Have You Heard About H.R. 1?

Please note, I'm going to get a little "political" here and I'm not making any apologies. (If I've made an error, please feel free to discuss it with me, just be nice. I only look tough and intimidating.)

So there's lots of talk surrounding the CPSIA and its ignorantly broad wording (go here for a decent overview of it). Lead stinks. No I don't want my kids ingesting it, but I also don't want them to choke on food, so perhaps we should pass some new legislation testing every morsel of food for choking hazard potential. Pudding will never be the same. Ridiculous right? That's my point. Come on, Washington...

Anyway, that's not what this post is about.

Have you heard about H.R.1 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that just passed the House? Unbelievable. If I understand this correctly...

At first I was just outraged that this bill would raise taxes for my grandchildren. No, you read that right...my grandchildren. We are going to fix our economy by dumping more debt onto our grandchildren's shoulders. Nice. Surely I can't be the only one who thinks this is wrong? Shall I even go as far to say morally unacceptable? Aye carumba.

Upon further investigation, you will discover a myriad of noteworthy ways "we" are going to create all these jobs to stimulate our economy. Here are some fine examples I've borrowed from The Family Research Council and American Family Association:

• $3 Billion for Prevention & Wellness Programs, Including $335 million for STD Education and Prevention -- Recent government expenditures in this area include a transgender beauty pageant in San Francisco that advertised available HIV testing and an event called “Got Love? – Flirt/Date/Score” that taught participants how “to flirt with greater finesse.”


• The bill provides billions in reforming the health care system and working towards nationalized health care – with little to no debate.


• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails (Pg. 45 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: "$25,000,000 is for recreation maintenance, especially for rehabilitation of off-road vehicle routes, and $20,000,000 is for trail maintenance and restoration")


• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ (Pg. 15 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: $34,000,000 for the Department of Commerce renovation and modernization")


• $400 million for NASA scientists to conduct climate change research

Just to name a few.

Please consider contacting your Senators asking them to vote against H.R. 1. It's not just our future that depends on it.

Separation Anxiety

Ah, now that's better.

Buttermilk Substitute

Perhaps you have known this quick and easy tip for creating a buttermilk substitute for quite some time. Perhaps you have known forever. Born in the womb with superior culinary knowledge.

Not me. So in the off chance that there could be some poor, uninformed soul like myself stumbling around her kitchen avoiding recipes with buttermilk because it's just not something you keep stocked in your refrigerator, but there's a certain recipe that keeps calling your name, here's what you do:

• Pour one Tbsp. of vinegar into one cup of milk. Stir and let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Congratulations, you are now the proud parent of buttermilk. Pretty painless, huh?

I personally found that putting just under a tablespoon worked better. Trust me, I taste tested and milk-flavored vinegar is not good. But go ahead if you want, just don't blame me for the singed nose hairs.

And I haven't priced store bought buttermilk, but I'm thinking that this might be a little bit cheaper too.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a cake that is calling my name...

Bye, Bye Wet Floors

In honor of our first real snow day, I thought I'd share a a little trick I like to use for wet shoes around our house for my very first Works For Me Wednesday.

We have such a hard time with keeping our floors dry during any kind of wet weather. I used to just lay towels all over the place, but that still didn't quite keep it all up. Then I discovered this little trick that totally works for me.

Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and...voila, no more puddles on the floor as your shoes dry.


Check out more Works For Me Wednesday here.

SNOW!

Oh my, have I ever told you how much I love snow? At the risk of alienating myself and being threatened with bodily harm (again), let me tell you... I LOVE SNOW! I have no idea why. I just love it.

I still get butterflies in my stomach like a small school child over it. I check the weather forecast like crazy when they are calling for it. I announce it to the world when I see it.

Grilled cheese sandwiches with hot chocolate. Snow angels. Snow forts. Catching snowflakes on my tongue. Need I say more?

Even when I worked full time out of the home and had to drive in it I still loved it.

I love it! I love it! I love it!

So, here are some pictures from our first snow day. Too bad it all turned into ice and you could still see the grass. :(

The view from my front porch. Part of the river is covered in snow and ice.

We could not keep him from eating the snow, no matter how hard we tried.

And I don't think I'm the only who enjoyed it.

Fine Feathered Friends

Apparently these guys missed the lesson where you learn to go south for the winter. Because they are still here. And with the freezing temperatures we've had lately I have been feeling awfully sorry for them.

They are cold. They are hungry. And they keep coming in our yard looking for food. I happen to have a two year old who absolutely loves them. So...we feed them. A lot.

I like them for the most part. Except for their poop. Which happens to be plentiful. I have enough poop to deal with in my life. I don't need theirs.

And they are beautiful. Except when they attack each other. Then they just make me mad. I always throw the underdogs extra food. I don't subscribe to the survival of the fittest flock.

Okay, I always throw the female ducks extra food too. But that's just because we've got a common bond. Baby raising. Gotta look out for my sisters.

Then there are the Canadian geese. These suckers are loud. But they are pretty too. And I've never caught them picking on each other. They must do it behind my back.

There were probably about 100 of them at the river today. I'm still wondering why they aren't getting into formation and heading for warmer weather?

Now you see this feathery lady? She joined our crew this spring. She is not a duck. She is a goose, but does not hail from our northern neighbor. She's the only one of her kind. I thought we might be friends. Two lone girls in a hostile world. Then I got to know her.

Don't let her shy, demure pose fool you. She is bossy. And obnoxious. Especially in the summer when the windows are open and I'm trying to ignore the fact that I should be prying my eyes open.

Yet, I still have somehow become attached to her. Caleb named her "Honky Gonky". It was nice to see her again. Not to mention that she kept very quiet. I really liked that.

And here, my friends, is a picture of my three favorite turkeys. Gobble, gobble.

A Whisper and A Seed

It's amazing how one whisper from the Lord can completely change my frame of mind. Not shocking from the One who formed the earth by words alone, I know. But I am amazed nonetheless.

Amazed that a seven word sentence from the Father whispered to my heart immediately awakens my spirit and casts off plaguing thoughts. Financial fretting. Loneliness. A bit of weariness. A spoonful of envy.

Sounds like I've been loading my plate from the enemy's buffet instead of dining at the Father's banquet table, huh? Let's just say I've been fighting a bit of discouragement and leave it at that.

But then, God speaks. Don't you just love the "But thens"? Also known as the "And yets." So then, God speaks:

Jo Ann, this is a year of beginnings.

And though I do not know what that really entails, hope and anticipation are planted.

I'm Confused

Wasn't the whole point of changing over to an artificial Christmas tree supposed to solve the problem of a shedding, live tree?

Saving myself and my vacuum from the tedious task of trying to get all the needles off the floor. Rescuing poor little feet and mouths from the sharp points.

So that come Easter I wasn't finding anymore evidence of our Christmas past. Wasn't that the point?

Then why am I finding these all over the place?

I want a refund.