I recently got a new hairdryer after my old, well-used one bit the dust. As I was reading the manual that came with it, I found this warning : Do not use while sleeping. Really? That actually had to be put in writing? I'm sure there has to be a funny story behind that one!
I know that manufacturers are simply responding to lawsuits and trying to limit their liability, but have we really lost all common sense? Do we really have to be told that hot coffee is hot and that rotary tools shouldn't be used as dental drills? Seriously?
Here are some more head-scratchers:
For external use only (on a curling iron) - I can't even imagine
Do not drive with sun shield in place (on a car sun shield) - you mean not everyone has X-ray vision?
Do not use orally (on a toilet brush) - what else are giants supposed to use to brush their giant teeth?
Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover (on a pair of bicyclists' shin guards) - you mean someone really expects them to?
For use by trained personnel only (on a can of air freshener) - I totally missed that class in college
Please store in the cold section of your refrigerator (on a bag of grapes) - are there any other sections in YOUR refrigerator?
Warning: knives are sharp! (on a sharpening stone) - If there was ever a time to use the word, "Duh!" this is it.
Warning: this product has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice (on rat poison) - Didn't the words rat poison give this one away?
Please remove infant before folding for storage (on a baby stroller) - has anyone ever tried to fold up a stroller without a baby in it? It's not that easy. With a baby, impossible.
Do not drive a car or operate machinery (on children's cough medicine) - hmmmm, who got sued for this one?
May be harmful if swallowed (on a box of hammers) - how else are we supposed to get our recommended daily amount of iron?
Not dishwasher safe (on a TV remote control) - okay, fess up! Who washed their remote this way?
Have you ever seen any funny warning labels? Share them in the comments!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Menu Plan September 11-17
It's fall! My favorite season of the year! This week I'm trying some new pumpkin recipes and will be sharing them with you. In the meantime, here's this week's menu plan:
Sunday
Shredded chicken sandwiches, corn, mashed potatoes
Monday
Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole, green beans
Tuesday
Crockpot Lasagna, garlic bread
Wednesday
Tori no kara-age (Japanese fried chicken nuggets), rice
Thursday
Sausage veggie calzones, roasted potatoes
Friday
Make your own pizza night
Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, homemade bread
To take a peek at other menu plans, visit Organizing Junkies' Menu Plan Monday.
Sunday
Shredded chicken sandwiches, corn, mashed potatoes
Monday
Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole, green beans
Tuesday
Crockpot Lasagna, garlic bread
Wednesday
Tori no kara-age (Japanese fried chicken nuggets), rice
Thursday
Sausage veggie calzones, roasted potatoes
Friday
Make your own pizza night
Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, homemade bread
To take a peek at other menu plans, visit Organizing Junkies' Menu Plan Monday.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Honoring Those Lost on September 11
Last year I posted about what I was doing when the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred and my feelings afterward. It's hard to believe another year has passed already.
I know that since this year is the 10th anniversary of that awful day, many memorials will be held and the TV will be filled with images and remembrances - all of which are already seared into my brain. I've decided not to dwell on those images, but instead to remember how we as a country came together to pray for each other, to help each other. We stood united.
Ten years later, we're torn apart by political and ideological differences. Crime and wickedness are rampant. Families are disintegrating because of selfishness and sin. We need to stand united in prayer once again for this great country of ours. To me, there is no better way to honor the memories of those lost on September 11, 2001.
Will you join me in praying for America?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Brain Cushion Experiment
This year we're studying Apologia's Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology. I absolutely love this curriculum. Jeannie Fulbright writes in a conversational style that breaks down hard to understand concepts into fun lessons.
Our current area of study is the skeletal system. We're learning that the skeletal system consists of more than just bones. Cartilage, joints and fluids all work together to keep our body moving. The cranium is one of the hardest bones in our bodies, but God designed a layer of fluid between it and the brain to cushion the brain from impact as we jostle around and bump our heads.
To illustrate the concept, we did a brain cushion experiment. It was simple and fun. And best of all, the kids totally got the idea. They loved explaining it to their dad, too!
Here's what we did:
First, we put an egg into an empty plastic container and put on the lid. Mr. Lego ran around the table a couple of times, bouncing the container as he jogged.
This is what the egg looked like when he was done. It's also what our brains would look like without a cushion between them and our craniums. Yuck!!!
So we rinsed out the container and filled it up with water. We put another egg into the container and closed the lid.
Then the Princess took her turn jogging around the table. Look at her go!
The egg survived unbroken!
I don't know about you, but I'm glad God gave my brain a little cushion to protect it!
Our current area of study is the skeletal system. We're learning that the skeletal system consists of more than just bones. Cartilage, joints and fluids all work together to keep our body moving. The cranium is one of the hardest bones in our bodies, but God designed a layer of fluid between it and the brain to cushion the brain from impact as we jostle around and bump our heads.
To illustrate the concept, we did a brain cushion experiment. It was simple and fun. And best of all, the kids totally got the idea. They loved explaining it to their dad, too!
Here's what we did:
First, we put an egg into an empty plastic container and put on the lid. Mr. Lego ran around the table a couple of times, bouncing the container as he jogged.
This is what the egg looked like when he was done. It's also what our brains would look like without a cushion between them and our craniums. Yuck!!!
So we rinsed out the container and filled it up with water. We put another egg into the container and closed the lid.
Then the Princess took her turn jogging around the table. Look at her go!
The egg survived unbroken!
I don't know about you, but I'm glad God gave my brain a little cushion to protect it!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Meal Planning Tips
If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll know that meal planning is a way of life for me. I'm not necessarily an organized person in other areas of my life, but when it comes to cooking for my family, I must have a plan.
I started meal planning when I was first married, almost 13 years ago. I was working full-time and didn't get home until 5:30pm. Planning out my menus in advance took so much stress out of the evenings. Back then, my meals were very, very simple. We had spaghetti at least once a week if not more often. It was just me and Charles, and he wasn't picky at all, as long as he got his belly full!
When the kids came along, I branched out and started cooking more from scratch. I was determined that my children wouldn't confine themselves to the typical American kid diet of fries and chicken nuggets. (I know, that was a sweeping generalization.) So I introduced them to a variety of veggies and all kinds of fruits. That has paid off. They will eat just about anything now.
Some people are intimidated by planning menus. Really, it takes a few minutes and pays off greatly throughout the week. It doesn't require fancy worksheets or gourmet dishes. Here are a few tips I've learned over the years.
1. Keep it simple. I use a simple spiral-bound notebook to plan my menus. Nothing fancy. I write down the days of the week, then list a main dish and maybe one side dish or bread that will go with it. The next week, I draw a line down the middle of the paper and do the same. Two weeks on one page. This comes in handy to keep track of how recently I've made a particular meal. I just glance back at the last few pages to see how often I've had it on the menu.
2. Plan your meals around what is on sale. Just doing this simple thing can save you big bucks. Browse your local stores' ads and take advantage of discounts. When chicken goes on sale, I usually plan two or more chicken dishes for that week. I'll even buy extra to freeze so next week when it's not on sale, I can still have chicken. Stock up on other deals, too. Buy pasta, rice, noodles, beans, whatever. You can use those for side dishes. By having a well-stocked pantry, you give yourself more options for quick, easy meals.
3. Cook what you know your family will eat. No one knows your family's tastes better than you do. So why subscribe to a menu planning service that has no clue what your family enjoys? Sit down and make a list of 10 meals you know how to cook and that your family likes. Add a couple of side dishes. There - you've done it! You've made a meal plan!
4. But don't be afraid to try new recipes. I try to incorporate one new recipe each week. It might be a side dish or a dessert. But it helps break up the routine a little and expands my family's culinary horizons. When looking for something new to prepare, browse sites like Allrecipes.com and food.com. These recipe sites have ratings systems that allows you to read what other cooks have said about the dish or changes they made to the recipe.
5. Be flexible! Sometimes our week doesn't go according to plan. And that means that sometimes my menu plan gets out of whack. It's okay! I just postpone making that meal until another day. But I take comfort in knowing I have the ingredients on hand to make it when I can.
6. Make a store list based on your meal plan. There's nothing worse than starting a dish and realizing you're missing a key ingredient. Ack! So, once you've settled on the dishes you want to make for the week, write down what ingredients you need from the store. This helps to reduce impulse purchases and ensures you have everything you need when it comes time to make the dish.
7. Get your family involved. My kids love to make suggestions for meals. Every couple of weeks I'll ask them if there's something they'd like me to fix. They will even volunteer to help in the kitchen! When they are part of the planning process, they feel an ownership of the meal and usually eat it with great enthusiasm.
8. Schedule a leftover night. After you've prepared a full week's worth of meals, there are bound to be leftovers. We usually eat them the next day for lunch, but sometimes we still have a little of this and a little of that. So I set everything out like a buffet. There's something for everyone!
Meal planning definitely works for me. If you're not a meal planner already, now is a good time to start. For more helpful hints and tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family.
I started meal planning when I was first married, almost 13 years ago. I was working full-time and didn't get home until 5:30pm. Planning out my menus in advance took so much stress out of the evenings. Back then, my meals were very, very simple. We had spaghetti at least once a week if not more often. It was just me and Charles, and he wasn't picky at all, as long as he got his belly full!
When the kids came along, I branched out and started cooking more from scratch. I was determined that my children wouldn't confine themselves to the typical American kid diet of fries and chicken nuggets. (I know, that was a sweeping generalization.) So I introduced them to a variety of veggies and all kinds of fruits. That has paid off. They will eat just about anything now.
Some people are intimidated by planning menus. Really, it takes a few minutes and pays off greatly throughout the week. It doesn't require fancy worksheets or gourmet dishes. Here are a few tips I've learned over the years.
1. Keep it simple. I use a simple spiral-bound notebook to plan my menus. Nothing fancy. I write down the days of the week, then list a main dish and maybe one side dish or bread that will go with it. The next week, I draw a line down the middle of the paper and do the same. Two weeks on one page. This comes in handy to keep track of how recently I've made a particular meal. I just glance back at the last few pages to see how often I've had it on the menu.
2. Plan your meals around what is on sale. Just doing this simple thing can save you big bucks. Browse your local stores' ads and take advantage of discounts. When chicken goes on sale, I usually plan two or more chicken dishes for that week. I'll even buy extra to freeze so next week when it's not on sale, I can still have chicken. Stock up on other deals, too. Buy pasta, rice, noodles, beans, whatever. You can use those for side dishes. By having a well-stocked pantry, you give yourself more options for quick, easy meals.
3. Cook what you know your family will eat. No one knows your family's tastes better than you do. So why subscribe to a menu planning service that has no clue what your family enjoys? Sit down and make a list of 10 meals you know how to cook and that your family likes. Add a couple of side dishes. There - you've done it! You've made a meal plan!
4. But don't be afraid to try new recipes. I try to incorporate one new recipe each week. It might be a side dish or a dessert. But it helps break up the routine a little and expands my family's culinary horizons. When looking for something new to prepare, browse sites like Allrecipes.com and food.com. These recipe sites have ratings systems that allows you to read what other cooks have said about the dish or changes they made to the recipe.
5. Be flexible! Sometimes our week doesn't go according to plan. And that means that sometimes my menu plan gets out of whack. It's okay! I just postpone making that meal until another day. But I take comfort in knowing I have the ingredients on hand to make it when I can.
6. Make a store list based on your meal plan. There's nothing worse than starting a dish and realizing you're missing a key ingredient. Ack! So, once you've settled on the dishes you want to make for the week, write down what ingredients you need from the store. This helps to reduce impulse purchases and ensures you have everything you need when it comes time to make the dish.
7. Get your family involved. My kids love to make suggestions for meals. Every couple of weeks I'll ask them if there's something they'd like me to fix. They will even volunteer to help in the kitchen! When they are part of the planning process, they feel an ownership of the meal and usually eat it with great enthusiasm.
8. Schedule a leftover night. After you've prepared a full week's worth of meals, there are bound to be leftovers. We usually eat them the next day for lunch, but sometimes we still have a little of this and a little of that. So I set everything out like a buffet. There's something for everyone!
Meal planning definitely works for me. If you're not a meal planner already, now is a good time to start. For more helpful hints and tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Menu Plan September 4-10
We got some lovely company this weekend. My brother and his six children visited from South Carolina. My sister-in-law stayed behind because this was her weekend to work. While we certainly missed seeing her, I'm sure she got some good sleep during the day (she's a night-shift nurse) without the kids.
Each year we plan an outing to a state park with some friends for Labor Day. This year we're getting rained out, thanks to Tropical Storm Lee. So Plan B (everyone coming to our house) is already in motion. Everyone will just bring what they would have brought for our picnic and we'll have a good time indoors.
Now here's this week's menu:
Sunday
Pork roast, mashed potatoes
Monday
Grilled burgers and hot dogs, picnic foods
Tuesday
Toscano soup, pretzel bread
Wednesday
Homemade pizza
Thursday
Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes, waffle fries
Friday
Fiesta chicken and rice, tex-mex corn
Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, cheesy garlic breadsticks
For more inspiring menu plan ideas, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.
Each year we plan an outing to a state park with some friends for Labor Day. This year we're getting rained out, thanks to Tropical Storm Lee. So Plan B (everyone coming to our house) is already in motion. Everyone will just bring what they would have brought for our picnic and we'll have a good time indoors.
Now here's this week's menu:
Sunday
Pork roast, mashed potatoes
Monday
Grilled burgers and hot dogs, picnic foods
Tuesday
Toscano soup, pretzel bread
Wednesday
Homemade pizza
Thursday
Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes, waffle fries
Friday
Fiesta chicken and rice, tex-mex corn
Saturday
Sausage tortellini soup, cheesy garlic breadsticks
For more inspiring menu plan ideas, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Praying Friends, Please Pray
I received word this morning that one of my dearest friends from high school and college lost her 15-year-old son last night. He suffered an unexpected heart attack and was gone. It all happened so fast and the family is still in shock.
Tonya and I went our separate ways after college, but reconnected on Facebook a couple of years ago. It was like we'd never been apart. She is an awesome mother and Lucas was her middle child. He was her cheerful, funny guy.
Please, uphold this family in prayer as they walk through a valley no parent should ever have to walk. Pray for Lucas' siblings, too. They have always been a close-knit family. I can't even imagine the heartache they're experiencing.
Thank you, friends.
Tonya and I went our separate ways after college, but reconnected on Facebook a couple of years ago. It was like we'd never been apart. She is an awesome mother and Lucas was her middle child. He was her cheerful, funny guy.
Please, uphold this family in prayer as they walk through a valley no parent should ever have to walk. Pray for Lucas' siblings, too. They have always been a close-knit family. I can't even imagine the heartache they're experiencing.
Thank you, friends.
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