SingleWorkingMama

• 19Dec

  Thirsty for a Refreshing Change?

  Cheap Thrill of the Moment, Health and Well Being, Tips and Tricks 498No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/12/19/thirsty-for-a-refreshing-change/Thirsty+for+a+Refreshing+Change%3F2009-12-20+02%3A45%3A00Heidi

  I’m never without a beverage, and I’m still always thirsty.

  I love water, but sometimes it’s just – well, boring.

  At Mother’s Day brunch (at Roots, Milwaukee) a couple years ago, I took a sip of my water glass and was met by a surprising kick. I looked at the glass and saw a lemon wedge and a slice of cucumber floating in it.

  

  Even in harsh winter conditions, this blend can take you back to summer.

  Instantly, I was hooked. I am sure I can’t accurately describe just how refreshing and hydrating it is.

  Every now and then, I forget and then remember how good it is and go on kick.

  Drink your eight glasses of water a day, and have more fun doing it with these two inexpensive items!

  (P.S. It looks “frou-frou” and stylish to layer crushed ice and your lemons and cukes. It’s a cheap way to make your table look awesome, and looks especially cool in a pitcher!)

• 04Nov

  It’s Okay to Fail, Mama. Really.

  Single Mama Life, Tips and Tricks 468No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/11/04/its-okay-to-fail-mama-really/It%27s+Okay+to+Fail%2C+Mama.++Really.2009-11-05+03%3A20%3A04Heidi

  We’ve all heard that as you get older, you tend to get set in your ways.

  Sometimes, those ways aren’t that great, and whether it is cooking the same dinner or watching the same shows again and again, you might start to notice your life zoom past you. Why is this? I think a big part of it is being in your comfort zone, and feeling too tired to try something new only to flop.

  Clearly, I am in a self-exploratory phase of my life. I realized not long ago that it’s very easy find reasons to stick to the status quo and never make a change. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it doesn’t take that much extra energy to branch out and try new hobbies, meet new people, and really just try to “think outside the box” in all different areas of life.

  In the past year, I have taken on a few new challenges by choice:

  • Knitting - Just for the heck of it, I decided to try. It was beyond frustrating at first, and I wasn’t sure it was for me. However, I took a class and slowly got the hang of it. I sat around a table with 8 other women, many of us struggling in different ways as we dropped and added stitches, and chirped for the ladies who were obvious naturals. I have crashed and burned on a few projects, but the reward of finishing something as minor as a dishcloth is enough to make me laugh it off and try again. (It’s funny – it really DOES go faster the second time you try something!)
  • The Gym - OMG, I joined a gym. OMG, I am actually going, and quite regularly. I keep trying new classes, and go into each one with the knowledge that I could very well fall flat on my face, and that is okay. At the end of the day, everyone going into that class with me (with a few exceptions, I’m sure) has some kind of insecurity, and it’s sort of therapeutic to laugh with classmates as our yoga teacher contorts herself into circus-worthy positions as we fall on our bums. It has been fantastic to see people of all shapes, sizes and physical restrictions fight their way through classes, and even better to start seeing them week after week. Camaraderie and pressure are being formed. We cheer each other on through that next wave in rowing class, and give each other grief if someone misses a class.
  • Reading. Yes, reading. I read all the time as a matter of business and necessity, but I’ve recently begun reading for leisure. My attention span is short, so instead of giving up on a book, I’ve taken to reading a small, digestible chunk at a time. Whether that means reading a chapter, ten pages, or for ten minutes, I am finishing books.

  Here’s the thing about all of these activities: It’s okay if you fail at any of them. The worst thing that can happen to you in any of them is that you may forge new friendships, learn a new hobby, or just become a tad bit smarter.

• 24Oct

  $5 Chili

  Recipes, Tips and Tricks 462No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/10/24/5-chili/%245+Chili2009-10-24+22%3A26%3A45Heidi

  Now that Old Man Winter is showing us hints of gnarling his teeth, simple and (as always) cost-effective “comfort” dinners come to mind.

  Busy parents aren’t often able to create culinary masterpieces from scratch, and I am proud to say that I’ve discovered a $5 chili recipe that is easy to make, and requires only 2 cans and some cooked hamburger!

  I have always liked the concept of the The Cake Mix Doctor, which helps add zip to a box cake mix. The same idea can apply to main dishes, like chili!

  Canned foods make my life easier, are inexpensive, and save time.
  
  Here’s my $5 Chili recommendation:

  1 can Bush’s Chili Magic = $1.20-ish, depending on sale or coupon
  1 can Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (They’re cute and teeny, and I like ‘em. Brand is irrelevant.) $1-ish
  1 lb. Ground Beef (or turkey) = about $2
  Onion

  Additional compliments, if desired: Shredded cheese, chopped onion, sour cream, macaroni elbow noodles

  To create:
  Cook the beef with some chopped onion. (Or skip the onion, if you must)
  Season it (if you want to)
  Throw the Chili Magic, Petite diced tomatoes and beef into a crock pot or sauce pot.
  Add cooked elbow noodles and additional garnishes as desired.

  You now have a meal for a small, but mighty crew for about $5.

  

  It is truly magical.

  Tip:
  Last time I bought two pounds of beef, I cooked one up just for chili. I threw it in a zip-loc bag and froze it. Today, when I thought “Hmm, what’s for dinner?” I threw the Chili Magic, tomatoes and frozen cooked beef into the crock and set it on low. Mmm, THAT was easy!

• 15Aug

  Mama’s Happy Place

  Household Fun, Tips and Tricks 3681 Commenthttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/08/15/mamas-happy-place/Mama%27s+Happy+Place2009-08-15+21%3A47%3A33Heidi

  When it comes to living space, I support a home that looks lived in. I’ll never take steps to try to hide the fact that kids live in my house, but I do struggle with keeping the clutter tolerable.

  Today, I tackled my bedroom. I moved a bunch of stuff out of the corner by the windows, and came up with a new idea. Mama’s Happy Place.

  I walked around my house looking for some piece of furniture to put in the corner, and found a table I picked up on clearance at Target about a year ago. A table that has collected more junk and dust than proven functional, I realized, as I dumped the papers and such off of it.

  This is going to be the one place in my house that is strictly mine. This table is strictly reserved for things that make me happy – my knitting basket, my current reading, a candle I made, and of course, my very favorite picture of Tootie and Boo.

  

  Every parent should have a place all their own!

  So, I challenge you: Find a space, however small, and claim it as your own. Ban anything other than your belongings, and do everything in your power to keep outside forces from encroaching on it! Tell me about your happy place, and I will feature several in an upcoming post!

• 07Aug

  Mommy Blogger Controversy

  Tips and Tricks 353No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/08/07/mommy-blogger-controversy/Mommy+Blogger+Controversy2009-08-08+01%3A03%3A11Heidi

  I keep hearing about the controversy surrounding Mommy Bloggers.

  Here is my position: I’m a mommy blogger. I review products. I have never been asked to do so. If asked to do so, I will do so under one condition – I tell the truth about my experience with a product, end of story.

  Furthermore, I will identify any requested product review in LARGE, BOLD letters… Right in the beginning of the post, and RIGHT before I tell the truth about the product.

  As a matter of integrity, I can’t FATHOM speaking highly of a product I think is terrible, just because I got it for free.

  I just won’t do it.

  So, there you have it. Stay tuned – I just bought a bevy of new Maybelline products (in a pinch, and as the result of a great sale at Walgreens!) and will be talking about them – for better or for worse – very soon.

• 21Jun

  How to Apply Self Tanner and Actually Appear Tan

  Product Reviews, Tips and Tricks 323No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/06/21/how-to-apply-self-tanner/How+to+Apply+Self+Tanner+and+Actually+Appear+Tan2009-06-22+03%3A17%3A17Heidi

  Over the years, I’ve experimented with many different self-tanning products.

  When they first came out, they smelled bad, made your skin turn a broad spectrum of orange tones (all on the same body part) and were generally miserable to handle and expensive.

  Today, many different options exist in the self-tanning realm. I’ve tried L’Oreal, Banana Boat, Jergens and Neutrogena brands, (because I am a bargain hunter, I usually just buy what is on sale or the cheapest) and while I think all of them provided satisfactory results, it took a little bit of trial and error to get the technique down pat.

  Now that I’ve got it mastered, I want to share these steps with you! I’m sticking to the legs, because that’s my comfort zone. (Presumably, the technique should apply to other regions of your pasty self, but I can’t swear to that.)

  Steps to getting a natural-looking artificial leg tan:

  1. Carve out a little time for yourself – time that allows for you to run around in your skivvies as your applied product dries. (Oh – and if you haven’t lately, be sure to shave.)
  2. Begin with some cheap body lotion. Slather your legs with it, making sure to get your knees, heels, ankle bones… Any “sticky” (aka “rough”) part that the tanner will settle into, leaving you with weird looking knobs.
  3. Immediately following the lotion, apply the self tanner. IMPORTANT: AVOID those “sticky” parts that you slathered with lotion. (knees, ankle bones, heels.)
  4. Wash your hands with soap.
  5. Go back to your new best friend – the cheap body lotion. Slather yourself up GOOD, including, once again, the “sticky” parts. Rub it in thoroughly.
  6. Wash your hands with soap again.
  7. Go about whatever chores you are able to, while clad only in skivvies. If that means painting your toenails, reading a book or knitting, all the better!
  8. Once dry, get dressed or go to bed. If you’re going to get dressed, I suggest a skirt. Your legs are no longer going to blind passers by, and you worked damned hard for it… Show it off! Just be SURE your legs are DRY before letting any of your clothing or bedding come in contact with them.

  At the moment, I’m using and enjoying Jergens Natural Glow. I think it’s the least smelly of the lotions I’ve tried, and the results are pleasing.

  

  Jergens Natural Glow

  My cheap body lotion du jour is Queen Helene Soy & Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion – about $4.29 for 32 ounces. It smells good and makes me feel like I’m on vacation somehow. I bought it at Sally Beauty.

  

  Mmm, mmm.... Cocoa!

  Good luck! Let me know how it goes. And, I’d LOVE to hear any self-tanner disaster stories too.

• 07May

  Meaningful Mother’s Day Ideas

  Tips and Tricks 235No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/05/07/meaningful-mothers-day-ideas/Meaningful+Mother%27s+Day+Ideas2009-05-08+02%3A51%3A15Heidi

  Do you have Mother’s Day dilemmas?
  
  Not Sure What to do for Your Own Mom?

  • Flowers – just one, or a few. You can get a sweet bunch of flowers for $5 or less at your local grocery store. I haven’t yet met a woman who doesn’t appreciate blooms!
  • Frame a photo of you as a child with your mom. Even if she has it in an album somewhere, resurfacing a family classic in a new frame will show her you cherish your childhood memories, and reawaken some memories of her own.
  • Make her dinner. Invite her over, or take it to her. You don’t have to get fancy, just make her favorite dish and serve it to her!

  Do Your Kids Need Help Arranging for Your Own Mother’s Day Surprise?

  Usually, schools and daycares provide the chance for kids to make you a Mother’s day gift you will love and adore. However, my daughter has asked me a couple of times now if she can shop for me.

  I have the perfect gift-shopping solution for this situation and any other family birthday or occasion:

  The Dollar Store.

  It’s like a dream come true for a child! If you give the kids a limit (like $1) they have a tendency to focus as they walk through the store, trying very hard to choose a gift that is appropriate for the recipient. My kids have purchased some awfully cute and thoughtful items for people at the Dollar Tree. A screwdriver for Grandpa, a ceramic sculpture for Grandma… It doesn’t matter what they pick, they feel pride that they get to pick a special present.

  What are you doing for Mother’s Day this year? What fun and meaningful traditions do you have with your family?

  Tags: mothers day, presents, shopping

• 27Apr

  Create a Sippy Cup in a Jiffy

  Kids, Tips and Tricks 2233 Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/04/27/create-a-sippy-cup-in-a-jiffy/Create+a+Sippy+Cup+in+a+Jiffy2009-04-28+03%3A06%3A52Heidi

  Just try telling a four year-old: “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”

  The dinner hour is usually chaotic in my house, but tonight I was trying to multitask even more than usual. Pizza in the oven, I was on a phone call, while pouring ‘Lil Boo his Batman cup of milk.

  I’ve pretty much phased out sippy cups, but Boo has had a rash of major spills lately. Tonight really took the cake, as he dropped the full cup from about his shoulder level, sending a geyser of milk all the way up to the ceiling, splattering the entire island (which of course had the mail on it) and worst of all, leaving him with a large amount of milk dripping off of his hair and running down his face.

  His lower lip popped out, and the siren began to wail. I abruptly ended my phone call and tried to comfort him. He just started to simmer down when he noticed the bottom of his beloved Batman cup was broken out.

  Siren, round two!

  I soothed him by letting him have his milk in his favorite “spooky” Halloween goblet, but based on the recent episodes, I came up with a new way to create a “lid” for almost any cup!

  

  A lid in a pinch!

  All you need: Saran Wrap and a straw. Tightly cover the glass. Don’t be stingy with the plastic wrap. Once you have a tight seal, pop a straw through. There’s your lid!

  Tags: plastic wrap, saran wrap, sippy cup, spill

• 04Jan

  I Resolve to Not Try to Boil the Ocean

  Single Mama Life, Tips and Tricks 137No Commentshttp://singleworkingmama.com/2009/01/04/i-resolve-to-not-try-to-boil-the-ocean/I+Resolve+to+Not+Try+to+Boil+the+Ocean2009-01-04+07%3A30%3A53Heidi

  I have been thinking long and hard about what my resolutions for 2009 will be. I started thinking back to resolutions of years past, and realized that every year mine have been very restrictive.

  Eat less, shop less, exercise more (okay, that isn’t a “less,” I guess) – but the gist of it is that resolutions are almost always presented with some negative, looming sense of radical change that almost inevitably leads to failure.

  Lately, I have been focusing on changing my life for the better. This is the theme I am going with in terms of my goals for 2009. My primary goal is to live a good life, so why not resolve to add more happiness to my life instead of merely stripping myself of things I like?

  One of my favorite phrases of late is “let’s not try to boil the ocean.” My method for self-improvement is definitely going to come in the form of tiny, regular additions to my life that I will take note of and enjoy as I go.

  Things I plan to add more of:

  Interesting, delicious and healthy foods (You get it. I will not do anything ridiculous like vowing to eliminate pizza.)

  Time with people who care about me too

  Quality time with my kids and family (Art, books, games, interesting discussion)

  Art and photography projects of my own

  Learning

  This should make New Year’s resolutions much more achievable, don’t you think? What do you want more of in 2009?

  Tags: resolution 2009

• 19Dec

  Snow Removal 103 – Don’t Be a Martyr

  Tips and Tricks 1101 Commenthttp://singleworkingmama.com/2008/12/19/snow-removal-103-dont-be-a-martyr/Snow+Removal+103+-+Don%27t+Be+a+Martyr2008-12-19+22%3A59%3A01Heidi

  I know I said I was going to do all of my own snow removal this winter, but today I realized that I simply can’t do it when we get 12 inches of heavy, wet snow.

  Somehow, I was able to carve a small and pathetic rectangle in the middle of my driveway with my snowblower, but when I got to the famous City Plow dump, I was stopped dead in my tracks. There was simply no way I was going to get through that. I also didn’t have any low-dose aspirin on hand. Having a heart attack would really ruin the snow day for the kids.

  I called Jeff, my snow removal resource from last winter and asked him to please help me. His business is raging, and he couldn’t promise when he’d get here, but said he could do it. I thanked him heartily.

  

  A sight for sore eyes.

  Ahhh – I heard a noise in the driveway and whoomp – there he was! Hallelujah!

  Yes, this cuts into my budget, but I think it is better than winding up in traction, don’t you?

  Tags: snow, snow removal, snowblower

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