Last but certainly not least!

Pacino (aka "Cheeners") our neighborhood nosy cat, keeping our New Year's safe and as hooligan free as possible.

Here, it is! The last P&PPS post for the year. Crazy. Hard to believe it has only been a little more than five months ago that I started it, this place has become a bit of a sanctuary for me. Hopefully for you too!

Well, it's New Year's Eve, and once I get done closing up the store, the hubs and I are going out for a cocktail and nosh with a pair of acquaintances. After that it's pajama time until the ball drops. I'll probably be reading until the big moment (just finished this and it was just as awesome as you'd hope). We're going to do the 12 grapes thing too. 

Usually I have a long and very specific list of things I want to accomplish for the new year. This year, I'm making the list a bit more vague. General ideas of lifestyle changes are the way I'm rolling into 2015. I can't believe we're halfway through the 2010's. It's so bizarre! Time, y'all. She's a bandit.

Anyway, I hope for much happiness, balance and abundance in your life this upcoming year. May old habits die quick deaths and new habits spring forth like crocuses from the snowy ground!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Year Out, Year In

Last year's hats.

Happy Tuesday, y'all! Can you believe the year is almost over? It's so strange how quickly this year has flown by. It went by so quickly it's hard to imagine that much has changed, and yet so much has!

*We didn't have Comodino this time last year and in a few weeks it will be his one year anniversary living with us. Aw! Sweet, silly goober of a dog.

*My husband found a job, got a new vehicle and went back to school! So proud!

*I started working part time to help my mom with her burgeoning art career.

*Two new babies joined my universe, Addy in June and Mannee in December.

*I gained about ten pounds (working on that though!).

Now that the New Year is just around the corner, I hope for more positive changes in my life in the upcoming year. Things like:

*A new (better) job for me.

*Getting our debt paid off (at least 50%).

*Finding a cheaper apartment that doesn't have mold and sheetrock holding up one wall of the kitchen. Ahem. And has a yard.

*Traveling more!

*Losing those ten bleeping pounds.

*Selling tons of prints, stationery and mugs for mom's online store.

*Getting better about writing and mailing notes and nothings to friends and loved ones.

*Getting better about wasting money. Everyone does it in one way or another, but I've got like seven ways I do it and no me gustaria mucho!

What changes would you like to see in your New Year? I'd love to know! More tomorrow, y'all!

Have a truly wonderful day!

P.S. A list of those we lost. Rest in peace. I had no idea that Shirley Temple had passed away!! Sad!

Monday Monday

The cosiest of nooks.

Happy Monday, y'all! I'm finally getting over the horrors that were my holiday weekend; however, I'm not quite up to snuff completely. So today I am sending you a howdy from rainy North Florida, but saving all the fun stuff for the rest of the week. Don't be mad at me. Be mad at the associates who came to work sick last week who gave me this garbage. Private message me, I'll give you names and addresses. Just kidding. Sort of. See y'all tomorrow!

*sniff*

Look human.

Normally I'd do a nice long list of happies, funs & pretties on such a pretty Friday as this! However, I'm sick as a dog and will not be doing anything other than snoozing and having a Peaky Blinders marathon. Knockout sleep ahoy!!!

Pass the wassail...

Happy "traditional, 100% red-blooded, two-fisted, All-American" Christmas to those who celebrate it! And to those of you who don't, I hope you are having a beautiful, wonderful 100% red-blooded, All-American (or wherever you may be from) fantastic day too, whatever you may be doing!

A Christmas Story.

Don't you just love A Christmas Story? So sweet and darkly funny all at once. Pure magic.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Everywhere you go!

I hope y'all got all your last minute running around done today! It's still a stormy mess around our neck of the woods and the lake by my house has washed out a road. It's kind of cool and exciting like when a hurricane would come around when I was a kid.

The hubs and I have done our little gift exchange (and it was lovely, thank you!); now we're heading over to my mom & step-dad's with beer cheese, sweet onion & cranberry compote and poinsettia gelees (champagne & cranberry jello shots, but fancy)!

Happy Christmas Eve, y'all! And don't forget to track Santa! Last I heard he was seen over Majorca! Neat!

Be safe out there!

Dark & stormy

December storm.

What a stormy day today! After another loooong day today, alls I wanna do is snug up in my cosiest of jammies and do some Netflix binging! As I've mentioned a dozen times, I love Phryne Fisher, but I just finished her last available series. So, thanks to my love of British (and in the case of Phryne, Austrailian) mystery shows, it was suggested I watch The Vicar of Dibley. It's great! It's a (tres moderne) show from the early 90's about a female vicar in a tiny British conservative town. It has a terrible laugh track, but it is cute and charming. I thought it was too neat & tidy for me until the end of the first episode with the vicar makes a rather funny off-colour joke. Done & done!!

Give it a watch with a hot cup of tea and a snuggly pup (if you can muster one). Have a great (and hopefully not so stormy) day!

Better late than never!

Snapshots of Wellness.

What a day, y'all! You know that saying "when it rains, it pours"? That has been my Monday and it was a tough one (the reason this post is 15 hours tardy...or 9 hours early, whatever). The fridge broke down in the middle of the night. I salvaged what I could. My gracious family let me use their fridges and freezers for our holiday meal ingredients. I set out to move said groceries to their safe havens during the only torrential part of the non-stop rain all day long. My husband spent hours seeing if he could fix it before calling our landlord who will send over his not-so-handy handyman after Christmas.

Remember that crazy-maker situation? That came to a head today. Two others came out of the woodworks as well. I had a stupid long night shift at work (from which I'm plum tuckered out) and tomorrow I have a stupid long early morning shift with no other managerial help until 530 or 6 but I'm not thinking of that at the moment.

I have pretty major PMS and there isn't enough chocolate or soft jammies or baby goat/otter videos in the world to help me retain a semblance of normality. I haven't been drinking for the past two weeks (just because) and today I could have used one. I'm kind of a mess.

To top it all off, one of my favorite singers of all time, Joe Cocker, passed away today. Out of all the stress and absurdity today, that's the only thing that actually made me cry.

But you know what? I'm totally fine.

I'm cool, yo; and have been laughing at it (mostly) all day. There were a few moments of anger in regards to the crazy-makers that put a burr in my saddle, but you know what I did? I went to work. I worked ridiculously hard and fast and knocked out most of the tasks I would have to be doing tomorrow morning (hell yeah!). My sweet friend came to work and brought me a lovely and thoughtful holiday gift bag (that may have brought a tear to my eye too). I got a few laughs and some great hugs from him, both of which I needed. Oh! I also got a handsome new nephew, Mannee (pronounced Manny), today. He was born this afternoon and didn't even look like a squishy pink toe or a conehead (like I did)! Then... then I came home and when I saw my puppy's sweet face, I instantly felt better. My blood pressure went down big time.

I'm going off to bed very very soon. Every inch of my body aches. But I'm good. And I'll be even better tomorrow.

In case your holidays are making you insane, read this article. It's got some actual helpful advice on keeping your zen while everything seems out to intentionally be wonky and out of whack.

Love, friends. Here's some Joe to send us off. Rest in peace, Mr. Joe.

Friday Happies!

Fleecy Flock Ribbon (see below!!)

Hey y'all! Can you believe it's only 5 full days until Christmas? That's nuts. It seems like this season has been slow (helloooo retail!) and very fast at the same time. This weekend I'm working like a damn hound, but it's okay. It's almost done and soon it will be New Year's! What a whirlwind of a year!!

Anyway! You know what Fridays around here mean! Here are some funs, happies, heart-warmies & pretties to help usher you into your weekend (and hopefully put a smile on your face too).

*It met with mixed reviews, but this year's tree in Reading, Pennsylvania was pardoned even though some city council members and residents thought "it was too ugly". Not only has it been saved and is on display in the middle of town, but they embraced it's Charlie Brown Christmas Tree-ness and placed a blue blanket around the base (think Linus' security blankie) and a single red ornament. Everyone in the town has been invited to help jazz it up (just like at the end of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special) on Christmas Day and they've even started an essay contest so people can submit writings on the real meaning of this season. Now talk about getting it right, y'all! Way to go guys!

*Fleecy Flock Ribbon Sheep?!?!?! I didn't realize it until now, but now that I know it exists; I must procure it for loved ones!

*A possibly transformative New Year's Resolution (more on those next week).

*These parents got together to give their kids' crossing guard a new vehicle when his was repossessed due to mounting hospital bills for his sick wife. What a lovely gesture!

*As you know, I dream of having a smidgen of "grown-up" in my bohemian, quirky & inner-child friendly apartment. I really liked this makeover for a newlywed couple feeling the same way. Though the realist in me wonders just how much that makeover actually cost.

*This would be so perfect for the hubs' bedside table (and one for me too...*ahem*).

*Check out this Japanese man's totally zen gift-wrapping style. I cannot even figure out what shape the wrapping paper started out in but woah!! I'm impressed! While you're at it, check out this Japanese man's incredible ironing skills (I'm baffled by most garments myself- though cloth napkins I've got down), and this Japanese man's shoe-shining skills. As my husband says, "there is something so soothing and gratifying about watching someone do something with their hands, and do it so masterfully." Japan has definitely gotten some things figured out!

*Minus the bows, I would totally wear these and pretend I was Phryne Fisher.

*In that same vein, these bad boys would work too (but in a champagne colour like she wears)!

*Nine year old girl writes a kind letter to her teacher. "It's just your life."

*We love Ray Blount Jr. at our house, and his hilarious commentaries on Southern life always make my day better. His take on Christmas songs is a winner for me. Love it!

*This is (literally) one of my favourite holiday songs (other than all things Vinve Guiraldi & Nat King Cole). I don't know what that says about me. I also love that the video for it is from an entirely different song. Hilarious.

*Never underestimate the power of egg whites. From pancakes, cookies, soups & cocktails, this surprising ingredient is Best in Show for many a recipe. Check some out here!

*Contrary to my love of the 20's, I know I'm a nerd and thiiiiiiis close to being a macaroni necklace-wearing earth-muffin...but I still totally want this (and have for years now)!

*Remember that delightful chunky knit throw from Tuesday's post? Here's a way to make one yourself!!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

A little adieu...

Image

I love Autumn. It's my favourite time of year (though Winter is a close second). I can't believe that this season is already over! It seemed like Summer took forever to move along and Autumn has breezed by in a complete blur! It has been a beautiful season here in North Florida. That's not something I ever get to say, but we really have had a colourful Fall full of chilly nights, clear skies and even woodsmoke on the air once in a while!

The Winter Solstice is coming up. The longest night of the year and the first day of Winter. I hope you get a chance to get out in the beautiful last lingering days of Fall. It's hard to believe what with all the holiday preparations, that it technically is still Autumn. Sigh. I encourage you to take some time and feel peace in nature during this transitional time. It's crisp, the colours are fading into the silvers, tawny browns and greys of this new season. It's all so beautiful isn't it? Watching it all transform?

I plan on taking a little time this weekend to get a little fire going in the backyard fire pit. I may even brew up wassail and perhaps play a game of dominoes with the hubs in the very few hours I do not have to be at work. What will you do to note this passing of time? I hope you steal a peaceful moment for yourself.

Here is a previous musing on the seasons, and another. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Thoughts on crazy-makers, part 2

Christmas nuts made me laugh. And a few minutes on this site actually calmed me down quite a bit. 

Remember a few months back, I wrote about crazy-makers? Those people who, whether they mean to or not, have a tendency to create chaos wherever they go (because chaos is their normal and when it's peaceful they freak out thus keeping the cycle going).

As well-intentioned as it may be, my crazy-maker got in touch with me last night. She wants to meet up. Then this is what happened.

The people-pleaser in me thought: "Well, I don't want to be rude. We know all the same people yadda yadda yadda."

The internal introvert thought: "I just want to avoid all social contact outside my pre-selected few tribe members. No ______ allowed in my clubhouse!"

The wounded part of me thought: "There is a catch. There is always a catch. Don't let your guard down. The moment you do, the shoe will drop and you will be infuriated and/or hurt again."

Now even I have to admit, that last one surprised me. I'm a pretty optimistic person. I devil's-advocate my way through a lot of sticky situations. But I was a little sad that the loudest part of me was such a wounded part. I don't like to think that there is an imbalance inside that could go that negative at any moment.

I know I have to find a balance between those parts of myself and I'm embarrassed to say that may take me a few days (I'm so quick normally but totally blank out when put on the spot). I guess, I'm just sharing a human moment with y'all. Any advice on how to handle this in a way that will keep me from losing my cool the moment it starts going wonky? The only way I know how is to be honest. I'm told I can be too blunt (I don't mean to be) and I don't want to be because there is too much emotion backing this honesty. I don't want to accidentally be mean but i know myself. In emotional situations the filter comes off.

Sigh. I'll figure it out.

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

P.S. Interesting article. 

Thoughts on staying in...

I am feeling so snuggly (i.e. lazy and not wanting to wear real clothes) lately. All I want to do is cosy up on the couch and watch Phryne Fisher Mysteries (I'm completely addicted) and shirk all grown-up responsibilities.

Now this may not seem connected, but believe me it is. I love a throw. Maybe because I'm the child of an interior designer and one of my first toys was a paint fan. But, I have at least four throws out in my house at any given point and I'm on the prowl for a couple more "grown up" ones for my one-day fully decorated (whatever that means) house and eventual decline into couch-bound murder mystery aficionado.

Here are some that I'm totally obsessed with at the moment:

Crazy fuzzy faux fur throw from Restoration Hardware. I'd have to keep this one away from the pups or they'll never cuddle with me again.

This super chunky throw would be right at home at the foot of my bed. Doesn't that look so wonderful to snuggle up with?!

Remember this one from last week? I want to nuzzle up with it and nap.

As winter is about to roll around, I get that "light a fire and stay home" kind of instinct. Maybe it's an ancient thing that still resides inside of me; but, I no longer associate this time of year with being out with people. Sixteen years of customer service during the holidays will do that I guess. Instead I want to have quality time with a handful of people, and not in the party sense. I used to love a holiday party and would go to a half dozen every year! Nowadays, I'd rather meet you for breakfast and chat for a little while. Actual quality time with no hors d'oeuvres toothpicks to try to find a place to throw away, no spanx ripping my stomach in half and no worrying about having to dodge conversations with people who don't fulfill you in order to scratch five minutes with your buddy in the corner while y'all pretend to be checking out their stereo system while he/she fills you in on the craziness going on in their lives. I can do that at New Year's! Right now I want a backyard fire in the fire pit, warm mugs of things to drink, comfort food, jammies, and movie marathons with the hubs- especially if we can be snuggling up cosy with one of these wonderful winter throws so my feet don't get cold.

Have a wonderful day, y'all!

Partying on, sans party!

How was your weekend, friends? Mine was long and much-needed. Now it's back to the old grind for this last holiday stretch. Sigh. It won't be that bad, but let me tell you that working retail during the holidays totally and completely blows. There are no holiday songs about the delight of complaining customers, grumpy husbands and everyone and their mother trying to do returns without receipts. Don't be one of those people, y'all! Ha!

Anyway, as a comfort meal before the drudgery truly begins, the hubs suggested something hilariously cute for dinner. Marinated "lil smokies"! It was such an "old-fashioned" idea and I was craving something different. I hadn't had them in years (and it seems it was always at a holiday party or football game) and I have to say its as so fun to rummage around for a recipe for them. Since the hubs and I both had a lot of piddling to do before setting out on the workweek, it was a perfect "eat as you go, whenever you're feeling peckish" kind of dinner.

I settled on a variation of this recipe (image above). It has the same basic three ingredients (tomato paste, brown sugar, and bourbon), but I added black pepper, salt, garlic and cayenne pepper flakes to taste. Delicious!!Holiday soirees aside, this was such a fun and simple little crockpot dinner, served with mashed potatoes and the intention of sautéed asparagus (though laziness may have taken me out on that one admittedly).

I hope you give it a try, because honestly, it's hard to be foul and anxious when you have a simmering pot of humorously small weenies bubbling before your eyes. So silly and so very good!

Have a wonderful day, friends!

Friday Happies!

Well, the weeks are going by so fast now. What have you got planned for this weekend? I will be finishing up all things holiday before working like a dog during the week of Christmas. Fun. Anyway! Here's this week's list of funs, pretties, & happies to move you steadfastly into a lovely weekend! I hope you enjoy!!

*Guidelines for book lovers (the hubs and I have seriously half of one room devoted to our growing collection- it fights with the growing minimalist in me).

*In case you missed my post on 9 Kisses. I just love the whole idea!

*Y'all I love a magnifying glass. And small binoculars. Always have. Yet I own neither. One of these on a mantle (when I someday have a mantle) would be awesome! I like the tall one best. Or the eye. I can't make up my mind!

*This made me laugh out loud. A new mom recorded her kid screwing with her while she "tried to sleep". Apparently nap time just isn't an option for anyone present. It's so funny!

*Don't read this if you don't want to sniffle a little with happy-cry-sniffles.

*I absolutely adore this faux fawn throw. Say that three times fast. I want it in my snuggly cozy house I don't have yet; on my nice, clean, reupholstered sofa I don't have yet, in front of a roaring fireplace I don't have yet. Sigh. But it will be mine, oh yes! It will be mine!

*Did y'all see the time capsule from post-Revolutionary Massachusetts uncovered this week? Paul Revere and Samual Adams both had a hand in its creation. Cool! I love historical and anthropological stuffs!!

*I don't know if you noticed this awesome water bottle from my post the other day, but it's so damn pretty I had to post it again!

*I've had this song stuck in my head for days now. It's your turn. Yes, that's the actor with the one wooden eye from Pirates of the Caribbean. I kinda have a weird crush on him.

*I love a "Just Because"!

*This was interesting. Seven food trends to watch in 2015. Would you try maple or cactus water? I just might!

*How refreshing! Holiday decorating ideas that don't make me want to barf.

*Sausage balls recipe from Garden & Gun. Dang! Those sound good!

*I love this charming post from my mom's blog, Firefly Evenings. Even the name of the blog is cute!

*I'm a February baby, so I love hearts. This would be cute framed in a small powder room or on a nursery wall.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

9 Kisses

So the New York Times had a director cast 18 of this years best actors in 9 scenes, each involving a kiss. It's so lovely! I laughed, I was moved. Check it out!

Just a few of my favorites! But there are four more and they're all so good!

Now and then I surprise even myself!

A friend came to work wearing these fuzzy slippers because she had left her works shoes at well, work the other day. Now, this is not how I roll usually. Uggs annoy me. Flip-flops irritate me unless actually on a beach. I prefer wearing real shoes at all times unless I'm home. And I realize she wore hers only in the car until she got to work, however she mentioned several times she was so comfortable she didn't want to change back into her work shoes. But these, ugly little fuzzy slippers...I just- I can't help but like them! They're just Norwegian enough to  work! What do you guys think? A little yeti action for your bumming around clothes?

Have a wonderful day!

Woah & First Steps

Great water bottle, right?! Glass too, and I love the cork!

Y'all, this is embarrassing. I've gained twenty pounds over the past five years. The past three at an exponential rate. Ugh!! Not that I want to be rail thin again, but I'd like my clothes to fit better and all around be a healthier person.

So, instead of beating myself up, I'm looking at it as a desire to be a healthier me. No fad diets, nothing like that. I dislike stuff like that because I think it overrides the original intent which should be health.

The first step for me today is water water water water! I have to get in at least 64 ounces of water today. Not tea, not juice, not wine- ahem. JUst delicious crystal clean water.

The second step today will be no wine with dinner or after work. It's not that big of a deal. I'll save that glass of deliciousness for another night.

The third step for me today will be to take my vitamins like a grown-ass woman should. I was doing so good for a few weeks there then gave up the ghost around my pre-Thanksgiving bout with mild food poisoning.

That's it. That's how I'm beginning. It isn't much, but doesn't every little bit count? I surely think so. I'd rather dip my toe into this situation slowly and positively and for the right reasons.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Better

This just resonated with me today.

I hope we all find some damn good books this week and that you have a truly wonderful day!

Friday Happies!

Betty White. She looks like my grandma when she was young here.

Happy Friday y'all! I surely hope your week has been lovely. Mine started out super slow but got crazy toward the end. I actually have the weekend off too, which feels so amazing. I don't even know where to begin with it! The hubs just finished welding school for the semester so we kind of just stared at each other last night until we remember that Newsroom started back up again! We're old.
Anyway, here are some happies, funs & pretties to kick off your particular weekend of wonder! Enjoy, y'all!!

*Seventeen stunning shots of celebrities when they were younger. It shows how good taste never goes out of style!

*This made me laugh out loud. In the winter, anyone can be a breakdancer!

*How did I not see this when it first came out?! Jimmy Fallon versus the Parks & Rec cast in a Glee-esque sing & dance-off!

*What do y'all think of the new color of 2015, "Marsala"? It's a ruddy burgundy, and other than make me a little hungry, I think it's kinda pretty. I like that Lonny did a "what goes with" article though, because it is an atypical shade to focus on. I still like it.

*I just love bottlebrush trees. They immediately evoke nostalgia for me.

*I thought this guy's story and charities were really cool. They all benefit young girls and women. Really neat stuff, check it out here.

*The side of motherhood we aren't prepared to discuss. I was actually surprised by what that side really was. It's a good read.

*Aw! This lady is so cute!

*Lately I've been really missing Big Pine Key, Florida. We went there for a wedding several years back and loved it. The key deer tried to go home with the hubs. Anywho, I went looking around online to feed my craving and found their home page, for Big Pine Key. And it's awesome and hilarious!! Staghorn ferns for sale and a poem about Bob's barricades? So good. It now just makes me miss it even more!! I can't wait to go back again!

*This winter green soup sounds so delicious!!!

*As if I had anywhere to wear this! I still totally love it.

*Y'all, I really like Sturgill Simpson. 

*I'm not one for sweety sweets, but this recipe sounds really amazing!

*This is something I do in private, but am clearly not clever enough to do anything with. Therefore, I love this "We Never Met" instagram. So charming and wry!

*Bon Appetit, you nailed it! Sometimes you do really just want something shiny! Gimme!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Post A-puzzle-ypse

A funny thing happened while me and my friend worked on our puzzle last night. After spells of chatting and spells of quiet, we both kind of basked in the therapeutic benefits of solving something. She and I have our own issues going on in our lives, our own struggles and have powered through with varying states of grace (her more so than me). However, we both looked up at various points to note that this puzzle-solving (or puzzling as she put it which reminds me of this) was a manifestation of the organization of our own thoughts in a physical form.

It was relaxing and challenging. We laughed and cussed and told stories. We shared trials (she was bit by one of the children she worked with and I think she may end up being patient zero for the zombie apocalypse) and work/friend/life gossip, yadda yadda. As you can see, we didn't finish the puzzle and we didn't expect to. But I think we both walked away feeling a little more peace, a little more clarity and a little more love and appreciation for our friendship.

Yay for puzzles!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Try to keep up!

Awesome New York City jigsaw puzzle!

What are y'all up to tonight? I've got a very exciting dinner date planned with a girlfriend and we're going to...wait for it...DO A PUZZLE! The hubs and I will often play dominoes until the wee hours, but my lady friend and I were sitting around a few weeks ago exclaiming how we just never do puzzles anymore like we did when we were kids. That we really liked doing them back in the day and why the heck don't we do them anymore? We made a date for it and here it is!

 I had so much fun picking our puzzle out (I got this one) and I've been looking forward to this quiet little friend night for two weeks now!

We may not get very far on it (it's 1000 pieces and there will be wine involved), but still- it's so wonderfully simple and pleasant and lovely. Lovely company too.

Do you ever have quiet little nights like that with your friends? I'd love to know! It used to be a regular thing with my girlfriends (maybe not puzzles, but quiet dinner and Q-time) but everyone seems to have scattered the the winds of matrimony or kids or different cities or just plain busy-ness.

I plan on enjoying every second tonight.

I truly hope you have a wonderful day (and night), y'all!

Thoughts on waste...

Cornucopia

I don't know about y'all, but I seriously had a few moments over the past week where I was a little stunned at the amount of food I had to throw out because of surplus and it going bad. I can't stand the idea of wasting food. It makes me mad, not only because I've been in a "can't afford to waste it" place before and never want to go there again. I feel, quite honestly, that there should be no reason, without planning and vigilance, that one could not save a tremendous amount of money on not wasting food.

I spring for the organic, free-range products. It's important to me and after sacrificing that value out of sheer necessity in years past, I celebrate that privilege whenever I can. Some people place value on quantity, some on brands, some on gourmet items etc. Whatever is right for you and your family is what is right for you and yours. I'm already spending the dough though, so there is no reason why I should throw anything away without consuming it. There is no reason that its happening other than laziness and disorganization! Humbling admission, y'all.

Do you have any tricks to preventing food waste? It just hurt my heart and my conscience knowing that I was not only wasting money and food, but I was wasting it while there are people in my own town that would have loved that food (or the equivalent in money- SERIOUSLY!), you know? Ugh.

Anyway, I found a few resources I wanted to share with you guys. I already do some of the things on this list, like plan meals and have even done the pantry surprise aka "use it up" nights every now and then. I still feel like I could do better. Could you? I feel that with a little diligence a lot could be spared. Check out these links and see for yourself!

*6 habits to prevent food waste.

*How to store leafy greens (so they don't turn into that icky green slimy cess pool by the end of the week *shudder*).

*12 ways to prevent food waste at home.

*How to maximize your freezer's potential and prevent freezer burn/food waste.

*34 ways to waste less food (did you know breaking apart your bananas increases their life exponentially? I sure didn't!)


Have a truly wonderful  (and non-wasteful) day! P.S. I'm a total nerd.

Here we go!

Rabbit Rabbit wishes you good luck for the whole month if you say it on the first day! Bunny in a hat.

Rabbit Rabbit! It's the first day of the month. Can you believe the year is almost over? It seems like it flew by- like January was three weeks ago or something. Anyway, I like to treat the first of each month like a little New Year. I make little goals for myself and my hopes for the end of December/end of 2014 is to be more organized. We've been doing great on the house, but we could still be doing better (especially since we're looking for a new, smaller place). So here is my list for the month:

*Donate two more boxes of "stuff" by the end of the month. We've steadily been taking at least a box a month all year. I'm thrilled with how much unnecessary stuff we've gotten out of the house. I can breathe better.

*Stick to the meal plan. It's there for a reason. I usually stick to it pretty well half of the month and the other half I'm derailed and ordering pizza I don't even like because I don't feel like cooking. It's the meal plan + a few fun nights = staying in the 2015 debt reduction plan!

*Finish my jewelry holders from this post. We're at 80%, and I can't wait to get them hung and to arrange then rearrange my jewelry ten times!

*Get all my holiday shopping done before the 15th, that includes shipping off the stuff that needs to be shipped off.

*Stay on top of my recycling. We don't have a service here at my apartment so we save it up and walk it over to the industrial recycling bin- in theory. We get kinda lazy about it. I'd like to remedy that so my kitchen can look pretty and doesn't look like the room where legends die.

Have you started thinking about your new year? Is getting organized on your list? I think it's always been on mine, but this year we made some major impact and I'm crazy motivated to keep that up. I'd love to hear what's on your mind today, friends!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!