And better still? It's working better than I hoped!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Ribbit
There is nothing quite as insane, yet oddly satisfying, about completely frogging a half complete hat just to try out a new starting technique you just found online.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Em's Birthday Picnic
Emily turns SEVEN on Wednesday, but since she'll most likely be spending the week with her Mommy, we had our party yesterday.
She was amazed we knew EXACTLY what she wanted. Haha!
Gifts from friends makes this girl HAPPY.
B got owned...by a girl...that he's got a crush on.
Nope, these boys aren't related..not with those noses...
D enjoying the cake pops that Grampa made since he couldn't make it.
Most of my friends wouldn't get why I geeked out when I saw this on the picnic table, but fans of Doctor Who will get it.
Perfect end to a perfect day
Our backyard is unfortunately barren of grass, toys and a playset. And I've been so busy that making game stations was...well...not happening.
So we met up with everyone at the park here in town. It's funny because initially we were only expecting a HS friend and her crew of 5 and a new friend with her 3 plus 1. We wound up with friends showing up that we hadn't seen in years. It was so awesome for us AND all the kids.
For the food, we grabbed a big pack of 24 hot dogs from Aldi for $3.99 and 3 packs of buns for $0.79 each. I boiled the hot dogs and then put them in the buns. We had a big container that some storage containers came in. It was perfect. It kept everything neat and the lid kept the steam in so the buns didn't get crusty.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
I've seen recipes on Pinterest for making chicken parm in the crock pot and I've been wanting to do it for a while now. Yesterday, I didn't plan ahead for dinner before I left for work, but I was contemplating making the chicken parm. When I left work, I called T to ask what was for dinner, and the first thing out of his mouth was...Chicken Parm!
When I got home, the internet was being wonky and wouldn't load Pinterest on my phone so I could get to the recipe. I remembered that it had bread crumbs involved and the chicken was supposed to have that nice crispy crust. Well...mine didn't get the crispy crust, since I didn't get to reread the recipe. But when I bit into the chicken, my reaction was "Holy COW, this is AMAZING". We will DEFINITELY be making this meal again when the kids get home. And if My Fitness Pal is to be believed, it's roughly 375-400 calories per serving, too!
Slow Cooker Chicken Parm
Ingredients
Frozen chicken tenders - I used about half the 2.5 lb bag from Aldi
1Jar spaghetti sauce - I used the mushroom kind from Aldi, but any of their sauces would be great
2-3 Tbsp minced garlic (I LOVE garlic, so you can do more or less, depending on your taste)
1 box whole wheat thin spaghetti - Aldi has fit and active brand
1 small can mushrooms
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Parsley, Basil, Oregano
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper
I started by layering the chicken tenders in the bottom of the crock pot, and then sprinkling the onion powder, salt, pepper and Italian herbs on top.
Next I dropped the healthy dose of garlic on top, along with the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan. And then you pour in the spaghetti sauce. Once I poured the sauce in, there was still a good bit in the jar that I wanted to use and not waste. Rather than using a spatula to try and scrape it out, inevitably getting sauce all over my knuckles, I poured in a little bit of water, no more than 1/4 of the jar, put the lid on and shook it until the sides were clear. Then I just dumped it, water and all into the crock pot.
I didn't have all night to wait, so I put the lid on the crock pot and set it to high. If I'd been smart and set it up before I left for work, I would have set it for low and just let all the ingredients make friends through the day. But it's nice to know that I can set it for high and have a delicious meal in about 2 hours (during which I watched a couple episodes of Orange is the New Black on Netflix.
Once the chicken was cooked through, I put the pasta on to cook. In it's own pot. On the stove. Haha...after the rice fiasco the other night, I wasn't taking ANY chances with dinner. So I just cooked the spaghetti like normal on the stove. Once it was done, though, I just drained it and dumped it into the crock pot with the chicken and sauce. I mixed it all through and then sprinkled some more Parmesan on top (I'm a firm believer that you can almost never have too much cheese).
This was so good that we were all fatties and ate the WHOLE THING. No leftovers.
So do yourself a favor - make this for dinner. You can thank me later.
When I got home, the internet was being wonky and wouldn't load Pinterest on my phone so I could get to the recipe. I remembered that it had bread crumbs involved and the chicken was supposed to have that nice crispy crust. Well...mine didn't get the crispy crust, since I didn't get to reread the recipe. But when I bit into the chicken, my reaction was "Holy COW, this is AMAZING". We will DEFINITELY be making this meal again when the kids get home. And if My Fitness Pal is to be believed, it's roughly 375-400 calories per serving, too!
Slow Cooker Chicken Parm
Ingredients
Frozen chicken tenders - I used about half the 2.5 lb bag from Aldi
1Jar spaghetti sauce - I used the mushroom kind from Aldi, but any of their sauces would be great
2-3 Tbsp minced garlic (I LOVE garlic, so you can do more or less, depending on your taste)
1 box whole wheat thin spaghetti - Aldi has fit and active brand
1 small can mushrooms
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Parsley, Basil, Oregano
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper
I started by layering the chicken tenders in the bottom of the crock pot, and then sprinkling the onion powder, salt, pepper and Italian herbs on top.
Once the chicken was cooked through, I put the pasta on to cook. In it's own pot. On the stove. Haha...after the rice fiasco the other night, I wasn't taking ANY chances with dinner. So I just cooked the spaghetti like normal on the stove. Once it was done, though, I just drained it and dumped it into the crock pot with the chicken and sauce. I mixed it all through and then sprinkled some more Parmesan on top (I'm a firm believer that you can almost never have too much cheese).
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Sriracha Chicken
Hi. My name is Megan. And I'm addicted to Pinterest.
There. I said it.
And I made it, too.
Sriracha Chicken, that is.
I have this bad(?) habit of looking at the name of something and the picture and saying to myself "You can make that, you don't even need to look at the recipe!"
That's what happened here.
I saw the Honey Sriracha Chicken on Pinterest and despite my lack of love for the spicier foods in life, I decided it was a must for our lives.
I decided that I would throw this one together in the crock pot. I want to sound cool and say that it was because I knew the flavors would meld together and it would make everything super flavorful and delicious. Really, though....I didn't want to stand and baby it at the skillet and the chicken was still frozen. :)
Chicken tenderloins - I used about 2 lbs because I wanted to have leftovers
Edemame - this is optional, but they are spicy delicious!
Corn - 1 can
Crushed Pineapple - About 3 Tbsp
Sriracha sauce - I used about 4 Tbsp, but it really depends on your preference
Honey - We only had about 1/4 of the small bear left, and I used half of that
Plain Yogurt - approximately 1/2 cup
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
I layered the chicken on the bottom, then threw the edemame and corn on top. Add the crushed pineapple and the rest of the ingredients on top, pour in some water (how much sauce do you want? Don't forget that the chicken will release a decent amount of juice, too). I was in a hurry so I put it on high for about 2 hours, but this would be PERFECT to set up before work, set it to low and let it cook until you get home. **Wait until just before serving to fold in the yogurt. It seems like it tempers the spice of the sriracha more than if you let it cook in there from the beginning.**
I have to put a disclaimer in here. Travis doesn't like rice. He grew up with rice at meals like I grew up with mashed potatoes...except I still love mashed taters. Instead of letting me make the pasta I had intended to put this deliciousness over, he suggested rice.
In my head, I KNEW that making the rice in the rice cooker and then adding it was the way to go. And then my laziness and desire to do nothing took over and I dumped the rice in the crock pot, convincing myself that it would be fine and the rice would be done in 20 minutes or so.
Don't do this. Either cook it separately or make pasta. The rice didn't cook. It stayed crispy inside and mushy on the outside...and it's gross.
But there's light at the end of the tunnel for this mess! There's hope for you yet!
D LOVES the cheese roll up from Taco Bell. We pulled the chicken out and shredded it. T had a quesadilla and D and me had chicken and cheese roll ups. DELICIOSO!
There. I said it.
And I made it, too.
Sriracha Chicken, that is.
I have this bad(?) habit of looking at the name of something and the picture and saying to myself "You can make that, you don't even need to look at the recipe!"
That's what happened here.
I saw the Honey Sriracha Chicken on Pinterest and despite my lack of love for the spicier foods in life, I decided it was a must for our lives.
I decided that I would throw this one together in the crock pot. I want to sound cool and say that it was because I knew the flavors would meld together and it would make everything super flavorful and delicious. Really, though....I didn't want to stand and baby it at the skillet and the chicken was still frozen. :)
Edemame - this is optional, but they are spicy delicious!
Corn - 1 can
Crushed Pineapple - About 3 Tbsp
Sriracha sauce - I used about 4 Tbsp, but it really depends on your preference
Honey - We only had about 1/4 of the small bear left, and I used half of that
Plain Yogurt - approximately 1/2 cup
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
I layered the chicken on the bottom, then threw the edemame and corn on top. Add the crushed pineapple and the rest of the ingredients on top, pour in some water (how much sauce do you want? Don't forget that the chicken will release a decent amount of juice, too). I was in a hurry so I put it on high for about 2 hours, but this would be PERFECT to set up before work, set it to low and let it cook until you get home. **Wait until just before serving to fold in the yogurt. It seems like it tempers the spice of the sriracha more than if you let it cook in there from the beginning.**
I have to put a disclaimer in here. Travis doesn't like rice. He grew up with rice at meals like I grew up with mashed potatoes...except I still love mashed taters. Instead of letting me make the pasta I had intended to put this deliciousness over, he suggested rice.
In my head, I KNEW that making the rice in the rice cooker and then adding it was the way to go. And then my laziness and desire to do nothing took over and I dumped the rice in the crock pot, convincing myself that it would be fine and the rice would be done in 20 minutes or so.
But there's light at the end of the tunnel for this mess! There's hope for you yet!
D LOVES the cheese roll up from Taco Bell. We pulled the chicken out and shredded it. T had a quesadilla and D and me had chicken and cheese roll ups. DELICIOSO!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Grocery Shopping on a B.U.D.G.E.T
Recently, my team at work lost our overtime. Now, I am a strong advocate of living within your means, not using credit (beyond the obvious of house/car) if at all possible and not relying on overtime to survive. But I must say that it is really hard to go from having that little bit of extra cash each paycheck to have fun with to having to budget tightly to make sure you have enough food for everyone. And have I mentioned that with the hubs father living with us, we're a house of SIX. Eep!
So instead of freaking out and losing my marbles over how we were going to feed everyone AND keep it healthier than frozen pizza and chicken nuggets, I turned to Pinterest. Ok, I won't lie. I totally lost my cool, freaked out, raged, cried and stared at the wall when we found out about the income loss. But I had to so I could get it out of my system and move on.
Back to Pinterest. I've got my boards organized so that I have a healthy foods and a not so healthy but yummy foods. If you want to see my boards (including the others that are NOT food oriented), you can follow me. I went first to my healthy foods board for inspiration. I have learned in the past that my family doesn't do well when I try to make a per day menu. We all tend to eat what we crave, within reason, and trying to make a menu telling us what we were going to eat each day for the next week was setting us up to fail. I think that's the first thing you need to think about - how does your family typically choose it's meals? How much variety do they usually prefer? If they're comfortable eating the same basic meal plan each week, then half the work is already done for you. Otherwise, you'll want to sit down and make a menu.
This is the menu I made this morning to help me figure out what to buy. I went through last paycheck's menu and wrote down the meals we enjoyed or the ones we definitely want to try. Then I went through my Pinterest food boards and found other meals that we might want to try. Looking at the menu, I know there are foods on there that don't seem very healthy (Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, anyone?) but these are just ideas to get me thinking. You'll see later how I make them a just as tasty but lighter version. The point of the above menu, posted on our fridge, is so we choose a meal off the menu and know from the start that it's healthy, tasty, and best of all - we have the ingredients already on hand.
Once we get the menu figured out, then it's time to make the grocery list. I shop at Aldi. If you've been there, then it's 'nuff said. And if you don't? Well, this will help you, too, but you don't know the savings you're missing.
My list above is just the basic lay out. I tried to group similar items together, or at least items that are near each other in my Aldi. For the frozen meats, I bought 2 of each, just to make sure I have enough to make a couple of different options. I only bought one of each package of fresh veggies (cucumbers not included), just because I don't want to risk them going bad before I can use them.
Before (am I the only one who gets excited when I see the 10 free diapers on the side of the box?):
After $188 at Aldi - our trunk is really big...and a lot of the stuff is buried in and around the diaper box!
So there you have it. Other than some more veggies, bread, milk and breakfast cereal, that should last us for 2 weeks. I do have to admit that we stopped by Food Lion after dinner tonight so I could get some whipped topping and vanilla wafers. I'll post the recipe for using those later - there are 2 frozen recipes that are AMAZING and won't kill your diet!
So instead of freaking out and losing my marbles over how we were going to feed everyone AND keep it healthier than frozen pizza and chicken nuggets, I turned to Pinterest. Ok, I won't lie. I totally lost my cool, freaked out, raged, cried and stared at the wall when we found out about the income loss. But I had to so I could get it out of my system and move on.
Back to Pinterest. I've got my boards organized so that I have a healthy foods and a not so healthy but yummy foods. If you want to see my boards (including the others that are NOT food oriented), you can follow me. I went first to my healthy foods board for inspiration. I have learned in the past that my family doesn't do well when I try to make a per day menu. We all tend to eat what we crave, within reason, and trying to make a menu telling us what we were going to eat each day for the next week was setting us up to fail. I think that's the first thing you need to think about - how does your family typically choose it's meals? How much variety do they usually prefer? If they're comfortable eating the same basic meal plan each week, then half the work is already done for you. Otherwise, you'll want to sit down and make a menu.
Once we get the menu figured out, then it's time to make the grocery list. I shop at Aldi. If you've been there, then it's 'nuff said. And if you don't? Well, this will help you, too, but you don't know the savings you're missing.
Before (am I the only one who gets excited when I see the 10 free diapers on the side of the box?):
I'm Baaaaaack!
It's been a long time, shouldn't have left you...
Sorry, I've been listening to my Justin Timberlake station on Pandora lately and Aaliyah plays often.
Anywhoo...We moved into our new house and we're settled in. There's still no art on the walls, but we're working to figure out what we want to have that we'll ALL be happy with (SORRY babe, not having horror movie posters all over the house!)
The big kids finished 2nd and first grades at their new school and things went MUCH better than at their old school. It's amazing how getting to start over can make all the difference. They're both looking forward to the upcoming school year with new friends and cousins that just so happen to go to school with them. And Em's birthday is coming up with our first ever birthday party at OUR house.
Baby D (who is not so baby and will be THREE in September) is just about done with his speech therapy and everyone is shocked at how well he's enunciating and the sentences he's stringing together. We've been trying to use bigger words around the house, not just for his benefit, but for the big kids, too.
And the last update. The girl who shares my cube wall, and the rest of her team that sits near us for that matter, call me SuperMegs because of all the from scratch cooking I do, sewing for me and the kids, and general craftiness. They're consistently amazed at how I get up and get myself ready for work while packing lunches and getting the kids up and ready.To me, it's hilarious that they think I'm so spectacular when in my head it just all makes sense and seem normal. But on those off days when I have no confidence in myself, I pull out the Wonder Woman earrings the hubs got me for Christmas. They "totes" help. :)
So the friend at work keeps pestering me to set up a blog with my cooking and crafting adventures so she can learn from me. Little did she know that I already had a blog that I'd been neglecting and wanting to get back into. This one's for you, Kisha...I'm going to start later tonight with a blog about today's menu planning and grocery shopping trip. Since we lost overtime at work, money has gotten a little bit tighter and we've had to make sure that our grocery shopping for 2 weeks at a time is tight and on point. If we forget anything, it had better be little and cheap, and NOT a whole meal, right? So the first blog post on this will include the menu for my family for the next 2 weeks and the grocery list I made (and of course don't use because lists live longer, more productive lives inside my head). I'll also share the before and after pictures of our trunk so you can see what the money bought.
After that, I'll try to do a post or two each week on meals that I've cooked and the family has enjoyed. We are all trying to eat healthier, so you won't see a lot of meals with red meat, and (hopefully) you'll see more veggies in play. Remember, B hates veggies, so if I can make healthy, delicious veggies that HE'LL eat, then you'll be good, too!
See you soon!
Sorry, I've been listening to my Justin Timberlake station on Pandora lately and Aaliyah plays often.
Anywhoo...We moved into our new house and we're settled in. There's still no art on the walls, but we're working to figure out what we want to have that we'll ALL be happy with (SORRY babe, not having horror movie posters all over the house!)
The big kids finished 2nd and first grades at their new school and things went MUCH better than at their old school. It's amazing how getting to start over can make all the difference. They're both looking forward to the upcoming school year with new friends and cousins that just so happen to go to school with them. And Em's birthday is coming up with our first ever birthday party at OUR house.
Baby D (who is not so baby and will be THREE in September) is just about done with his speech therapy and everyone is shocked at how well he's enunciating and the sentences he's stringing together. We've been trying to use bigger words around the house, not just for his benefit, but for the big kids, too.
And the last update. The girl who shares my cube wall, and the rest of her team that sits near us for that matter, call me SuperMegs because of all the from scratch cooking I do, sewing for me and the kids, and general craftiness. They're consistently amazed at how I get up and get myself ready for work while packing lunches and getting the kids up and ready.To me, it's hilarious that they think I'm so spectacular when in my head it just all makes sense and seem normal. But on those off days when I have no confidence in myself, I pull out the Wonder Woman earrings the hubs got me for Christmas. They "totes" help. :)
So the friend at work keeps pestering me to set up a blog with my cooking and crafting adventures so she can learn from me. Little did she know that I already had a blog that I'd been neglecting and wanting to get back into. This one's for you, Kisha...I'm going to start later tonight with a blog about today's menu planning and grocery shopping trip. Since we lost overtime at work, money has gotten a little bit tighter and we've had to make sure that our grocery shopping for 2 weeks at a time is tight and on point. If we forget anything, it had better be little and cheap, and NOT a whole meal, right? So the first blog post on this will include the menu for my family for the next 2 weeks and the grocery list I made (and of course don't use because lists live longer, more productive lives inside my head). I'll also share the before and after pictures of our trunk so you can see what the money bought.
After that, I'll try to do a post or two each week on meals that I've cooked and the family has enjoyed. We are all trying to eat healthier, so you won't see a lot of meals with red meat, and (hopefully) you'll see more veggies in play. Remember, B hates veggies, so if I can make healthy, delicious veggies that HE'LL eat, then you'll be good, too!
See you soon!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
We're Moving!!!
Yup, we finally did it. We got our ducks in a row, the tax man paid up and we are signing the lease today.
I've lived with my parents for the past 5 years, since my last relationship went south. While I was employed I entertained the thought of purchasing my own home, but I just couldn't find the right house in the right area for the right price. And it's a good thing, too, considering I both lost my job and got pregnant in 2009. I guess it was just the universe telling me to wait for something better.
Then in 2009, T and the big kids moved in. Remember the lost job? September, 2 weeks after they moved in. And the pregnancy? D was our Christmas miracle.
It's been a tough road, but it feels like our hard work and faith is finally paying off.
Stay tuned...I finally got the blogger app, and I can't imagine I won't have some crafty home ideas for rentals!
I've lived with my parents for the past 5 years, since my last relationship went south. While I was employed I entertained the thought of purchasing my own home, but I just couldn't find the right house in the right area for the right price. And it's a good thing, too, considering I both lost my job and got pregnant in 2009. I guess it was just the universe telling me to wait for something better.
Then in 2009, T and the big kids moved in. Remember the lost job? September, 2 weeks after they moved in. And the pregnancy? D was our Christmas miracle.
It's been a tough road, but it feels like our hard work and faith is finally paying off.
Stay tuned...I finally got the blogger app, and I can't imagine I won't have some crafty home ideas for rentals!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
I love mail!
I'm a nerd. I wholeheartedly embrace it.
Major worldwide celebrities don't really excite me. I wouldn't believe that it was really handled by the celebrity if I received a response. I would assume that it was someone in their entourage.
But here..my crafting celebrity idols? Definitely them. And definitely exciting.
Yesterday morning, I was looking through Delia's recent posts and noticed her husband's wedding band. Weird? Probably. But what caught my eye was that it's black. You don't see a lot of those out there. Except, my husband has one. So I emailed her to mention it and ask what her husband's is made of. And she replied!!! I got so geek excited, not just for the reply, but also because of the coincidence of the matching color/materials.
Then, a little while later, I was on Etsy adding to my Christmas Wishlist and I came across a treasury of orange items, nearly all of which were subsequently added to my list. So I decided to send the link to the treasury to Katy, another of my idols. No reply last night, but I figured she would be too busy to respond, and that's ok. But then this morning, I checked my email and she replied! And she liked the treasury!
Double score!
Major worldwide celebrities don't really excite me. I wouldn't believe that it was really handled by the celebrity if I received a response. I would assume that it was someone in their entourage.
But here..my crafting celebrity idols? Definitely them. And definitely exciting.
Yesterday morning, I was looking through Delia's recent posts and noticed her husband's wedding band. Weird? Probably. But what caught my eye was that it's black. You don't see a lot of those out there. Except, my husband has one. So I emailed her to mention it and ask what her husband's is made of. And she replied!!! I got so geek excited, not just for the reply, but also because of the coincidence of the matching color/materials.
Then, a little while later, I was on Etsy adding to my Christmas Wishlist and I came across a treasury of orange items, nearly all of which were subsequently added to my list. So I decided to send the link to the treasury to Katy, another of my idols. No reply last night, but I figured she would be too busy to respond, and that's ok. But then this morning, I checked my email and she replied! And she liked the treasury!
Double score!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Kudzu, King of the South
Today saw the return of the Kudzu Festival to my small town. It had been 6 years since the last one. Funny enough, just a couple of weeks ago, my husband and his cousins were talking about how we all grew up here but never went to the festival. Then a week later, I get a message from the PTO at the kids' school telling everyone that it was back!
Unfortunately, B&E were spending the weekend with their mom, so it was just me, the hubs, my father in law and Baby D (who is not so much baby anymore...waaaah)
First, we went to the petting zoo area. D has never really gotten to see a lot of animals beside cats and dogs, despite living out in the boonies. He got to see a sheep, a handful of goats (babies!), a duck, a hen, some puppies, a couple of rabbits...and a 2 day old piglet (squeeee!).
Unfortunately, B&E were spending the weekend with their mom, so it was just me, the hubs, my father in law and Baby D (who is not so much baby anymore...waaaah)
First, we went to the petting zoo area. D has never really gotten to see a lot of animals beside cats and dogs, despite living out in the boonies. He got to see a sheep, a handful of goats (babies!), a duck, a hen, some puppies, a couple of rabbits...and a 2 day old piglet (squeeee!).
He's wearing his crown!
After the petting, it was time to ride the pony!
He was so unnerved that I had to hold him up the entire ride...but it was so worth it :)
We were hoping to try some fried kudzu blossoms and any other kudzu delicacies, but sadly (or happily?) the only one they had was kudzu jelly.
We tasted this one and bought a jar. It was actually really good - tastes like apples and honey. Check out the store, too. The original is in Valley Crusis, NC, just outside Boone, but there's another one in downtown Asheville, too. Seriously, check them out and buy some Kudzu Blossom Jelly while you're at it!
Finally, we wandered through the refurbished historic buildings and headed inside the main museum building to see the civil war history of our town. It was nice to have a break from the heat in the sun, and it was neat to look around a place I hadn't been since early middle school.
The hubs bought me a new ring
and I bought him a small geode to break for B&E when they come home so they can see what's inside. We also made a deal to go visit the same historic site again with all three kids, and go visit the Andrew Jackson Park not far from here so we can go for a nature walk again, too.
For more info on the museum that supported the festival this year, visit Andrew Jackson's Birthplace.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I DO Help!
Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk, diligently doing my job, and I got this overwhelming sense of pride. No idea where it came from, but I was proud of my job and the way I do my job.
I work for one of the largest banks in the country in the bankruptcy department. Try saying that to someone who asks where you work and a slip of a look flits across their face. Then tell them what I actually do in that department - loan modifications - and the slip of a look turns into an out and out frown.
That look really bothers me deep down, even though I try not to let it. I know I do work that helps make the world a better place. But the media has painted the banks to be big greedy people grabbing houses out from under people trying their hardest to pay their bills.
I'm not going to lie. We can't help everyone save their home. It's not that we don't try (please remember that nearly all loans have more than one modification option that we try to get). We do. We try very hard to make sure that the documents we gather for the decision are just so in order to cut down on the total time it takes to get that decision back to the borrower. Because the group I work for is very specific, we get to know the borrowers and their situations, the sound of their voice, the desperation they're feeling.
When we get a denial, we all feel bad, and the team gets quieter while we work. When we get an approval, no matter how small, we get excited. It makes us hopeful that we've been able to do the one thing that could help a family stay in their home. I know of one borrower I had that I got to know very well during collecting his document package that when I was told of his approval for a mod, I cheered - when I learned that his monthly mortgage payment had been cut nearly in half (*not typical, just lucky), I cried. I knew that we had saved his home and given him piece of mind. He's not the only one this has happened for, and I can say he won't be the last for me, either.
A lot of times, people get so angry with us for taking longer than they want to review the documents they send in. I understand because there is so much uncertainty attached to a loan modification request. We try our best to be a team of superheroes, reviewing as many loans each day as we possibly can. We want to be able to do it all in one day, and unfortunately we can't. All I can say is that if you're in the situation of waiting for a loan modification, please stay on top of us and keep us aware of your loan - but try to have a little patience. You're not alone in your urgency, and we do take things personally.
Yesterday, while driving home, chewing on the inside of my cheek, thinking about why I was so proud of the work I do, I decided that I don't care about that look that people get when they hear I work on loan modifications. I know to the bottom of my heart that I do good work to help people stay in their homes. We, the bank, don't make the rules about what is and isn't allowed. We just have to follow those rules when we review all of the financial information. I know that I will continue to feel bad for the families we can't help in my group and cheer for the families we can help. I'll continue to imagine the ones that do qualify hearing the good news, seeing the relief on their face, maybe taking everyone out for pizza to celebrate.
I do good work. I am proud.
I work for one of the largest banks in the country in the bankruptcy department. Try saying that to someone who asks where you work and a slip of a look flits across their face. Then tell them what I actually do in that department - loan modifications - and the slip of a look turns into an out and out frown.
That look really bothers me deep down, even though I try not to let it. I know I do work that helps make the world a better place. But the media has painted the banks to be big greedy people grabbing houses out from under people trying their hardest to pay their bills.
I'm not going to lie. We can't help everyone save their home. It's not that we don't try (please remember that nearly all loans have more than one modification option that we try to get). We do. We try very hard to make sure that the documents we gather for the decision are just so in order to cut down on the total time it takes to get that decision back to the borrower. Because the group I work for is very specific, we get to know the borrowers and their situations, the sound of their voice, the desperation they're feeling.
When we get a denial, we all feel bad, and the team gets quieter while we work. When we get an approval, no matter how small, we get excited. It makes us hopeful that we've been able to do the one thing that could help a family stay in their home. I know of one borrower I had that I got to know very well during collecting his document package that when I was told of his approval for a mod, I cheered - when I learned that his monthly mortgage payment had been cut nearly in half (*not typical, just lucky), I cried. I knew that we had saved his home and given him piece of mind. He's not the only one this has happened for, and I can say he won't be the last for me, either.
A lot of times, people get so angry with us for taking longer than they want to review the documents they send in. I understand because there is so much uncertainty attached to a loan modification request. We try our best to be a team of superheroes, reviewing as many loans each day as we possibly can. We want to be able to do it all in one day, and unfortunately we can't. All I can say is that if you're in the situation of waiting for a loan modification, please stay on top of us and keep us aware of your loan - but try to have a little patience. You're not alone in your urgency, and we do take things personally.
Yesterday, while driving home, chewing on the inside of my cheek, thinking about why I was so proud of the work I do, I decided that I don't care about that look that people get when they hear I work on loan modifications. I know to the bottom of my heart that I do good work to help people stay in their homes. We, the bank, don't make the rules about what is and isn't allowed. We just have to follow those rules when we review all of the financial information. I know that I will continue to feel bad for the families we can't help in my group and cheer for the families we can help. I'll continue to imagine the ones that do qualify hearing the good news, seeing the relief on their face, maybe taking everyone out for pizza to celebrate.
I do good work. I am proud.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The Big 2-8!
So. Tomorrow is my birthday.
circa September 1984
T claims I'm about to eat my sister up, like a lion devouring a gazelle. (Get it? Lion? 'Cause I'm a LEO?)
Being a Megan is tiring work!
Every SuperGirl needs her Duplo Bloks!
And every super hero crash lands at least once...
I think I was a homemade butterfly until I was 7
2 weeks before T found me again
Can you believe it will have been 3 years next week?
My oldest and dearest bestie, at my baby shower
And that's me. I couldn't find the pictures of me from this past July 4, but I'll add them when I do. Now you're caught up on 28 years of yours truly!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Dads R Gr8
I'm going to take a page from Katy's book (no big dill) and celebrate my dad and my children's dad. First up is my dad. These pictures are old - the only ones I have handy on the computer, but they'll showcase my dad at quite possibly his awesomest.
About a month after I was born, 1984
My favorite Halloween costume. Not sure what he was supposed to be, but loved it nonetheless.
And then my husband, T. Father to my children. He's a great dad, loving to laugh with the kids and get snuggles. He shares his love and knowledge of comic books with the big kids, and he gingerly brushes E's hair after bath time. He had to grill his own steak tonight, but at least he loves it :) I'm horrible on the grill. I did make him a baked potato and a broccoli casserole. His dad came over and my dad got home from work just in time.
Our very first Easter together - look how young B and E were!!! (D was just a grape in my belly)
Happy Father's Day to my dad, my husband, and my father in law. And of course to all the other fathers out there that work hard for their families. I hope you know how much you're appreciated!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
1 month, 3 projects
So yesterday I was unloading some groceries in the kitchen when I realized it had been exactly a month since my last post. And in that month, I've actually done 3 projects (one last night!).
The first was a shirt for work. I have this problem where I have a large chest and a belly, and I'm longer waist, too. It means that long shirts are actually the right length when I buy them, but too short after I wash them (no matter how delicately I wash and dry). But I like to sew, so why not whip up some shirts that are work appropriate and will be long enough for my comfort?
I grabbed some royal purple and India green/gold knit fabric from JoAnn's ($4.99/yd, down from $19.99/yd!!!). The purple so far has been used to make a 3/4 length sleeve shirt with a v neck. I used some white cotton quilting material for a trim around the waistband, sleeves and collar. It's not too bad, for a quick work with no pattern. I think I may need to take it apart to repair a few things and tidy it up. The green/gold I used to make a faux wrap shirt. I love the wrap style, but they usually pull too low and show too much boobage. So I used a favorite tshirt as the guide and whipped up a tshirt with a decorative stitch along the edging. I still need to stitch the inside wrap to the outside wrap in the front so I can stop constantly adjusting it, but otherwise, it's a pretty comfy shirt. Oh, and the sleeves have some pouf pleats (totally accidental) which got complimented as soon as I got to work. Score!
The third project, begun and completed last night, is based off Delia's Easy Mommy Skirt. I love the skirt she created, and I would LOVE to have one. Green skirts have been a favorite of mine for a long time. BUT, I work in a corporate environment and have tattoos on the top of my feet. So pants are my typical wardrobe. Then, I saw this post and it combined my favorite swirly green skirts with Chucks. Wait...why haven't I thought of wearing Chucks with a skirt to work for casual week/day before? Genius!
Pictures will be forthcoming, following some of the aforementioned adjustments.
Hope everyone is doing well and good and stuff :)
The first was a shirt for work. I have this problem where I have a large chest and a belly, and I'm longer waist, too. It means that long shirts are actually the right length when I buy them, but too short after I wash them (no matter how delicately I wash and dry). But I like to sew, so why not whip up some shirts that are work appropriate and will be long enough for my comfort?
I grabbed some royal purple and India green/gold knit fabric from JoAnn's ($4.99/yd, down from $19.99/yd!!!). The purple so far has been used to make a 3/4 length sleeve shirt with a v neck. I used some white cotton quilting material for a trim around the waistband, sleeves and collar. It's not too bad, for a quick work with no pattern. I think I may need to take it apart to repair a few things and tidy it up. The green/gold I used to make a faux wrap shirt. I love the wrap style, but they usually pull too low and show too much boobage. So I used a favorite tshirt as the guide and whipped up a tshirt with a decorative stitch along the edging. I still need to stitch the inside wrap to the outside wrap in the front so I can stop constantly adjusting it, but otherwise, it's a pretty comfy shirt. Oh, and the sleeves have some pouf pleats (totally accidental) which got complimented as soon as I got to work. Score!
The third project, begun and completed last night, is based off Delia's Easy Mommy Skirt. I love the skirt she created, and I would LOVE to have one. Green skirts have been a favorite of mine for a long time. BUT, I work in a corporate environment and have tattoos on the top of my feet. So pants are my typical wardrobe. Then, I saw this post and it combined my favorite swirly green skirts with Chucks. Wait...why haven't I thought of wearing Chucks with a skirt to work for casual week/day before? Genius!
Pictures will be forthcoming, following some of the aforementioned adjustments.
Hope everyone is doing well and good and stuff :)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day!
First of all..I want to say Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are moms or will be moms...even those with furry children (like my sister). You (we) work hard and it's appreciated!
T and I went to lunch with a cousin and his wife - they're currently trying to get pregnant - so we got them a "Future Mother's Day" gift :). It was fun because afterwards we ran a few errands on the way to the house and then played Wii til about 9.
Today we all went over to my sister's house for lunch before heading out to window shop and pick up B&E from their weekend with their mom. Easy dinner and some laundry and here I am. Watching a movie and getting ready for bed before starting another week at work.
Oh, except E made me cry tonight with the presents she made in school. She and B planted some flowers at school and brought them home for me. It was the sweetest thing :)
And last, but CERTAINLY not least...Congrats to Jessica from Craftiness is not Optional. She's expecting a new little one this coming November. What better news to share on Mother's Day than that!
So night night, sleep tight, and thank Heaven for the mom that brought you into this world.
Me and my mom (don't tell her I used this picture!)
My mom came home from Mississippi to visit and it was nice. She's wonderful and I miss her so much. She spent all day Friday with T and D, and checked in on B&E. Then yesterday I took her into town so we could check out the local farmer's market and spring festival that was going on. T and I went to lunch with a cousin and his wife - they're currently trying to get pregnant - so we got them a "Future Mother's Day" gift :). It was fun because afterwards we ran a few errands on the way to the house and then played Wii til about 9.
Today we all went over to my sister's house for lunch before heading out to window shop and pick up B&E from their weekend with their mom. Easy dinner and some laundry and here I am. Watching a movie and getting ready for bed before starting another week at work.
Oh, except E made me cry tonight with the presents she made in school. She and B planted some flowers at school and brought them home for me. It was the sweetest thing :)
And last, but CERTAINLY not least...Congrats to Jessica from Craftiness is not Optional. She's expecting a new little one this coming November. What better news to share on Mother's Day than that!
So night night, sleep tight, and thank Heaven for the mom that brought you into this world.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Ahhh AHHhhhh AHHHHH
CHOOOOOOO!!!
Ugh. I've sneezed enough for a small nation today. My manager came in last week sick, and though she wasn't in the office much or long, she loves to stand at my desk (I sit in the middle of our group).
Wednesday night sent me to bed feeling like I was wearing goggles coated with sand and jalapenos. I left work early on Thursday so I could try to get the swelling to go down.
Thursday night wasn't so bad. Lots of congestion, but no sneezing, no coughing.
This morning....I woke up sneezing.
I sneezed on the way to the shower.
I sneezed through the shower.
I sneezed after the shower.
Then I sneezed through work.
Finally, around 1:30, I hit my wall. My shoulders and back ache, my eyes are lined with sandpaper and tied with weights. My nose is raw and red. And I can't. Stop. Sneezing.
Welcome to Spring!
Ugh. I've sneezed enough for a small nation today. My manager came in last week sick, and though she wasn't in the office much or long, she loves to stand at my desk (I sit in the middle of our group).
Wednesday night sent me to bed feeling like I was wearing goggles coated with sand and jalapenos. I left work early on Thursday so I could try to get the swelling to go down.
Thursday night wasn't so bad. Lots of congestion, but no sneezing, no coughing.
This morning....I woke up sneezing.
I sneezed on the way to the shower.
I sneezed through the shower.
I sneezed after the shower.
Then I sneezed through work.
Finally, around 1:30, I hit my wall. My shoulders and back ache, my eyes are lined with sandpaper and tied with weights. My nose is raw and red. And I can't. Stop. Sneezing.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Slammin' Salmon
I hate salmon. Ok, I don't totally hate it anymore. But I used to.
Until a coworker discovered this nifty trivia bit about me and decided to win me over to the dark side. She grilled a couple of pieces and managed to keep her little guy (age 2) from gobbling it up before she could bring it in for me. And you know, despite having been reheated in the microwave, it was pretty tasty!
The past couple of days I haven't been feeling so good, so today when I actually ate all of my lunch I figured it was a good sign. I stopped on the way home and got some salmon, a thing of 4 artisan lettuces and some fresh baby bella mushrooms.
Since dinner tonight was so yummy (D ate a whole piece all by himself!), I figured I'd share the simple meal with you all.
First, I took some aluminum foil and laid the salmon fillets on top. I lightly brushed the bottoms with olive oil. Then I lightly sprinkled some garlic powder, coarse sea salt, onion powder and smoked paprika on top. I folded the sides up and made a nice, tightly sealed little pouch with the foil and T put them on the grill.
For the asparagus, I made them my usual way - trim off the bottoms, then lightly coat with olive oil. I sprinkled on some coarse sea salt, garlic powder and fresh ground pepper. T puts them right on the grill and lets the tips and some of the stalks get a little blackened. Mmmm...
And finally, the salad. I rough chopped all four of the artisan lettuces (really, why are they called that? Either way, that's what the box they come in says) and tossed them in my big mixing bowl. Then I washed and sliced the baby bellas, chopped up some cucumber and apples, threw in some grapes, shredded a carrot or two and added some French's Fried Onions. A little shredded cheese and that bad boy was ready to be dressed!
All in all, dinner was light, filling and tasty. Not too shabby for the first foray into grilling fish.
Until a coworker discovered this nifty trivia bit about me and decided to win me over to the dark side. She grilled a couple of pieces and managed to keep her little guy (age 2) from gobbling it up before she could bring it in for me. And you know, despite having been reheated in the microwave, it was pretty tasty!
The past couple of days I haven't been feeling so good, so today when I actually ate all of my lunch I figured it was a good sign. I stopped on the way home and got some salmon, a thing of 4 artisan lettuces and some fresh baby bella mushrooms.
Since dinner tonight was so yummy (D ate a whole piece all by himself!), I figured I'd share the simple meal with you all.
First, I took some aluminum foil and laid the salmon fillets on top. I lightly brushed the bottoms with olive oil. Then I lightly sprinkled some garlic powder, coarse sea salt, onion powder and smoked paprika on top. I folded the sides up and made a nice, tightly sealed little pouch with the foil and T put them on the grill.
For the asparagus, I made them my usual way - trim off the bottoms, then lightly coat with olive oil. I sprinkled on some coarse sea salt, garlic powder and fresh ground pepper. T puts them right on the grill and lets the tips and some of the stalks get a little blackened. Mmmm...
And finally, the salad. I rough chopped all four of the artisan lettuces (really, why are they called that? Either way, that's what the box they come in says) and tossed them in my big mixing bowl. Then I washed and sliced the baby bellas, chopped up some cucumber and apples, threw in some grapes, shredded a carrot or two and added some French's Fried Onions. A little shredded cheese and that bad boy was ready to be dressed!
All in all, dinner was light, filling and tasty. Not too shabby for the first foray into grilling fish.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Questions!
My husband has a vlog on YouTube and since he recently reached 100 subscribers, he posted a video asking for his viewers to submit questions for him to answer. Since I don't have the time to commit to really posting lots and pushing for more subscribers of my own here, I figured I'd just answer some of the questions he's received.
1. What's your favorite movie?
2. What's your favorite new tv show this past season?
I love New Girl, and (though it was season 2, it was new to me) Happy Endings was AWESOME. But I think my current addictions are GCB (and yes, my accent gets worse after every episode) and Once Upon a Time (who doesn't love a real life fairy tale book?)
3. What book are you reading?
Well, I started a few weeks ago on Beautiful Creatures. But then my dad came home with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I snatched it (nicely!) and dug in.
4. Did somebody just say...BANANAS?!?
Nanananananana let's go bananas! My husband teases me for knowing all the words, including the rap, to this song from Fresh Beat Band. We're fans of the original Marina (no offense to the new one!), and he randomly starts singing the song in the parking lot while we're out because I can't resist singing along and doing the parts he doesn't know.
Well, that's all I've got for now. Soon there may be more, depending on time. I took today off for toddler appointments, so I figured I'd do a quickie post while waiting for the big kid bus. Good day to be not at work - it's so chilly and rainy. I've had my cuppa and snuggled in bed for a while and man...I needed that!
1. What's your favorite movie?
It's a tie. My favorite musical movies are Labyrinth and Singing in the Rain. My favorite "chick flick" is Love, Actually. And my favorite Horrody (horror comedy) is Shaun of the Dead. Any of those movies can be watched repeatedly on any given day.
2. What's your favorite new tv show this past season?
I love New Girl, and (though it was season 2, it was new to me) Happy Endings was AWESOME. But I think my current addictions are GCB (and yes, my accent gets worse after every episode) and Once Upon a Time (who doesn't love a real life fairy tale book?)
3. What book are you reading?
Well, I started a few weeks ago on Beautiful Creatures. But then my dad came home with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I snatched it (nicely!) and dug in.
4. Did somebody just say...BANANAS?!?
Nanananananana let's go bananas! My husband teases me for knowing all the words, including the rap, to this song from Fresh Beat Band. We're fans of the original Marina (no offense to the new one!), and he randomly starts singing the song in the parking lot while we're out because I can't resist singing along and doing the parts he doesn't know.
Well, that's all I've got for now. Soon there may be more, depending on time. I took today off for toddler appointments, so I figured I'd do a quickie post while waiting for the big kid bus. Good day to be not at work - it's so chilly and rainy. I've had my cuppa and snuggled in bed for a while and man...I needed that!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Update
Hi everyone!
So, recently I accepted a full time position at the bank where I was working as a temp. I'm really excited to have full time work (so much less stressful when you aren't worried about your contract ending!), and benefits, and I actually enjoy my job. My team is small (only 10, plus the manager, when we're fully staffed!), which makes us a lot like family.
The problem I'm having is with missing my blog and you all. See, I get up at 5:15 every morning so I can shower before I have to get the kids up. Then they get dressed while I'm getting myself ready for work. We have to be out the door no later than 6:10 to catch the bus and I don't even have time to come back inside once they're off to school. Shoot, I don't even have time to do makeup before leaving, unless I want to get up earlier (and really, who wants to do that?). After work is through, I head home and cook dinner, help with the bits of homework I'm better with explaining, and finally I get to relax for about 30 minutes before my bedtime. It's exhausting most days!
So now I don't have enough time to blog, much less sew. Hopefully as work slows down a bit with more people coming to our teeny group, I'll have more time on the weekends and less stress every day. But for now, I likely won't blog much. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you. I'm not. I miss you guys like I miss my kids when I head to work every day.
Hopefully soon I'll have something new to post. Maybe even a cross-post with my husband and his YouTube channel (he reviews metal music)
So, recently I accepted a full time position at the bank where I was working as a temp. I'm really excited to have full time work (so much less stressful when you aren't worried about your contract ending!), and benefits, and I actually enjoy my job. My team is small (only 10, plus the manager, when we're fully staffed!), which makes us a lot like family.
The problem I'm having is with missing my blog and you all. See, I get up at 5:15 every morning so I can shower before I have to get the kids up. Then they get dressed while I'm getting myself ready for work. We have to be out the door no later than 6:10 to catch the bus and I don't even have time to come back inside once they're off to school. Shoot, I don't even have time to do makeup before leaving, unless I want to get up earlier (and really, who wants to do that?). After work is through, I head home and cook dinner, help with the bits of homework I'm better with explaining, and finally I get to relax for about 30 minutes before my bedtime. It's exhausting most days!
So now I don't have enough time to blog, much less sew. Hopefully as work slows down a bit with more people coming to our teeny group, I'll have more time on the weekends and less stress every day. But for now, I likely won't blog much. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you. I'm not. I miss you guys like I miss my kids when I head to work every day.
Hopefully soon I'll have something new to post. Maybe even a cross-post with my husband and his YouTube channel (he reviews metal music)
Discovery Place Kids
My husband's mom lived right down the street from this made-for-kids museum, which opened about 6 months before she passed. Unfortunately, we were never in good enough of a financial position to afford to visit, even when we were already in the area to visit her. Until now.
I have to say, this is an awesome museum and play area for kids. My problem was that it was a rainy Saturday (what better day to go?) and it was slam packed. Which made for a crowded, muggy, miserable time when you're trying to keep up and interact with your kids.
Doctor Emily works sideways!
All tuckered out...
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