Morning person-ness and spring cleanings

A few days ago, I have decided to try and become a morning person. So far, it has been working well.  As long as I go to sleep at 11 p.m., which is precisely 8 hours before I have to wake up, I am actually downright cheerful once I roll out of bed.  I usually turn everything off at around 10:30 (TV, computer, etc) and start my pre-bed routine:  wash face, put on lotion, check all the locks, set the alarm, load the shotgun...  Don't judge, it's tough having a deployed husband.  Then, at 11, it is lights out.  I have been waking up earlier, and being more productive than I usually am.  Today, due to going to bed late last night (Jon called, yay!), I woke up at 9, which is still not too shabby for a weekend.  So far, I have decided to embark on some spring cleaning.  My house is generally pretty clean, but I need to do some vacuuming and yard cleaning.  I don't ever try to tackle spring cleaning in one day, but rather do a little at a time as I go along.  Makes things easier on my back AND on my conscience.  With that, I must wrap up writing and run along to do some laundry, too.  Will this stuff EVER learn to fold itself?  'Til next time!

Sunday Morning Pancake Recipe

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Stir the milk, vinegar, and lemon juice together in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes to curdle. Whisk in egg, butter, and vanilla extract.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest until well combined. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk a few times until the batter is mostly free of lumps.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes over with a spatula and brown the other side, about 2 more minutes.

Money, take 1.

I don't know anyone who does not have money issues.  Most of my friends are military, and (much like us) are trying to make ends meet.  Savings?  Who has the liquid assets for THAT??

I personally believe if we were all a little more honest with ourselves about what we spend money on, we might actually have a few cents left over at the end of the month to put aside for that proverbial rainy day.  With that in mind, today marks my first day of the move towards my own financial recovery.  My only method will be balancing my checkbook DAILY.  I have an app on my phone, and the moment I charge anything to my check card, I enter it into the virtual checkbook register app.  I will post progress after a month of doing that, and let you guys know how well that works.

What about you, dear readers?  Any simple strategies you have for making sure you don't overdraft your bank accounts?  Fire away in the comments.

Bad day survival tips.

So I have been having what may be qualified as a bad week.  My husband (who is one of them US Marine peoples), just took off on another deployment Monday.  This one is 7 months or so, and I am moping.  It's not our first deployment, but it's the first one where I am staying home instead of also deploying (I am a veteran).  It's actually pretty dismal.  So I am indulging in a glass (2, 3...?) of red wine, some chocolate truffles, and even some left overs from dinner.  Not my usual modus operandi, but I feel like some times you need to set aside a day (no more, or it becomes a habit) where you just overindulge.  No guilt, no regret.  Screw the extra calories, sodium intake, and alcohol content.  Just a day to mope, nosh, whatever.  Setting aside a day just for that, and knowing it ends there, helps you start the next day from a fresh, relaxed perspective.  Otherwise you just carry all the bad crap around, and eventually you will snap, and we will see you on the evening news, where the men in white coats take you away.  The upside to that is I hear they have fun, bouncy rubber rooms.  That ought to be pretty fun, right??  I kid, I kid.  There really needs to be a sarcasm font.  But the bottom line is, don't be afraid to have a bad day.  Indulge it, make it better, and have a good day tomorrow :)