happy Homemaking!

The pillows that turned into paint samples

I've found it very easy to turn around a space that has just become tired with only a few items and not a lot of money. For someone who doesn't have a large budget, I'm always excited to find new ways to update my apartment within the legal realms of the lease, which includes painting rights and leads to our next story. Exciting!

Today was one of those really relaxing "Sundays" thanks to the Labor Day weekend, and after a fun weekend with family in the city to go see Mama Mia and eat some great food, I made it back to the apartment and the dog.On my way home, when I was actually knitting on I-95 because of stand-still traffic, I decided that I needed to clean my apartment and attempt to simplify my life. Those who know me are now laughing at me because simple really isn't in my vocabulary. Well maybe it is, but only when I'm saying "it's simple" followed by how i think i can do something easily or better than someone else (usually followed by something not so simple). Hence - simple and I are not synonymous.

The Heaven-sent To DO List (on a post-it)

Many of my friends say that the to-do list is not needed, and that they can manage all of their grocery lists, house-chores, and work items in their head.

They're liars.

The most important thing I've learned so far this past year is the importance of the to-do list. Those so-called "mind-listers" usually manage to forget a couple of things, and they end up having to run out and do something last minute because "they forgot". However, with your to-do list, you can make clean work of anything that you have scheduled for the day.

I like the post-it note route. My work desk is currently covered in about 20 of them. You may think that's clutter (very colorful clutter I might add) but it's really rather helpful. I don't have to go sorting through a book, I don't have to wait on my blackberry to load, and I don't have to depend on my computer. I can just lift the note right off my desk and stick it to my planner and it goes with me where I need it to!

I have lists for everything - my work list, my different organizations that I volunteer for each have a list, and of course the staple - the grocery list! You may think I'm tasky and a little overzealous, but when you're managing this many things - sometimes it helps to get it out of your head and on to a piece of sticky paper.

Which brings me to my quick twist: If you're having trouble sleeping at night because work is extra-stressful or you have a lot on that "to-do list", get an old notebook and lay it by your bed. I'm not a journal-er by any means, and lately I haven't touched my notebook, but when I have something that I am so worried that I'll forget, I just write it down on the notebook before I go to sleep. It's a little reassurance for me, and then I can get my needed rest!

Happy Homemaking!

Adventures with a Blog

Recently, I've finally found my stride in living single (with a dog) on the East Coast, at least a day's drive from family and friends. Working long hours and with a limited budget can be hard for a first time, new professional to be able to handle when trying to get the hang of cooking for yourself and making your apartment (or loft) a home. A number of my friends are going through the same stages now, some even embarking on their next steps in life which include marriage and motherhood. It is my hope, through this blog, that I can share some of the tips and quick fixes that I've learned along the way, so I can assist other new professionals in their day-to-day!

Please keep checking back for recipes, tips, and hot new ideas to keep you busy in your free time, which may only be about 15 minutes! :)

Happy Homemaking!