Kapusta Recipe

I am a huge fan of Polish food and I know that probably sounds weird... cause us Polish people are not known for our culinary abilities, but more lack of... um... whit. But hey... the Polish people should be proud because I think we are the only civilization that has ever made a solar powered flash light, inflatable dart boards, and ejector seats in a helicopters.

But all jokes aside, I truly love Polish food because it tends to have easy instructions, cheap ingredients, and tasty dishes. One of my favorite dishes to make is my Polish Cabbage Casserole, because it takes about 15mins to prepare and costs about $6 total..... honestly, how can you beat that?

So, here is another yummy recipe called Kapusta that some of you might be brave enough to try. All you need is...

• 1 lb. Salt Pork (dice it)
• 1 medium cabbage head, cored and shredded
• 1 (16 oz) package medium egg noodles
• ground black pepper to taste

1. Place the diced salt pork in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the fat has melted down and the meat is cooked.
2. Add the shredded cabbage with the salt pork and cook over medium-low heat until tender, stirring to coat the cabbage with the salt pork juices.
3. Meanwhile cook the egg noodles in a pot of water and drain. When the cabbage has cooked completely, stir the egg noodles in with the cabbage and season with black pepper for taste.

I know the recipe doesn't call for much and while cooking it you may doubt the outcome, but this dish is surprisingly tasty. My husband was a huge fan and couldn't get enough and I thought it was a fun dish especially when you are tired of the normal day to day stuff.

Terrible Twos

Oh Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.... I remember those good ol' days when you used to simply sit and play with your plastic keys, look through your books, and keep your self entertained with your toes..... and then...... THE TERRIBLE TWOS HAPPENED! Whoever thinks that phase actually starts when they're two is wrong..... sooo soooo wrong. .

And to prove it, here is a list of things I have had to deal with in the last few days....
1. Stop throwing your food on the floor
2. NO! NO! Keep your hands out of the poopies!
3. Stop throwing pens in the toilet
4. Your fingers don't belong in your nose
5. Your fingers don't belong in my nose!
6. Please don't rub your tushy on the glass.
7. DON'T LICK THE OUTLET!
8. If you ever want a brother or sister please stop doing that
9. Don't use mommy's bra as a bag
10. Old diapers are not toys
11. Fruit does not belong in mommy's cleavage
12. again?????
and last but not least....
13. AHHHHHHHH WHERE IS YOUR FATHER!

Babies + Bears = Best Friends

Our Uncle dropped off a bear skin rug that he had made for our dad.... apparently Lucy likes it more than any of us. We have had to move it so she isn't always hugging, kissing, petting, and riding the thing.

Organizing Clothes

My child is almost a year and a half, but I still don't feel like I have a handle on everything. I still find myself underestimating how long it takes to get us all out the door, how much stuff to pack in my diaper bag, how many socks Lucy will go through and how much time I will spend looking for a matching top. But hey, at least now I can cross one of those off.

I have finally found a way to keep my kids clothes organized and not just organized, but sooooo organized that even my husband can find something for Lucy to wear and I can guarantee that it will coordinate!

I was over at Target and was checking out some tubs to help organize my crafting supplies and stumbled across some hanging closet shoe organizers, which gave me a great idea. I bought one and used it for Lucy's clothes. Every compartment can easily hold one outfit, complete with socks, hair bows, and shoes.

It is great, I don't have to think about what will go with what, where are her socks, and do I have a clean onesie? All I do is grab! It has been a life saver and helps me keep my house more organized, which is something that I always need.

You can get these organizers at any Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, or Bed Bath and Beyond and you can find them for about 19.99.

P.S Congrats to Beth at A Mom's Life for winning the Shopping List giveaway! Everyone give Beth a big congrats!

Free Shopping List Magnet

I love giveaway posts and this one is something that I loooove! Today I have a wonderful grocery shopping list for your fridge that will help you stay organized and within budget every week.

This note pad not only has a shopping list, but also a dinner calender for the week. So, instead of kids running up nagging.... opps... I mean asking what is for dinner, they can now just look at the handy dandy list and see for themselves.

If you want a chance to win this for you and your family, then simply leave a comment no later than Saturday Feb 21, 11:59 PM.

Toy Bag Tutorial

Oh it feels so good to be back blogging again, it's bloggerific! So I am going to ease back into the blogging world with a nice easy craft, plus hopefully posting something that is simple will tempt you non-crafters out there to finally jump in on this.
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I made these cute bags to help with Lucy's toys from over flowing and taking over the house. I swear, I think they were plotting against me and on the move! I finally sat down and start pouring a few out to help keep blocks, books, puzzles, and animals in their place. I even made a few to help keep her laundry separated. They are really easy and need a minimal amount of sewing, cutting, and time. All you need is...

1 foot of fabric

1 yard of string or ribbon

Take your foot of fabric, fold it in half and trim it so it will be 11 inches wide and 18 inches tall. Measure 3 inches from the top and mark it on the right side of the fabric, THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE FOLDED SIDE! Cut at that 3 inch mark a little less than 1/2 an inch into the fabric.

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Unfold the fabric so it is now 22 inches wide and the back of the pattern is facing up towards you. You should have two little cuts on both sides of the fabric. Now go ahead and fold the 3 inch slits inward and pin them, do this on both sides. Sew these flaps down, when you are done it should look like the top three inches are thinner.

You can now fold the top down about 2 inches down. You can now place the string in the flap and sew it shut. You will want to make sure that the line you sew will line up with the edge of the 22 inch wide part of the fabric. Now fold the fabric so it is back to being 11 inches wide and have the back side of the fabric facing out, which means that the patterns should be inside and facing each other. Pin the edges together. Start to sew the fabric together, when you start sewing make sure that the line you are sewing also lines up with the top folded edge, so this should be about a 1/2 inch seam on the side and also do a 1/2 inch seam on the bottom. Once done, go ahead and turn the bag right-side out. Go ahead and tie the strings together which will be the final step for this wonderful bag.

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These are cute bags to make and really cheap, you can pump out 3 bags with 1 yard of fabric. So go ahead and make some, I would even love to see some of the bags you make and what you add to them. Happy sewing!

Time To Breath

Long time no see. Our family has been a little M.I.A these last few weeks with sickness, hospital visits, volcanoes nearing explosion, volunteer work, cleaning the house from top to bottom, trying to sell some items in a boutique, and after taking a rest... I am back. Family Moment Monday will be up and running again next Monday. I have a great craft for tomorrow and last, but not least, GIVE AWAYS! I will be posting a few give aways throughout the week so get excited and check in!