I’m about to be an aunt again! Eeek!!
Gotta run! The baby’s official photographer has been called into action. More later. (Or get fairly frequent updates on twitter @forgetfulshan)
Auntie Shan
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September 1, 2011 - 8:30 pm
Where have those lazy, hazy days of summer gone? The older we get, the faster it flies, it seems!!!       Kitchen gadgets. I love them. I love finding something simple to make a ‘complicated’ task…easier. I’m a believer. And yes, I have a Magic Bullet and I love it too. It gets a daily work-out. I’ve amassed quite a collection of kitchen gadgets over the years, too. Our tool drawer (read: junk drawer) actually takes up three. And they are overflowing. But they are awesome. And worth the space they take up. Or, some of them are, anyway. Not that you care, but I’ve enjoyed a few so much lately, that I’m feeling the need to sing their praises. Here are my recent top three: 1) Mango slicer Cutting mangoes sucks. They are slimy, slippery and compared with that enormous pit, there’s barely any edible fruit in there. The slicer makes cutting magoes simple. And much to the disbelief of observers, it is no fail. Or it has never failed for me in the 127 times I’ve used it. (We love mangoes).
The only negative I’ve found so far is that the slicer dulls over time. This doesn’t render it useless, but it does make it a little less functional. Just sayin’. I’m as surprised as you are. Avocados are more popular than mangoes with the Fullertons, so after having to throw out the uneaten half over 50% of the time, I was willing to try anything. And this one looked beyond gimmicky.
I was almost embarrassed to buy it and to show it to Dan who, as suspected, rolled his eyes at me for my latest purchase. BUT IT WORKS! It works well. There is a tiny bit of browning, but compared with putting it in a baggy, a tupperware or squeezing some lemon on it, this gadget rocks. Our use of the second half of the avocado has increased significantly. And last, but definitely not least… 3) Egg timer Ok, we also eat a lot of eggs. It is definitely a staple in my diet, but the kids like them too. In an effort to manage my time better, I will often boil a few ahead of time so I can grab one on the go. But I’m also forgetful. I’ll forget to notice when I started boiling them or how long they’ve been boiling. This gadget is not foolproof. No alarm sounds when they are ready. Nor will it scream at you when you’ve started boiling the eggs, but it does give me peace of mind that they are at least cooked when I take them off the stove.
And now for the giant FAIL. As many of these awesome and useful kitchen gadgets that enjoy,I also find myself with some big losers. The most recent are the Eggies. I will say that they do exactly as they claim to do. They hard boil eggs and there is no shell to peel away. BUT there are 4 pieces to clean for each egg that you boil. For me, cracking the shell and peeling it is 1000 times easier than putting the 4 pieces together, cracking the egg in, boiling it and then CLEANING all the pieces. If you are lazy like Yours Truly, steer clear of these little guys. Now it’s your turn. Any faves out there you care to share? I still have a bit of space in drawer number 3…Just don’t tell Dan. He doesn’t read this, does he? So, I’m embarrassed about my iPod. Dan, a true music lover, is even more embarrassed about it than I am. I’ve owned it for a few years and I’ve added to/changed the music on there exactly 2 times. Yes, I’m serious. I like what I like and when I work out I want music on there that gets my heart pumping and that I can sing every word to at the top of my lungs (as I did on the trail this weekend just as a gaggle of cyclists passed in time to hear my version of No Doubt’s Just a Girl. Awesome. Thanks for that, headphones). So you see that I’m in for some trouble as I prepare for our 100km bike ride in a couple of weeks. Apparently the ride will take around 5+ hours. I don’t need 5+ hours of music, but I do need to change it up and take it up a level. I need motivation. I need music to get me moving. Can you help? What are your go-to songs when you work out? Slow songs need not apply. And as always, if you want to support either Dan or I, click the links below. We are so close to our goal but we still need your help. (Oh, and for the record, I am winning the competition. By a lot. Are you going to let me kick his butt like this? Come check out our numbers…)
August 30, 2011 - 2:53 pm
This is my current running mix….might be slightly partial to Awolnation 😉 Shooting Stars – Bag Raiders Another good thing to do is find your songs that you love, rock or whatever, and try and find a remix. Remixes are awesome and usually faster. So many of you have sent messages of encouragement and offers to support us with positive thoughts sent our way as we prepare for this ride. It means the world to me. When I was running my 10k in May, the ONLY thing that got me through at my most exhausted was the cheering spectators on the side of the road. Not one of them knew me, but cheered me on anyway. And cheered hard. And I kept going. And I finished. It’s amazing what the belief that you have your own cheering section can help you accomplish. You are that to me. This 100km ride will be the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But it’s so minor compared with what a person has to confront when they or someone they love is battling cancer. I’ve seen it. And I’ve seen those left behind when cancer has taken their loved ones from them. And to be honest, I would ride 100km every single day for the rest of my life if it meant I never had to see such pain again. I know it’s a lot to ask, but if Dan and I don’t reach $1500, we can’t ride. And now I can’t wait to get on my bike with the other 600 (!) riders and make our way down to Merrickville knowing that we are making a difference, no matter how small. And your donation, no matter how small, WILL make a difference.
For those of you have mentioned that you plan to give, it’s not too late. Please take a moment to click the links below. For those who already have, I want to thank you. Both Dan and I are knocked over by the generosity of our friends and family. We are both so much closer to our goal and we could not have done it without you. Thank you again to our amazing, sometimes very long distance cheering section. We are forever grateful for the support. And we are lucky to have you.
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Auntie Jenny - Yay! Congrats in advance to Vinnie & Sean
Alicia - Where are the sneak preview photos?