Me | Trinkets of Thought

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May 19, 2010 by Maren · Comments: 8 Comments

You know you’ve been married A LONG TIME when you buy yourself a vacuum for your own anniversary present and you plan to use a gift card (that was given to you at Christmas) to go out to celebrate…And that’s just how you like it.

12 1/2 years ago, I met my best friend. And my life has been better since. At that time, my roommate insisted that Michael was “THE ONE” for me–I’ve always thought it was funny that she knew first. He stole my heart, 1988 two-toned blue Ford Aerostar and all. Today, Michael and I celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary. I’m still in love with God’s ABSOLUTE BEST for me, and I couldn’t be happier.

Thanks for being my knight, Mr. Boehm. I love you.

Doesn’t the last picture make you laugh? It’s a true sign that we’d just gotten out of the nineties…

Filed Under: Me, Michael · Comments: 8 Comments

Duh-Aha Tips

May 14, 2010 by Maren · Comments: 18 Comments

These tips aren’t really to teach you anything. You probably already know them. I’ve recently thought about OBVIOUS tricks that took me FOREVER to learn around the house and kitchen. You know, the kind where you think, “Why did it take me so incredibly long to do this?”

1. Throw fresh ginger in the freezer and it can be used forever. (Well, maybe not forever, but a lot longer than the moldy green stuff it turns into in the refrigerator.)

2. Throw lemon peel in the freezer and user it for zest later or first make the zest then put it in the freezer (though I’m too lazy for option#2.)

3. I recently started keeping blow dryer plugged in next to my bed. After showering I go lay back in bed and blow-dry my hair. Why did I not think of this eons ago? It’s fabulous.

4. I’m sure 99.9% of people in the world do this. BUT I didn’t think of it until about 3 years after I was married!!! Cold water can be run over pasta to speed up the cooling process. I feel so dumb to admit this one. *tucks head in shame.*

5. I got tired of cooling HOT baby food by blowing on it. I now stir it with an ice cube for just a couple of seconds!

6. Label the tops of spices and throw them in a basket. BEST spice organization EVER because the ease of use sure beats the typical knock-over-every-single-other-spice-to-get-the-one-you-want method!!!!!

7. If a recipe calls for super fine/caster sugar, don’t buy it. Just pulse it in the blender for a few seconds.

8. If your gravy is lumpy, throw it in a blender. But make sure to avoid a blender explosion by blending in small batches and using a towel to cover the blender when blending anything hot. Been there Done That–Got the T-shirt and the burn; Thanksgiving 2007.

8. Aspirin is great for diminishing unsightly acne on one’s face (I may or may have used this remedy this weekend for a couple of ugly blemishes that made my mouth look like the Joker’s!). Right before bed, just crush a tablet up, mix with a tiny bit of water, and apply a very small amount to the gargantuan embarrassment. In the morning, it will look a ton better, I promise! Helps take away the redness and works like a charm. If only I had know about this one in high school when my whole face was a zit.

9. Use a behind the door shoe rack to store miscellaneous baby items.

I am embarrassed about how messy this is…but it is very handy for baby medicines, baby hats, baby socks, lotions, etc. etc.

10. Freeze chicken breasts in individual baggies so you don’t have to cook the entire package of meat. I know, I know…Another DUH one…this took me several years for me to figure out. I went to visit my friend in Massachusetts, saw how she did it, and had my chicken-freezing-AHA-moment. Also, I’d always get irritated about how THICK the chicken was. It took me about 7 years into marriage for me to realize that was the purpose of a meat tenderizer.

Do you have any DUH-AHA tips that took you a while to figure out…And that you’re not to ashamed to admit?

Filed Under: Life, Me, Random · Comments: 18 Comments

It was the best of Jokes…It was the worst of Jokes

May 7, 2010 by Maren · Comments: 4 Comments

For the past couple of weeks, I have worn my wedding ring with a slit in the shank. My ring has recently had a one-on-one with the jeweler and as a result, I’m now ‘in-the-know’ about all things ring related.

Less than one month after we were married, my husband and I took our church’s youth group on a missions trip. While there, the love-struck teenage girls fancied that one of the youth sponsors had struck up a relationship with a man she had just met. I brilliantly(?) concocted a plan for a little practical joke. I lent the lady my engagement ring with hopes of announcing to the the googly-eyed teens, in grandiose fashion, that the man had proposed! And she had accepted! It was a great joke. The girls bought the story hook, line, and sinker–and screamed as only as high school girls have the capability of screaming.

Well, then the joke was on us. It got stuck on her finger. Nothing would get that thing off…we tried soap, oil, string tourniquet, water, ice, elevation, a night’s sleep, YOU NAME IT. That ring was not budging and the lady wanted the ring off of her finger! A trip to the emergency room and a little snip snip, and my ring looked like something like you’d buy out of a $.25 machine–A ring with a slit right down the backside.

And, LOVE HIS SOUL… Wanna know my patient husband’s response to the whole fiasco:? “I understand Maren. It’s just you.” Probably one of the first few clues as to the extent of the mess (me) he’d gotten himself into. And one of my first clues to the extent of my dear husband’s patience.

Thankfully, the jeweler appreciated my joke and soldered my ring for free. And for nine years, I’ve enjoyed a good story and life’s merriment. Until last week. I suppose 9 years of abuse caused it to split again, and so I hiked my split shank and little ‘ole me back to a jeweler. In 30 minutes, the ring was fixed, polished, and once again pretty! Special thanks to Fast-fix in Louisville, KY for helping me (and my ring) feel whole again! WHOOTWOOT!

*Object in the picture is smaller than it appears.
** Before you ask, I have large knuckles and those balls are ‘ring sizing balls,’ sit in the fat of my finger and keep it in place.

Filed Under: It's a Bad Day, Life, Me, Memories · Comments: 4 Comments

Watering my Irritation

April 21, 2010 by Maren · Comments: 7 Comments

When I am at a restaurant, I drink more than a parched camel on a trek through the Sahara Desert. (Side note: Did you know that a camel will drink approx 26 gallons to 40 gallons in one drink? That’s a bathtub of water, people!) I require multiple refills during the course of dinner–probably equivalent to a bathtub, too. That’s one reason I skip the extra calories of a soda or the carbonation of a diet drink. I love my water!

So, I have a beef with Taco Bueno (Puns make me chortle at myself) and I’m irritated with Panera. Please allow me thirty seconds of your gripe time, and then I’ll put this issue to rest (until the next time I’m stiffed). Sunday, my irritation peaked.

I stopped in the drive-thru for lunch. I ordered $10 worth of food and a water. Now, I am fully aware that ten bucks isn’t a great amount of money. But I certainly have expectations when patronizing a food establishment-even a fast food one. When I pulled up, they handed me a dixie-size cup of water with my $10 order. Everything about this makes me want to snatch my money back and drive away. It REALLY gripes me.

First, and foremost, if skimpy-water-giver restaurants wanted my business, they could use a little reverse psychology. Here’s my reasoning: The larger the water cup, the more I’ll have to pee. The more I have to pee, the more often I’ll have to frequent the restroom. The more often I have to frequent the restroom, the more often I will frequent the restaurant. The more I frequent the restaurant, the more I’ll buy…But reverse psychology is beside the point.

I DO NOT LIKE BEING PUNISHED for ordering a water. I cannot imagine how they are saving THAT MUCH money by giving me an infant size drink. Is a few square inches of waxed cardboard REALLY that costly? Panera & Bueno, I’m sorry for putting you out with my order.

Before completing this rant, I realize that if you ASK, they will give it to you. That’s just it. I don’t feel that one should HAVE to ask–I should not be punished for ordering water over their dumb soda. I realize in a down economy, they are saving money. But maybe I’d spend a few more shekels at their business if they kept me happy.

So, thanks for listening to my two cents. But maybe I should keep those pennies. I understand many places are charging for condiments these days…but that’s a whole separate beef.

Filed Under: Me · Comments: 7 Comments

It’s a Barbie Thursday

March 18, 2010 by Maren · Comments: 9 Comments

Today, I feel like a Barbie. And believe me—It’s NOT because of my measurements!

I’m confident that someone stole my little leather bag of makeup. (Or, I’ve misplaced it.) But saying that someone stole it makes me feel better about myself. I hope the burglar got their heyday of makeup surprises, seeing how I’m el cheapo when it comes to makeup! Case in point: my blush. Several months ago I dropped it, causing it to shatter to smithereens. Instead of going out and buying new blush, my solution was to pour all the powdery goodness into a Ziploc bag. When needed, I’d dip a brush or finger into the powdery mess and apply. (It actually saved space and got my invention wheels turning…) Keep in mind that the repurposed blush was originally a $2.00 ditty of Wet-n-Wild love. Need I mention once again that I’m CHEAP??? (I know. I know…Your thoughts are confirmed: I’m either pathetic or a tight wad. Both are accurate.)

Yeah, I don’t think the thief got what they were hoping.

Tuesday & Wednesday, I did without, except for the emergency tube of mascara I keep in my work drawer for dramatic times such as these. It’s been a life saver because who wants to be seen without MASCARA? It’s on the short list of a woman’s foundational needs! What a tragedy! Today, before leaving for work, I scrounged in the medicine cabinet for any makeup related items I could find. Somehow I found foundation, lip-stay color, eye liner and BLUE eye shadow. I’ll try everything once…or twice…or use it until it’s gone so I don’t waste it. So, I gathered up the make-do makeup and came into work.

I applied the makeshift cosmetics, including the blue eye shadow. Somehow wearing blue eyeshadow made me instantly feel like Barbie, except I’m about 4x times bigger (in all the wrong places). So, Happy Barbie Thursday. And if you see someone wearing blue eye shadow today, don’t judge. Someone may have stolen their makeup.

Filed Under: It's a Bad Day, Me · Comments: 9 Comments

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Duh-Aha Tips

It was the best of Jokes…It was the worst of Jokes

Watering my Irritation

It’s a Barbie Thursday

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