The Lent Experiment - Day 24

Thank goodness it is Friday!! I love Friday mornings because it means the weekend is only hours away. Today, I want us to make the most of our Friday and not rush through it to get to the weekend, so...

Your choices for today are:

1 - Talk to someone you don't know in an elevator, a bus stop, or a coffee shop. Make a joke or help them out with something. It's strange how a crowd of people can stand together and not talk to each other, even though they have nothing else to do.

- or -

2 - Buy a bag of yummy treats and give them out to people you see throughout the day. Super nice and super tasty! If they ask why, tell them you are trying to spread some niceness, then encourage them to pay it forward NEXT Friday!

Your Girlfriend,
Michelle

Foodie Friday: Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick's Day is just five days away and before it is too late, I wanted to share a great Irish Soda Bread recipe straight from the Irish Isle!

So what's the deal with the giant X on Irish Soda Bread? The cross is said to scare away the evil spirits.

Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. and 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine both flours, oats, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and butter. Stir until dough is combined. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until soft and elastic. Shape into a round loaf and place on baking sheet. With a knife, slash an X into top of bread. Bake for one hour or until the bread is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Let the bread cool completely.

If you are a person who likes quick and easy, here is another recipe. My mom used to make this when we had potato soup. We called it Irish Flat Bread in our house.

Irish Flat Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup Bisquick
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds

Mix the Bisquick and water. Grease a cookie sheet. Pat the bread in a circle on the sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

However you choose to prepare your food, complex or simple, it is a great way to discover other cultures!

Your Irish Girlfriend,
Melinda

The Lent Experiment - Day 23

Today is Thursday, Day 23 of The Lent Experiment. I love Thursdays - it means one more day until the weekend and many of my favorite television shows are on Thursday evenings which makes grading papers all the more enjoyable!! Have a great Thursday, and remember, niceness saves lives, sort of...

Your choices for today are:

1 - If you don't know your neighbor, pop over with some cake or cookies (way cooler if they're home made) and introduce yourself. If you know your neighbor, stop over with some goodies to promote community. What ever happened to community, eh?

- or -

2 - Buy two of something and give the extra one away. Take advantage of Buy One Get One Free offers or just buy two of something and donate to a local food pantry.**

Your Girlfriend,
Michelle

Fighting the Blues

As many of you know, I just had my third baby. What an adjustment this was for my family! My new little man is quite possibly perfect, and yet my family is far from it! If you have experienced the joy of child birth, you have probably experienced the low that follows when you come home from the hospital. The first week home is a weepy, tired existence. Add two other kids to the mix, a husband, and a 90 lb dog, and well, need I say more? Am I telling you all this to complain...well maybe! :0) No, I am sharing this to remind you we all are going through rough spots sometimes. Through this time, I have seen more love poured out to myself and family. Simple things- a meal, a card of encouragement, a phone call- mean so much. Sometimes we just need a little pick-me-up, and who better to help us with this than a girlfriend!

Many are fighting the Winter Blues right now! Winter, especially the months of January, February, and March, can be particularly depressing. Lack of sun and activity can make even the most even-tempered woman stir crazy! Below are a few helpful tips to get you back to your smiling, good-natured self.

Activity #1 Get Out Of Bed
...and out of those PJ's! We all have days where we do not want to get up and moving and dressed. Too many of these can lead to problems. If you are feeling low, dress-up nice that day. Looking good helps you feel better and to have a more positive outlook.

Activity #2 Allow The Sun Shine In
As soon as you get out of bed, fling open those curtains and allow the sun to shine in to your home. Sunshine is a great motivator.

Activity #3 Eat Right
Don't live on a lot of sugar and don't live on a lot of junk food. Eat those healthy vegetables and fruits. Lay off a bit on those carbs that weight you down and make you feel sluggish. While you are at it, drink those 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. If you eat right, you will feel better. If you feel better, you won't be as depressed.

Activity #4 Exercise
Exercise is known to raise our endorphins. When our endorphins are higher, we feel better. It is just a known fact. If it is too cold to exercise outside, consider joining a gym where you can interact with others or start exercising in your home.

Activity #5 Interact With Friends
Visit your friends. Call your friends on the phone. Plan an outing. Just do something that you enjoy doing with those you enjoy.

Activity #6 Take Time for Yourself
Read a book or take a relaxing bath. Find a hobby you enjoy and find time to do it each week.

Source: adapted from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2622065/beating_the_winter_blues.html?cat=5

I hope these tips help - help you feel better and help you beat the blues. If these don't work, remember, you always have a friend here to chat with!

Your girlfriend,
Melinda

The Lent Experiment - Day 22

The Lent Experiment rolls on to day 22. Did you make plans for your brunch this weekend? I did. I invited a few families to join us for brunch after church this coming Sunday, and yes, I did invite a family that we have been 'meaning' to get to know better. I am excited! I hope your 'hump day' is great and that someone is blessed by you today!!

Your choices for today are:

1 - Have a complaint free day. No complaining. Not about anything. None. Not even if she spills hot coffee on your lap.

- or -

2 - Buy or bake something for someone. There is nothing like homemade baked good to get people to gather and gab. Bake a batch of cupcakes or cookies and take them into work, to class, or to a meeting. Baking not your thing? There is nothing wrong with using a mix and icing from a can. Still not convinced? Stop at your favorite cupcakery and buy a dozen to share!

Your Girlfriend,
Michelle

Weigh-In Wednesday - Three Random Things

Let's just say that my daughter's concert went longer last night than I had anticipated and since I was so tired, you get Three Random Things about Me. Lucky You!! I would love it if you would post your three random things in the comments section. I think that would be fun to read!! For what it is worth, my daughter completely rocked the glockenspeil!!


Three Random Things about Me

Three names I go by:
1. Michelle
2. Mrs. Chapman
3. Mom

Three jobs I've had:
1. Fifth grade teacher
2. Literacy Consultant
3. Cashier at Sparkle Market (good times!)

Three places I've lived:
1. Canal Fulton, Ohio
2. Uniontown, Ohio
3. Canton, Ohio

Three favorite drinks:
1. Starbucks soy chai latte, no water, no foam
2. Iced tea – decaf, of course
3. Diet Dr. Pepper – decaf, of course

Three favorite childhood books:
1. Jame and the Giant Peach

2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
3. The Little Girl from... (series - I wish I could find these now!)

Three TV shows I watch:
1. Survivor
2. Grey’s Anatomy – yep, I am ashamed to admit this!
3. Bachelor – yep, ditto!

Three places I have been:
1. Maui
2. Las Vegas
3. Cancun/Cozumel

Three places I'd like to visit:
1. Grand Canyon – I’ve flown over it…
2. Africa
3. Alaska

Three people who text me regularly:
1. Jeremy
2. Pam
3. Janelle

Three favorite old TV shows:
1. Seinfeld
2. The Brady Bunch
3. Happy Days

Three favorite things to eat:
1. Romeo’s Pizza – my new obsession
2. Southwest Egg Rolls
3. Anything from Cheesecake Factory

Three things I'm looking forward to:
1. Summer – for many reasons…
2. Completing my reading endorsement – ugh!
3. Grandchildren – not for many, many, many, many years!

Your Girlfriend,

Michelle

PS - What other random things would be fun to know?

The Lent Experiment - Day 21

Today is day 21 for The Lent Experiment, which means if you joined us at the very beginning of our experiment, you have been at it for three weeks! That is awesome! For those of you just checking us out, you may be wondering why we are doing The Lent Experiment. You can check out the blog post that started it all right here. It is never too late to join us and we would love to have you!!

Your choices for today are:

1 - Pull out your planner again and plan a Sunday Brunch for a group of people that you have been MEANING to get together with. Your house does not need to be Martha Stewart clean or Martha Stewart decorated to hostess others. Remember to KISS – Keep It Super Simple. Invite everyone to bring a breakfast dish to share or just make pancakes, bacon, and sausage.

Make brunch, not war..........

- or -

2 - Go to the Dollar Store and pick a gift for someone. It could be boring and useful like scented hand soap for the bathroom at work, goofy like a picture frame with a picture of yourself for a co-workers desk, or meaningful like a favorite verse or quote in a small frame. I wonder who can find the best thing?

Your Girlfriend,
Michelle