susiej posted an article on Susiej - Feb 7, 2012, 7:54 am
How many of you still have a stray Christmas decoration lurking around your house? Honestly? We still had a mini Christmas tree, a lighted Madonna, and a few Santas in our family room — with lights still hooked up to a timer that clicked on every afternoon at 3, and shut off around midnight. My hu...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Feb 5, 2012, 4:32 pm
It’s important to know that this is not a sponsored post. I have used  Bac-Out for years to clean the bathroom, and get the odors out of mattresses — and, after so many people asking me about bathroom odors, I just wanted to share how much I love this product. However, after researching enzyme...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Feb 3, 2012, 9:39 am
If you hand me a string of words, and say, “Make something out of this,” I could create a masterpiece. A Quilt of Words. If you handed me a house, and said, decorate this, make this a masterpiece. I would fail miserably. Fortunately, I have friends who can do that for me… simple things, like t...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Feb 1, 2012, 7:54 am
I found this sitting on my desk this morning. With a note attached: And they just told me they get out of school early tomorrow… Related Posts:Name The Date: We’ll Make it ChristmasThe Great Altoids Tin Challenge #4Blurry Kodachrome MemoriesOver the BridgeSo, That’s What You’ve Been Doing
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 30, 2012, 11:19 am
If you want to be skinny, and stay skinny, there’s one thing you need to do: Love Your Vegetables. I mean, really LOVE them. You have to find a way to cook them, without fancy high-fat creams and sauces, that causes you to crave them as much as you would crave a candy bar. Heck, you don’t even h...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 30, 2012, 9:27 am
In the middle of Christmas shopping, and grocery shopping for all the guests for the holidays, I ran out of my favorite shampoo. When I say favorite, I don’t mean I like the shampoo; I mean it is my hair’s favorite shampoo. My hair just won’t cooperate without this shampoo; this shampoo is th...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 29, 2012, 10:23 pm
This new blog will be open only to private readers. Susiej will stay here — with updates on new recipes, and tips, but the new blog will be quite private. In a week, I will pull this post, and this limited time offer — and any hint of this new blog, will disappear. I have emails and comments fr...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 27, 2012, 11:41 pm
A fragment of a grocery shopping list… this is probably about 25-30 years old. It’s her handwriting. The address label is her mother’s… also about 25-30 years old. I keep these fragments tucked into a drawer… too insignificant for a page in scrapbook, or it’s own “sleeve” in a photo...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 25, 2012, 5:25 pm
While we were staying at the hospital for our 23 hour tour, he was not allowed to eat. Surgery may have been eminent. His IV was hooked up for fluids (spare me the memory of watching him squirm and cry while his vein “blew” three times just trying to place the IV). The next morning, it had been...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 23, 2012, 7:41 pm
So, friend, this is what I ended up making for that dinner party. This cobbler cheesecake was so beautiful when it came out of the oven. However, by the time I had the camera ready, this is all that was left.   It was so gorgeous, with the parchment paper all crinkly and brown and the perfectly r...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 21, 2012, 10:57 am
He’s fine. We thought he was having an acute appendicitis… which called for an overnight “Observation.” While there, he miraculously got better.  Thank goodness… no cutting involved. The hospital has just undergone a major renovation… the rooms, were beautiful. Sadly beautiful, like a ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 19, 2012, 8:45 am
I could not fathom how people could celebrate Christmas, full of the same expectation and joy that accompanies Advent, after Christmas. Some families, because relatives live out of state or travel or work constraints, decide to celebrate Christmas post-holidays — and hearing about those gatherings...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 17, 2012, 11:00 am
“OH Yeah! Well,  when you go to bed you wear an Origami KIMONO! And I’m telling everyone at school!!!…..” Blurry Kodachrome memories…. when things just move too fast — and there’s no camera fast enough to catch them. I did my best. Related Posts:Name The Date: We’ll Make it Christ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 15, 2012, 10:30 am
Packing List: One country ham Corn Meal (Forgot…. throw into car!) Packs of Starbucks Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate Pears Cans of Pineapple and Cherries Ice Skates (lake is frozen!) Entire duffel bag  of mittens, snowpants, gloves, scarves Extra blankets Hersey Kisses for Peanut Blossoms ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 10, 2012, 10:17 pm
It’s his birthday. The one who loves green. And trains… and the entire concept of wearing shorts all winter. That one. He’s ten. I made the greenest cupcakes I have ever seen. I used an entire bottle — the big one, one ounce– of green food coloring. Then, we made this cake balls for his ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 9, 2012, 7:37 am
Two summers ago, our neighbor carried a very large square “train table” out of their house and to the curb. Then the words “free” appeared on a piece of paper taped to the front. Made by the father, legs painted white, their son, about the same age as my little guys, used it as his “train ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 6, 2012, 9:12 am
Since NBC dubbed me last night officially as a “recipe tester” (I AM NOT!) (My kitchen… my moms with blogs friends ((we are not mommy bloggers!!))… my gifted friend’s mugs. Visit them here: Momofali, and Rachel (awesome for you gadeners!). Amy, you know her. And my new friend Wenderly. A...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 4, 2012, 6:31 pm
Prior to our visit to Chicago, I was scrambling around trying to find a babysitter. The girl I normally use for overnights was going to be out of town… but her boyfriend wasn’t! The boys already knew him… he’s a biology major, and KNOWS WHERE TO FIND FROGS… even when we’re not at the lak...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 3, 2012, 7:46 am
Christmas break is over. Thank goodness for the pot of steel cut oats waiting on the stove this morning…warm oats, warm tea, to get us through this cold, cold transition day.   Related Posts:Secret to Making Steel Cut or Irish Oatmeal FastYou won’t eat hot cereal? Fine.Melting in ChicagoEggn...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 1, 2012, 9:52 pm
When, I called home from Chicago, the boys picked up the speaker phone, which meant that I could actually hear the sound of his feet padding across the kitchen floor as he ran, breathless, to the computer to check out his Youtube video. Up in Chicago, where it was cold, I was melting  with joy over...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Jan 1, 2012, 1:45 am
I’m reading this book whenever I sip a cup of tea. It’s wonderful. We saw this movie with the boys, We had so much fun watching it, we’re thinking about seeing it again… to watch the stunts. I have made a ton of Praline Pancakes… and we nibble on them all day long. Source: thehealthy...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 29, 2011, 6:04 pm
And I’m sure you don’t even know it. I saw this picture on the internet…   Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via SusieJ on Pinterest   and for some reason, I thought of you. You smiling. You young. No, you don’t look like him…in a few ways you do. But this is your essence. I can still...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 27, 2011, 8:40 am
This is the 12 days of Christmas, right? This is when all of the holiday hubbub is suppossed to take place anyway. Yet, I know that, like me, you’re tired of it all, and ready to move on. And, I will — after I’ve finished with the Altoids Tin Challenges. It was getting down to the wire — it...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 24, 2011, 8:37 am
Oh yeah. He’s back… and he’s been quite the challenge to “manage” while we’ve been working through the Great Altoids Gift Challenges. Here’s what he’s been up to this year — from my newspaper column. We can freely debate the existence of Santa in our house — but when it comes ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 14, 2011, 6:02 pm
He made his own “origami” envelope for his Wish List, with special instructions for Santa.       Related Posts:RegattaAn Entire Forest of TreesKid’s Definition of a BlastThe Low-Carb Basil Tomato SandwichAs Night Fell on The Ferris Wheel
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 13, 2011, 9:55 pm
... the words printed on the card. This year, Shutterfly gave me a challenge to use one ... Yet, I  love the simplicity of using Shutterfly — I love how you can simply upload ... grab them for a a project, and Shutterfly has already done the back-end design ... I figured out a way to incorpo...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 13, 2011, 7:14 am
The Altoids Christmas Gift is the gift of sustenance. A s’mores Kit Related Posts:The Great Christmas Altoids Tin ChallengeHow To Work From Sun Up Till Sun DownAdvent Mission: Tackle and Have FunSo, That’s What You’ve Been DoingOver the Bridge
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 11, 2011, 7:38 pm
I’ve been banned from the kitchen. I hear the sounds of crinkling paper, tape being pulled…. the elves must be soooo busy. Related Posts:So, That’s What You’ve Been DoingI’ll stop at 999Over the BridgeThat Red Canoe Always Adds A Nice TouchRegatta
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 9, 2011, 10:18 am
... maker is getting this little paint kit, containing at least all the primary colors, from his brother…. Shhhhh. Don’t tell!   Related Posts:The Great Altoids Tin Challenge #2An Entire Forest of TreesI’ll stop at 999Win 25 Cards from Shutterfly: Photoshop/Shutterfly TutorialThe Family P...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 9, 2011, 8:02 am
Did you sleep through Black Friday? On Cyber Monday, were you busy decorating your tree – when you should have been taking advantage of online deals? Me too. You will never catch me waiting in line at 2 a.m. To grab the “deal of a lifetime.” Because, quite frankly, I truly doubt that the deal ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 8, 2011, 9:33 am
Remember that Christmas tree I was so inspired to make? Haven’t made it…and I probably never will. Now, my crane-making-origami-master has moved on to make Christmas trees. He’s making me a whole forest.   Nice, wasn’t it, that I provided him with more leftover sheet music to match the wr...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 6, 2011, 11:33 am
He has been making paper cranes for several weeks now – part of a current, perpetual, unending origami obsession he now holds. One day we checked out 43 origami books from the library — but he prefers to learn how to fold directly from You Tube videos. There is a guy — a teacher — who is ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 4, 2011, 1:03 pm
There was nothing like, snuggling by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate — and no one wrote, “Please take me downtown so that I can see the huge Nativity Scene.” There wasn’t even a discussion about how to make the Advent Calendar cute –”let’s just pile them into a mason jar!.” Ins...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Dec 2, 2011, 1:40 pm
Even though the party doesn’t start until 7:30, I like to have everything done before the kids walk into the door from school. Because, after that, I could loose my cool. Cucumbers, onions and tomatoes are already cut, covered and on the porch (it’s cool there) and waiting to be turned into Gree...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Nov 1, 2011, 3:40 pm
Look closely. This is an Indian Corn Husk Wreath. The corn husk are precisely what gives this wreath its flair. The corn husks are all wildly spread out around the symmetrical circle that the corn cobs create. If you attempt to make this wreath, don’t overlook the vital importance of the husks �...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 31, 2011, 9:25 am
I think Pumpkin Masters sent me their Pumpkin Carving Kit way back in August. From that day forward, the boys pulled that package out of the box every single day, telling me which template was going to be “their” pumpkin. Of course, by the time the day finally came for us to carve our pumpkins, ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 28, 2011, 2:04 pm
The little boys came running into the front door at 12:15 to gobble down their lunch, transform into their costumes, to head back to school by 1:05 for the annual Halloween Parade and party. I told them we would take them back to school, but no, they couldn’t wait for us… they ran out the door a...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 25, 2011, 12:36 pm
It’s true. Surprisingly, decades of studies by National Institute’s of Health have revealed that the tiny insects, fruit flies, which, thankfully, bear little resemblance to people, share, alarmingly, much of our genetic heritage.  The list of human-related topics fruit fly researchers are cu...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 24, 2011, 8:45 am
I know it’s a battle I can never win. But on Trick or Treat night, I always try to come up with something — something healthy that I know the kids will eat. This is my feeble contribution. Cheese slices cut into Halloween shapes with my Halloween Cookie Cutters. The cheese is always gobbled u...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 20, 2011, 12:17 pm
During our tour of Napa last summer, we thought it might nice to join a wine club so that we could receive brand new California wines on our doorstep. So that we could remember those Osyters we had, in the morning, as we were driving back to San Francisco, on dreary, blah days, just like this one ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 18, 2011, 9:03 pm
On Sundays, we have two soccer games, that are usually back-to-back. Funny, how two simple one-hour games seem to eat the whole Sunday. Probably because the games are right smack in the middle of the day. Sometimes the older two boys are out on the fields, reffing their little brother’s games. ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 17, 2011, 9:33 am
This week, I stood on top of the bridge to watch the regatta. Related Posts:RegattaSo, That’s What You’ve Been DoingKid’s Definition of a BlastScenes From An Afternoon With The PulleyI’ve been waiting all fall for this moment…
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 14, 2011, 11:37 am
Two out of four is pretty darn good. I didn’t even serve them a kale shake yet (because mine is gone before they’ve had a chance to taste it– and they are grossed out by the look of it.) This method, “frying kale” tastes so good!!! You can wipe that vision in your head of a vat of oil… ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 12, 2011, 1:43 pm
Pinterest allows you to create a virtual bulletin board around any topic you heart desires. You can view other’s boards for inspiration, and collect those pins onto your own boards. Pinterest can help you solve life’s pressing problems. You can also pin any image or video you find on the Interne...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 11, 2011, 11:29 am
No, Martha Stewart did not drop by my kitchen to help me create these white chocolate ghost pretzels — as you can see by just one look at them. These Ghost Pretzels were made by a real, everyday mom, who couldn’t quite figure out how to get the chocolate to melt in the microwave — or a double...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 10, 2011, 8:15 am
        Related Posts:So, That’s What You’ve Been DoingKid’s Definition of a BlastScenes From An Afternoon With The PulleyThe Low-Carb Basil Tomato SandwichI’ve been waiting all fall for this moment…
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 7, 2011, 5:13 pm
I looked through my camera and found the evidence. This is what those little boys were busy doing in the house, while we were busy taking taking out the dock. Related Posts:I’ve been waiting all fall for this moment…Scenes From An Afternoon With The PulleyKid’s Definition of a BlastThat Red ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 5, 2011, 8:14 am
We needed a place to store the dried snail shells, driftwood that comes in cool shapes, the drawings of snakes and the drawings of the occasional pet dead fish that shows up in my freezer. (I found him, by the way.) And, a lot of rocks. Some of these rocks are purported to be Geodes, and all kinds ...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Oct 3, 2011, 10:30 am
The kid’s busy sports calendar left the coldest weekend this fall as the only spot on the calendar to take the dock out.   This wasn’t the windiest weekend this fall, but it was close. We were wearing our winter coats while my husband stood in the water to take out the poles. Luckily, the wa...
Comment - Like

susiej posted an article on Susiej - Sep 30, 2011, 4:46 pm
This year’s family annual Pumpkin Patch trek happenend at bit earlier this year. The DiscoveringOhio blog sent me out to ferret out the best of the best pumpkin patches in advance, so that you could know where to go.  Lehner’s Pumpkin Farm  made the top of the list. (Friend them on FB here.) T...
Comment - Like