Studio3Music Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Donna Detweiler’

Feb
13

Favorite Things

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Things We Love

Can you think of some items that enhance the quality of your life? Perhaps this thing makes some job easier. Or maybe you just enjoy using it for who-knows-why? Maybe you use it in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, garage, office or school. What are the products you use regularly and especially enjoy?

I began to think about this as I turned on the electric mattress pad that my husband bought me this fall. I LOVE my mattress warmer. Every night when I know that bedtime is imminent, I flip the dial on to a cozy “3” and crawl in a while later. Ahhhhhh. I’m not sure if this is good or bad, but I have spent more time in bed than ever. That warmer draws me to the sack each evening long before crawling between cold sheets ever crossed my mind. Were it to short out, I would likely get another one pronto!

And so I got curious–what products would you sorely miss if you could no longer buy them? What item would you immediately replace if it were to break? What brands or nifty devices or would you prefer NOT to live without? For what products would you gladly do a commercial?

I asked some friends, and these are a few of their favorite things (sorry, I couldn’t resist):

Electric Tea Kettle: “My friend gave me an electric water kettle for Christmas last year. I think I use it every day!”

BioKleen: “I use a cleaner called BioKleen. It’s totally natural and safe (so okay for the kids to use), but it cleans as well as anything else I’ve used. It cleans stainless steel brilliantly. It smells like grapefruit and orange. Best of all, I buy bottles of concentrate for about $6 each and one bottle lasts me almost a year. (I put one small squirt in a spray bottle filled with water.)” http://biokleenhome.com/

Infusium 23: “Before my friend told me about this leave-in hair conditioner, my hair was a static electricity afro after I used my alcohol-based mousse and hair spray. It was so annoying! Infusium added the moisture and kept static electricity at a minimum. I use this every day on my freshly washed hair, and sometimes again when it’s dry and frizzy.”

M.A.C. Cosmetics: “My favorite make-up is MAC; it’s a little more expensive than drugstore brands but it lasts all day and doesn’t slide, by the end of the day, into the small facial lines (pre-wrinkles) to make me look older.”

Costco Kirkland Signature brands: “I am buying Costco’s Kirkland Signature brands more and more these days, whether it is body wash or cleaning products or electronics or food. The stuff is top quality for the price and the food is almost always organic. I do 90% of my shopping there now.”

Birkenstock Sandals: “My favorite product is my Birkenstock sandals, which I’ve worn since I was 5 months pregnant with my son. I don’t like any other shoes now.”

Catsup: “It’s good on everything!” (This from my son’s friend who piped in when I was talking about this blog.)

I’m on the lookout now for products that people love. As I get more responses, I’ll tell you about them.

I’ve included information below that will help you find the items above.

Heated Mattress Pad: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=116762

Electric kettle: http://www.amazon.com/Aroma-AWK-115S-X-Press-2-Liter-Cordless/dp/B000KDVTJI/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1328158423&sr=1-1

Biokleen: http://biokleenhome.com

Infusium 23: Available at most grocery and drug stores.

MAC Cosmetics: http://www.maccosmetics.com. Also available at Macy’s department store and Costco.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who is aware that the downside of favorite products is that we can get into ruts—so I’m going to keep trying new things too.

Tags: Donna Detweiler

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Feb
3

Simple Pleasures for a Wintery Day

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family, parenting, Recipes, Things to do

When at home with preschoolers during the chilly month of February, the days could get long. Especially if it was a gray day from start to finish. (I realize that it’s gloriously sunny in Seattle today, but the gray will return!) One such day when the clouds were hanging low, my four-year-old said, “Mommy, where’s the morning?” I wondered the same thing.

Often it was the little things that made those darkish days more pleasant. A storybook shared while snuggling on the couch. A slice of warm-from-the-oven banana bread with a pat of butter. A phone call or visit from a friend which might include commiserating, laughing, book sharing and other conversations about the stuff of our lives—important and trivial.

Connecting with a friend was often all I needed to chase the blues away. I treasured those conversations—especially face to face ones. Someone else understood and was walking my path too! And my load was lightened.

I savor the many memories I have of kids running around my house, my friends and I using our well-honed ability to carry on a deep conversation in spite of many interruptions. These play dates often included a hot cup of Chai tea and something to nibble: perhaps a slice of banana bread, because somehow there are always overripe bananas around where there are preschoolers.

If you are struggling with the winter blues today, why not make a phone call or invite a friend over? See what happens to your feelings when you intentionally connect with someone else. Initiate a conversation. Have an old fashioned coffee klatch. Or just go for it and throw a party and fill your house with preschoolers and parents—for no reason at all.

Here are some recipes which have been a pleasant accompaniment to many happy play dates. Chai tea and my aunt’s delicious banana bread. Invite a friend over and enjoy!

Chai Tea Recipe

However much water you use initially is how much milk (preferable whole milk) you add to the batch at the end.
Black Tea
Cardamom Pods (crack open a bit) I use 5 -7 pods for 3 -4 cups of chai
Fresh Ginger – cut up or crush about a 1” inch segment
Cook water, cardamom, ginger and tea – boil for about 3 – minutes
Strain off the cardamom, ginger and tea bags (you could always put the cardamom, ginger and tea bag in a cheesecloth pouch to make it easier to strain later.
Add milk, and heat back up.
Add sugar or sweetener to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

Aunt Lib’s Banana Bread

¾ c. flour
1 ½ c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2 eggs
2 med. ripe bananas (1 cup)
½ c. vegetable oil
¼ c. + 1 T buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. In another bowl mix together eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and walnuts. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who usually find banana bread dry and boring, but goes for seconds on this version!

Tags: Donna Detweiler, indoor activities, recipes

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Jan
25

Neighborhood Kids Club

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Things to do

As parents, one of our most important jobs is to help facilitate our kids’ ideas. Not that I’m always good at deviating from my adult routines, which all too often dominate. But once in a while, I find myself caught up in their vision, and it makes for memorable, important experiences for us both.

On such moment was the neighborhood kids club my daughter decided to host. She was around 8 years old at the time. We often had families with younger children visit, and she had an interest in these little ones. Her girlfriend who lived next-door was also, and one day they hatched the neighborhood kids club idea.

They created elaborate plans which they excitedly showed me. A permission slip was designed. Lists of games prepared. A detailed schedule constructed, including when the children would take a potty break and have a nap. The 5 children invited ranged from 2 to 4 years old.

We chose a date, and the girls called each of the parents. The children were thrilled to have been invited to “Katie’s house.” The mothers’ reaction was much the same. And so the plans were set.

The girls worked hard to get everything ready. They refined their lists. Got out the age-appropriate toys. They enthusiastically shopped for snacks and juice boxes at the store. They could hardly wait.

The moms and kids arrived and signed in their children. Smiles were on all faces as these young girls took charge of these delighted little ones. Much to my surprise, most of the moms actually left, which tells you how desperate mothers can be for time away!

For the next hour and a half, the budding teachers cared for their little charges. They played Ring around the Rosie, and toss the balloon. They had a snack and played outside. They read a story. They also chased around little boys who wouldn’t sit in a circle, or play a game, or do anything they were told to do. They learned that sometimes the schedule doesn’t work and that kids do what they want to do and you can’t make them do what YOU want them to.

At the end of the club, the mom’s picked up their children, who got hugs and kisses before they reluctantly left. The teachers were not so reluctant to see them go. They were exhausted!

“Mom, that wasn’t as fun as I thought it would be,” said my tired daughter.

“Well, let’s talk about that,” I responded. “What did you learn?”

A lot, we concluded. Little kids don’t sit in circles very well. They like to play outside the best. Some kids don’t like to color. Snack time was a success.

“I think stations for coloring and snack would be a good idea for next time,” she concluded. “And we’ll play more games outside too.”

And they did. The next club was better than the first. But she was still pretty tired at the end. Reality.

I’d recommend encouraging your interested kids to host a neighborhood kids club. It was a great experience for my daughter and didn’t take much planning or extra work for me. We had all the resources at home. The kids made the entire plan. I played a supporting role and enjoyed it.

I’m not sure if my daughter is destined to be a teacher or not, but I know that she learned a lot, not only about kids, but about having an idea and seeing it come to life, imperfections and all. And isn’t that what life is about.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who sees how having older children interact with younger children is a win for everyone.

Tags: Donna Detweiler, learning, preschoolers, Things to do

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Jan
15

Confessions of a Procrastinator

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family

It’s New Year’s resolution season. Have you noticed all the TV shows, talk radio, church services and even commercials are urging us to tackle bad habits in 2012? Truth is I’m probably hearing all those messages because I feel convicted! I know I’m supposed to do something about my habit of procrastination. But I’ll think about that later…

When I was single, my friends and coworkers complemented me for my self-discipline. Would someone please tell my husband that it’s very rude of him to laugh so hard at that description of his wife? I was disciplined back then! If you only have one duck to line up (me), how hard is that? So why put it off?

But then I got married and had kids, which equals ducks galore, if you know what I mean. And because they rarely lined up for more than a moment anyway, why should I try until the nick of time?

My descent into procrastination was gradual. I tried to keep up “duck management” in my early married life. I continued my notebook with weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. I made out a menu and grocery list for the week. I cleaned the house regularly. Mr. Clean was my bff. Somewhere after baby number one got a baby sister, I lost ground. My personal goals notebook went missing ten years ago.

Though I don’t know how they do it, some mothers don’t procrastinate! Their laundry gets done before someone has run out of clean underwear. They have eggs back in the refrigerator before they get halfway into a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. The sheets are laundered and the bed made up before the mother-in-law is ready to retire to the guest room for the night. Of course I’ve never procrastinated to such an extreme. (I’ll blog about lying next January.)

Somewhere amidst being a wife, mothering, homeschooling and blogging, I guess I slid down a slippery slope into procrastination. So now you know why it’s time for a New Year’s resolution. I feel the call; I’m tired of the chaos. My ducks are a little older. They can actually line up on their own once in a while. I guess it’s time to attempt to return to my former life of discipline. To fan that flame. To find my old notebook. To prove my smirking husband wrong. Wish me luck!

-posted by Donna Detweiler who has not procrastinated in the writing of this blog. Victory # 1.

Image: EA / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tags: Donna Detweiler

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Jan
9

Party Mix Anyone?

Posted in Bits and Pieces, Family, Recipes, Things to do

Back in the 60’s, my parents called it “Nuts and Bolts.” Around holiday time, mounded bowls of party mix always accompanied their Christmas parties. On baking day, the savory combination of cheerios, peanuts, and pretzels roasted in butter, seasoning salt and Worcestershire sauce would keep me hovering in the kitchen, my mouth watering as the warm, rich smell permeated the house. When it was done, my mother would spread the hot mix out to cool on a cut-apart brown paper bag.

Today, party mix can no longer be called “Nuts and Bolts.” It has evolved way beyond that nickname. I counted 75 versions of party mix on the Chex website! From sickly sweet to super savory, there is something for every set of taste buds. In the sweet category, these sparked my curiosity: Bananas Foster Crunch, Ginger Honey, Hot-Buttered Yum, and Chai Crunch. Interesting savory selections included: Cajun Kick, Moroccan Crunch, Chili & Lime, and Backyard BBQ.

As a child, when we made party mix in the oven it was an hour long process. I always hung around and “helped” so I could snack. With the microwave, 15 minutes is all you need to concoct a batch. Little hands can help with measuring, pouring and stirring. This makes a good activity for a wintery day or night with a delicious result.

This week, each of my children chose a Chex mix recipe for me to share with you. Katie, 10, picked the good ol’ traditional. David, 13, chose one called “Deviled.” For these recipes, go to www.Chex.com. For nostalgia sake, I called my mother and got her recipe for the original “Nuts and Bolts” from her dog-eared Betty Crocker Cookbook. Enjoy!

Nuts and Bolts—Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1971

4 c. cheerios
1 ½ c. mixed nuts
1 ½ c. seasoned croutons
1 c. pretzels
½ c. salad oil
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Measure cereal into a large roasting pan. Mix spices with salad oil and pour over cereal, mix well. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

-posted by Donna Detweiler, who has a tradition of taking party mix on airplanes for snacking with the complementary drinks. Yum.