Best Friend Mugs

Katie and I have been best friends since we were 2.  I know what you're probably thinking... "how can anyone have a best friend when they are 2?" Well, I found mine when I was 2 and we've been best friends ever since.

Every year Katie and I make something for one another for Christmas (It comes from the heart that way). This year, with the help of Pinterest, I knew exactly what I was going to make for her.

VoxBox 2012

I told ya'll about my fun adventure into influenster and getting great products to review and share with you.  Well, a week ago I received my first box.  I was eager to rip it open and find what cool stuff I got to try out.  The box included: Ghirardelli Sea Salt Escape Chocolate Bar, Bath and Body Works Forever Red Perfume, Gillette Venus razor with a replacement blade with Olay in it, also there were 2 pens from Pilot called Frixion.

Now that I have had time to try everything, here is my review for you! If there is something that you like, just click on the products name to be taken to the website where you can purchase it.

Easy Language Learning for the Kiddos

Harley has been asking me to teach her a new language.  They learn a little Spanish every morning in her class and she's been really enjoying it.  Hardest part is... I haven't had a language class since I was in high school.  I'm a little rusty when it comes to it.  

I was excited when influenster was advertising a new language learning program that was designed specifically for kids.  They include cartoon characters and fun music to keep the kids attention.  They also use pictures that kids would know and that way they know exactly what word they are learning.  

Something Light and Yummy!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I know I sure did. Spent time with family, and way too much food.  

Now that we are getting back into the swing of things, I wanted to make something for dinner that was not only light but healthy too.  This is what I came up with!

I'm not sure what to call it (I'd love your help!), but I can tell you one thing, it sure was good.  It was exactly what I was looking for.

Here is the recipe for you:

Influenster

I'm so excited to announce that I have joined a new and exciting "club" called Influenster. This is a online community where you can test things out and then report and review what you have tested! As soon as I found this site, I knew it was for me.

I love giving people advise and sharing with them new and exciting finds.

Please make sure you subscribe to my blog so you can keep up to date on all the new products I'll be giving my opinion on.

If you are interested in becoming a "influenser" too, please send me an email and I'll send you an invite.  This is an invite only community (forgot to mention that!)

Talk to you all later!!

❤Nicole

Garlic Pork with Tomato and Basil

I love fall! The air is getting crisper, the leaves are turning beautiful colors and it's also harvest time.

Some of you may have planted a garden this spring and this recipe is great to use some of those home grown vegetables in.

Now, I didn't plant a garden myself, but I do have some basil growing and my parents planted tomatoes and have them practically growing out their ears and were all too happy to give me a few. If you didn't plant a garden, don't fret! You can still make this recipe from getting the fresh produce at your grocery store, or even better yet, at your local farmer's market.

No More Soap Scum!!

Greetings!  This is the first post of The Many Adventures of a Modern Housewife, so welcome :0)

I had to tell you about this wonderful new product that I have found.  I'm not usually one to listen to the mindless ranting of solicitors, but for some reason I decided to hear the guy out. "It'll take the rust of and oil off your driveway," he said.  Guess what.... it did!  Well that's pretty cool. 

After talking to him for a while and him promising me that it will work on everything from asphalt to windows, I decided to purchase it.  

I have to tell you.... it's AMAZING!  I cleaned my countertops, stove, windows, toilet, shower, bathtub, and even the faucets that were covered in soap scum.  I don't know about where you live, but here in Albuquerque we fight with hard water every day.  Soap scum and hard water stains are always a headache and for a housewife like me, this was an answer to my prayers.

This miracle product is called

Tried And True

There is something to be said about the cookware of yesterday.  I'm not sure if they just made things better back then, or manufacturers are cutting corners and not making a lasting product anymore.  Whichever the case, I have decided that when it comes to getting new cookware for my home, I'm going to either check antique stores or turn to one of my older family members.

Just yesterday I was making dinner for my family in a dutch oven, I was making my fancy shepherd's pie (recipe follows), and I decided to use the new one from Pampered Chief that my mother gave me a few years back.  I was browning the meat when all of a sudden... POP! It had cracked along the entire bottom.  My yummy brown bits... you know, the ones that form on the bottom of the pan when you are browning meat... were escaping into the flame of the burner.  Quickly I reached for the dutch oven that my grandmother had given me, which she had used for years.  I finished browning the meat, sweating the vegetables and even had it in the oven for 2 hours without a single pop.  This makes me wonder what's the difference between the new one and the old?

Making It New Again!

I've had this southwestern style lamp for years and my style is anything but southwestern, so I decided to remake it into a style that is more mine.

Here is a picture of the lamp before I remade it:

Not bad, but definitely not my style.

So i went to WalMart and got some silver metallic spray paint.  My master bedroom is grey with accents of red and silver.  So the change will fit much better.

Awww... it's Fall!

Now with the State Fair in full gear and with all this cold rainy weather, it has felt like fall but hasn't quite looked fallish.  Well that all changed yesterday when I came home after dropping Harley off at school and found the first fallen leaf of fall.

Time to get out all the fall decor for the house!  I absolutely love decorating the house for all the different seasons and holidays, so why not!?  Ok, so yes I maybe the only house on the block that looks like fall has thrown up all over it, but I could care less.

Rainy Day Blues

Ok, so I know that the first day of fall isn't technically till the 22nd, but it sure does feel like fall here in Albuquerque.  It rained all day yesterday and is supposed to rain most of the day today.  Yes, we do get rain here in New Mexico.  I'm sure a lot of you are surprised. ;)

All this rain has made perfect weather for cuddling up on the couch and watching Singing In The Rain, but with a 4 year old I can't very well do that.  So what do you do with a 4 year old when it's too wet to go outside?  In our house we build a fort!

Cooking Challenge?

I love to cook and I try to make a homemade dinner every night, but I'm always trying to learn more.  Recently I saw the move Julie & Julia again and that got me thinking.  Could I be like Julie Powell and cook all the recipes in a cook book?  Most importantly is could I MASTER the recipes and even make them my own?

Stamping Is Fun!

Boy does it seem like forever since I posted.  I do apologize for that.  Time just seemed to get away with me from Harley's 4th birthday to her starting school, boy have things been busy!

Well that's not what this post is about today.  This past weekend my mom and I drove up to Denver for the Stampin' Up! Southwest Regional Convention.  If you haven't heard of Stampin' UP! Than let me fill you in.

Quick Tip Tuesday's

Never know when your oil is good and hot when you're cooking?  Place a popcorn kernel in the oil and when the oils is hot enough, the kernel will pop!  Just remove the kernel (careful, it's HOT) and cook!  Have a great Tuesday :)

The Oh So Dreaded Ice Box

Have you ever lost your appetite just by opening the ice box (Refrigerator for all you that have never ventured to the South)?  Is this maybe because it's way too cluttered or you are just grossed out by all the spills?  Seeing this in my ice box over and over finally took its toll and I had to do something!

Summer Days

Well, school is now out and summer has officially started.  It won't be too long before moms and dads are pulling out their hair because the kids are bored.  Beat the summer time boredom and plan a fun summer.

These activities don't have to be expensive and most the time the funniest ones cost little to no money at all!  

I have compiled a list of some activities for you and your kids to do this summer.  I hope it helps with the hair pulling ;)

Getting Your Kids Involved

Who said us mom's had to do all the work when it comes to cleaning?  Why not get our kids involved and have them help you clean?!  I'm not talking about having them cleaning the oven or working with noxious fumes, but have them do small easy things like vacuuming, cleaning their room, having them help you with the laundry, etc.

I have my little one help me with house work all the time.  It makes her feel like a big girl and it helps me as well.

The Come Back of the Sack Lunch

Do you remember the days when you could buy lunch at school for a buck fifty?  Seems like today there's not much you can get with a buck fifty.  Just like everything else, lunch has gone up in price and down in quality.  This is why I insist on making lunch for both my husband and daughter.  This way I know where their lunch is coming from, but also it just tastes better for them as well.

Life and Death

Yesterday my daughter got some fish from the store.  She was so excited! She named her fish Goldie and Onyx.  She even couldn't sleep because she just wanted to watch them all night.

The Art of Ironing

There is just something satisfying about a nice crisp, clean, strait seam in a pair of pants. What's sad is that it is so easy to do on your own, yet hundreds of dollars are spent every year taking your clothes to the dry cleaner just to get the same thing. It surprises me how many men and women don't know how to iron.

I decided that this post was going to teach those of you out there who don't know how to iron, and maybe refresh or teach something new to those who do.  So grab a pile of fresh clean clothes, turn on some tunes (gotta make ironing fun) and lets get ironing!

First, here are the things you need: