Raige Creations

As we sat comfortably in our living room on Wednesday night, watching Cloud Atlas (which I have been wanting to see for some time), we had a criminal in our garage. Hubby went out for a smoke, came back in and asked why the garbage can was between the cars, with the lid off. Huh? I said "I put a bag in it earlier today, with the lid on, and certainly not between the cars!" He said the dog was sniffing by the door just as he was going out, so we assumed that he just missed the culprit. Tracks showed that it could very well be a bear.  Fairly Large Footprints photo: Thoughts of Raige This morning, we investigated further.  We followed a trail of egg shells,  Egg Shells in the Driveway photo:  Thoughts of Raige onion tops and napkins,  Onion and Egg Shells photo:  Thoughts of Raige More onion photo:  Thoughts of Raige and the tissue box right in the middle of the driveway. Tissue Box The criminal went off to the left, near that log, and down the

I am thankful for  Red Velvet Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies. My daughter and I made these together yesterday.  We ventured out in the snowy and very cold weather together to get the necessary ingredients. We had never made these before, the recipe is in a kindle book I got  for her  last year. This was the first recipe we tried. It was a  kitchen  adventure, full of clogged mixers, chocolate chips falling off the cookie balls, oh so sticky dough, and hands that looked bloody when we were done.  Good times.  And delicious cookies.  Life is Good.

I know there are a gazillion websites and blogs that talk about the greatness of running. I read them too. But since I have started running again, after my 3 month break, I have learned some valuable  life lessons . Each lesson is great for running, but can be translated into every-day life as well. I will be sharing these life lessons with you while training for the  Jingle Bell Run , which I am participating in on December 7th. ( Donate HERE ). Today, I must stress the importance of keeping your form. The Proper Form. I actually researched this online, because I knew felt so awkward running. I noticed as I ran by the furniture store downtown, which has full windows across the entire block, that I looked goofy and that I made it look awkward so I set to find out how to run better. There are loads of pictures , articles , videos , etc. I recommend reading and looking at some of these, as I did.  What I am telling you here is a condensed version showing how they also benefit yo

If I hadn't made it clear in any of my earlier posts, I think I have hinted at it, planning dinner stresses me out most of the time. I have tried having the kids cook, hubby cook, asking for requests, and  planning days ahead . Ultimately, these things fade away, and I am back to stressing about what to cook at the last minute , order , or suggest for dinner. This morning, having this discussion with my 2 kids who had the luxury of a 2 hour delay of school, we had some fun with weekly dinner plans. Today, being Tuesday and having our oldest son coming home from college who loves anything as long as a tortilla is involved, we decided to have our 'Taco Tuesday' . This is a popular one we have been doing for years now. Celebrating a Previous Taco Tuesday My kids drew this for me. photo: Raige Creations This led to 'Meatloaf Monday ', since that meatloaf was a huge hit the other day, and 'Spaghetti Sunday' , since we have pasta at least once a week

Yes, please. Someone Wake Me Up .  I can't believe how much I slept all weekend. Naps were frequent, if short, and actually I loved being so lazy ~ at first.  But I knew things had gone too far when I actually contemplated going to pick up the pizza in my pajamas. I had been in pajamas all weekend actually. Well, not the same ones, I did shower Saturday, but put on new pajamas. So Sunday night, when I actually considered going out in my PJ's, I knew something was off. This morning, I was well on my way to another day of PJ's and couch time, dozing off at 8:30am! What the heck is wrong with me? (I like to blame an evil couch, it has this effect on many that come to our house.) I knew this rabbit hole I was going down was not going to be full of adventure , it very well could become a downward spiral . I had to brake the cycle! I decided against a run (again - been several days now, but that is another thing that is 'off', still figuring that out). I sho

My daughter had been asking for meatloaf for days (!), as we all get so tired of the same old meals, and we hadn't had meatloaf in forever! So meatloaf it was. (I just said meatloaf way too many times.....) As you know, hubby can't have any dairy, so milk was not an option. So here the easiest, milk free, recipe for a great meatloaf. Ingredients: 2 lbs Meat - I used a mixture of ground chicken and ground pork 4 Green Onions - or one regular would do just fine 1 heaping tsp Garlic - I used jarred, but fresh or powdered is fine Ketchup - a squirt - then about 1/4 cup for topping 2 tsp Pickapepper Sauce - then 2 tsp more for topping 1 Egg 1/4 cup Breadcrumbs Salt and Pepper Dried Basil and Parsley to taste Crushed Red Pepper to taste Olive Oil cooking spray Instructions: One reason I love meatloaf is that it is so easy! Just throw everything in the bowl and mix. That is basically it. But I took pictures so you can see the progression. Slice the green onions

photo courtesy of: Blue Rage of Asheville I spent most of the day Thursday on the internet, reading blogs, writing a little, browsing Pinterest (I know, I vowed to stop , but Thursday was just one of those days.....). I didn't go for a run, in fact I didn't even get dressed until 2 o'clock. My original plan was to check all my emails, maybe finish my blog I started, go for run, and then accomplish more of the de-cluttering . What happened was the internet sucked me in, again . I wasted the majority of the day. I know this has happened to you once or twice, right? I couldn't help but wonder if we all wrote on typewriters, would be be more productive? (You can actually buy this great typewriter pictured here !) What do you think? Would you go back to writing on a typewriter if it meant you would write more, and write better?

Oh, the horror.  Oh, the disappointment. I missed a day of NaBloPoMo.  A NaBloPoMo FAIL! Oh The HORROR  by  hybristophilia666  on  Polyvore It's not like I didn't know it was going to happen. I did. I had a very busy day and after dinner last night I just wanted to relax. I sat on the couch, Kindle in hand  new book waiting, full belly, family all around chillin', and said "Oh CRAP, I didn't post a blog today!" Then, I turned on my Kindle while hubby found a movie for us to watch (I can read and watch a movie at the same time. Multitasking...you Mom's know what I mean), I settled in on the couch, and the thought of blogging evaporated. It's not that I am short of ideas! I have 4 drafts going, and I even have handwritten in my journal ideas for other posts. If NaBloPoMo  right after NaBloWriMo  has done anything for me, it has got me to write every day, whether I actually post or not.  But last night, I just couldn't bring myse

source: Pinterest I am working on having less. I need to have less, because all that we have is stressing me out ! Less furniture ~ it is too hard to move and we know we will be moving sometime in the future even though we don't know when. Less papers ~ they are heavy, both physically and mentally. My mother hoarded papers, I am so afraid of doing that. Less Kitch ~ I vow to keep only the most meaningful and beautiful. This is hard to purge, because we are collectors of the unique and interesting, and so have cool old bottles, tiny sculptures, beautiful scrimshaw, hand painted eggs and feathers, great vintage lamps (yes, we have been hoarding lamps of all things). Each thing is great, has meaning and a special place in our hearts. These are the tough things to let go of. Less blankets ~ seriously we have so many! But I feel like I can use them as batting in quilts, so I hang on. But maybe it's time to let a few go. Less Kitchen things I never use ~ will I ever make 2

I know there are a gazillion websites and blogs that talk about the greatness of running. I read them too. But since I have started running again, after my 3 month break, I have learned some valuable life lessons .  Each lesson is great for running, but can be translated into every-day life as well. I will be sharing these life lessons with you while training  for the  Jingle Bell Run , which I am participating in on December 7th. ( Donate HERE ). Today we talk about sleep. How important is rest? The Sleep. Last week I talked about how I happily I went out for my first run in my new shoes , excited to get in a great run! But i t wasn't a great run, and I walked quite a bit. Not the energizing workout I wanted, but at least m y legs didn't hurt. But why was it so bad? Well, the night before, I only got a total of 6 hours of sleep ~ split into two 3 hour sessions with a 4 hour awake time in between.  Basically I fell asleep on the couch (a common thing for me ) at arou

source: alainn bella Well, hopefully I can get through more of my list, but as you know, procrastination is one of my talents . This Tuesday, I hope to clear off our dining room sideboard. It is an antique, beautiful, and perfect for collecting clutter. I am hoping to sell it off, with the dining set, and simplify our lives a little more.  No big, heavy and difficult to move, clutter inducing furniture. It is a never ending battle we have against clutter. Every few years I get the itch to get rid of a huge amount of things, and this year it is hitting me strong.  So today, I hope to continue the purging. I have already purged some of our Christmas decorations, de-cluttered my dresser and nightstand (also clutter magnets), filed and got rid of old papers that piled up in another room, and finally have the kitchen pared down a bit.  My Sideboard Clutter Magnet photo: Raige Creations Now on to dining room and sideboard clutter! I know it doesn't look look THAT bad, n

A perfect song for a run in the mountains.  I think this band, Of Monsters and Men , is now added to the  'I really, really like this band'  list. Thier poetic and fantastical lyrics and the good beats and the pretty music all blend together in a way that pleasantly gets stuck in your head. source and to purchase The sun is shining brilliantly today, and the air not too crisp. A good day for not many words.  Hold your horses now (Sleep until the sun goes down) Through the woods we ran (Deep into the mountain sound) Enjoy the day, and the Mountain Sounds . 

source: Tea Time With Tess Oh yes, last night, Saturday night, was awesome!  I had a great day, first of all. I did a, ' get it off my chest' kind of  blog , which was so fun to do, and actually quite therapeutic. Then hubby and me went to an auction for the most fun shopping ever. Yes, you still experience buyers remorse, but at least you beat out that guy in the front who really wanted it! "One dollar bid, now two, now two, will ya' give me two? Two dollar bid, now three, now three, will ya' give me three?", "Going once, going twice, sold!" Then we came home looking forward to a nice evening with the kids, who, by the way, cooked us an awesome 'breakfast for dinner' dinner. (I love my kids, if you haven't heard me say if before....) The next thing I remember is waking up off the couch, mouth completely dry from apparently drooling all over a couch pillow, and mumbling something like 'Em goin ta bed' and stumbl

Yesterday, This is how my day went. Started with this. source: iMapMyRun Wearing this. source: Raige Creations It was awesome! Then I managed to finally do some of this. source And I felt like this. source Then this happened. source: Pinterest I wanted to say this. source: Sawdust City I was a little like this. source: Bforbel.com And started getting like this. source: Etsy Then I was like this. source: Pinterest I didn't even answer the phone anymore. source: Pinterest I just ended the day like this. source: Skreened Have you ever had a day like that?