Sunday, February 28, 2010

Goodbye, My Sweet Friend!

Hi, I'm Cindi and I'm a Pepsiholic.

It started many, many years ago. I don't remember when I took my first sip but I do know that I was quickly sucked in by it's refreshing deliciousness.

I would like to consider myself a Pepsi Connoisseur but in all honesty, I'm an addict. It's my drug of choice. It's my crack.

There. I've admitted it. Isn't that the first step to my recovery?

Honestly, it's gotten out of hand and I need to stop...and today's the day.

There are several reasons that brought me to this decision.
1. I don't know when to say "when." Seriously, I just keep filling the glass and before I know it, I've consumed way too much.
2. When I look at the Sunday ads, I get excited if there is a good sale on Pepsi.
3. During our big snow this past month, my concern was "Do I have enough Pepsi on hand to get me through?"
4. I resent Curtis when he pours himself a glass (which doesn't happen very often) because he's dipping into my stash!
5. When we go out to lunch or dinner, I prefer to go to the places that serve Pepsi since fountain Pepsi is my favorite. If they don't serve Pepsi, I drink water.
6. I think the caffeine is eating a hole in my stomach since every time I drink it anymore, my tummy hurts.
7. In addition to the caffeine not being good for me, the sugar is most likely killing me too.

Please don't suggest for me to switch to caffeine free or diet; I've tried and it doesn't work. I'm a true Pepsi addict and there is no substitute for me. In all honesty, all soda is not good for us so I'm just giving it all up.

I told my family last night that I was done with it...that I was going cold turkey. Allison asked what "cold turkey" was and after explaining it to her she said "Isn't that for cigarettes and stuff like that?" Too funny!

I know I can do this. I've done it before. I'll be fine after the first week or so. I just know that I can't even have one sip because once I get that taste again, it's all down hill from there!
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Friday, February 26, 2010

Paying Bills Doesn't Have To Be So Bad!

About five years ago, Donna Downey (scrapbooker/artist extraordinaire), put out a couple of books in her scrapbook "Yes, It's A Scrapbook Series." In her step-by-step book "decorative journals," she showed how to decorate checkbook covers using scrapbook supplies. I thought it was the cutest idea! I promptly ordered some clear checkbook covers from Kelco Industries who by the way are out of them right now.

I made one for my checkbook and one for Allison's savings and loved them! I carry my checkbook with me and that one finally had seen its better days so I thought it was time to make some more.

Thankfully I had a few left in my stash (because you all know that us scrapbookers keep a stash of stuff) and decided to make some more. They are so much fun!

You can click on the pics below to get a better look but I should warn you that I think my camera is dying a slow death and the pics just aren't sharp anymore. :( Unfortunately, I'll have to make due for a while since a new camera is definitely NOT in the budget...at least not this year!

Obviously, Allison's savings is on the left and one of my checkbooks is on the right. I just love the bright green and pinks together. I think it's my favorite!

I made the one on the left for my BFF, Susan. She loves green like I do but she is more of an earthy/nature green. While I was searching for supplies to make hers, I realized I don't have a lot of earthy or neutral colors in my stash. I'm more of a "GIVE ME COLOR" sort of gal! The one on the right is my checkbook for my other checking account. I'm not wild about the colors but I needed it to be really different from my other one to avoid confusion.

In all honesty, I've been in a kind of a funk lately and it really did me good to make these. It got my creative juices flowing and lifted my spirits. I know some people cringe at the thought of doing something crafty but it's really good for my soul. It charges me up and relaxes me all at the same time. I'm hoping this will be the beginning to getting some projects done.
Lord knows, I have tons of them on my list!

Have Fun!
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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Today I Need To...


1. Make 45 thank you cards to deliver with Girl Scout cookies this week.
2. Pack things up to take to my Mom's tomorrow for her surprise 75th Birthday Party.
3. Make Calico Baked Beans for the party.
4. Make deviled eggs for the party.
5. Finish making her birthday gift.
6. Supervise Allison while she paints my Mom's gift from her.
7. Do laundry...why is this on every one of my to do lists???
8. Clean the bathroom.
9. Change Allison's bed sheets.
10. Start my big declutter/organizing project for February since this is my last week to do it!
11. Plan next week's menu.
12. Plan some blog entries for next week...both for here and on my cooking blog.
13. Go through some magazines, pull out what I want to keep and pitch the rest.
14. Go to bed at a decent hour and not fall asleep in front of the television like I have for the last 5-6 days.
15. Thank God for my Blessings!

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

A Trip to Baldinger's!

What is Baldinger's?

Well. It is only the most awesomist (is that even a word?) candy and other fun food store! It's located Butler County in Zelienople, Pennsylvania...and lucky for us, it's just about a half an hour away!


You may have heard of them. They've been on CBS, The Travel Channel and Food Network. In fact, when Allison and I were there in October, we met 4 young adults that had just driven 6 1/2 hours from New York to go to Baldinger's. They had seen it on Food Network and decided to take a road trip. Oh to be young and impulsive!

It's been around for 77 years and two years ago when they celebrated their 75th Anniversary, we almost lost it! Yup, developers and such bought the whole parcel of land to build who knows what and so it was to be the end of Baldinger's.

:( So sad!

Once the word got out the store was closing, the public screamed "NO!" and screamed it loud! There was a petition and a write up in the Pittsburgh paper. The public was NOT going to let it go quietly!

Well, I'm happy to say for once the little people got their way! Woo hoo!

Pat Boylan, a local businessman, bought the store and moved it up the road. He recreated it in a new building but brought a lot of the old fixtures and all of the staff. The same grandma-type ladies who had owned and been running it for years still run it exactly like it was run before Mr. Boylan bought it. The way it had worked for 75 years so why change it! He recognized that the nostalgia of the place is what drew all those people to petition it's demise and made it successful. He's a smart man because let me tell you, yesterday when we went, there was no less than 40 people in that little store the whole time we were there! Curtis commented that he didn't know how they could close it down...it's a goldmine!

Before I take you on a little tour, let me say a few more things. This store is not run by fancy computers or electronic cash registers. No. They still use paper and pencil to add your purchases up and then put it in an old antique cash register with a wooden cash drawer. The price tag stickers on the items are also written by hand...no pricing gun for them. Also, if you are going, make sure you bring cash or a check because that's all they take and they are open 10am - 5pm "Every day of the year except legal holidays."

Now on to the tour! Remember, you can click on any of the photos to get a closer look.

Here's the old store that was located just up the road from the new one. I "borrowed" this picture from their Facebook account.

As you can see, Allison is SO happy to be there! We were having an "All About Allison" day...taking her to lunch and Build-A-Bear but she didn't know we were stopping at Baldinger's! When Curtis pulled in the lot she screamed "Baldinger's! We told her that we were just turning around but then I unlatched my seat belt and she screamed with joy "We ARE going in! Daddy said today was all about me!" I LOVE making her happy!

Here she is posing with the penny candy. Yes! They still have penny candy!


Here is the full view of the penny candy and gum table. The gum are ones you have trouble finding anymore, Fruit Strip, Teaberry, Big Red and any flavor of Bubblicious you want. Okay, look in the bottom right hand corner. Do you see it? Yes! It's flying saucers...you remember, don't you. They are those communion like wafers that look like flying saucers with beads of candy in them! 4 for 25 cents!

The 10 cent table!

Here are some candy that come in bulk and they prepackage it out. See the price tags?


Here are some of the "Food from All Nations." It's all different fun stuff.

As you can see here, on top of the food shelves there is Christmas figurines and decorations above. They have a Christmas room in the back but Christmas stuff all over the top shelves as well.

This candy you buy by the pound...and yes, it's weighed on an old fashioned scale. You just pick up a little brown bag (can you see those in the bottom corner?) and fill till your hearts content!

More smiles but do you see what she's smiling about?

Let me pan out for you!
Yes, that's three rows of any candy bar imaginable!
Now while we are here, look above the rows of candy. Those are boxes of any kind of tea you could imagine and above that are gourmet food mixes...soups, crockpot, cheese balls, dips, desserts, etc. They carry the whole line of Wind and Willow which makes Mommy very happy. I love their stuff! And look up way high...more Christmas items!

Here's a peek into the back Christmas room. They carry any Old World ornament you may want. I think there's five 6-foot tables filled with them. My Mom does her tree in them and it's gorgeous!

A few more to drool over!

The candy shelves again...mmmm...a kid's paradise!

Did I mention they had cookie cutters? Well they do and hundreds of them! This is only maybe 2/3's of them and they are so affordable. Some are under a dollar and up to three dollars for the really big ones. Any cookie cutter you want can be found here!

They also have shelves and shelves of jams, jellies and butters. Hot pepper jelly, tomato jam, dandelion jelly along with the traditional grape and strawberry. We've bought the dandelion and actually really like it. Yum!

Sprinkles, jimmies and colored sugar for all of your baking needs. It's all for $1 a bag...you can't get that price in the grocery store!

The gummy table! Grab yourself a bag!

They also have these little porcelain figurines that you can collect. I used to have a shadow box and collected them myself when I was young. Hmm, wonder if they make them anymore? That would be a fun thing for Allison!

Here's one of their old fixtures with candy sticks displayed on top.


Need some pancake flour, buckwheat, cornmeal, buckwheat flour or whole wheat flour? You can find it here and it's made at the mill just up the road.

One last item on our tour and then I won't make your mouth water anymore. Remember the panoramic sugar eggs you used to get in your Easter basket from the Easter bunny? Remember it was a pure sugar egg with hard candy icing and a little Easter scene inside? Well they have them...big ones like the one below and little ones too!

I hope you enjoyed taking a tour through Baldinger's with me. It absolutely is a magical place for kids young and old.

Have Fun and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
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Monday, February 08, 2010

Menu Plan Monday ~ Feb. 8th!

It's Monday already which means another Menu Plan Monday with Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie! Click here to see hundreds of other meal plans and recipes. Also for those of you visiting from Organizing Junkie...click here for the Homemade Pizza recipe. I had it on my menu but then had to change it because I forgot I wasn't going to be home to make it.

Our menu for the week:

Monday - Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday - Chicken Fajitas

Wednesday - Halupki a.k.a. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Thursday - Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole (New Recipe for us)

Friday - It's Mom's Craft Night Out so Allison and I will have dinner out on our way there.

Saturday - Dinner at Grandma's

Sunday - It's Valentine's Day so for:
Breakfast: Pink Heart Shaped Pancakes with Sliced Heart Strawberries, whipped cream, Valentine Sprinkles and Strawberry Milk.
Lunch: Heart Shaped Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Red Tomato Soup.
Dinner: Heart Shaped Mini Meatloaves, Pink Mashed Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas.




Have Fun!
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Sunday, February 07, 2010

The Great Snow of 2010!

We had the 4th biggest snowfall in Pittsburgh history yesterday. Outside our home, there are about 24 inches of the beautiful white stuff. The picture above is of Allison playing on the over 8 feet mound of snow that the snow plow plowed to the end of our lot. Our townhouse is the last one in by the woods and due to this mound of snow, we've lost our 3 parking spaces that are directly in front of our home.

These next 8 pictures were taken at 5 a.m. while the snow was still coming down.
This pic is out of our front door. As you can see, I couldn't even open the door. Thank goodness we have a service that shovels our walks!


Look at the snow on the fence post and lamp pole!
As you can see, it's was still coming down very heavily. It actually snowed for 24 hours solid.
My poor arborvitae was split in 3 by the weight of the snow. It was very wet heavy snow.
This was just on the front porch. There is a 6 inch step down too but I couldn't reach to put the yardstick there to measure.
Where did my walkway go???
Can you tell how excited she was to get out in the white playland?
Hi Mom!

This wasn't even the highest point.


Anyone want to go sliding??
Yes, we dug all of these cars out! Everyone pitches in so it didn't take all of us long to dig 7 cars out.
Anyone for a game of basketball?
The wind started to blow after I took this picture and all the snow on these trees created another mini blizzard.
This is my van. The part that really stunk was once you cleaned the vehicle off, you then had to shovel the snow out around your vehicle. It was well over the tires.

Allison's bedroom window.

So beautiful!

Have Fun!
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