Life-changing: The Dyson Slim Cordless Vacuum

It's been a while since my last "life-changing" post.  I just haven't been extra "wowed" by anything lately.  That is... until my husband and kids gave me the Dyson Slim stick cordless vacuum as one of my Christmas presents.

Now, normally, I might get a little "huffed" at receiving a house-cleaning item as a gift but they know something you don't and that is:  I'm a little obsessive about my floors.... these floors....

.....and I'm not proud of it.  When we renovated our house, I was intent on getting the darkest floors possible (I was super close to going with black) and in a wide-plank, hand-rubbed finish.  The end result is beautiful...... when clean (did I mention I have 3 kids?).

Enter this baby.

So here's what all the fuss is about:

1. It's cordless.  Which means I can do my entire hardwood downstairs and upstairs plus 2 bedrooms with low pile carpet in 10 minutes or less which is a far cry from sweeping; lugging the big vacuum around; or continuously changing and washing dust mop pads. This cordless feature also means I can easily take it out on the screen porch to give it a quick once over without any hassle.
2. It's gets in tight places.  That whole Dyson ball thing is the real deal and because it's the "stick" design;  I can easily maneuver under furniture; along my baseboards, and in those hard to reach places below my kitchen counters where strange things can lurk for months.
3. It has great suction.  My main issue with my floors really isn't the crumbs that are part of everyday life but the dust and the dust bunnies that seem to attack out of nowhere and drive me crazy.  Other small vacuums I own have lost this battle.  This one really gets the dust up. 
4. It's flexible.  It has a short arm attachment that allows you to use it in the car or on upholstery (although I haven't tried this out yet) and,
5. It's lightweight.  Which means my 6 year old and definitely my 11 year old may be picking up a new chore around the house. :)

Now, there are 2 minor short-comings I must point out....

1. It only holds a charge for 15 minutes.... which isn't a problem for someone like me who uses it every day but may be for the otherwise occupied (aka not obsessive) or mansion dwellers. :)
2. It costs about $300.  Which, believe me, my first reaction was...... do you know how many pillows, a cashmere blanket, shoes, a necklace..... or other things I could have bought with that!

(not me or my house) :)

..... but those things wouldn't have given me back what I seem to be craving a lot these days..... time.  And for those of you who are reading this and thinking "Is she serious (or crazy)?  You care that much about your floors?.... get a grip!"..... Well, I know and I'm working on that! :)  

Life-changing: Allrecipes.com

Note:  Self proclaimed "food snobs" or "foodies" need not read this post.... this likely will not change your life. :)

I'm a baker.  It just seems to fit nicely with my personality in that it rewards structure, discipline and perseverance with something sweet.  Cooking.... not so much.  In my mind, cooking rewards creativity, finesse, and flexibility..... unfortunately, not strong traits of mine.  So, until about a year or so ago, I would happily distribute cookies, breads, cakes, etc. to my family and friends while being struck with anxiety and fear at the idea of hosting them for a dinner party.

That all changed when I discovered allrecipes.com.....  Here's why:

1. There is strength in numbers:  This site is huge!  There are thousands of recipes to search and lots of folks providing feedback on the recipes.  So, when 54 THOUSAND people have saved a Chicken and Biscuit recipe and have given it 4.5 out of 5 stars; I feel relatively confident that the recipe is going to be good.
2. Variety:  Prior to allrecipes, I had my standard 5-6 recipes that I made week in and week out for my family.  Here, you can sign up for a new recipe to be e:mailed to you each day.
3. The recipes are simple:  Hence my foodie note above.  You won't find a lot of complicated ingredients and instructions here (at least I haven't) which suits me and my three picky eaters just fine.
4. It's easy to use:  There is a great search engine if you have a craving for a certain dish.  And, if you register, you can set up an online recipe box and store all your recipes on their site.  With the click of a button you can add, delete or rearrange them anyway you'd like.  Now, instead of searching thru my cookbooks in frustration; I just carry my laptop into the kitchen with me.
5. It's free! 
6. But, it's life-changing because it has allowed me to experience success in cooking which has given me the confidence to try out more recipes, do more entertaining, and finally replace that anxiety with joy in the kitchen (and maybe a couple of pounds) :)

Here is that Chicken and Biscuit recipe I'll be trying out next week.

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

Rated: Submitted By: CVERNSMITH Photo By: mominml Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes Servings: 6

"Packed with assorted veggies, this giant chicken pot pie wears a delicate buttermilk biscuit topping."

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped baby carrots 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 cups chicken broth 1 (10 ounce) can peas, drained 4 cups diced, cooked chicken meat 2 cups buttermilk baking mix 2 teaspoons dried basil 2/3 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.	In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in butter until tender. Mix in the flour, sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and pepper. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil 1 minute, reduce heat, and stir in peas. Simmer 5 minutes, then mix in chicken. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.
3.	In a medium bowl, combine the baking mix and 2 teaspoons dried basil. Stir in milk to form a dough. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 balls. On floured wax paper, use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball of dough into a circular shape; place on top of chicken mixture.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake for 10 more minutes. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over biscuits.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 10/4/2011

Bon appetit!

Life-changing: Etsy

Note:  ...... please know before you start judging me as someone shallow and materialistic; I realize that most people reserve the words "life-changing" for some deep or monumental spiritual event of which, ofcourse, I have some of my own.  HOWEVER, as this is intended to be light-hearted and fun; we'll save the "heavy-lifting", emotional stuff for later.

Life-changing entry #1:  Etsy.  If you've been reading all 1 1/2 weeks of this blog, you've probably already realized how much I adore this site and visit it often.  Here are the reasons why:

1. It's just good stuff!  These folks (well, 95% of them) take their art; whatever it may be; seriously and it shows with great quality from start to finish in their photos, actual products, and packaging. 
2. It's easy.  It's like going to the best antique or craft show, thrift shop or swap meet in one place.... and it's worldwide!  Ofcourse,  I realize a lot of folks, including me, like the "hunt" every once in a while; but heaven knows I don't have the luxury of time to do it very often.  Here, I can type something in "search" and get hundreds of results.  
3. It's less expensive.  Because most of these folks are just crafters in their own homes; there is no middle man mark-up and yet, so many of the products are customizable!
4. It's life-changing.  Because I am able to give more thoughtful gifts which builds stronger relationships;  I save a lot of time which I can then spend with my family;  and I feel great about buying from the "little guy" honing his or her craft and pursuing his/her passion....  I've gone this far, I might as well bring it home! :)

.... and no, I don't own stock or sell anything on Etsy (although I'd like to!). :)  Here are just a few of my favorites today:

self inking custom rubber stamp

home sweet home pillow

The English Major open edition print

Handmade monogrammed vase