euphrasyne

You can store yeast in the freezer.  Also, sourdough starter can sit in the fridge and you can just use a little at a time.

That looks like a good site.  Low carb, ethnic, and insta pot --that checks all the boxes I'm looking for, thanks!

We had a small upstairs room I was using as my 'general store' but the kids took it over for electronics, desks, and study areas so I lost it.  If you only need a sometimes bedroom, you could put shelving with doors (or hang fabric around it) to make it dual purpose.   In my old house, I had an armoire I used as extra pantry space in an off room.  

I hate dealing with the size and number of people, but the Ikea in Norfolk runs good sales.  

Its the actual Instant Pot brand.  I used fully thawed boneless chicken breasts from the fridge (*1.5lb) and followed the recipe in the booklet but....all did not go well.  I have an old manual small pressure cooker for the stove top, but I usually only cook beans in it very rarely.  Most of the Insta pot recipes I find online have a thousand steps with adding things at specific times.  I guess I was hoping for something more like my crockpot where I could just put things in it and set it rather than fuss with it every 5 minutes for half an hour.

I love my crockpot and I use it often.  I kept seeing things for the Insta Pot (electric pressure cooker) everywhere and DH heard me say something and got me one.  I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm a bit scared of it LOL.  I tried to make chicken in it, but it did not cook all the way through.  Does anyone have any good recipes or tips for it?  If it makes any difference, the one he got me is a 6QT Instant Pot.  

We changed my upstairs room into a kids 'office' so all my stuff had to come back downstairs.  I added Ikea Ivar shelving to the sunroom and kitchen.  We put in a large metal locker in the one in the kitchen to hold brooms and such.  It is lockable with a padlock if I want to put anything important in there.  We used deeper shelving along the sunroom wall.  The kitchen has a very funny wall by the fireplace and my deep freezer sticks out also, So we put a length of deep shelving along the freezer size and then a length of shallow shelving right next to it along the weird wall.  It worked out perfectly to look like one unit that was shaped for the area.   We left shelves off the deep side bottom 3ft in the kitchen and put the cat water and such under it on the floor.  

It was inexpensive and DH said that he could not build it as cheaply.  It is sturdy enough for what I need, and very adjustable and portable.  I would definitely allocate money for the project again.   We got ours at the local Ikea store and I think we paid about 20% less than what the online prices are.  

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/ivar-system-11703/?page=4 

I am pregnant again.  We are back on this roller coaster, but family issues are calmer this year and it is just us and the kids now.  I'm scared that if I actually make plans or do any prepping for it, then I will just lose it again.  So I am just kinda hanging out in limbo doing healthy things and trying to distract myself from thinking about it.  

All medicines, vitamins, herbal remedies, foods, etc work through the digestive system and the kidneys and liver are a part of that.  You just have to consider if what they are doing is worth what they are doing.   Ibuprofen can be RX or OTC.  4 tabs of Ibuprofen as a therapeutic dose is because 4 tabs  OTC = 1 Rx Ibuprofen. The Rx ones are enormous btw.  My DH has a chronic condition with his back/hip and has had to have several spinal injections.  He has to take Rx Ibuprofen daily for years.  I've spoken to his physician and pharmacist extensively about it and it is the best thing for him since it does relieve some pain and causes less side effects than the harder stuff.  He also tried the tens, tried natural, tried a bunch of stuff.  So we stock Ibuprofen for him and the VA sends him a giant bottle of Rx every few months.  

I have several health issues and am not supposed to take NSAIDS because I had GI surgery several years ago.  I also have migraines and Excedrin Migraine (and the off brand of it)  is the ONLY thing Rx, OTC, Herbal, or New Age that works on them.  So...I take the Excedrin rarely when I need it.  Sometimes I use Voltaren gel for my knee and hands.  it is a steroid, but it is topical rather than oral and that works better for me.  I have to remember that even topical things are absorbed by the system and processed through the digestive system though.    

I have a lot of older folks  and people with health issues in my family.  I've had to deal with several medical regimens because I'm more organized than anyone else in my family and they always want me to come in and set up whatever system they are going for.  I've had to set up several chronic condition schedules and I've done home hospice three times--once with a 34 year old.  The takeaway I got is that different things work for different people and it is about quality of life.   Some people have more chronic pain or issues and the quality of life is awful when they have nothing.  You have to do the minimum to maintain a quality where life is worth living for them even if it causes other problems down the road.    I have a list of what works on particular people and I try to stock what is useful in those situations where something is needed.  Whatever your situation is...consider is this worth what it is actually doing?  It might be.  

Off brand cheat sheet:

Naproxen = NSAID swelling (Aleve)

Ibuprofen = NSAID pain (Advil/Motrin)

Asprin = NSAID pain and blood thinner (Bayer)

acetaminophen = feaver/pain (Tylonal)

NSAIDS can cause stomach ulcers in people with underlying conditions and are recommended to avoid during pregnancy, but tylonal is *usually safe for everyone.  Ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be given in tandem 2 hours apart so you can rotate pills every two hours in severe situations.  ie  2  tylonal   4 ibuprofen  6 tylonal 8 ibuprofen, etc.  

The equate headache is a great substitute for Excedrin Migraine also and it costs less than half as much.  I usually keep a few  cough*dozen*cough bottles around.  

The off brand (equate) of excedrin works very well.   The ingredients are the same and I've used it very reliably for a very long time---(I have bad migraines.) 

You can quickly soften stick butter (we use only unsalted sticks) by filling a glass with hot water and letting it set a minute, then emptying it and setting it over the stick of butter for a minute or two.  I do this all the time.

Last year was insane and I had to take a break from everything.  We lost our little girl in the 2nd trimester.  Went in for a scan  and everything was good.  Went in for a scan a week later and no movement or life.  There were complications and I had to have a good bit of surgery; they could never find a reason for why it happened.

My stress levels have been insane and I finally told DH that either the MIL was moving or the kids and I were. MIL is now living with her brother.  I'm hoping that this new decade brings peace and quiet.  

We are still eating a lot of various leftovers so I haven't been cooking much.  

Last week:

Thai Peanut chicken with broccoli, coconut rice

Cajun Sausage, carrots, potatoes, & green beans in the crockpot

Chicken Tikka Masala, matar paneer (peas & farmer's cheese in a curry type sauce)

Sausages with Cabbage & Caraway, mashed sweet potato, fried apples & raisins.  

I did manage to make a 3 layer Italian Crème cake and it turned out well.  DD10 had fun learning to separate and beat eggs when we made it.  I usually like more pecans and coconut in the frosting, but DH doesn't, so I left them in the cake and did a more plain cream cheese butter frosting.  After I baked it, I realized that someone did something with my cake saver so I had a pain frosting it on a plate and trying to cover it with foil.  I think next time, I'm just going to put my big stock pot down over the top of it  if the issue comes up again.  

We like very bright bulbs, so we always go with a higher wattage and more blue tint when using LED because it seems brighter to me. I have trouble seeing thread and needles in the more yellow light.   The ballasts in the garage went out and DH changed them to LED ballasts last weekend.  He used a fairly high wattage, but it is about 10X brighter now.  

We got the NIPT results back and the baby is genetically healthy and a girl.  I have been so crazed with anxiety about it because of my age, but everything is awesome!

Mr. Euph is sad because this makes 4 girls and he wanted a boy, but he will live and he is still excited about the baby.  He has, however, mandated that 'one of them is going to have to learn to cut grass.'

That looks really good. WE2.  I need to dig out my old chili rellano casserole recipe.  It uses pasta and a cream sauce. I got it from a family member's Mexican boyfriend and he said it was a staple in Monterrey households.  I might be able to adapt it to spiralized vegetables or rice.

We had a cold run through the house and I'm still avoiding downstairs,  so I made only a few meals and we ate a lot of leftovers.  

Teriyaki Chicken with bacon wrapped asparagus (I baked the chicken breasts and the asparagus together in the same sauce, it turned out very well.)and stuffing  (I forgot to put the pecans in it and DD15 was devastated and complained a lot)

A giant batch of chili with corn muffins (husband's favorite)

Corned Beef with cabbage, potatoes, & carrots in a mustard glaze. (My grandmother was from Ireland, it was mandatory for the 17th.)

I need to use up the last of the leftovers tonight, so I'm either going to make hash and colcannon or else dice it all up with tomato sauce for a deconstructed cabbage roll cassarole.  

Rock painting is fun  XD

Agoraphobia is the fear that I'm going to be trapped somewhere either physically or by social standards and cannot escape.  Mine is compounded by the possibility of doing or saying something embarrassing (stupid things that most other people would not find embarrassing.)  Not leaving the house is advanced, severe agoraphobia.  I rarely leave the house to go anywhere other than kid's school appointments or doctor appointments without my husband.  Having him there is a buffer for me.  The panic attacks are pretty much guaranteed if I leave the house --well past possible and even if my husband is with me.  He helps me manage them until we get back home.  Things that tend to 'set me off' are : not knowing exactly where I am going, not knowing the exact process expected from me, unfamiliar protocol for anything, any confrontation of any type, me thinking that I'm saying the wrong thing, talking to anyone about something being wrong (like a waiter and my food,) going anywhere I haven't been before, having to deal with more than 5 people.  Confrontations in my home, online, over the phone, etc. all also cause panic attacks that make my heart race, my blood pressure soar, my entire body shake, and I begin to stutter and exhibit pronounced tics.   It is a really crappy, lonely mental illness, but I get by.  On the plus side, it really feeds into Preeping.    

My MIL is definitely an issue here at the house.  Right now, I'm basically living upstairs and not leaving my room except for very fast trips to the kitchen to prepare food at dinner and even that is abbreviated at the moment.  She didn't used to be as horrible to live with as she is now, but she has gotten worse over time.   It does not help that I cannot take my anti-anxiety medication because I'm pregnant.  So, that is a ton of extra stress.  This problem is not 100% MIL's fault, but she was never supposed to live with us forever and it has just evolved into an untenable situation for me.  

I stayed with my first husband for 14 years because everyone around me said 'divorce' was a dirty word.  Staying with someone who continually treats you badly is the insanity.   It isn't enough to love someone to stay with them -- they have to love  you enough back to treat you with respect.   I'm agoraphobic and very non-confrontational, so leaving is my best option if DH refuses to deal with the problem.  Fortunately, I'm very plan-orientated and have 3 sets of back up plans for every contingency.  

MIL said something to him this evening to stir the pot and he told me that he is going to move up the timeline as soon as we are over this cold.  I just want things to go back to low stress; I need the peace.  

Hopefully he will speak to her and it will work out soon.  

The baby is doing well.  It has a heartbeat and moves on the ultrasound.  Everything is right on track and we are feeling very blessed.

My MIL....well she either needs to find a new place to live or I will. She ended up coming back to us after less than 2 weeks of being with her brother.   DH says he will do something about it by June when the kids get out of school and go down south for the summer.  We have gone to counseling over it, the kids and I are in regular counseling about it.   Long story short...she keeps saying highly inappropriate things to my kids, DD10 & DD15, and putting them in the middle of her 'problems' with us.  She complained that I needed to cook for her (she is more picky than the most spoiled 2 year old you will ever meet) and that I needed to be social and entertain her.  I say she needs to get out of my house and get her own life (she does NOT have health issues preventing this.)  

So...I'm getting a new baby, but I may end up with a divorce because this 5 year issue with the MIL is a deal breaker for me.  I was willing to put up with her insanity when it was only directed at me, but I'm not willing to let her drag my kids into it.  

I spent the last 2 weeks mostly using up produce and freezer items on my plan to clear then defrost and restock the freezer.  I didn't make anything ambitious and the girls took over cooking and finishing most of the meals once I got things started.  

Peanut Chicken & cabbage over rice with fruit salad  (frozen chicken, frozen cabbage)

Cajun Confetti Rice (rice with smoked sausage, okra, onion, bell pepper, celery, & tomatoes)  (frozen sausage & veg)

Tacos & refried beans (frozen ground beef)

Baked Cubanos, chips (frozen rolls, frozen cooked pork)

Beef Soup & Cranberry Muffins (frozen soup from last year)

Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese 

Teriyaki Chicken with rice and broccoli (frozen chicken, broccoli)

Italian Chicken with Macaroni  (chunks of chicken breast, sautéed with onions, bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes & celery in a butter & rosemary sauce)(frozen chicken & some of the veg)

Baked beans with weenies over cheese fitters with potato salad (frozen cheese, baking mix from freezer)

Enchilada casserole (frozen a few months back), garlicky black beans (frozen), Mexican rice, fresh pineapple (sale .89 at aldis!)

Leftover Buffet several times (I put all the leftovers on the counter and everyone makes themselves a plate of whatever to microwave)

I have a black thumb.  I kill everything except rosemary and dill.  The rosemary does well, and the dill transplants itself all over my yard.  Last year we had some growing up in the gutter on the 2nd story.    I started out with just one plant, but over the last few years, I think I have enough to go commercial with it now --and it wasn't on purpose.  

This last week we ate:

Taco Soup

Chicken Tikka Masala, Rice, Salad

Shredded Carnita meat sandwiches with homemade pineapple guacamole & Chips

Peanut Chicken & Cabbage Slaw over Coconut pineapple rice.

Leftovers of all of the above and some take-out Chinese.  

I love azaleas.  I really miss the garden I had when I was in Mississippi.  I haven't been able to get hardly anything to grow up here.  I had a large potted banana that I left with my mother because it is too cold here and it is still doing well.  Fresh bananas are always wonderful to have.