Nov 30, 2010

Works for Me: Two blankets on the bed

I have a confession:

I am a blanket hog.

If there is a blanket on the bed, I will grab it in my sleep, wrap it around myself, and only some vigorous yanking will dislodge it from my grasp. Temporarily.

In the interest of marital harmony, we realized very early on that something had to change or one day I would discover that my beloved had turned into an icicle.

As I mentioned previously, I'm a big believer in easy bed-making - there's no flat sheet, just a comforter with a cover. So our solution was simple: We simply added a second comforter to our bed. Now at night, we each have our own comforters so there's no fighting over coverage.

Simple, effective and - dare I say? - brilliant.

Find more Works for Me Wednesday tips at We are THAT Family.

Nov 29, 2010

Menu Plan Monday: Saving Us Money


I have to admit that every week, Sunday night will roll around and I'll sigh and groan inwardly that I have to come up with a menu for the week. However, I have to admit that because my menu is planned, my week is so much easier. I know what can be done ahead of time, so I am more likely to prep ahead. If something needs to be defrosted, it comes out of the freezer so that I'm not standing in the kitchen at 4 p.m. bemoaning the fact that all of my meat is frozen. And that means less eating out, which means saving money. So, here's what I'm thinking for this week:

Monday - Turkey & Fontina Paninis with Cream of Broccoli Soup (I bought a 10-pound bag of potatoes at Ralphs last week, and have only used a few potatoes so far)

Tuesday - Tuna & Corn Croquettes (plus extra mashed potatoes for the freezer), Sautéed Butternut Squash

Wednesday - Tacos and Salad

Thursday - Miso Marinated Chicken and some kind of veggie to be purchased this week

Friday - Ground Beef Hash and some kind of veggie to be purchased this week

Saturday - ??? (We have a late-afternoon birthday party to attend, so I'm not sure what we'll be doing for dinner, possibly leftovers.)

Sunday - Hanukkah get together; I'm making Noodle Kugel and cookies

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 26, 2010

Some Quick Updates

  • I see there's a new Ralphs ad online that runs through November 30, so I'll work on those match ups tonight.

  • Wild for Wags has some fantastic Black Friday scenarios for Walgreens that made my shopping super easy.

  • I am loving our Cisco Valet Plus Wireless Router. We're usually slow to acquire new technology simply because of cost, and the only reason we finally got a wireless router is because our old router died. We just hooked our Nintendo Wii up to the internet, so it'll fun to see what (if anything) we can now do with it.

  • I made a double batch of my favorite sweet potato dish, Cooking Light's Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole. It took three 3-lb bags of sweet potatoes, so that's a lot of sweet potatoes. I omitted the nuts (for allergy reasons) and substituted quick oats for the flour in my topping.

  • My new favorite way of preparing green beans is to sauté them with a little butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic until they're lightly browned. It makes them seem overdone because they're not that nice bright green anymore, but they taste amazing.

  • Thanks to all of the recent grocery deals, both of my fridges and freezers are stuffed. I don't know that I'll be buying more than produce and dairy for a few weeks! Look for my upcoming weekly menu plans to incorporate lots of pantry and freezer items.

  • I recently made a bread pudding using (gulp!) Coffee-Mate to replace some milk, and it imparted a creamy texture and sweetness that was delicious. The nutritional content is appalling, but no one needs to know that ;)

Nov 25, 2010

Thank you!

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S., and one of the things I am most thankful for this year is this blog. I started Chief Family Officer over five years ago without really knowing what a blog was, and it's funny to look back and see how it's evolved as my life and priorities have changed.

I've been so lucky to have some readers who've been with me all the way since the beginning, and to have new readers join every day. Thank you to all of you for making this blog such a blessing.

I hope you have a wonderful day. I'll be spending mine cooking and decorating for the holidays :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 22, 2010

Car Seats Have an Expiration Date

It occurred to me recently that our oldest car seat, a Britax Marathon, is over five years old now. And I vaguely knew that car seats have an expiration date. So I finally went looking for more information. On the side of the seat itself, I found a sticker that had the manufacture date (but no expiration date). And on the Britax web site, I found the info I was looking for in their FAQ:
The service life for Britax infant car seats (including the base), convertible car seats, youth seats (such as the Britax Regent), and belt-positioning booster seats is 6 years from date of manufacture. The Britax Frontier Harness-2-Booster seat has a service life of 9 years. To prevent injury due to deterioration or hidden damage, do not use child restraints or booster seats older than their service life or if it has been in a moderate or severe crash. You can find the date of manufacture on the child restraint/booster seat serial label.
So I have about six more months before I have to get a new car seat. Just in case I forget, I've created an entry in Google Calendar with a couple of reminder emails to go out before the seat expires.

We also have two Graco Nautilus seats, and here's the info I found in the Graco FAQ:
Car seats have a suggested useful life that that is identified on the car seat as follows: "Do Not Use After December 20xx". With changes in regulation, changes in vehicles, new technology and other factors including general wear and tear of a car seat, we recommend that a car seat be replaced on or before reaching the "Do Not Use After" date.
I haven't checked the seats since they're less than two years old, so I don't know exactly where the sticker is, but I expect to find it on the side.

I would think that you could find similar information for any brand of car seat on the manufacturer's web site, but if you can't, you could check your owner's manual or give their customer service center a call.

The expiration date is something to think about, especially if you expect to keep a seat for a long time. I think weight and height-wise, we could probably use the Marathon for another year. And I bought the Nautilus with the expectation that we would not have to replace it. So, hopefully it won't expire for at least another four or five years.

Menu Plan Monday: Yummy Thanksgiving Food!


I'm guessing most of us have Thanksgiving on our minds as we plan our menus this week. I have to go shopping today (and/or possibly tomorrow), as I refuse to set foot in a grocery store on Wednesday. Here's what I'm thinking:

Monday - Rotini & Cheese, Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday - Meatloaf Sandwiches (since they didn't get made last week), Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday - Sautéed Scallops, Lemon-Butter Linguine, Sautéed Shredded Zucchini

Thursday - I don't have to cook the turkey, but I'm making Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole and Sautéed Green Beans

Friday & Saturday - Leftovers in one form or another

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 16, 2010

Taking Time to Catch Your Breath & Learning to Say "No"

There are more demands on my time than I can handle these days.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if I would commit to helping out at school for an additional two hours per week, on top of the two weekly hours plus monthly meetings that I'm there.

Over the weekend, I was asked if I would join the committee for the PTA's largest fund raiser.

I just got back from my last Mega Sale transaction at Ralphs, and found myself thinking that I don't want to go shopping for a few days now.

My friend is having surgery tomorrow and I want to provide her and her family with food to last a few days.

My house needs cleaning.

I'm sure you have a similar list of demands on your time. Over the years, I've actually gotten pretty good at saying no. I've learned that if I resent doing something, I'll just drag my feet so both I and the requester end up feeling frustrated and bad. And that's not helping anyone.

So I turned down the two requests from school, as I feel I am helping out plenty and I really don't want more school-related obligations on my plate.

But I also need to simply take a breather right now.

I'm actually happy that the Mega Sale is over at Ralphs so I'm not haunted by all the deals I'm not getting. I've gone every day since Sunday and while I'm looking forward to seeing what the sales will be starting tomorrow, I need a break from shopping.

I will cook one meal for my friend and her family, but mostly I'm going to take over a lot of the free soup I picked up during the Mega Sale, plus some goodies and household items so they won't have to worry about those things while my friend recuperates. I'll take these things to her and hang out for a little while, so that too will be rejuvenating as we have a little bit of girl time.

And I find that what's more rejuvenating of all is simply spending a day at home without going out unless it's absolutely necessary and cleaning up and getting some work done and taking care of business. So I'm picking a day when I can say "no" to all requests to look forward to. An at-home mani/pedi sounds good too.

How do you catch your breath?

Nov 15, 2010

Menu Plan Monday: Hoping for an easier week!


Last week was just crazy, but hopefully things will be back to normal this week. I want to do some freezer cooking but my freezers are both packed right now, so I will try to clear some space in them this week. Here's what I'm thinking:

Monday - Chicken & Rice Casserole, using shredded chicken that's in the fridge and some of the cheap frozen broccoli I picked up last week during the current Ralphs Mega Sale. I would like to add another vegetable, but we'll have to see what I can come up with.

Tuesday - Beef Tacos, Salad

Wednesday - All Day Mac & Cheese, Salad

Thursday - Pizza, Salad

Friday - Meatloaf Heroes on Artisan Bread (using frozen leftover meatloaf), Creamed Spinach

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 9, 2010

Works for Me: Simple Bed Making

Not long after I was living on my own - back when I moved into the college dorms, in fact - I found a simple way of making my bed that was fast and easy. The first thing I did was dispense with the flat sheet. I've never much liked flat sheets anyway, as I tend to push them down with my feet and find them bunched at the foot of the bed when I wake up.

So now I need only the following to make my bed:
  • fitted sheet to cover the mattress
  • pillow case (2, since I use 2 pillows)
  • comforter
  • comforter cover, aka duvet
Since the comforter is protected by the duvet, it only needs to be washed infrequently. Everything else is easily washed weekly. And most importantly, it takes all of one minute to make the bed in the morning - just a little fluffing of the pillows, and spreading of the comforter over the bed. That's it!

Find more Works for Me Wednesday tips at We are THAT Family.

Photo Holiday Cards + Shutterfly Offer For Bloggers

For the last couple of years, I've been sending out photo cards at the holidays. I probably wouldn't do it if it weren't for the kids, but I always enjoy seeing how my friends' kids have grown during the year, and I know that most of them like seeing mine too. I used to send a full-page letter every year, but now I condense our news to fit on these shipping labels, and then I affix a label to the back of each card before I send it out.

I tend to buy my cards from whoever's got the best deal, but I prefer the bigger sites like Shutterfly because they don't just have Christmas cards and Hanukkah cards, they also have more "neutral" cards that suit our family better. One side of the family is Jewish and the other is nominally Christian, so I need a card that's not really one or the other or I'll risk offending someone. I was actually asked to review a site that had Christmas cards and Hanukkah cards, but didn't have any holiday cards not tied to either religion - needless to say, I won't be getting my holiday cards from them!

Shutterfly has some nice options for me, though. For example, I love the colors of this card:


It's cheerful and doesn't necessarily say Christmas or Hanukkah, and, at the risk of being politically incorrect, it's not "girly" either (seeing as how I'm the only girl in our family). And I love how modern this one is:


Shutterfly is giving bloggers a chance to get 50 free holiday cards by signing up here, so I'll probably pick one of the designs above (called Have a Ball and Vintage Snowflakes, respectively). Although, I love the brown of Giving Gifts:


See, it's hard to choose!

Confidence comes from overcoming adversity

"You get confidence from overcoming adversity, not from being told how great you are all the time." - Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., author of Tough Times, Strong Children, as quoted in the November 2010 Parents Magazine

I read the above quote and I wanted to jump up and shout Yes!, because it's so true. We have always worked hard to emphasize to both our boys that the result is not as important as the effort they put forth.

I know parents who tell their children that they are the most or the best (fill in the blank), and heap praise and superlatives on them that simply aren't warranted. I know they trying to give their children "positive feedback," which is what society tells us to do. But there's going to come a day when those children realize that their parents are just giving them empty words, and if that's all they've gotten over the years, then they'll lack the self-confidence, or what self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden calls self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is one of the two components of healthy self-esteem, and means "confidence in the ability to cope with life's challenges," which "leads to a sense of control over one's life." (The other component is self-respect.)

It's not always easy to watch your children struggle - in fact, it's pretty darn hard to do. And it's usually easier to just do things for them. But work with your children to overcome the obstacles they encounter, and they'll thank you for it later on.

Nov 8, 2010

Ways to Make & Save Money #16: Shop Selectively at Daily Deal Sites

You can read the rest of the Ways to Make & Save Money series here.

A recent phenomenon on the internet is "deal of the day" sites like Groupon, Eversave, Jasmere, Plum District, and so on. These sites offer a different discounted deal each day, and you can get tremendous bargains if you shop carefully.

I have to admit that at first, I wasn't too excited about these sites but then I bought some great Groupons and I turned into a convert. For example, I was able to order two dozen cookies from Insomnia Cookies for just $22, including shipping, and it was the perfect birthday gift for a foodie friend who literally has everything she wants. That was an online deal, so it didn't matter where I lived, since I ordered the cookies online and had them shipped to my friend.

Many deal of the day sites offer such online deals, which you can purchase regardless of where you live. There is usually a minimum number of deals that must be purchased to activate the deal with the seller, and there is often a maximum number as well.

Many of the daily deals are regional or local. For example, I live in Los Angeles, and usually the daily Los Angeles Groupon is for a local merchant - a couple of months ago, I bought a voucher for a dozen Mrs. Beasley's cupcakes for $18, or half off. Most of the other cities on Groupon also feature local deals, but there are always some cities that have online deals that anyone can use regardless of location. Of course, it can be tedious to find the best online deals, and of course some sites list the best online deals each day. I find that it gets repetitive, so I try to post them only if they're truly exceptional.

The most important thing to remember is to only buy deals that you really, really want and will definitely use. The vouchers usually have a pretty long expiration date, so you will have plenty of time to use them. But if you're buying a voucher just to buy one, then you could easily end up spending more money than you normally would have. I find that it's usually better to let a deal go by, because another one will likely come along later, than to snatch one up and regret spending the money.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate and referral links. Thank you if you join(ed) any of these sites using them!

Menu Plan Monday: I need an easy week!


The way our schedule is shaping up this week, it looks like I'm going to need a week of super fast and easy meals. The most important thing is going to be taking some time to do prep work for the week, as my dinner prep goes so much faster if my veggies are already cut and if possible, cooked. Hopefully I'll manage to squeeze in some time for that today. Here's the plan:

Monday - Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie (recipe to come), using refrigerated mashed potatoes that I was asked to review; steamed broccoli

Tuesday - Roasted Cauliflower & Sardine Pasta, artisan bread

Wednesday - Mushroom Quesadillas, Roasted Garlicky & Buttered Butternut Squash (recipe to come)

Thursday - Roasted Whole Chicken, tortillas, hummus, vegetable from the farmer's market

Friday - Chicken Croquettes (recipe to come depending on how they turn out), using the other flavor of mashed potatoes that I was asked to review, vegetable from the farmer's market

Saturday - Leftovers, or possibly a date night :)

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 2, 2010

LAUSD Choices Booklet Comes Out This Month

I am having a seriously hard time accepting that it's the beginning of November. I feel like school just started and that summer just ended, but I see Christmas decorations and Black Friday deals everywhere already.

And, we got notice that the Los Angeles Unified School District's Choices Brochure should be coming home next week. The Choices brochure contains an application and is the only way to apply for admission to a magnet school. I don't know if other school districts offer similar choices or mechanisms, but I do know LAUSD's magnet admissions process is rather confusing.

At least the application itself is actually pretty straightforward. If your child is already enrolled in an LAUSD school, you should receive a pre-filled application next week. If you don't get one, or your child isn't in an LAUSD school, you can get a blank application at all LAUSD schools, LAUSD Local District Offices, Los Angeles City Libraries, and the Student Integration Services office downtown. Fill out the form and send it in.

Everything else about the magnet admissions process is complicated, at least in my opinion. There are points to worry about, and I've written more about the points process here. The one thing really worth pointing out here is that if you have a child who will be entering kindergarten next fall and you think you might want to apply for a magnet school for first grade, you should apply for one of the few kindergarten magnets and hope to be rejected so you can get points for when you apply in 2011.

Similarly, if you hope to get your child into a magnet later on, you should apply to a highly desirable magnet to build up points before your child is actually eligible to enroll. For example, there are a couple of schools that are Centers for Enriched Studies that start in either fourth or sixth grade and go through twelfth grade. To apply with the maximum number of points, you want to have failed to get into your desired magnet school for the previous three years (you can have a max of 12 wait list points and get 4 points each year you're rejected). The Choices booklet should indicate the number of applications and the number of students admitted to each school last year, which will give you a good idea of which schools are the hardest to get into.

Like I said, it's all terribly confusing, especially when you factor in sibling points, ethnicity, and school status. I found the Choices Information Fair in 2008 very helpful, but they didn't hold one last year probably because of budget cuts, and it doesn't look like they're doing one this year either. However, the Choices web site is useful and includes links to other helpful resources. It's down for maintenance right now, but does have a list of important dates, and should be back up soon.

And don't forget, the Choices application must be postmarked by Friday, December 17.

Nov 1, 2010

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pie Dough

I've been making my own pie dough for almost a year now, because although store-bought pie dough is convenient, the cheap ones have hydrogenated oils on the ingredient list. I followed the recipe in Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything,which is fine but not great. This cream cheese pie dough is great, and it's going to be my first choice for pie dough from now on. I've adapted the recipe from The Joy of Cooking.I made a double batch of the recipe below and am waiting for cooler weather to make some homemade pop tarts. I always use a food processor to make my pastry dough, but you can always use two knives or a pastry blender.

Cream Cheese Pie Dough (adapted from The Joy of Cooking)
Makes 2 9-inch crusts

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz cold cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cold half and half, heavy cream, or milk

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse for a few seconds to mix well.

2. Sprinkle the butter and cream cheese over the flour mixture. Pulse for short bursts until butter and cream cheese are the size of small peas.

3. Remove the lid and pour two-third of the half and half (six tablespoons) evenly over the flour mixture. Replace the lid and pulse for short bursts until the liquid is absorbed. Check the mixture to see if it clumps together. If it doesn't, add additional half and half one tablespoon at a time.

4. Once mixture clumps together, turn half of it out onto a floured surface and knead just enough to bring it together into a ball. Form into a disc or square, depending on what you intend to do with it. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to two days, or freeze for up to two weeks.

The photo is of the dough being made into chicken hand pies - recipe to come!