Aint Mimi

Pinned It Tuesday {August 16}

2011-08-16T07:48:00.000-05:00

Highlighting some of my favorite Pinterest pins from this week.

Source: thiscrazyblessedlife.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

Love this bag using a clearance t-shirt.

Source: homemakerinheels.com via Micha on Pinterest

Change the colors to orange and blue and add a tiger and this wreath would have a place of honor on my front door all football season long.

Source: busilyspinningmomma.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

Refashioning a long sleeved tee into a lovely ruffled one.

Source: cluckclucksew.com via Micha on Pinterest

Love these pillows. I’m thinking about digging my machine out of the closet to make some of these.

Now it’s your turn to share what you’ve Pinned this week

There are just a few basic guidelines to follow:

Saturday Linkage

2011-08-13T08:15:00.006-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

I’m trying to improve my food photography skills to make the most I can out of my well loved point and shoot camera. I have seen some amazing photos taken with P&S cameras so I know it can be done. Because of that I have been reading every article and blog post I can on the subject and The Food Photography and Styling Tips post on $5 Dinners is going really helpful.

Rachel’s post Tiny Bits of Grace is a must read. Be warned though you may need a tissue or two after reading. Her post is a touching reminder of God’s love for us even in the seemingly insignificant things.

Tiffany from Eat at Home is running a series all month long called Drive. Play. Feed. Sport Season Suppers. Even if you don’t have anyone playing sports her suggestions will work for the times when life gets hectic. Say the week or two before Christmas if you’re a last minute shopper like me.

Lastly there are these:

{click pic for recipe}
Mostly because I want some.

What interesting reads have you found this week?

Pinned it Tuesday {August 9}

2011-08-09T05:01:00.004-05:00

Today I am doing a themed version of Pinned it Tuesday. It’s all about fun birthday ideas.
I love birthday parties and baking cakes. I’ve made half of my niece’s and nephew’s birthday cakes. I’ve started pinboards with ideas for each of them. I don’t plan over the top ideas but I’m always on the look out for fun decorations and activities.

Source: eiselefamilynews.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

This train would be played with until it fell apart.

Source: lifeasmom.com via Micha on Pinterest

The niece has decided she wants a Tangled party and I love this cake from FishMama at Life as Mom

Source: karaspartyideas.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

Going along with the Princess theme is this wreath using cupcake liners.

Source: bigfatcook.com via Micha on Pinterest

These cupcakes would be perfect for the Lego lover in your life. Hard to believe the Legos are made from fondant, isn’t it?

Source: realsimple.com via Micha on Pinterest

Love this hint to make serving your cake and ice cream faster.

Source: socuteparties.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

This balloon topiary would work for practically any birthday.

Pinned It Tuesday {August 2}

2011-08-02T06:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the inaugural Pinned It Tuesday.

Source: thehappyhousewife.com via Micha on Pinterest

Felt Cookies. I am making these for the Auntlings’ Christmas presents this year. They need food for their play restaurant.

Source: meetthedubiens.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

The niece’s birthday is this fall and I think this Dum Dum Topiary would be a cute dual purpose decoration/goodie holder.

Source: goddesshobbies.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

Stretchy Reusable Bowl Covers. These would work so much better than plastic wrap or foil. While the initial investment would be more, they would last a lot longer and be better for the environment.

August Happenings

2011-07-29T06:11:00.000-05:00

After taking an unplanned blogging vacation during July I have quite a bit coming up in August and beyond in some cases.

I will be resuming my 3 in 30 posts. I also took the month off from that as well.
Time Management & Me will be on the 3rd Thursday of every month.
I am going to try to blog 31 Days to Clean like I had planned in July.
I am going to start a weekly stuff I’ve Pinned linky in addition to Saturday Linkage. That will probably be on Tuesdays.

Saturday Linkage

2011-07-16T06:18:00.001-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

Source: jamiebg.blogspot.com via Micha on Pinterest

I've often thought that if Jamie and I had gone to school together we would have been BFFs and this post on Jesus and being green solidified my feelings.

I believe any stuff I have is actually on loan from God so I need to value it like I value Him. That definitely includes the plot of the planet I occupy. {source Jamie’s Rabbits}

I agree with that 111%.

I’ve mentioned Pinterest before and this is why I love it. I was browsing through pinboards and found:

Source: handmadespark.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

Foil and cardboard as a lighting set up? I’m all over that.

A little self promotion here but I’m not sure who reads my cooking blog and I wanted to share the Cajun dip recipe I posted earlier in the week.

Source: cookingmimi.wordpress.com via Micha on Pinterest

Source: gettingfreedom.net via Micha on Pinterest

I reuse all our glass jars but I never thought to spray paint the lids. Phoebe’s look is a lot classier than my jars.

Source: mangoesandchutney.com via Micha on Pinterest

Confession time: I don’t actually like S’mores. They are generally too sweet for me but these S’more cookies from Mangoes and Chutney look too good not to try.

Not Perfect but Better Nonetheless : June 3 in 30 Final Check in

2011-06-25T05:57:00.001-05:00

This is the second month I have participated in the 3 in 30 Challenge. I’m learning what types of goals work best for me and the most efficient way to accomplish them. I am really looking forward to July and crossing off a few more things from my check list.

Here is how June ended up:

Recipe binder/household notebook. This is as finished as I can get it right now. We ran out of color ink for our printer and it won’t print at all until we replace the cartridge. If you’re curious as to what is in my notebook I wrote a post on it Thursday.
Drinking More Water This week was so much better. Matter of fact it isn’t 6 am yet and I am on my second large glass of water.
31 DBBB This has gone remarkably well. It is probably my largest success this month. It has improved my blogging already. I have focused more on Cookin’ Mimi during the challenges but I can apply what I’ve learned here easily.

Time Management & Me: Favorite Printables and What I Do With Them

2011-06-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I mentioned I would be sharing my favorite printables so I decided that instead of just giving you a bunch of links I will share how I use them. Most of the printables listed are free {love that price} but there are a few in my notebook that are only available to people who have a copy of the 31 Days to Clean E-book. I’ll mostly focus on the non 31 Days ones.

The Daily Docket, Cleaning List, Menu Planner, and Freezer Cooking sheets {and more!} can all be found at Money Saving Mom

The Master Menu is from Cookin’ Mimi {shameless plug here} The one for my personal use is slightly different from the one I have available for download.

The Monthly Goals sheets are something I’ve created for you. I have a Monthly Goal Sheet with the same categories {Personal, Blogging/Writing, Family, Faith, Friendships, Home, and Other} as mine and a blank Monthly Goal Sheet for you to fill in with the area{s} you’d like to focus on. They are both PDF files.

The Blogging Goals, HTML Cheat Sheet and Mind Mapping Printables came from Blogging Your Way. Click on the image in the sidebar.

June 3 in 30 : Week Two I am Making Progress

2011-06-17T13:03:00.001-05:00

Progress is the name of the game here. Especially this week since we had some unexpected happenings. They were happenings of the wonderful variety but it did throw my week out of kilter.

Recipe Binder. My recipe binder has morphed into more of a household binder which is actually better. I do have some recipes in it now which is an improvement over last week. It will have its own post next Thursday during my Time Management & Me post.
Drinking More Water That hasn’t happened much this week. There is always next week though.
31 DBBB I’m behind on that but it won’t take long to catch up.

How are your goals progressing?

Time Management & Me : Giving Hours a Purpose

2011-06-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

I’m sharing my time budget today. I can’t take credit for this fabulous idea; it came from the equally fabulous Amy at Blogging with Amy. {Folks if you blog you really should read her.} It is based on the concept of the envelope system of money management.

A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.
— Dave Ramsey

If you’re like me you have days where you wonder where your time has gone. By creating a time budget you’re giving a purpose to each hour of your day. My budget is still in its infancy and as time goes on it is very likely to evolve as my responsibilities and desires change.

Sleep 8.5 hours The 8.5 hours is what I shoot for. More often it’s 7-8 hours a night with the occasional 6 hours thrown in for good measure.
Margin 2 hours This is my something came up but I have extra time so it doesn’t throw the whole day out of whack.
Blogging 3.5 hours This is really all my computer time which includes Twitter, Facebook {personal and page duties}, email as well as writing and publishing posts.
Cleaning 3 hours I can guarantee you I won’t spend a solid, continual 3 hours a day cleaning. This includes things like hanging the clothes out on the line and washing dishes.
Bible Reading/Prayer/Getting ready for the day 1 hour
Cooking 4 hours. This is my umbrella term for all things food related which includes eating and photographing recipes for Cookin’ Mimi
Personal Time 2 Hours Aka Gibbs and Doctor Who time. This is my free time where I can do whatever I want/need to.

Your budget will likely look completely different than mine. I don’t have small children (or any children for that matter) so I don’t have to figure in time for homeschooling or going to sports or music practice.
Crystal goes into much better detail on how to create a time budget in her Time Management 101 series.

Last week I mentioned that I was going to share my favorite printables but that’s going to wait until next week.

{Photo SourceWide Face City Clock by Erskine-rivera MErskine}

Simple Pleasures {Volume 5}

2011-06-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

A cold glass of lemonade while enjoying a warm, breezy, early Summer day.

31 Days to Clean

2011-06-13T18:50:00.001-05:00

I am going thru Sarah Mae’s e-book 31 Days to Clean and I am wanting to blog my experiences and thoughts on it. I’ve read through it and think it will go very well with my Time Management & Me series.

I don’t usually like multiple posts in one day as a reader and so I avoid posting more than once a day. That brings me to the entire point of this post- would you rather have a weekly digest on Monday or one extra post Monday-Friday for the next 5 weeks or so? I’m only working through the e-book itself during the week so I can leave Saturdays and Sundays a bit more relaxed.

Saturday Linkage June 12

2011-06-11T07:31:00.001-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

If you are going to be spending time near the water this summer 4 Heart Stopping Myths on Drowning Every Responsible Parent Should Know is a must read. Even if you aren’t a parent, because you could help save a life.
How To Cook with Kids (they’re in the kitchen anyway, right?!) Lisa shares some really good tips on how to make the most of having half pint helpers.
Top 15 Cooking Tips. Amy from A Little Nosh shares her favorite tips from Food Network Magazine’s list of the 100 best cooking tips.

June 3 in 30: Week One Check-in

2011-06-10T06:10:00.000-05:00

My choices when it came to the goals for this month are a lot smarter than last month. Last month all the goals were so intertwined that if one didn’t work they all went out of whack.

Here is my progress:

Make a recipe binder I actually have this one started. I’ve got my meal plan printables in the page protectors. I just need to start printing out recipes.
Drink 64 ounces or more of water a day. This is my most difficult goal so far. I forget to drink water until I’ve got a headache. I must remember to fill my cup as soon as I get up.
31 Days to Build a Better Blog has been a blast so far. I’ve networked with some really great food bloggers and I’m learning a lot. Since we aren’t doing the challenges on the weekend this will probably spill over into July.

Time Management & Me : A Love/ Hate Relationship

2011-06-09T07:03:00.002-05:00

I love the days when my to-do list goes smoothly and my dishes and laundry are done and out of sight. I hate the work that goes into making those happen. Regardless of how I feel it gets done. Time and household management/organization are two areas that my skills are not as honed as I would like them.
I know it is impossible to get everything I want to do crammed into 24 hours but I also know that I am not working as efficiently as I could. So for the next few weeks in conjunction with my 3 in 30 goals I am going to be sharing my journey.

Resources I Will Be Using

I do a lot of blog reading and have found numerous resources on the subjects of time and household management. I have narrowed my focus to three blogs/blog series.

Home-Ec 101 I’ll be using both the site and the book on the organizational front.
Time Management 101 A blog series written by Crystal from Money Saving Mom with some help by Amy from Blogging with Amy. There is also a free e-book if you want all the info in one spot (which I do!)
I’m an Organizing Junkie The 52 Weeks of Organizing will be my focus here

Next week I’ll be sharing my time budget and my favorite printables

Disclosure: This post does NOT contain affiliate links. {Photo Source=Wide Face City Clock by Erskine-rivera MErskine}

Simple Pleasures {Volume 4}

2011-06-07T21:00:00.004-05:00

Watching and feeding the ducks at the lake with the under five crowd.

June 3 in 30: Week One

2011-06-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

I’m doing something a little bit differently this month in regards to my goals. I am doing one home keeping/organization goal, one health goal and one blogging goal.

Create a recipe binder I have tons of recipes printed out from various food blogs and they are just wherever I could stash them. That makes it difficult to find what I need.
Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day I have a couple of 32 oz travel cups so I just need to drink two filled cups a day.
Participate in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. This was not my original blogging goal. I had intended to comment on 5 other blogs a day but when I saw this I couldn't resist.

The goal that will be the easiest to complete is the recipe binder and the one I look forward to the most is the Better Blog.

Simple Pleasures {Volume 3}

2011-06-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

The scent of line dried bed linens, especially when combined with the scent of a Spring rain. Of course you have to make sure your sheets aren’t still on the line when the rain starts. ~~Not that I’ve had that happened,~~ I’m just sayin’.

I'm trying out a linky party. Rules are pretty easy:

Link back to Aint Mimi
Use your permalink: the address in the address bar in your browser when you click on the title of your post.
The post doesn't have to be a photo, just something that has made you smile.

If it goes okay, there will be a button in the next couple of weeks.

How To Make the Most of Pinterest

2011-05-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

I am a huge fan of Pinterest. It has become the online version of tearing bits of magazines out for future reference for me. {I’m not the only one who has done that am I? I’ve only done it to my magazines}
It can be overwhelming at first. I know it was for me at any rate. I’m going to share my tips on how to make the most of your time using Pinterest.

Install the Bookmark

Unless you are going to just repin what other users have pinned you’ll need to install the Pint It Bookmark.

Pinning and Pin Boards

When you see something online that you want to remember and share with other users, click the Pin It bookmark.

This menu will appear allowing you to select the image you want to represent your pin. Click on the image you want to use.

This screen then appears. For me coming up with a category and description for the pins is the most difficult part.

Fill in your category and description and click “Pin It”

This is what shows up if you’ve put in the required information. Even after 6 weeks of usage I don’t always remember every time.

The individual pins make up a pinboard. My Fabulous Foods pinboard is shown below

I mentioned re-pinning earlier. Here’s how you do that.

Click the handy repin button

Select or create your category and hit repin.
You can also follow users or individual pinboards

When you find a user or pinboard you’d like updates from just click follow.

That should cover it, if you have any questions or comments let me know and I will answer them as best as I can. You can also follow me on Pinterest if you’d like.

Remember

2011-05-30T06:00:00.006-05:00

Photo Source

Remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

They fell, but o'er their glorious grave
Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.
~Francis Marion Crawford

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. ~Joseph Campbell

Saturday Linkage {May 28}

2011-05-27T21:00:00.010-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

Source: freshcutflours.blogspot.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Love this play kitchen made from a thrift store TV stand of all things.

Source: manylittleblessings.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Ten tips for efficient homemaking from Many Little Blessings. I really need to make a recipe binder like she suggests.

Source: thehappyhousewife.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Tips for taking great photos of children from The Happy Housewife. Can I just say I love the expression on her face?

Source: impressyourkids.org via tiamimi on Pinterest

I’ve mentioned before that Jake and the Never Land Pirates are a hit with the under five crowd that hangs out here and these Treasure Filled Stones from Impress Your Kids would thrill them.

Source: eatathomecooks.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Tips on how to save money on food while on vacation. Tiffany is brilliant as usual.

May 3 in 30: The Final Check-in

2011-05-27T18:23:00.001-05:00

Well I made it through May. Overall, I would call the month a success. Some days were better than others but that’s how life goes, isn’t it?

The biggest change was limiting my social media time. As much as I enjoy Twitter and Facebook they are a giant time suck for me. By making groups and lists the quality of my interactions increased while the time spent was decreased.

The goal I had the hardest time with was getting to bed before midnight. I will continue to work on going to bed at a decent hour. The nights I did I felt better the next morning even if I had only slept six hours compared to sleeping eight hours with a 1 AM bedtime

Simple Pleasures {Volume 2}

2011-05-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Watching the sunrise, Bible in hand, remembering His mercy is new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-33)

Linked to It's a Blog Party's Say Cheese

Staycation Link Round Up

2011-05-24T08:00:00.019-05:00

You've hit the mother lode of budget friendly activities in this round up. Over 85 bloggers have written about the fun and inexpensive things to do in their area and we have you covered from New England to the Pacific Northwest.

New England

Connecticut - Parenting Miracles
Boston, Massachusetts - ‎ Maven of Savin'
Manchester, New Hampshire - Common Sense with Money
Western Maine - Bubblegum and Lollipops

Mid-Atlantic

Erie, Pennsylvania - Growing Kids Ministry
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - Somewhat Crunchy
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Family Balance Sheet
Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York - Coupons, Deals and More
New Jersey - Oh! Diane

Midwest

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Indoor Garden Musings
Mansfield, Ohio - Live the Adventure
Cincinnati, Ohio - Savings Lifestyle~Cincinnati
Mount Vernon, Ohio - Living Better One Day at a Time
Dayton, Ohio - Savings Lifestyle~Dayton
Grand Rapids, Michigan - Kitchen Stewardship
Metro Detroit, Michigan - "Cents"able Momma
Oakland County, Michigan - Bargain Shopper Mom
Warren, Michigan - Saving Dollars and Sense
Grand Forks, North Dakota - Frugal Front Porch
Indianapolis, Indiana - Bargain Briana
South Bend, Indiana - Excuse The Mess
Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri - Kansas City Mamas
St. Louis, Missouri - The Pickledpigsfeet
Branson, Missouri - Getting Freedom from Debt
Springfield, Missouri - I Think I Can
Rochester, Minnesota - Everyday Notions
York, Nebraska - Heavenly Homemakers
Omaha, Nebraska - Mom Endeavors
Madison, Wisconsin - Many Little Blessings
Oshkosh, Wisconsin - A Little Bit of This and That
Chicago, Illinois - Chicagoland Homeschool Network
Champaign, Illinois - Chambanamoms
Black Hills, South Dakota - Little House on the Prairie Living

South Central

Checotah, Oklahoma - Blessed With One Income
Tulsa, Oklahoma - Lynn's Kitchen Adventures
Gadsden, Alabama - Aint Mimi
Dallas, Texas - Funky Faith Girl
Dallas, Texas - Grocery Shop For FREE
East Dallas, Texas - Surviving The Stores
Fort Worth, Texas - Smockity Frocks
Austin, Texas - Stetted
Houston, Texas - Moms Travel Tales
McKinney, Texas - Wisdom Begun
East Texas - The Full Pantry
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - Life in a Barn
Nashville, Tennessee - The Country Chic Cottage
Mobile, Alabama - A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Birmingham, Alabama - iGoBOGO
Brunswick & the Golden Isles, Georgia - Teri Lynne Underwood
Alpharetta, Georgia - Cuponeando
Atlanta, Georgia - See Jamie Blog
Augusta, Georgia - Hyperactive Lu
Athens, Georgia and Mississippi - Tractors and Tire Swings
Little Rock, Arkansas - It's Real Life

South Atlantic

Ft. Bragg, North Carolina - Military Wives Saving
Charlotte, North Carolina - The Carolina Clipper
Charleston, South Carolina - The Tween & Me
Greensboro, North Carolina - Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Jacksonville, Florida - Saving The Family Money
Orlando, Florida - Orlando's Best Deals
Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Singley Fam Blog
Richmond, Virginia - Daily Dwelling
Hampton Roads, Virginia - A Home Made by Kiki
Charlottesville, Virginia - How to Have it All
Blackwater Falls State Park/Davis, West Virginia - Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling
Treasure Coast, Florida - The Cardamom's Pod
Saint Augustine, Florida - Jypsie Visions
Lake Norman, North Carolina - Stretching Pennies Saving Dollars
Washington, DC - The WiC Project
Baltimore, Maryland - The Happy Housewife

Mountain

Tucson, Arizona - Saving with Pam
Phoenix, Arizona - Mom Endeavors
Albuquerque, New Mexico - The Chou Life
Kalispell, Montana - Our Family Adventures
Salt Lake City, Utah - Just the 2 of Us
Thermopolis, Wyoming - The McDonald Family
Denver, Colorado - Denver Bargains
Colorado Springs, Colorado - Colorado Springs Bargains

Pacific

San Diego, California - Life As Mom
Yosemite National Park, California -Handbook of Nature Study
Seattle, Washington - Queen Bee Coupons & Savings
Whidbey Island, Washington - Manning the Homefront
Olympia, Washington The Coupon Savant
Portland, Oregon - Frugal Living NW
Willamette Valley, Oregon - An Oregon Cottage

Frugal Vacation Tips

Vacation or Stay-cation: Eating without Busting the Budget - Eat at Home

Staycation Fun in Gadsden, Alabama

2011-05-23T00:42:00.002-05:00

With the gas prices rising taking a vacation hundreds of miles from home may not be in the budget. That doesn’t mean that you have to sit at home all summer. I am going to share some of my favorite inexpensive places to go and things to do in Gadsden.

Nocallula Falls

Under $10 a person

Nocallula Falls

Nocallula Falls is the first stop on our tour. The park, maintained by the city of Gadsden, does charge a small admission fee which includes everything but miniature golf. For $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 4-12 you get unlimited train rides, can visit the Pioneer Village, which includes the Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge, and visit the animal habitat. The animal habitat has llamas, deer, sheep, donkeys, cows,various reptiles, birds and more.

Mary G. Hardin Center for the Cultural Arts

Located in historic Downtown Gadsden the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts is home to three galleries that host national and local exhibits year-round, free live concerts in the Courtyard Concert series, and the Festival of Trees. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children 3-12.

Imagination Place Children’s Museum

The Imagination Place is located next door to the Hardin center. Filled with many hands-on exhibits for children from preschoolers to fifth grade this is a great place to spend a hot afternoon. Admission for adults is $6 and children 3-12 is $5. If you visit on Tuesdays between 12 and 5 pm admission is free as long as your group has 9 people or less.

Free

James D. Martin Wildlife Park and Walking Trail

Another free activity; the park and walking trail is located behind the Gadsden Mall on the Coosa River. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Gadsden Museum Of Art

The Gadsden Museum of Art is located on Broad Street. It is dedicated to maintaining a local history of the Gadsden and Etowah County area and features works of Southern art and artists.Admission is free.

Coosa River Boardwalk

If fishing is your idea of a good time visit the 1,000 foot boardwalk on the banks of the Coosa. There are also benches, gazebos, and picnic areas if you prefer to relax by the water and watch boats. Located off Albert Rains Boulevard/Hwy 411 near Chili’s and the Fish Market.

First Fridays in Downtown Gadsden
Broad Street is filled with a block party atmosphere the first Friday of every month. Featuring classic cars, motorcycles, live entertainment, food and other fun. While there is no admission be sure to bring some spending money for food and the shops that line Broad Street.

Tomorrow I will be bringing a post filled with links to other bloggers who have participated in the Year of the Staycation campaign hosted by Toni from The Happy Housewife and Carrie from Springs Bargains. Almost every state is represented so I am sure most readers will be able to find something fun and inexpensive to do this summer.

Saturday Linkage {May 21}

2011-05-20T21:10:00.001-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

Want to Work From Home? Find Your Routine. Neither of my blogs currently bring in any revenue but it is my long term plan to turn the food blog into a career. This post has some ultra helpful hints on how to maximize your time.
Captain Jack Cake. Jessica has done it again. Love her cakes because anyone can make them and they are always fun.
Using Your Influence A poignant and timely post from Rachel at Alabama Bloggers
Blogging Thru the Gospels: Mark 14:43-72 This quote sums it up for me: In my own life how many times have I “sat by the fire” instead of being uncomfortable for Jesus.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles at Simply Staci

May 3 in 30: Week 3 Check-In

2011-05-20T14:56:00.001-05:00

I’ve had highs and lows this week. Which were not helped by the unseasonable cold temperatures we had earlier this week. I think February and May switched for a few days.

I met my bedtime goal every night but one I think.
I’ve scheduled my social media time on my editorial calendar which has helped my focus on limiting my time on Facebook and Twitter
I was not so successful on keeping my phone off all night this week due to the cold weather. I’d get too hot or too cold and would check to see how much longer till my alarm would buzz.

All in all I would say it was a pretty good week and I’m looking forward to making next week even better.

How Not to Get Overwhelmed Blogging

2011-05-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Help Key by Petr Kratochvil

In the time I’ve been seriously blogging, which isn’t that long, I have picked up a few tips and tricks that make blogging a little less intimidating.

Give Days a Theme

On Cookin’ Mimi, Mondays are when my menus are published, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are recipe days, and Friday is Recipe Round-Up. I don’t post on Saturday and Sunday unless something unusual has happened.

On this blog, Tuesdays are the top ten list,Wednesdays are my Simple Pleasures post, Fridays are for my 3 in 30 check in and Saturdays my weekly linkage is posted. Sunday and Monday are my free days here.

You don’t have to get quite as structured as I am but having at least a general idea is helpful.

Editorial Calendars Are Crucial

I used to be a write what pops into my head blogger. That doesn’t work so well for me with two blogs. By having an editorial calendar set up I can fill in ideas I have for posts. Each blog has its own color and I can easily see what post needs to be written and when it needs to be finished.

If you are on Wordpress (self-hosted) there is an editorial calendar plug-in and if you aren’t it is really easy to set one up on Google Calendars.

Schedule Time Off

You have days off with any other job and blogging should be no different. I take Sundays completely off from blogging and do minimal blogging and social media on Saturdays and Mondays. An occasional media fast helps as well.

Keep a Running List of Post Ideas

I have done a better job of this with my food blog. I use the notepad on my smart phone with recipes I want to make. The post ideas don’t have to be very detailed, just something to get the ball rolling.

Find Two or Three Resources to Read

There are a multitude of how to be a better blogger forums and blogs out there. My suggestion to you is to find a couple of resources that have good content for any size and stage blog.

My recommendations are:

Simple Pleasures {Volume 1}

2011-05-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

Wednesdays will be dedicated to finding the simple pleasures in life. The things that may seem insignificant but are priceless. Care to join me in relishing the smaller gifts?

Favorite Girl Names

2011-05-16T20:00:00.003-05:00

I’ve had a fascination with names since I was about 13. I think it is because my name is so unusual. I used to compile lists that were two pages or longer in length. I’m not that ~~obsessed~~ fascinated anymore but I still keep a mental list of names I like. It comes in really handy for playing the Sims 2 and writing stories.

Zoey I think this is my all-time favorite girl name, Just unique enough that there aren’t a million Zoeys running around.
Claire This is one of the names from the original list and has been on it in all the incarnations. Claire was a book character’s name. Disliked the character, loved the name.
Nina Came from the same book as Claire and if I remember correctly they were sisters. I did like Nina.
Laurel I love the way it sounds
Eleanor or Elinor I cannot figure out which spelling I like better.
Eowyn This is the Tolkien fan in me, I suppose.
Lucy Lucy is a very British name to me and that appeals to me.
Ava Ava was the name of a very dear family friend and I think of her every time I see the name.
Audra I can’t say exactly why I like this name but I really do.
Evangeline Another British to me name.

Does anyone else collect names for stories and computer games?
For more Top Ten Lists visit Oh Amanda

Saturday Linkage {May 14}

2011-05-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil

My weekly link share-fest. It’s mostly random just like me.

Nursing School Graduation Party from Oh Amanda. Totally fun ideas. I know someone who will be getting a degree in something similar in a few months and I think I’m going to throw a party like this.
Grandma Blocks I am going to make my mom a set of these that say MawMaw instead of Grandma since that is what my niece and nephew call her. Of course I’ll have a picture of my niece and nephew as well.
Meal Plan Primer: Shopping the Refrigerator Another fab post from Heather at Home-Ec 101
Ten Tips for Blogging Found via Top Ten Tuesday
Give Your Readers an Easy Button. A must read especially the section on comments.
Blogging Basics the Rule of Five
21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue

What interesting reads have you found this week?

May 3 in 30 : Week Two Check-In

2011-05-12T21:52:00.001-05:00

I mentioned last week that I wasn’t doing very well at meeting my goals for the month. I am very happy to report that this week is much better. Still some room for improvement but at least I’m in the ball park this week.

My first goal is to go to sleep between 9 and 11 every night. After a rocky start that is going much better. I just need to stay away from the computer. As a bonus goal my early bed time means an earlier morning which is something I've needed as well.
I have cut way back on Facebook and Twitter. Instead of sitting around waiting for updates I’ve been making lists so I can see what I need to read first and the rest as I have time.
Keeping my phone off has been the biggest challenge. I enabled the auto on/off function on my phone but I would turn it back on so I started keeping my phone on the other side of the room instead of keeping it in reach. Earth shattering I know.

Favorite Food Blogs: Top Ten Tuesday

2011-05-09T21:44:00.001-05:00

I know some food bloggers do not read other food blogs but I do. It is a fabulous way to get to know other people and find inspiration if you’re in a bit of a blogging funk. Some of my favorite recipes have been my take on another blogger’s recipe. A couple of examples are my Cajun Chicken Pasta which was inspired by the Mexi-Chicken Campanelle from Picky Palate and Braided Brioche Loaves were adapted from the Quick Brioche King Cake at Barbara Bakes.

A Year of Slow Cooking. Stephanie’s was the very first food blog I ever read.
Full Bellies, Happy Kids. I found this one via A Year of Slow Cooking. Sandra has some delicious recipes.
Southern Plate. I just love, love, love Christy. I had the pleasure of meeting her in Birmingham last November and she is just as sweet in person as she seems.
Mommy’s Kitchen. I adore Tina’s mix of Tex-Mex and Southern classics. Oh and her desserts, there are no words.
Eat at Home I have only been reading Tiffany’s blog for about 8 months but I have made a ton of her recipes. Plus she is super nice.
Good Cheap Eats. Jessica is who inspired my love of freezer cooking. If you ever post recipes you should link up to Ultimate Recipe Swap on her other blog Life as Mom. I get tons of traffic on Cookin’ Mimi that way.
Hoosier Homemade Oh the cupcakes are amazing. Seriously check them out.
A Southern Fairytale Another Tex-Mex filled blog.
Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures. Love Lynn’s baked oatmeal. My nephew thinks the peanut butter one is cookies for breakfast.
Our Best Bites I hope the get their cookbook soon.

There you go ten of my favorite food blogs. I could write at least one more list like this because I have so many that I read and try recipes from.

What are your favorites? I’d love the hear about them.

For more Top Ten lists visit Oh Amanda

Photo Week

2011-05-07T23:58:00.001-05:00

Or more accurately photo couple of days. In order to change things up a bit and fight the burnout I am going to have a couple of days of photo only posts. They will be pictures I have taken and one post might be a day in the life.

I’m hoping to utilize some of the tips given in the SITS Spring into Action Photo Challenge to improve my photography for both blog and offline life.

I will have a Top Ten Tuesday list, my 3 in 30 check-in and Saturday Linkage if those are more your thing.

May 3 in 30 : Week One Check-in

2011-05-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

When I came up with my goals for the month I knew they were what I needed to work on first because they would be some of the hardest goals to meet. That also means that if I could conquer them life would generally be better. I’d be more well rested and everything would go like a well oiled machine.
Not happening this week. I have only managed to go to sleep before 11 pm once this week and that was the only night I turned off my phone . I have cut back on Facebook time, Twitter not so much.

I’m not going to beat myself up over this week. I’ll just have to re-evaluate what I need to do to ensure that next week is better.

Tornado Relief Efforts In Eastern Alabama: How You Can Help

2011-05-04T00:22:00.002-05:00

I live in the Eastern part of Alabama. In the Calhoun/Cherokee county area more specifically. While we might not have sustained the damage Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Cullman have there are still many people without homes or with serious damage to their homes.

I spent the better part of the evening tweeting trying to find out who was doing what in this area and was able to compile a few places that can either point you in the direction of where to help or are a donation drop off/dispersion point.

Calhoun County:

Calhoun County Tornado Needs and Haves: A Facebook page where you can find the greatest needs and let people know what you have to donate and they can tell you the best place to take it.
Calhoun County EMA Facebook Page The best place to check is the discussions page. They update it daily with new information.

Cherokee County:

The Cherokee Baptist Association They are partnering with the Cherokee County Family Resource Center.

The following items are needed: *furniture in good condition *beds & mattresses *sheets & linen items (blankets, quilts, pillows...) *towels, washcloths *soaps, baby wipes, tissue, shampoo, and other toiletry items *non-perishable food items *Also, financial donations can be given as well
We are needing volunteers to serve at the center, by doing the following: *work in the center helping load & unload items *deliver items to victims *pick up items being donated *other task will be needed as well
You can find out more by visiting the CBA website

Leesburg Baptist Church is taking donations of baby supplies and blankets and work boots. You can contact me and I can let someone from the church know.

~~I have one more agency to contact and will update this post as soon as I find out more information. Any other places I find out about I will add as I get more information.~~
Update 05/05 Piedmont Benevolence Center.

Update: I was told these places were taking donations: Fords Valley Baptist Church, Young's Chapel Congregational Methodist, Cross Creek Community Church in Hokes Bluff{Etowah County}, Knightens Crossroads FD, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Williams First Baptist, Word Alive International Outreach - Oxford all in Calhoun County. I do not have contact information for all of them but I know most of the ones listed in Calhoun county have been mentioned on the two Facebook pages I listed at the top. If anything changes it will be updated here.

Want to find out about how to learn of more opportunities to help? Read How to be a Tornado Relief Hero by Using Social Media by Rachel at Grasping for Objectivity in My Subjective Life. Rachel tells you who to follow on Facebook and Twitter (even if you don't have an account) to get real time information.

The Post in which I Pretend I Have Time to Craft : Top Ten Tuesday

2011-05-02T21:00:00.004-05:00

I love do-it-yourself projects especially those of the decor kind. I just don't have the time right now but if I did these ten project would be pretty high on the list.

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

These drinking glasses on Crafts by Amanda could be customized so many ways.

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Also from Crafts by Amanda. Love this framed monogram.

Source: casabellaproject.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Burlap and Jute Spring Wreath from The Casabella Project. The embellishments are changeable with the seasons.

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Kitchen Utensil Holders once again from Crafts by Amanda

Source: centsiblesavings.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Knock off Ballard Designs Topiary from Centsible Savings

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Tiered serving trays from Tater Tots and Jell-o

Source: hoosierhomemade.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Spray painted Baker’s Rack and cupcake garland from Hoosier Homemade

Source: casabellaproject.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Another Casabella Project favorite. A custom shower curtain using a drop cloth and canvas.

Source: centsiblesavings.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

A $2.00 wall sign from Centsible Savings

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via tiamimi on Pinterest

Love this clock make over from Crafts by Amanda

For more Top Ten Lists visit OhAmanda.com
I wrote this post last week pretty early on the day that turned out to be one I would never forget and forgot about it until it published.

Overwhelmed

2011-04-29T10:40:00.006-05:00

Update Alabama Possible has a comprehensive, state wide listing of relief agencies. and The Facebook page for the Calhoun County EMA has information on how to help Calhoun County victims check out Alabama Bloggers for more links

Update 2 Calhoun County residents can keep track of efforts on the EMA facebook page

Words fail me right now. I wanted to write an eloquent post showing support of my fellow Alabamians and I just can’t. All I can do is cry. The destruction is overwhelming.

One of the tornadoes touched down just a few miles from my house. My family and I are okay. We were without power for a little over 24 hours which is nothing.

Please remember Alabama today and in the coming weeks as we pick up the pieces of our shattered hearts and lives.

Samford University has a listing of ways you can help. Some of the listings are Birmingham specific but not all are.

May 3 in 30 Challenge

2011-04-27T20:00:00.014-05:00

I am joining the 3 in 30 challenge for May. I’ve seen many tweets about it since its beginning in January and it intrigued me.
This is what Ashley one of the creators says about the challenge:

It’s been said that it takes 21 days to create new habits. Each month (approximately each 30 days) the 3in30 Challenge starts fresh. Choose up to 3 goals you’d like to work on. Then, throughout the month there will be weekly link-ups and opportunities for daily encouragement and accountability.
Quote Source

My 3 in 30 goals for May are:

Go to bed between 9 and 11 pm every night I am a terrible night owl often staying up until 2 am even if I need to get up at 6 am to say cook Easter dinner.
Schedule my Twitter and Facebook time. My goal is to allow 15 minutes for both in the morning, 15 minutes for Facebook after lunch and 30 minutes for Twitter in the evenings. Except for Tuesday because that’s #homechat night and once a month the 3 in 30 party.
Turn off my phone each night. I have a Blackberry which is both awesome and awful. I love having instant access to the internet especially with the severe weather we’ve had lately keeping me off the desktop but I have a tendency to blog hop on it when I should be sleeping. This will make the first goal a thousand times easier.

Look for my first progress up post next Thursday.

Most Watched TV Shows : Top Ten {Tuesday}

2011-04-26T23:58:00.001-05:00

I had two other posts that I was going to do for Top Ten Tuesday but neither would format that way I wanted. So you get the most watched tv shows at my house.

Team Umizoomi This is a favorite with the under five crowd that hangs out here.
Bubble Guppies Another under five favorite
NCIS A must watch program
Dancing with the Stars The only reality show I actually like.
The Wiggles Starting to see a pattern?
Jake and the Neverland Pirates Oh coconuts!
American Pickers
Animal Mechanicals We Animal Mechanical can!
Phineas and Ferb Everyone likes this cartoon. Even the over five crowd
Doctor Who I am a new fan since I only started watching last summer but this is my other can't miss program. I don’t generally like sci-fi programming but love this show. Matt Smith is brilliant and I love the character of Amy Pond. I find myself quoting lines from the show quite often.

There you have it, the most watched shows at my house. This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda

Our Easter Celebration

2011-04-25T06:00:00.003-05:00

We had a fabulous Easter weekend. There were hard cooked eggs to be colored on Saturday which thrilled the auntlings. On Sunday afternoon we enjoyed a dinner of ham, potato salad, hash brown casserole, macaroni and cheese, dressing(minus the chicken), crescent rolls,and a four layer chocolate cake.

Normally we're a serve everything out of the pan or mixing bowl bunch but this year I got fancy and used some serving pieces that had been in the cupboard for ages. They had been there so long that my mother can't remember exactly when she got them. You can see a close up of the platter on the ham picture. Setting everything up buffet style in one spot instead of scattered all over the kitchen worked out a million times better.

What do you normally do to celebrate the Spring holidays?

Saturday Linkage: the Easter Edition

2011-04-23T02:11:00.001-05:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil
This is my first post back after a year’s absence. I missed blogging here and I am thrilled to be back.
We’re Debt Free from LifeasMom had me in tears. I am so thankful that I have been redeemed.
A reminder from Amy at The Finer Things in Life that He died for the “little sins” as well as the “big ones”

May you have a blessed weekend filled with the hope and joy that His resurrection brings.

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again Luke 24:1-7

linked to Saturday Stumbles at Simply Staci

Top Ten {Tuesday}: Things I Hear on a Daily Basis

2010-03-01T22:46:00.002-06:00

So after finding out there was already a top ten Tuesday I decided to quit my never really got off the ground top twenty Tuesday. Anyway ten things are much easier to come up with. Without further babbling from me here are the top ten things I hear everyday:

“What’s for supper?” Mom and Dad
“What time is supper going to be done?” M & D again.
Did you make dessert? M & D yet again.
“I want M candy.” The nephew
“Sing had a farm e-i-e-i-o.” The nephew once more
“No Mommy, no sister. I want to stay at Mimi’s house.” If you guess the nephew you are correct.
“Mimi!” The nephew again
“I want tea.” and again
“Where’s my cup?” and yet again.
The tenth, final and most often heard courtesy of my two year old nephew- “Why?”

This post is linked Top Ten {Tuesdays} hosted this week by It’s Come 2 This for OhAmanda

Freezer Cooking Day One Update (with video)

2010-03-01T18:41:00.001-06:00

I know I said I would update with pictures but got the wild and crazy idea to do my very first vlog post. I normally avoid being in front of the camera so it was a bit awkward. I managed to get pretty much everything done which makes me happy. Well I haven't finished all of the tortillas yet but we had to have supper and I needed to get off my feet for awhile.

I had made a video when Mama got home of me actually cooking tortillas but it was way too dark to see anything and I looked like I had a black eye.

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Once a Month Cooking in March: The Game Plan

2010-02-28T18:59:00.007-06:00

I've listed the dishes I am going to make so it is time to break them down into steps. It is late winter in Alabama and that means crazy weather. Seriously we're in the upper 50s today and tomorrow and snow is forecast on Tuesday. I will be doing my oven cooking Tuesday to maximize the warmth.

Monday:

Make pancakes. I'll double the recipe and some will be breakfast for my nephew and me. The rest will be frozen.
Cook pintos in the slow cooker for refried beans. I'll be cooking some extra beans because I am making tostadas for supper.
Make flour tortillas. I will be making at least three dozen because enchiladas are on the menu for March and we'll go through 18 tortillas easily with two pans of enchiladas.

Tuesday:

Make brown sugar biscuit twists. I'll be freezing them already baked for a quick breakfast.
Buttermilk biscuits. Some will be baked then frozen and I will also whip up a batch of dough and cut and freeze for when I have a bit more time for them to bake.
Make and freeze the pizza dough. I will probably double the recipe. I can't remember off hand how many pizzas this makes because I haven't made the dough in awhile.
Make the French Bread rolls. These will be baked prior to freezing so on nights we want rolls we can take a few out and heat them in the oven or microwave them.

Crystal at Money Saving Mom has these great down loadable freezer cooking planning worksheets that will help take a lot of the guess work out of once a month cooking. When we get more ink for the printer I plan on printing a ton out and putting them in a notebook.

See y'all again tomorrow night with an update of what I managed to get done and some photos.

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Once a Month Cooking in March: The Bread, Breakfast and Sides Edition.

2010-02-27T22:12:00.003-06:00

We all battled illness during the month so we ate a ton of sandwiches, hot dogs and even fast food. Because of that we still have quite a few things in the freezer from the February menu that I need to use up. The first big cooking day or two will consist of breads, breakfast foods and some side dishes.

Here is what I plan on making:

Refried Beans
Flour Tortillas. I would guess about three dozen. Check my cooking blog later on next week for the recipe.
Biscuits
Pancakes. I like to try new recipes every once in a while and I think the pancakes from Southern Plate will be this month's winner.
Pizza Dough
Whole Wheat French Bread Rolls
Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

I will be tweeting some updates during the day on Monday and Tuesday and should have a post each night with my progress if things go according to plan. I will be doing another freezer cooking day after we clear out the freezer of what we bought earlier in the month and we go grocery shopping. I will post when that is going to happen when I know.

For great hints on Once a Month Cooking visit Crystal at Money Saving Mom and FishMama at Life as Mom

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The Snow That Wasn't

2010-02-15T09:36:00.000-06:00

I am totally disappointed. Utterly devastated. All weekend long I kept seeing reports of heavy snow that was supposed to happen in my area. Heavy snow in Alabama = two inches. Not exactly blizzard proportions I know but still I went to bed last night expecting to wake up to this glorious scene:

Instead I see this:

That is the same patch of trees from three days earlier. Instead of lovely glistening snow we have dead grass, mud and naked trees. What a let down. So, if any of you in the northern part of the US who are tired of snow would like to send me a couple of inches I would be happy to take it.

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Snow Day!!!

2010-02-12T16:13:00.001-06:00

Snow is a pretty rare occurrence in Alabama so when we heard that it was supposed to happen today everyone seemed to be pretty excited. Everything looks so beautiful under the blanket of snow. These are some pictures I snapped today. Most of them were taken from the car as Mom and I were going down our driveway. Snow days in Alabama are a finer thing indeed.

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A Proofreading Tip

2010-02-03T00:02:00.000-06:00

Spell and grammar checks on blog platforms are fine and dandy but don't always catch errors. Like how I almost typed the word daddy instead of dandy in the previous sentence. When blogging spelling and grammar are two things people are very likely to notice when it is incorrect.

Sometimes after spending hours drafting and typing a blog post everything blurs together and I fail to notice stupid mistakes. The tip my high school yearbook adviser gave me when I was copy editor has saved my neck many times. Read it backwards. Start at the last word and read to the first. You actually have to pay attention to what you are reading and cannot mindlessly skim and miss obvious errors.

Not exactly earth shattering information but it works for me.

For more blogging tips visit We are THAT Family

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Top Twenty Tuesdays: the things that remind me of high school edition

2010-02-02T13:59:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the first edition of Top Twenty Tuesday. This week is all about the music, television shows, movies and fashions that remind me of my high school days.

All for You- Sister Hazel. Every time I hear this song I am transported back to my Junior year of high school.
Clueless. One of the two hit movies of my Freshman year.
Romeo + Juliet. The other hit movie of that year.
Hanson. Mmmm Bop. Enough said people. :-)
Dawson's Creek.The "water cooler" show for my high school.
Scream. The movie with 30 year olds playing teenagers in peril.
*NSync.
Third Eye Blind.
Felicity. This show started my 12th grade year and was what I thought college would be like.
Tuxedo Inn t-shirts. What the preppy kids wore.
Butterfly clips. You couldn't walk in to Claire's without seeing them.
Flood by Jars of Clay
d.c. Talk
Titanic. My sister, my high school bestie and I saw this at the walk-in that is no more. We all cried our eyes out when Rose tells Jack that she'll never let go.
C'Mon Ride It (The Train)- Quad City DJs. This song was played at every dance I went to.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I remember when Sarah Michelle Gellar was on Swan's Crossing.
Kiss Me-Six Pence None the Richer. First time I heard the song was when I was out to eat before my Senior Prom
Ruby Tuesday. That is where I ate at before my Junior prom. Sadly, the one I actually ate at has since been closed.
I Know What You Did Last Summer. Yet another scary movie for teens.
She's All That. Teen flicks ruled the late 90s

There you have this week's Top Twenty Tuesday. See you next week!

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A Snag....

2010-01-20T00:43:00.001-06:00

For anyone wondering where the Top Twenty Tuesday post is, the answer is I have no idea! I must have messed something up in the scheduling. I should be able to get on a computer this weekend and fix it. I'll probably change the date to whatever date I'm doing it so it goes out to your RSS or Email subscription.

Top Twenty Tuesday.

2010-01-18T14:52:00.001-06:00

One of my blogging goals was to start a new weekly feature and starting tomorrow, January 19th, I will be posting a different top twenty list every Tuesday. I've already got ideas for the next three months so be on the look out. They will range from my top twenty favorite youtube videos to the top twenty blog posts I've read that week and all points in between.

When I get my computer back I will have a handy little graphic and will open it up as a linky feature.

See y'all again soon!

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Help for Haiti

2010-01-15T14:33:00.000-06:00

My heart is broken for the people in Haiti. I cannot begin to imagine what the country is going through.
The Bible tells us, as Christians, we are to bear each other's burdens and this burden weighs heavily on my heart. I may not know the names and stories of the people affected by this tragedy but Christ tells us that whatever we do to "the least of these" we do to Him.
I may not be able to go and work but I can still help. I can give.
I can give the people of Haiti my prayers. This is an absolutely free way to give. All it takes is a little time and faith
I can give money. My family has made a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. While ten dollars by itself may not be much money but if one thousand people give ten dollars that is ten thousand dollars.
For any Alabama readers I also received an e-mail from my church saying that the Alabama State Board of Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention is taking donations for Haiti. You could probably call your local Baptist association office to find out more.
If ten dollars is too much for your budget even one dollar would help tremendously. The same God that made the young boy's small lunch of loaves and fish multiply to feed thousands of people can make that single dollar multiply in ways we can't imagine.
Many bloggers are pledging their help. Crystal from Money Saving Mom
has a list of those who are pledging donations for comments and blog links

2010 Blogging Goals

2010-01-14T22:31:00.005-06:00

Hullo out there in bloggy land! I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful holiday season. We here at the Aint Mimi household did and are now settling back in to a routine.

I am itching to get back into blogging full-time. So, I decided to make my very first post of the new decade my blogging goals for the year. Some may seem lofty but they are all attainable.

1. Quintuple my subscribers. Yep you read that correctly. I want a 500% increase in my readership. :)
2. Create a Facebook Fan Page for Aint Mimi. I already have one for my food blog.
3. Write at least one series. I just have to decide what I know well enough to write about.
4. Have a weekly linky feature. Yes, I know there are a bajillion of them out there but they are one of my favorite ways to discover new blogs to read.

Those are my first four bloggings goals for 2010. As I reach those I will probably add more but these are my first priority.

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Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T23:02:00.001-06:00

I hope y'alls Christmas preparations are going well and you haven't hit any last second snags. As usual I have decided to add to my already full to do list at the last moment. I'm having little boy over to decorate cookies tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it though and he should have a blast.

I am extending my blogging break until January 7th when school starts back up and things are back to normal around here. I have some new ideas and I *am* going to post at least three times a week.

May you have a safe and blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year.

~*~ Micha ~*~

No I haven't fallen off the edge of the world...

2009-12-02T21:20:00.001-06:00

My computer is in the shop yet again. And it looks like it'll be after the first of the year before I get it back if it has to be shipped off for repair.

In other news my alma mater has made it to the state football championships and will be playing at Bryant-Denny stadium tomorrow morning. This is the first time they have ever made it that far. Needless to say the whole town is buzzing with excitement.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I will let y'all know how the game turns out.

The Beauty of Nature

2009-11-20T00:24:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph a local spring and walking trail for an upcoming guest post. My nephew tagged along and had a fun time pretending there were dinosaurs and lions hiding in the woods. I enjoyed seeing how different the areas looked with the change in foliage.

I posted these pictures on my Facebook account and one of my friends remarked she didn't realize our town could be so beautiful. I wish I could take credit for the beauty captured but they are just a copy of the Master's handiwork. Taking a walk with people you love and seeing the beauty of nature is most definitely a finer thing

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Saturday Linkage

2009-11-14T12:19:00.030-06:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil
Time for my weekly round up of interesting things I've found in the blogosphere.

Hoosier Homemade had a great article on scheduling your blog posts
I found these beautiful book page wreaths at Living with Lindsay. Best part is they are made mostly from things found at the Dollar Tree.
Also from Living with Lindsay: a tutorial for making those fancy decorated cake stands on a budget.
Have a birthday coming up? FishMama has some great ideas on how to celebrate without breaking the bank.

Reconnecting with Friends

2009-11-12T22:54:00.000-06:00

I got a phone call on Monday that shocked me a little. It was from a friend of mine I haven't seen in over a year. With the long hours she works during the week and the weird schedule I keep it is really hard to get together or even make a simple phone call. Phone tag is not the best game in the world to play.

We're friends on Facebook and Myspace and we keep in touch that way. While those are perfectly fine ways to interact with people there is just something about hearing a friend's voice that seems to make the day a little better. While we were talking we made plans to get together on Sunday and I am looking forward to that more than I have anything else in awhile. Reconnecting with old friends is definately what I would call a finer thing.

Some changes.

2009-11-12T21:21:00.000-06:00

I'm making a few improvements around here. First of all I changed the comment platform to Intense Debate which is what Home Ec 101 uses and I like the functionality of it. I can reply to individual comments and it will be threaded instead of having to search for replies. I'm also going to be working on side bar button over the weekend. Well, that is if things go the way I hope they do.

Menu Planning

2009-11-11T00:21:00.002-06:00

Normally when I menu plan, even if I do it a month at a time, each day of the week has a theme. It makes it a lot easier on me when I know Monday is Mexican, Wednesday is breakfast for dinner, Saturday is chicken night and well you catch the idea. To give you a better idea of what I mean here is a four week example of a past menu plan:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Italian Night	Slow Cooker	Chicken	Meatless	Beef	Breakfast	Soup/Salad
Baked Spaghetti	Bean and Potato Stew	Chicken Poulet	Tostadas	Meatloaf	Pancakes	Split Pea Soup
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup	Beef Tips and Rice	Enchiladas	Baked Potatoes and Salad	Pepper Steak	Biscuits and Gravy	Chef Salad
Pizza	Pot Roast	Chicken and Dumplings	Navy beans	Fajitas	French Toast	Broccoli Soup
Lasagna	Cheesy Bacon Chicken	Mongolian Chicken	Quesodillas, beans and rice	Burgers and Fries	Breakfast Casserole	Cowboy Stew

Having theme nights simplifies the dinner time rush and that works for me

Things I've learned lately

2009-11-10T05:15:00.000-06:00

When you open your door and see a stray dog the appropriate response is to slam the door and run away while screaming "Run for your life!"
How much children's television characters annoy me is proportional to how much my nephew likes them.
When you can do the dance the Noodle Gang does on Elmo's World: Wild Wild West while in another room you have seen the video one too many times.
If I were Chicken Jane I would let Scot and Dot be smashed by the ox in the box or stuck in the giant marshmallow.

And that my friends, is what I have learned lately thanks to my two year old nephew

Sunday Linkage

2009-11-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Enter Button by Petr Kratochvil
Here are some of my favorite things from this week.
Empty or Full from The IDD Blog I think just about everyone can relate to the feelings in the poem.
A Full Bucket from The Finer Things in Life
Cents to Get Debt Free on how to protect the food in your freezer.
And of course it wouldn't be me without mentioning Southern Plate so here is my new favorite cake

Gift Basket Giveaway!

2009-11-07T17:46:00.005-06:00

Not here unfortunately, but on one of my favorite blogs. Head on over to The IDD Blog to see how you can win a lovely gift basket.

Please note that this blog post does count as an entry to the giveaway but even if it didn't I would have mentioned it because I <3 the IDD girls and am blessed to have them as friends.

Finer Things Friday: My Granddaddy

2009-11-06T22:28:00.001-06:00

My granddaddy was one of the most amazing people ever. Seriously, nobody ever had anything bad to say about him. He was a hard worker, loved his family,and loved God.

Granddaddy worked enough for three people on the WPA during the Great Depression. He worked to earn enough money to support himself, his parents, and one of his brothers and his family. He helped build a bridge in a town near where my mom spent her early years and everytime we drive near it I smile and think of what an amazing legacy he left behind.

Granddaddy had his fair share of funny moments as well. It was always the little silly things. He could find humor in almost any situation. He lost one of his eyes to cancer and the glass eye he got became the subject of many jokes. Like one time he was in the hospital and the nurse commented on how pretty his eyes were. He took the glass eye out and said "here ya go." It didn't take more than once to learn not to ask him to keep an eye on something because, you guessed it, he would literally keep his eye on it.

Sadly for my family he passed away in 1994, a week after his 80th birthday. But the values he instilled in his children and grandchildren and the wonderful memories live on. And that my friends is a finer thing.

My Freezer Cooking Bounty

2009-11-06T15:58:00.001-06:00

I didn't get as much done as I would like to have finished but that's life I suppose. This is what I did manage to cook.

Spaghetti Sauce- the two jars stacked on top of each other.

Football Casserole

Buttermilk Biscuits

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Slab Apple Pie

Chicken Stock

And not pictured:

Cinnamon Rolls

Pancakes

If you'd like to see what some of the other people who participated made head on over to Money Saving Mom

The December freezer cooking event is already being planned for Tuesday December 1st and Wednesday the 2nd.

Baking Day Reminder

2009-11-02T18:45:00.001-06:00

Don't forget that tomorrow and Wednesday are the big baking/freezer cooking days. At last count there were around 250 participants so there should be recipes and techniques for just about anybody.

Follow the fun on Twitter using the #bakingday hashtag and link up your favorite make ahead recipes Thursday on http://www.lifeasmom.com.

November Baking Day!

2009-10-31T15:41:00.000-05:00

FishMama and Crystal from Money Saving Mom are hosting a two day baking day extravaganza. The days are Tuesday November 4th and Wednesday November 5th. They've created a Facebook event page if you'd like to RSVP there. On Thursday join FishMama for a special baking day edition of the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

November Baking Day List:

2009-10-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

Here is what I know I will be making for the Novenber baking/cooking day:

Football Casserole The recipe makes enough for two meals for us
Pancakes- we've eaten quite a few of the 2 dozen or more I made last month
Cornbread-make ahead for Thanksgiving cornbread dressing or squash dressing
Possibly a pumpkin pie to get a head start on Thanksgiving desserts
Loaded Potatoes
French Toast

a quick note

2009-10-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

The reason I haven't updated is I've had computer or internet problems. I should be getting my computer back in a couple of weeks and I am working on a few post ideas for when it is fixed.

Baking Day Part One Recap and Day Two Plan

2009-10-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

I had a fairly productive day today even with Little Boy being all over the place. I managed to get everything but the French toast and pumpkin bread made. I ended up with about two dozen pancakes, six sub rolls, and two loaves of banana bread.

Tomorrow's plan is as follows:
Pumpkin Bread
Dinner rolls made from Phoebe's fabulous French bread recipe
Maybe some refried beans. I know the aren't technically a baked good but hey they are better made ahead.
Lemon bread if I have enough eggs. Can't remember how many I have.
The French toast will probably wait until Thursday.

I should have pictures tomorrow afternoon since I only have little boy until a little after one. I will probably have another full list including granola bars on Thursday after I get milk, eggs and baking soda.

Once again if you'd like to follow the action on twitter search for the hashtag #bakingday

Baking Day

2009-10-05T23:10:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow I am joining Phoebe from Cents to Get Debt-Free and some other bloggers in a baking day. It will probably take more than one day to get everything I would like to get made finished so this will likely extend to Wednesday if not Thursday as well.

Here is a list of what I hope to make:
French Toast from the Texas toast we have that is going stale
Banana Bread
Pumpkin Pancakes
Regular Pancakes
Sub Rolls from Phoebe's French Bread recipe
Pumpkin Bread

I'll be posting my progress here as I can and will be live tweeting it thanks to my BlackBerry. If you want to see all the fun we're having follow the hashtag #bakingday See y'all tomorrow!

Finer Things Friday: Football and Community in a Small Town

2009-10-01T21:57:00.000-05:00

It is football season and this Friday is our Homecoming game. The parade is an event that the whole town attends with many people decked in blue and gold to show support for our school. It's been eleven years since I had my last Homecoming experience as a student and can hardly believe that the kids that were in Kindergarten when I was a Senior are in the eleventh grade.

A lot of things have changed in my small town since then but not the community spirit and support for the schools and that is definitely a finer thing.